Program Reviews

Absolutely loooved this program! I went for 28 days last May. We spent two weeks in medical rotations, one week doing the volunteer portion (we helped build a school), and the final week doing nothing but having fun. Ecuador is such a diverse country and a must go travel destination. This is something I knew but never fully appreciated before going to the trip. It was my first long trip alone and I felt at home. We were accompanied by a driver and translator at all times and I personally never felt unsafe. As for the medical portion of the trip, I witnessed procedures (multiple surgeries) and learned skills that I wouldn't have until third year of medical school here in Canada.
I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone who's considering working in the medical field.

This was an amazing opportunity to experience the hospital environments in Ecuador as well as volunteer to help those in need. The hospital rotations were interesting to see the differences and similarities between healthcare systems in Ecuador compared to back home. The volunteer opportunities to build an expansion to a school and provide a Mother's Day celebration to a community was so rewarding. The people there were so nice and so welcoming to all of us despite having a language barrier. There were also many days of travelling around to site see and do fun activities that I would never imagine doing. I also met so many amazing people that came onto the trip and made great memories together. I'm so glad I decided to spend a part of my summer with this program and would definitely recommend it to others!

I have no words to describe how amazing and how much fun this program was. The med rotations were really cool and such a great learning experience. Working alongside the community for the Help component of the trip was truly a fulfilling experience. The evenings we spent playing and dancing in the village were honestly unforgettable. The memories and friends I made along the way will most definitely last a lifetime. Everybody that I met in Ecuador, from the students to the Ecuaexperience staff to the strangers I crossed in the streets and bars, were just incredible! Ecuador truly is a gem and you get to experience it all with this one trip. I loved every single moment of my trip. Going there was without a doubt the best decision I ever made in my life!

For how much it costs I honestly did not expect to learn so much, either about the country itself or about the lifestyle and medical stuff! The med rotations we’re awesome, we didn’t just sit and watched we actually learned about anatomy like in a classroom. As for the traveling prt, we saw so much of ecuador and it’s popular places. The volunteering site and community was the best part of it all. You can feel and see how much you can impact the life of these people with so little actions from your part. 10/10 would recommend for sure! All the staff and leaders we’re awesome and reliable when I had a concern. They normally understand really well english in most place we went, so don’t worry to much about spanish, but if you have the time to learn it you should it sure helps alot!

The 18 day Ecuador trip had changed my perspective on life, I learned a lot as a pre-med student and as a person. I 100% recommend anyone who is adventurous and wants a glimpse of what being a medical professional looks like. The first week involved med rotations (LEARN portion) and observing surgeries while shadowing other med students and doctors through the different departments. The second week, we built the school in the village of Patate for the local children (HELP portion). The money fundraised was used to buy the materials and supplies. Despite the language barrier, the bond we developed with the families was heartwarming and touching. This trip showed me that we can be happy living with the bare necessities. On the weekends we explored waterfalls, the amazon forest, and beautiful volcanoes (DISCOVER portion). Activities included ziplining, water rappelling, horseback riding, and many more. Everywhere we went was BREATHTAKING, I made new friends and will never forget this experience.

This trip has impacted me in so different ways and I 100% recommend it to anyone who is adventurous and wants to get first hand experience in the healthcare profession of their choice. The first component of this trip (which was the LEARN portion) I got to watch crazy surgeries and shadow interns. These med rotations helped me solidify my decision of pursuing a career in a medical field. The second component to this trip was the HELP portion. During this week of volunteering I got to help the locals build houses with the materials that we had bought with the money we fundraised. The connections we built with the locals were so heartwarming and it was moving to see people who have so little be so happy. This really gave me another perspective on life and I realized that the little things in life don't matter. Finally the last part of the trip (the DISCOVER portion) was amazing. It's unbelievable how many activities we got to do. Horseback riding at the base of a volcano was breathtaking. Moreover, I met so many genuine and inspiring people. I am so grateful to have gone on this trip!

This trip was life changing. I got to explore so much, and take part in amazing activities that I could never do at home. The pre medical experience was also very interesting, and I definitely learned a lot of skills. I made some of my best friends on this trip, and I fell in love with the country of Ecuador. The program leaders were some of the kindest, down to earth people, and the locals of Ecuador were incredibly welcoming and made me feel very at home. I would definitely do this trip again.

Signing up for Ecuaexperience was by far one of the best decisions I have ever made. We got to travel around such beautiful areas, help build houses in a deserving community, and partake in medical rotations at the hospitals in Quito. The medical rotations were amazing and helped solidify my desire to enter into a career in health care. Building houses in Pujili was such a humbling experience that I will never forget. The families are all so kind and grateful despite having so little. Every day I spent there I became more and more appreciative of the life I live. It’s difficult to choose which part of the trip was the most rewarding but I think one of the best parts was meeting so many new friends and creating so many new memories with them that I will never forget. I was quite nervous to go on the trip alone but by the second day I already felt like family with everyone on the trip. Ecuaexpereince is such a phenomenal company to travel with and you won’t regret signing up for this trip!

This was my first time traveling out of the country with my friend and it was such an amazing experience. I heard about them from a classmate back in high school. Juan and Jose are very attentive and listened to all of our concerns. Throughout the trip they provided us with ongoing support. The medical rotations were amazing and I have learned so much. Not only that, I have also made sooo many friends whom of which I still keep in touch with. Ecuador is an amazing place to travel to. Its various terrains and wildlife are so interesting to see. HLD took us to some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my entire life! The accommodation they provided was also great. Helping out with building houses for the local community was also an eye opening experience. It is nice to know that I made an impact by going on this trip.

I had always wanted to volunteer abroad but there were so many different programs and countries to choose from I didn't know which ones were worth it/ which were safe. I wanted to volunteer to help others but I also wanted the travelling aspect without breaking the bank. I wanted to meet new people and make new memories. That is EXACTLY what I got with HLD!

Volunteering in Pujili was an amazing experience. We built houses alongside the families who will get to live in them once they are completed. The connection that was made alongside these locals was breathtaking. For people who have so little they were easily the happiest, most grateful and welcoming people I had ever met. They gave me a new perspective on how I live my life that I took back with me once I got back to Canada. The goodbyes at the end of my trip was one of the hardest things I had to do because of the bond that formed between the volunteers and locals. But I would do it all over to see them again.

My trip was only 18 days but I felt like I saw so many amazing places while I was there. From hotsprings to waterfall rappelling to the Amazon rainforest hike and everything in between the travels took my breath away every time. Each resort was safe and comfortable plus delicious food.

Lastly, I just want to say the one thing that surprised me the most was the AMAZING friendships you create between the other volunteers and leaders of HLD. We all come from different areas of North America yet even months later many of us are still best friends. It is so easy to connect with the people you are travelling with. You go horseback riding together, sing on the bus, dance at the bar, stay up for hours in the hostel talking and listening to music, digging holes and moving bricks. These are people I will be friends with my whole life and that is thanks to this phenomenal program.

I highly recommend doing your research on HLD! I would go again in a heartbeat.
Here are two videos one of my friend's did from our trip in June! (one is of volunteer sights and the other is some travels we did). If you have any questions feel free to reach out on my Facebook (Madison Chalmers)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxv6GG8UoIM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pftn_DKBvgs