Program Reviews

I really enjoyed the experience as a whole! I loved waking up every morning in the peaceful rural Andes of Ecuador and seeing Chimborazo in the distance. I enjoyed making connections with the interns, volunteers, other associates and employees. I got so much out of living in the heart of the Atandahua community and understanding first-hand the way they live but also the challenges they face - This gave me motivation in my associate role as I understood why the work I was doing was so important. Finally, I was grateful to be able to explore the rest of Ecuador in my free-time and I can't wait to come back to explore the rest later this year.

My overall review of this experience is 10/10. The things that were different, or frustrating I learned to accept as part of the experience, seeing it as another thing to overcome. I met amazing people, experienced a beautiful culture, and learned alot about maternal health in indigenous communities. The personal and professional development I underwent will show up in other settings, and will help me adapt, accept, and communicate better- and push myself further. The people I met during this experience had amazing stories, energy, and experiences. I spent my time in Ecuador with someone the kindest, most genuine people I have met, and will take many of the things I learned from them with me going forward.

I can only recommend an internship at El Terreno. In addition to the architecture programme, I learned so much from the other people around me. It was an adventure that will stay with me for the rest of my life and has opened the door to travelling through South America for me. I think Wilmer could be very useful in learning certain vernacular techniques to interns. He has a lot of knowledge and has been there since the beginning. I enjoyn meeting new people and getting to know a very specific cultural context

In Atandahua, the people of the community have adapted and faced different challenges that have cemented in their cosmology and way of living. From a Western perspective, they are different from what is lived in Europe and North America, but in the rural countryside, these practices are considered part of the norm. From an agricultural perspective, there is a saturation of the market and land mismanagement due to the overproduction of the same products. On the other hand, gender norms and women’s health are constantly at risk, yet it has become a standard form of living. Through our projects, we wanted to propose alternative problem-solving that could have a long term impact, while still respecting the cultural traditions of the region. By starting a chocho production system with multiple farmers in the area, and reinforcing the linkage between health centres, hospitals, and midwives, the two pilot plans seemed to have started to have a positive impact on the people in the community.

This internship was a highly valuable and rewarding experience. It allowed me to step beyond the digital, academic side of my studies and gain hands-on experience through building and working on site. Being able to see ideas translated into physical reality gave me a much deeper understanding of the design and construction process.

Working in a new environment pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop practical skills, adaptability, and confidence. The experience also gave me insight into collaborative, community-driven work and reinforced my interest in hands-on, impact-focused projects. Beyond the professional growth, I also formed strong, lasting friendships and bonds with the people I worked alongside, which made the experience even more meaningful.

Overall, the internship was both personally and professionally enriching, and it has strongly influenced how I view my future work and career direction.

Quería hacer parte de un proyecto que usaba materiales naturales para una arquitectura social y sostenible. Definitivamente una experiencia genial tanto en el aspecto humano como profesional, lo recomiendo al 100%. De pronto un poco más de organización en los proyectos para poder empezar desde el inicio de la pasantía. Suggestion : hacer como un calendario de los objetivos de las semanas global al inicio de la pasantía y yendo detallándolo más y más cada semana.

Algo que sería bien también, tener un espacio de trabajo con más calma, a veces es difícil de concentrarse cuando Liam grita. Obviamente, es un niño y es difícil de hacerle entender, pero a veces fue muy complicado para mi y varios de mis colegas poder trabajar en esas condiciones. Con todo el respeto y el cariño del mundo claro 🫶🏼

English:
I wanted to be part of a project that used natural materials for social and sustainable architecture. It was definitely a fantastic experience, both personally and professionally, and I highly recommend it. Perhaps a little more organization in the projects would be helpful to get a head start on the internship. Suggestion: create a calendar of the weekly objectives at the beginning of the internship and then refine them more and more each week.

Another great thing would be a quieter workspace. Sometimes it's hard to concentrate when Liam shouts. Obviously, he's a child and it's difficult to make him understand, but sometimes it was very difficult for me and several of my colleagues to work under those conditions. With all due respect and affection, of course.

I really enjoyed learning more about traditional architecture and working alongside the locals to create beautiful designs that embrace their heritage. I hope to employ similar design philosophies to the work I do in preserving the cultural heritage of my country. I enjoyed getting to know our neighbours and the local population. Learning and understanding Ecuadorian culture made me feel more ate home during my time there. I really enjoyed my experience and found the work meaningful, but at times I felt overwhelmed by how much there was to do.

It was such a humbling but important experience. I learned a whole new approach to life, and am so thankful for all the opportunities to immerse Joshua and his team have created. I enjoyed the parallel nature of work and culture, how integrated the local people are into any project. I wanted to learn more about the field I am studying in, to figure out what I wanted to do in my career. Some things aren't communicated well in advance by Joshua. I understand that it's culturally day-to-day basis, but I would've appreciated more information about my homestay, for example.

I absolutely loved my stay at El Terreno. I had the opportunity to apply my passion of social entrepreneurship to craft a project with the incredible support of the El Terreno staff and mentors. I am so grateful for El Terreno as it has shaped my life trajectory and pushed me to become a better individual both personally and professionally!

I loved how involved in the community I got to be as well as the autonomy in directing the project, while also receiving mentorship support and guidance...

El Terreno is a wonderful experience to learn about the realities of economic, social, and cultural problems, and engage in meaningful work that contributes to sustainable solutions. My original motivation for the internship was to engage in legal matters in a very substantive way rather than just paper-pushing, which is usually offered to undergraduates. What I enjoyed most about the internship was the communal living. I was deeply integrated with fellow interns, associates, etc. and that allowed me to learn so much not only about the other projects in the community, but also the various cultures represented by those individuals.