EcuaExperience: Pre-Medical and Volunteer Programs

This trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I got to meet so many interesting people, form the leaders and tour guides, to the other volunteers, to the community members in Camarones. One of my favourite things about the trip was how much we really got to interact with and get to know the families that we were building the houses for. I will never forget the incredible people that we got to help out that week.

The hospital rotations were also such a great experience. The med tutours are awesome and getting to observe surgeries so closely is an opportunity that is very rare to get as an undergrad student. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about having a case study as it was summer and my break from school work. However, it ended up being really interesting and beneficial and I actually really enjoyed doing it.

We also got to travel around and see a lot of Ecuador. My favourite stop would have to be Canoa where we got surfing lessons, spent some time in town, and had The Amazing Race. I was travelling with such an amazing group of people, so everywhere we went was always so much fun.

This is absolutely a once in a lifetime kind of trip where you not only learn about a new culture and people, but also about yourself. I am a biology nut, so at he beinnin. of my trip I was most looking forward to traveling to the Galapagos and the jungle. And both of these were absolutely amazing. The Galapagos are the most unique place on the earth, where animals are not as scared o humans and the ecosystem is beatifully preserved. From snorkeling with sea turtles to hanging out in gorgeous Tortuga bay, this place is like nothing else. And tubing down a calm river to get to your hotel in the jungle is just really fun. But as much as I loved these places, by the end of the trip my favourite time had been spent building houses in the small village of Camarones. There is nohig like the feeling of helping out another person and the fact that tou are there physically immersed in the community is amazing. You get to work, play and even dance alongside the villagers an feel how much your effort is truly appreciated. This trip not only shows you more of he world and teaches you about yourself, but also builds friendships and connections. Everything from meals and accomodations to the experiences is planned and always good quality. Overall would highly reccomend this trip to anyone looking to broaden their horizons.

Going on this trip has definitely been one of the most life-changing experiences of my life. Not only did I gain valuable medical education from my week of med rotations (where I got to observe hernia repairs, knee reconstruction surgery, C-sections, live births, hysterectomy, etc), but I was also able to become more well-rounded as an individual. Everything we did during the discover portion of the trip, such as waterfall rappelling, jungle hiking, tubing down rivers, and surfing, taught me something new about myself and helped me learn to appreciate nature so much more. The most amazing part of my experience was the volunteer portion. Not only was it rewarding to be able to provide families in need with sustainability and to have such a positive impact their lives, but it was also heartwarming to be able to share this experience with the families, community, and my HLD family. I could not have asked for a better experience and will always be so grateful for the amazing second family I was able to meet on this trip.

This trip was a great experience. All our days were busy and I was able to learn a lot.
From volunteering, to touring the cities and doing med rotations, I learned a lot about the culture, the people and also myself. It was a good balance of socializing and also doing hard work at the volunteer site. The country is beautiful and this trip definitely was able to show all the great things that the country had to offer.

This was a fantastic trip that allowed me to see so much of Ecuador with new friends! Everyone on the trip was great including the leaders. The food and accommodations were good and the volunteer site was a great experience.

This trip was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I was lucky enough to be a part of the pre med program in July. The first part of my trip was at the volunteer site which was actually my favourite part of this whole program. There are really no words to explain how amazing it was to meet the families, play with their children and work on the houses with them. The work was hard but everyone was always laughing and joking around I would usually forget how tired I was. Throughout the week we got to play soccer against their local team and they threw us a goodbye party. The people at the volunteer site were what made this trip unforgettable for me.
The next part of my trip was the medical rotations. I am honestly so glad that I had the opportunity to experience this because it made me realize how much I want a career in the medical field. Usually I have a tough time waking up in the morning but knowing that I had med rotations I would wake up right away. Everyday I learned something or saw something new. The med tutors were great at explaining what we were seeing and were always happy to answer any questions. I really appreciated how interactive the whole experience was.
The final part was the discover portion which was so much fun. We got to visit so many different areas of Ecuador. My favourite part was Canoa which is where I got to do the amazing race, surf lessons and paragliding all in one day! Throughout this time I got to go waterfall rappelling, tubing, hiking through the jungle, visit a chocolate factory and stand on the Equator line. I would easily recommend this program to all of my friends because I know they are guaranteed to have an amazing time.

I can absolutely say that this program lived up to every expectation I had and more. It was a life changing month filled with new adventures every day. From waterfall rappelling to hiking through the amazon, each day was filled with something new and exciting. The volunteer portion of the trip was incredible as well, it was so rewarding to spend time working for families that were so grateful for what we were giving them. It is such an amazing feeling to know that you are working hard to make a difference in another person's life. I was in the biomed group so I also travelled to Galapagos Islands, which was one of the greatest weeks of my life. I loved the water activities such as snorkelling and kayaking. At the end of the month, my group participated in hospital rotations, which was an incredible learning experience. It was amazing to be so involved and up close to surgeries in the hospital. Overall, this program was really incredible and I will always remember the impact it made on my life!

At first i was hesitant regarding the trip. Financially it can be a bit demanding and seemed a little disorganized. After arriving however, everything exceeded my expectations and had one of the best experiences of my life.

From the learning aspect, the ability to have such a close up look into the medical field was mind blowing. Everyone was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. It was also a very fulfilling trip with the ability to help in the community. Physically helping with the construction of houses was rewarding.

Not only focused on helping and learning, we were also given a great opportunity to see the country and experience the culture first hand.