EcuaExperience: Pre-Medical and Volunteer Programs

I was part of the 2013 Med program and it was incredible. The med rotations gave a comprehensive insight into many different aspects of the medical field. The tutors assigned to us during the rotations were excellent.

Touring Ecuador was also a great experience as we got to experience Ecuadorian culture and participate in activities such as rappelling down a waterfall and hiking through the amazon rain-forest.

Most importantly, the volunteer experience was unparalleled. Building homes for the community was by far the highlight of the trip. Saying goodbye to the community was absolutely gut wenching.

The quality of people that I met on the trip was matchless. The other volunteers, leaders, tutors, guides, bus drivers and owners of the company were some of the most incredible people that I have ever met. Needless to say, I believe this trip was well worth it.

What a way to spend one month of your summer: learn a new language, help the underprivileged, shadow physicians, explore touristic hot spots... It's educational, inspirational, and life-changing, all in one.

This trip (HDL Aug 2010) was hands-down one of the best decisions I've ever made. Juan, Jose, and the entire staff are so warm, encouraging, and downright hilarious. They make the trip all the much more enjoyable. You'll make plenty of new friends, try new food, see some new sites, and gain new experiences. All these things will mold you into a more global and keen member of society, observant and respectful of various cultures, always appreciative of those and things around you because you have traveled abroad to a 3rd world county where citizens do not possess the same privileges you take for granted every day.

Two years post HDL, I still keep in touch with my friends from the trip and one of them became my boyfriend. So, thank you EcuaExperience for allowing me to embrace the summer of my life and meet the one person who will embrace me for the rest of my life, and vice versa.

OMG. Such a great program!
Have you ever been on trips where the reality totally outweighs your expectations? Well, this would be one of those trips. The Help, Learn and Discover program will do just that: HELPing the local community with construction and housing projects, LEARNing and experiencing new things from watching live surgeries to surfing in Canoa. And, above all, DISCOVERing the beautiful and culturally-rich Ecuador and even yourself!
Along the way, you'll also make friendships that will long outlast the trip!
Overall, I highly recommend this program to all you curious, adventurous and enthusiastic undergrads out there. You will have the time of your life on this trip or you'll get your money back. Okay, joking about the money part. But, in all seriousness, it is one heck of an amazing program to participate in!

I highly recommend this program. From the founders to the leaders, the staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. You will stay in touch with them for the rest of your life.

The Help portion changes your life. You see things and learn things that you would never get out of a classroom. Working side by side with the families who you are helping is an amazing experience. The impact that the people of Ecuador had on me was more than I could ever give to them. Their way of life and culture is something we should reconsider in our Westernized society.

In the Learn component you really get a feel of what life as a doctor would be like. You have access to many professionals who are more than willing to answer any and all of your questions. They do not hold anything back or sugar coat their lives. It was interesting to see the differences between the Canadian health care system and the Ecuadorian health care system. If you are considering a career in the medical field, this trip is the one for you as it is extremely enlightening.

The Discover portion is also an unforgettable experience. The founders of this program have researched a great deal to find the best places to take the students. Every city and hotel we stayed at was incredible. From repelling down water falls in the rain forest to surfing in the beautiful surf town of Canoa to visiting old Inca ruins, the travel component has everything a student could want.

I can not say enough great things about Help, Learn, and Discover. It has seriously changed me and my outlook on life in the best way possible. If you have the opportunity to go on this trip, there is no other decision than yes.

I knew I wanted to volunteer abroad, and when I heard that I could do that, and get medical experience, and go to the Galapagos Islands, I was sold. Then, the program blew away all of my expectations.

First, I had no idea of the impact that the volunteer portion of the trip would have on me. Spending long days, working hard alongside the people we were helping build houses for was incredibly rewarding. Even though I didn't speak a lick of Spanish, I created relationships with families and especially with the children that I will always remember. Leaving Colta was hard to do, but it did lead to the rest of the trip.

On the 'Discover' portion of the trip, we did just that. We discovered Ecuador and its amazing landscape and culture. We also discovered how quickly close, lasting relationships can form with other like-minded adventure enthusiasts.

The Medical rounds were more than I could ask for. The doctors leading our rounds were sensitive, caring, and genuine people who always made sure everyone was content, safe, and learning lots. The experience in the hospital solidified my interest in the health care profession.

At the end of it all I went on the extra trip to the Galapagos Islands and found my favourite place on Earth.

I can't say enough good things about this program and I would recommend it to any undergraduate student interested in a career in health care, or to any person who wants to truly make a difference.

I heard about this program through a friend and I signed up for it without doing a lot of personal research. Well, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. I cannot really explain the effect this trip had on me without sounding like an overtly enthusiastic advertisement. Let's just say that I enjoyed the program so much that I went again the year after and I'm hoping to go again this summer. It's just such a great mixture of volunteering, exploring, socializing, learning, and exposure to other cultures. There was something there that made me feel passionate about everything I was doing. It's difficult to effectively explain all this but I just feel happy and energized every time I look back on my time in Ecuador. It's an experience that will be a part of who I am and what I do for the rest of my life.

The relationships that I developed there, the early mornings at the work site, the songs and games on the long bus rides, the goodbye party thrown by the locals at the volunteer site, the wild life and scenery at the Galapagos, the cool operations at the hospitals, and all the other small details that made my experience unforgettable. These will be with me for the rest of my life and have helped make me into the person I am today. I would not have been able to experience all this without the amazing staff involved in the HLD program and all those awesome people who fundraised with me. So thank you all for creating such an amazing program and for providing this opportunity for cynical students like me.

You may be like me and be skeptical about the program at first. You may think that you wouldn't get along with people there. You may think that it may suck to have to "work" during your summer vacation. But if you're anything like the students I spent the past two summers with, none of these will be the case. I grew past my inhibitions during this trip and learned that life is about taking risks and new adventures, and I am a better person for it.

Not to sound like a broken record, but this was one of the best experience an undergraduate student could have. It's a great balance of hard, rewarding work, and adventure, with the occasional opportunity to relax. All with great people sharing similar interests.

The 4 weeks is a perfect amount of time to really bond with the group and any added excursion (to Galapagos, Macchu Piccu, Iguazu Falls, etc.) is just icing on the cake (or popcorn in the soup)!

Would recommend this trip to absolutely anyone willing to meet new people, go on an adventure of a lifetime, and above all, make a difference.

I wouldn't want to spoil this for anyone who wants to go, because one of the best things about this trip is all the incredible surprises along the way - but from snorkelling with sea lions to rappelling down waterfalls, every day is jam packed with an adventure. I took a travel journal, and every day was so filled it was tough to keep up!

The people of Ecuador are so amazing - I knew zero Spanish when I left for this trip, but communication wasn't a problem at all. The guides are fantastic, and the people of the community are warm, friendly, and so much fun to be with. I will admit to a few tears when leaving the community of Pallatanga.

I loved that this trip included EVERYTHING I wanted in a holiday: medical experience, a completely new country, adventure, and incredible people to do it with.

I'd highly recommend this for anyone!