Location
  • Ecuador
Length
3 weeks

Program Details

Language
English
Timeframe
Spring Break Summer
Housing
Hostel Hotel

Pricing

Starting Price
2499
Price Details
Costs include:
- Flights and accommodation
- All breakfasts and lunches
- Tour activities
- Access to bilingual guides
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airfare Airport Transfers Some Meals
What's Not Included
Some Meals Transportation Travel Insurance Visa
Dec 12, 2019
Sep 29, 2019
41 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Help, Learn and Discover is a student-driven volunteer organization that offers four week Pre-medical and Volunteer programs in Ecuador. These programs provide students with three main opportunities: to Help those less fortunate, to Learn first-hand knowledge about the medical field, and to Discover the amazing diversity of Ecuador. In the Help component, students use fundraised money to participate in a specific large-scale volunteer project. For example, in 2012 we built 21 homes for underprivileged families in a rural community called Pallatanga.

Students work alongside local families and are able to see the homes develop while integrating themselves into the community. In the optional Learn component, students shadow leading doctors and health professionals through eight different wards in a hospital setting.

We conclude the program with the Discover component, where students embark on an 11-day tour through the jungles, rainforests, highlands and beaches of Ecuador.

Program Reviews

4.93 Rating
based on 231 reviews
  • 5 rating 94.81%
  • 4 rating 3.46%
  • 3 rating 1.3%
  • 2 rating 0.43%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.95
  • Support 4.9
  • Fun 4.7
  • Value 4.95
  • Safety 4.95
Showing 73 - 80 of 231 reviews
Default avatar
Alyssa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Awesome People, Awesome Trip, Awesome Country!!

My time in Ecuador with HLD was amazing! Not only did I see so much of the country I also learned so much and saw first hand surgeries and operations that I would have never have been able to see otherwise. The staff with HLD is amazing and the trip is organized so well that the only thing you have to worry about is having a good time. Highly recommended for anyone interested in medicine and anyone looking for a volunteer trip that has a concrete goal and makes a huge difference in the communities in Ecuador.

30 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Hayden
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Month of My Life!

The experiences I have taken away from this trip have been life changing. I can't do justice to my time in Ecuador. Everyone has been amazing! Especially the leaders and, owners Juan and Jose Naranjo

What would you improve about this program?
I can't imagine how to improve this program!!!
31 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Ashley
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Ecuaexperience

The experience with HLD was unlike any that I have had before. The program offers a wide variety of experiences from shadowing doctors in a hospital to building houses in a local community. The company is run by a wonderful group of individuals who ensure that the trip is the best it can possibly be. Throughout the trip you come to know and love the country and its people. Overall, the trip exceded my expectations and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to volunteer abroad.

31 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jas
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Help, Learn & Discover. Those Words Say It All!

It may sound like a cliche, but this trip has truly been a life changing experience. The 4 weeks weeks I have spend in Ecuador were diverse to say the least. There are three main components to this "Ecuaexperience", as the title suggests; Help, Learn & Discover. Before anything else, I would highly recommend this program to any students or individuals contemplating whether or not they want to partake in Ecuaexperience.

The first week, out of the four, consisted of shadowing doctors and learning various medical procedures; in other words the "Learn" aspect of the program. Understandably so, we were required to learn some basic anatomy and procedures before heading to the hospital. In my opinion learning about the surgeries/procedures before witnessing them allowed for a better understanding and also allowed us to ask questions to the extremely knowledgeable tutors that helped us along the way. Learning from a textbook is one thing, observing is a whole different matter. For example, observing a hip replacement surgery may seem like a smooth procedure, whereas in reality it is quite rough and requires a fair amount of brute force. In other words, practical observation provides an immersive experience that allows an individual to realize if they would like to pursue a similar career path. For some fellow students this experience reignited their passion to follow their dreams and work even harder in school to pursue it. I can say with confidence that this experience has impacted every individual along side me in one way or another!

The latter part of the second week along with the last five days consisted of us "Discovering" Ecuador itself. We had the opportunity to travel to various cities across Ecuador. We got to hike in the Amazon Forest and go tubing in the Napo River! We also got to tour around Quito and observe the main landmarks of the city. My personal favourite was Canoa Beach, which consisted of surfing, an "Amazing Race", and enjoying time with the life-long friends that were made throughout the amazing trip. Surely I am missing many other cities; there are many more places that a prospective individual will discover.

The backbone of the trip was definitely Pujili where we helped build houses and interacted with the community. I remember we were taken to the previous residence of the families that are going to move into the new houses. The living conditions of these previous houses are minimal to say the least. The mud and straw-roofed "house" consists of one room where they eat, sleep and do other essential activities such as cooking. Furthermore, proximity is a major problem. The schools are very far away that make attendance a hassle. By providing homes closer to schools ensures a higher probability of academic success. And I truly believe that the education of children is a leading cure of poverty. Getting a chance to improve circumstances for the families, especially the children, is an extremely rewarding experience.

Once again, I highly recommend this program to anyone that is interested in this amazing opportunity. Jose and Juan (frontrunners for this program) do a phenomenal job running the program as smoothly as could be. This has been an incredible trip, to say the least!

What would you improve about this program?
The road trips were sometimes on the longer side. The trip to Canoa was around 6 hours, and others being a couple hours. However, these road trips allowed us to bond and create strong friendships along the way. Some of the best conversations with fellow volunteers were in that HLD bus! Furthermore, the scenery throughout Ecuador is stunning!
31 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Holly
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Ecuaexperience = Life changing

This was my second summer joining HLD in Ecuador, and I couldn't have been happier! After my first life-changing experience with HLD I was eager to return. This summer we helped construct 20 additional homes in the community of Pujilí. It was truly rewarding to be able to spend our days working alongside the members of the community, building relationships with them despite the language barrier, and being a part of a sustainable solution in these peoples lives. Upon arrival one student from each group was elected treasurer and all of the fundraised money was given to them and anytime the group needed additional supplies at the work site the treasurer would travel with Juan or Jose (program directors) to the store to pick up supplies. All of the receipts were available to the students, which was very reassuring to know that all of the fundraised money went directly to the project.

Another aspect of this program that really stands out is the options for the LEARN portion of your Ecuaexperience (Pre-Med, Pre-Dentistry, Biomedical, and Volunteer). Personally I participated in the Pre-Medical option, where we spent time doing several different rotations through hospitals in Quito (including OR, ICU, pediatrics, radiology, ER, and sports medicine). As an aspiring physician, this gave my opportunities unlike any in North America. I was able to live the life of a physician, from doing rounds in the ICU and learning about each patient, to standing only a few feet away from the operating table, and gaining knowledge about the different types of medical imaging. This program helped me solidify my future career as a health care professional.

The discover portion of the trip was fantastic. It is rare that you actually get to experience so much of a country in only 28 days. One day was spent enjoying the natural hot springs, and the next we were hiking through the Amazon jungle. There are so many amazing adventures and cultural experiences packed into your 28 days!

This trip I also participated in the extra week trip to Peru. Our days were again filled with exciting adventures and authentic Peruvian experiences. Hiking Machu Picchu, sand boarding in the desert, flying over the Nazca lines, and trying many different Peruvian dishes...to name a few.

Both of my experiences with HLD have been life changing!!!

What would you improve about this program?
I would not change a thing. Jose and Juan do a fantastic job of making sure that everything is organized well and there are rarely any issues. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to have the best experience of their life.
32 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Default avatar
Rachel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Experience of a Lifetime!

Help, Learn, and Discover turned out to be the most life changing month of my life. I participated in the June 2015 pre-medical program as an aspiring medical student entering my third year of my undergraduate degree. I would highly recommend this program to any student considering a career path in the medical field.

The "Help" component of this trip involved a volunteer project where we partook in building 20 houses for families in Pujili, Ecuador. It was a great experience to work with the very welcoming members of the community to build the homes that they will eventually be living in. The most eye opening experience was seeing the current living conditions of these families. The community members that are selected for this program live in extreme poverty and the children often have to miss school for a multitude of reasons. It was amazing to see how our fundraised money and building efforts could change the lives of these families and allow the children to receive a better education. The work was definitely physically demanding and exhausting but the impact we were able to make on the lives of the community was very rewarding.

The "Learn" portion of the trip allowed us to shadow in many different areas of medicine. These areas included surgery, emergency, paediatrics, radiology, internal medicine, and sports medicine. We also learned advanced CPR, how to stitch, and how to draw blood. This program definitely consolidated my passion to pursue a career in medicine. The tutors that taught us during the medical rotations were absolutely incredible. They were very knowledgable, informative, and were always willing to answer any questions. I learned so much and experienced lots of hands on involvement during the week of medical rotations!

The "Discover" part of this trip did an excellent job of capturing the beauty and diversity of Ecuador. We explored areas in the highlands, rainforest, jungle, and the coast! All of the accommodations were excellent and I felt very safe in the hands of the amazing leaders Juan and Jose! Everyday was packed with amazing activities while still giving us enough time to relax and enjoy the company of the amazing people on the trip who become your family for the month. During our exploration, we were able to go waterfall rappelling, horseback riding, hiking, surfing, tubing, and so much more! There is no way to describe the beauty of the country and the amount of fun that we had as an HLD family.

I loved every second of this trip and highly recommend it to anyone interested in medicine. This program flawlessly captured the Help, Learn, and Discover aspects and is definitely a trip of a lifetime!

What would you improve about this program?
I would not change a thing about this trip. If anything, the trip should be a few days longer to account for travel time between areas of the country.
29 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Matthew
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My EcuaExperience

If you are looking for a program that will allow you to volunteer abroad, while also giving you enough leeway to truly take in and appreciate the majesty of the Nation you are visiting, while having the added benefit of witnessing several major aspects of medicine (an optional portion of the trip, which I as an aspiring medical professional partook in), I think you may have just found the right one. Because of HLD, I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Ecuador and experience much of the Country's abundant beauty. In a mere 28 days I was able to explore the incredible city of Quito (the highest Capital in the world), where I witnessed conquistador era architecture, and then travel from Quito around to other drastically different regions of the Country including the Amazon rainforest in the East, to the coastal town of Canoa in the far West.

What really mattered however, was being able to see the living conditions and interact with the everyday people of Ecuador. The experience was enlightening and gave me much greater insight into the going-ons of the world outside of my own privileged Country. When my group and I finally entered the small poor community of Pujili, where we would be volunteering, I felt an overwhelming sense of humility as the community pooled their resources together and held a welcome dinner for us volunteers. That first night we played with the children and prepared ourselves for the hard work ahead.

Basically, I would just like to say that every aspect of the trip was exceedingly phenomenal, from the medical rotations which affirmed my career goals, to the “Help” and “Learn” portions of the trip where I learned to truly appreciate my life and the opportunities granted to me within it. In my opinion, if you have the chance, definitely go for it and take a month out of your life so that you can do something great which you’ll always have to look back on.

What would you improve about this program?
I found at times that things felt a little rushed, however I believe that this was a perfectly justifiable aspect of the trip, as the trip's organizers managed to fit in an incredibly amount of activities in our 28 days. So really, I have no complaints, I think the rapidness of the program was a necessity for it's greatness.
30 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Chelsea
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Most Memorable Trip

The EcuaExperience program has so much diversity incorporated into it. Not only are you able to spend time learning indoors during medical rotations, but you have an abundant amount of time learning outdoors in different environments! Help, Learn, Discover says it all!

The most rewarding part was working with the community members in Pujili. As volunteers, we have the ability to interact with the community, to get to know them, and work alongside them to build sustainable housing that includes access to better water and sanitation. Not only that, but I was able to see how the community served as a safety net for the families in it. I work with non-profit organizations within my community, but seeing our fundraised money gave us the ability to have direct knowledge of how it is spent. Oftentimes, we don't see this when we donate to NGOs but it was reassuring to know that it goes where it is necessary and that all information about the fundraised money was open to us all.

The tutors accompanying us during the medical rotations were knowledgeable and were able to explain procedures in detail. The rotations were very comprehensive in addition to the reading content given to us as the tutors would ask us questions. Students are able to experience firsthand the varieties of specializations in the medical field whether it is in the OR, ER, paediatrics, radiology, and sports medicine. Skills such as drawing blood, stitches, CPR, and physical examinations were practiced as well. I highly recommend this program for those interested in the medical field because you learn so much and are given the means to practice the skills taught to you!

I learned very quickly that Ecuador has so much to offer! We had the opportunity to travel to many different cities and explore them. Activities include hiking, canoeing, waterfall rappelling, tubing, surfing, and horseback riding - there was never a dull moment. You get to see the breathtaking views of the Cotopaxi mountains, get lost in the Canoa beach waves, and climb to the towers of a tall cathedral. Anybody who experiences Ecuador in this way will fall in love with the country and all that it has to offer - I know that I did!

Everyone is welcoming, energetic, and friendly! There is a quote in the kitchen area at the 593 Hostel Boutique that reads "Enter as strangers, leave as friends" and the EcuaExperience creates strong friendships in merely 28 days. I take back with me so many memories of the trip and you can't help but want to return to Ecuador again.

What would you improve about this program?
For the long drives, the students attending should, before arriving in Ecuador, collectively create a playlist to play! Otherwise, I wouldn't change anything else!
31 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Most of our students are 18+. However, we have had students under 18 that need their parents to co-sign their contract.