A Beautiful Beginning

If you have ever wanted to truly change the world… here is a real fine place to start.

Ecuador offers some of the most breath-taking, bio-diverse landscapes on this planet; from the Andes Mountains to the Amazon Rainforest to the world renowned Galapagos Islands.
International Student Volunteers offers you the opportunity of a lifetime to “travel with purpose” and immerse yourself into another culture through education, hard-work, and adventure- all wrapped into one.
As a volunteer you will be placed in one of many needy communities throughout Ecuador. Here you will spend the next two weeks teamed up with a native NPO/NGO and several other students from across the globe working to contribute to the greater good of that community. Each and every ISV site is dedicated to community and social development, as well as environmental and conservation initiatives. Your work will be facilitated through an ISV-appointed Project Leader who is familiar with the country, the culture, and the local people.
When your two weeks are up you have the choice to return home or continue on with your volunteer group- and other ISV groups from across the country- on the Adventure Tour. Within these two weeks you will be led by one or two tour guides who will take you a non-stop cross country travel tour to view the best of what Ecuador has to offer. You will live more in these two weeks than you have in your entire life; visiting the cities and the national parks. Bridge-jumping, waterfalls, hiking through the rainforest one day and to the top of Cotopaxi volcano the next, surfing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, the Otavalo market…. Late nights and unforgettable memories.
I spent the beginning of my 2010 summer volunteering with ISV in the small fishing town of Puerto El Morro- just outside Guayaquil- and can sum it up in short: Nineteen volunteers. Ten states. Two countries. One love. I have participated in a lot of volunteer programs, but they all pale in comparison to what we accomplished here. In two short weeks we built a house, mended a garden, taught English in elementary and middle schools, reforested a depleted mangrove area, hosted and Earth Day parade, started a green-house project, taught English to local tour guides, and reached out to the entire community about the importance of dental hygiene and nutrition. This community was so welcoming and admiring. Truly it was an amazing and beautiful experience to let go of the life you lead back home and immerse yourself in something completely different. I am proud to call every single one of my fellow volunteers and leaders lifelong friends- by the time we left we were all family and remain so.
Once you’re home this will be the ONLY thing you talk about for the next year… ask any past ISV participant.
I was so inspired by my time in Ecuador that I decided to return 8 months later and lead myself on a 3 month tour volunteering in coordination with the host NGO and multiple 2011 ISV groups and other return ISV participants- adding another ISV project site to heart, the Quichua community of Campo Cocha. I am proud to report that Puerto El Morro welcomed me back graciously and remembered me by name. The conditions continue to improve as the community grows and strengthens with the help of volunteers like us.

For me International Student Volunteers marked the true beginning of my journey as I set out to change the world.