Experience of a Lifetime!

I had the time of my life in Ecuador with HLD! The program was really well balanced for those who want to see another country, have fun, learn about medicine, and help those less fortunate.

There is no such thing as a typical day for this program, every single day was different and exciting! We did about a week of medical rotations which I found very informative. It was an experience that pushed me further towards my dream of someday being a doctor because I greatly enjoyed witnessing the physicians at work first hand. The hostel we stayed in was also super nice and really new at this time. Sometimes in the evenings we did workshops where we learned skills like suturing!

Next we went to the volunteer site where I got to interact with the community and work towards a common goal with them. We built 21 houses throughout the summer but in May it is mostly digging. Hard work but well worth the end result of helping the children and parents who I had come to know build a home they will keep for generations.

Also dispersed throughout the program are travel days and a tour at the end of the month where we saw many parts of the Ecuadorian landscape including the jungle, rain forest, coast, and for some of us the Galápagos Islands. I was able to cross a lot of adventures off my bucket list through this program, while also lending a helping hand to my fellow man and learning about a career in medicine.

Overall my experience was fantastic! The guides really catered to eating restrictions as much as possible and were very friendly and welcoming. I would definitely want to return to Ecuador with HLD someday!