EcuaExperience: Pre-Medical and Volunteer Programs

I had so much fun and learned so much over my month spent in Ecuador! My trip was comprised of three components: medical rotations, volunteering and travel!

The medical rotations were very well organized and I learned so much. The tutors were so helpful and challenged students. We were able to shadow physicians and surgeons in a variety of specialties, exposing us to many different aspects of medicine. We also learned practical skills such as stitching, drawing blood and casting to name a few. I would completely

For the volunteering aspect of the trip, we helped in the construction of homes that we had fundraised to complete. This summer 20 homes will be built for the community members. The community was so welcoming and grateful, we worked alongside them at the construction site and their work ethic was truly inspiring. The work was physically tiring but knowing that we were improving the lives of so many made it easy!

For the travel portion, we traveled all over Ecuador to coastal cities and towns such as Mindo and Canoa as well as in the mountains to places such as Cotopaxi, for such a small country Ecuador has an incredibly varying landscape and we got to see it all. In each place we had activities planned, we were always doing something fun! We were able to hike through the Amazon rainforest, go waterfall repelling, horseback riding, surfing and see so many beautiful sights to name a few activities we participated in!

Help, Learn & Discover provides an incredibly unique opportunity, not many companies provide the perfect mix of learning, volunteering and adventuring like they do! I always felt safe and they take very good care of all the students that travel with them. 28 days with HLD was just not enough!

First of I'd like to say, if you are having a hard time trying to decide whether or not you want to go on this trip, definitely GO! This has been the most incredible month of my life, and I promise you will have an amazing time as well!

I first heard about HLD through the SFU2016 Facebook page. I had been looking for a volunteer abroad program to do in the summer and right away I knew this would be the perfect fit for me. I was DEFINITELY right! These past 28 days in Ecuador and the Galapagos with HLD have been absolutely incredible. I did the Biomed program, meaning I first got to do 4 days of medical rotations, followed by activities, volunteer work, a trip to the coast and finally a week in the Galapagos islands. Although the days were jam packed and we were constantly on the move, I wouldn't have changed a thing about how our schedule played out!

The first week was definitely a crazy one. Being part of the biomed group, we had to fit everything the Premed group did in two weeks into one. This meant our days were schedule like this: 4 hours of med rotations (OR, ER and radiology) in the morning, a tourist activity in the afternoon (we visited churches, downtown Quito and the middle of the world) and finally a lecture in the evening (we did abdominal pain, stitches, fractures, headache and drawing blood). All in all this first week was absolutely amazing and was filled with incredible opportunities to see, learn and do things that we would never have the chance to experience in Canada as Pre-med students. Juan and Olivia definitely made sure we would get the most out of this first week. The medical tutors were also very knowledgeable, friendly and welcomed questions at all times.

After the first crazy week, we spent our weekend horseback riding in Cotopaxi, swinging at the end of the world in Banos, hiking in the jungle, and finally relaxing at the hot springs in Papallacta. All of these environments had much different weather patterns (ranging from Cotopaxi being at about 2 degrees, to the jungle being 25 and humid), so definitely pack well and be ready for any kind of weather!

We then travelled to the volunteer site (this year in Pujili) and spent 3 days volunteering with the community to begin building 12 of the 20 houses the HLD 2017 group fundraised for. I was absolutely blown away by the people of the community. They were all very welcoming, grateful and patient with our group. They also had the most admirable work ethic, and I felt very fortunate to be working alongside these individuals knowing how much these houses will help change their lives. As for the work itself, be prepared for a lot of lifting, digging and sifting (if you're part of the May group) so bring clothes that can get dirty and can afterwards be left for the community!

The second weekend was spent at the Coast. Here we had the opportunity to relax, learn to surf and have fun with friends! The UV index in Ecuador is normally 11, so my one biggest recommendation is BRING LOTS OF SUNSCREEN!! Even if you don't normally burn, you will burn if you don't wear sunscreen, trust me.

Finally we returned to Pujili for a few more days at the volunteer site and for a heartfelt goodbye to the community. We then headed to our last stop in the "Discovery" part of the tour in Ecuador: Mindo. Mindo was definitely my favourite place we visited in Ecuador. Here, we not only got to live in mushroom shaped cabins, but we also got to do activities I otherwise would probably never have done in my lifetime: water rappelling and tubing down a fast river.

We then travelled to the Galapagos islands (which is a 2hour flight from Quito) where we spent 1 day on the main island, Santa Cruz, and 4 days on another island: Isabela. In the Galapagos, we had the opportunity to explore the most incredible beaches, kayak, hike a volcano and of course go snorkelling. I have travelled to many beautiful places in the world, but I have never seen a more diverse and incredible ecosystem as the one in the Galapagos. We saw sharks, stingrays, blue footed boobies, penguins, turtles, sea lions, tortoises, marine iguanas, and the most beautifully coloured fish! Everyday we were accompanied by a naturalist guide. Every guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Olivia, our HLD Galapagos guide, was also a great person to have with us in the Galapagos as she had previously lived there. She knew exactly where the top places to eat and the best activities on the islands were, and she insured that we had the most incredible week imaginable!

As a last note, I just wanted to thank Jose, Juan and Olivia once again for everything they provided for us during our stay, and for all of the effort they put in into making sure we got the most out of our 28 day stay. I would also like say that if you're having a hard time trying to decide wether or not you want to add a week in the Galapagos, definitely DO IT. It will hands down be the most incredible experience of your life!

I'm reading some of the previous reviews and I honestly don't understand how some people didn't like the trip - it was incredible. I've partaken in other volunteer programs before and this was by far the best one I've been to. I participated in the Bio-Med program through HLD, the program had three main components: Medical rotations, Volunteer program, and a week in the Galapagos.

The trip began in Quito with medical rotations. The rotations lasted one week. We had 4-hour medical rotation in the mornings. In the afternoons we toured Quito and came back after supper for either a lecture or practical training (such as stitching, making casts, or drawing blood). Our days were incredibly packed! We would wake up at 6:30 am to get ready for rotations and go to bed sometimes as late as 11 (as after our lectures our group would stay up playing card games). The rotations were amazing! We were able to see 7 different surgeries in 2 days and spent the other days in the ER and Radiology. The tutors were very helpful and would ask you questions to make sure you understood what was going on in surgery. I learned way more than I expected to. The practical skills we participated in was definitely a highlight - learning how to stitch was amazing, and I had so much fun drawing blood from a patient for the first time. I wasn't a huge fan of the lectures - If I could change one thing I would replace the lectures with more hands-on activities. I also wish we could have spent more time doing rotations. However, that being said - I honestly do not know where HLD would have fit that in without adding on an extra week. Every activity we did was so much fun and all the leaders were super accommodating! They weren't happy if you weren't happy. They also weren't overly happy if your group was late to any of the activities - but considering how packed our schedule was it was easy to understand why.

The next portion of the trip was the volunteer program. The volunteer portion spanned over 2 weeks; however, we didn't spend every day at the volunteer site. Every weekend we participated in touristic activities throughout Ecuador - as we made our way to the volunteer site. This consisted of spending time in the Rainforest, visiting the coast, or going to hot springs. It was really nice to break up the trip with these fun activities. However, it wasn't overly clear how much time we actually spent working on the site - for our group we spent a total of 6 days in the community (it would have been 5 if our group didn't ask to stay an extra day). That being said - we accomplished a lot in this time period and I felt it was enough time in the community. Jose (the volunteer coordinator and one of the founders of HLD) was fantastic. He was very clear how the selection for housing went. He also made sure that the way our fundraised money was spent was completely transparent and that the volunteers were able to buy the material directly to ensure there was no ambiguity in money spending. I was very glad I chose to go on the trip in May - the weather was very nice and clear (only rained heavily 3 times while I was there which was a lot less than I expected for the rainy season). I also felt I was more helpful to the community as the work required heavy lifting, moving materials, and digging trenches. It was nice to see how appreciative the community was of our work at the good-bye dinner they made for us. I loved that we were fortunate to see other communities HLD helped build in the area. It demonstrated how these homes will provide not just a short term impact - but will continue to impact their lives long term. It was incredibly touching and an experience I won't forget.

The third and final portion of our program was a trip to the Galapagos. In my program, only 8 people participated in this portion of the tour. I really liked how small our group was - as it enabled us to be more flexible when it came to activities and meals. The Galapagos itself was amazing - by far the most beautiful place I've ever been to in my life. We were fortunate to see sea lions, marine iguanas, flamingos, penguins, sea turtles, reef sharks, sting rays, sea horses, and a huge variety of fish and coral. We snorkeled every day, and at one location I was surrounded by 5 sea turtles - I was speechless! Our leader who came with us (Olivia) lived in the Galapagos for a while, so she knew the best places to go to eat, snorkel, and relax were. This definitely made the experience way better! I would go back to the Galapagos in a heart beat.

Overall the trip was amazing - the founders were incredibly accommodating. If you have any complaint they will do as much as they can to fix whatever problem you have. Our group needed to do laundry one day and the all-inclusive we stayed at was expensive. So Jose spent an entire day looking for a laundry place for us that was reliable and affordable. He then spent the next day making sure it was all done on time and sorted out how much everything cost - we literally had to worry about nothing. Juan was just as accommodating and would be the first person there to support you if you were having trouble. I would recommend this program to anyone - even if you've never planned on going to Ecuador, you'll be pleasantly surprised what the country has to offer.

I just returned from Canada after spending 28 days in Ecuador with the EcuaExperience Bio-Med program. I can not say enough good things about this trip. The trip was comprised of four main components which are medical rotations, volunteering, travel and finally a visit to the Galapagos islands.

The medical rotations were very well done. The tutors were very knowledgable and challenged students to think critically. We learned a tremendous about of valuable information about medical issues and shadowed physicians in specialities such as surgery, emergency and radiology. If you are aspiring to be a doctor, I would 100% recommend this program as it gives insight into the true lives of professionals in a hospital setting.

Our volunteer project was in a community in Pujili. With the money fundraised by the volunteers, it is estimated that 20 houses will be built for the community members by the end of the summer. The people of the community welcomed us with open arms and we were given the opportunity to work along side them at the construction site. Their work ethic was truly inspiring and their gratitude for this project was so obvious. The work was challenging but it was made easy knowing that we were improving the lives of so many people.

As for the travel portion, we travelled all over the country of Ecuador to different cities such as Mindo, Banos and Canoa. At each stop, we had many activities planned for us that were unique to Ecuador and helped immerse the volunteers in the culture. For example, we were given the opportunity to hike through the Amazon rainforest and learn to surf. Travel from location to location could be quite long (upwards of 12 hours) so I would definitely recommend bringing personal entertainment, however the bus is equipped with a TV so there is always movies to watch on the long drives.

We then took a plane to the Galapagos islands. It should be noted that the Galapagos is a national park with a delicate ecosystem and they are therefore very strict about the item that can enter the island. For example, I brought my same sneakers from the Ecuador portion of the trip and I was made to wash them before I could go through security. Once in the island, it was truly amazing. You are guaranteed to see so much wildlife. All of the naturalist guides who accompanied us on our day tours had extensive knowledge about the islands and the animals and plants that inhabited them. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and if you are looking into EcuaExperience and are debating whether or not to go to the Galapagos, definitely GO.

Overall I would say that Help, Learn & Discover is a truly unique company. They take wonderful care of their students and ensure that we are always safe, happy and healthy. By the end of the 28 days, I felt like I was apart of a new little family!

I went to Ecuador with HLD for the 28 day Pre-med program. It has 3 components: the medical rotations, the volunteering, and the tourism.

The medical rotations were so much fun, we learned so much and saw many things that we otherwise would not have been able to see back home, such as surgeries and doctor/patient relationships.

The tourism was spread out between the days, and everything we saw was very beautiful, full of Ecuadorian history and fun.

The volunteering part was also great, we got to meet the people of the Communities and we got to spend time with their children. Our group did the foundation of the houses, very hard work, but we did it alongside Community women who carried children on their backs as the mixed ciment. Their work and living conditions taught us another reality, so different from my own, and this made me appreciate life greatly.

I just returned from one of the best months of my life down in Ecuador with Help learn Discover! :) HLD is an amazing volunteer program offered to students. It allows students to shadow doctors in various departments at three different hospitals (pre-med program), help build 21 homes for a community in need (this year in Pujilí) and travel all around Ecuador.

First we completed the learn aspect of the trip where we got to watch surgeries in the OR, study cases in the ER, spend a day in the Gastrology and Sports Medicine units, draw blood, learn to do stitches, put on casts and more. Each day we would start our rotations at 8am and go until 12pm at the hospital. We were put in groups of two or three and paired with a tutor who would translate and teach us throughout the rotation. Then in the afternoons we would do class room sessions on various topics such as fractures, headaches, abdominal pain, etc. to learn more about general topics.

Next was the help component where we travelled to the town of Pujilí to start building 20 new homes for a community there. We did various tasks such as digging trenches for the foundation, mixing cement, getting water from the river, moving cinder blocks, transporting rocks and tying rebar. Every morning when we arrived at the work site, all the members of the community would be there to welcome us and say good morning. Every single person would shake your hand and then we would all work together on the various tasks for the day. In the evening when we were done for the day, we would do a cheer and say good bye. We had the opportunity to play with the kids often and even got to play a game of soccer with everyone.

Last but not least was the discover part of the trip. This part of the trip allowed us to travel to many different cities and towns in Ecuador including Quito, Banos, Canoa, Cotopaxi, Manta, Barcelo and Mishualli. We participate in activities such as surfing, horseback riding, tubing, canyoning, hiking, swimming and relaxing.

All in all, this was an experience of a lifetime and I'm proud to say I will be going back next year to spend another month with this amazing program!

Over the month of May we went to Ecuador and stayed for two weeks in the town of Quito to do medical rotations. During those two weeks we got to do medical rotations everyday and it was the most amazing experience of my life. We got to see a knee replacement surgery, a C-section, a gall bladder removal surgery and various others while being inside the operating room. Our tutors could answer any questions we had and the doctors would also explain their process which was fantastic. At the hotel, we would eat great breakfast everyday and I felt very safe all the time. During the two weeks we rotated through the ER, OR, the sports medicine department, gastro, and internal medicine. Although the program was very focused academically, we were also able to do fun things like visit the old town, go to the Otavalo market and also to apply what we learned to hands on experiences such as learning how to do stitches, how to make a cast, and how to draw blood. The lectures were usually 3 hours long but very interesting and interactive. I learned a great deal. More than I expected.

After the two weeks when we started to go around the other parts of Ecuador I had the best time in the world as we went to amazing places. Juan and Jose always made sure that we were safe and that we had fun. It was great because the schedule was always flexible and they wanted to hear our input as to how everyone felt about doing a certain activity. So everyone was always happy. We went to the Amazon rainforest, swing at the end of the world, and other unique locations. The volunteer portion was amazing as we got to lay the foundation for houses in the community along side the people who were going to live there with their families and we became their friends. It was great to have the opportunity to communicate with those people and their children and I could feel the impact of our work there everyday.

Overall, this was the best month of my life and I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to have a life changing experience over the summer. I already miss my friends and all the people who work with HLD and I am thankful to have been a part of this experience.

After reading online reviews for HLD, I was super excited to go on this trip. However, in the end I was somewhat disappointed with my experience.

Help - The volunteering portion of the trip was an overall good experience. Due to the earthquake we could not get to Jama to build the houses, so we built them in Manta instead. It was really hot in Manta, and the location we built the houses was a fish factory, so it was pretty smelly. Due to being in Manta, we didn't have much opportunity to interact with the families much like groups in past years did, so that was a little disappointing. I felt like that would add to the experience, however there wasn't much we could do about it. We did get to visit some of the victims of the earthquake in a nearby refugee camp. We played with the children and played soccer. Some portions of the construction of the houses was sketchy. We had to stand on rusty barrels to reach higher areas when working, which personally made me uncomfortable. We definitely lost a lot of productivity because we were constantly drilling through the metal on the shipping containers and breaking drill bits. During this week we ended up sleeping in tents and we only had one shower and toilet for the group. We got very dirty and sweaty at the construction site, so this was obviously a bit of an issue. They also hire some workers to do a lot of the work. We got to go to the beach twice during this week which was nice.

Learn - I completed the physiotherapy program, which was new for this year. There were definitely a lot of kinks to be worked out. I was the only pre-physiotherapy student, so I was often left alone to find my way through the hospital and to buy my food for supper, which was difficult because I know zero Spanish. The physiotherapist I worked with was great, he taught me a lot. However he only came into work in the afternoons, so I only got to complete approximately 4 hours per day. I lost one day to the sports medicine rotation and one day to traveling on the Friday afternoon, so I only completed 3 days with the physio for a total of ~12 hours. I was expecting something more like a 40 hour work week to gain experience for when I apply to physiotherapy school, but I was wrong. I was thrown in with the pre-med students for the rest of the time, which some of the stuff like surgeries were cool, however most of it was boring to me (I don't want to be a doctor) and/or didn't apply to me. I would have preferred more physio experience. I had to write the test for the pre-med students on a case study about headaches, which I didn't enjoy at all. I didn't want to come here to study and google headaches, I wanted to go to learn hands-on skills and gain experience to help me get into physio school. No alcohol was permitted during the med rotation week, just an FYI.

Discover - This was my favourite portion of the trip. We got to hike in the amazon, go tubing in rapids, hike to a waterfall, go on the swing at the end of the world, rappel down a waterfall, among other things. Some of the stops were less exciting than others; two of them we basically went and sat in hot tubs. Most of the other participants wanted to stay up late and drink while on the discover portion of the trip. I wasn't into that as much because we had long and early bus rides (hangover? no thanks...), and some days with physically exerting hikes. The owners of HLD encourage drinking and drinking games to some degree. I was more interested in enjoying my time and seeing the country.

Other points:
-You'll spend some time playing and/or watching soccer. Soccer and volleyball are both really popular in Ecuador.
-Be prepared for long bus rides. Make sure to have music playlists ready and any other ideas to pass time.
-We got a HLD hoodie and t-shirt given to us part way through the trip. Bring lots of clothes! The only place to do laundry was at the hostel in Quito. You had to give your bag of laundry to the people to wash it, it took a day or two, and was a bit expensive (like $10 or $15 I think?).
-Although speaking Spanish is not required, I found it difficult during the med rotations when I wanted to communicate with the patients. All of the tutors speak English.
-Make sure you have lots of room in your bag going back. Alpaca wool blankets are inexpensive and popular at the markets there. I bought two blankets and a hammock to bring back.
-Bring lots of sunscreen and bug spray!!!!!!

Overall I enjoyed my experience, but I wanted to be truthful about the components I didn't enjoy about the trip.