Life Changing Month with HLD

Help, Learn, and Discover has made such an impact on my life and will continue to influence my life beyond the conclusion of the program. The program does an amazing job of giving students a taste of three areas that I am very passionate about.

The Help aspect of the program was a truly life changing experience. Especially after the earthquake, it was incredible to experience all of the students and community coming together to rebuild in the community of Jama. The fact that all of the money was fundraised by the students makes this experience even more rewarding knowing that we were able to make a difference both financially and physically at the worksite. The worksite conditions were one of the most impactful parts of the volunteer program. It was really eye opening to see how the members of the community had been living since the earthquake happened and it really made the experience so much more rewarding knowing that we were not living in conditions above the community. We were living in tents without good showers or wifi, just as how the community has been living for months. It really made the students and community members come together during this week of volunteering. The days of volunteering were always hard work, but very worth it. We did lots of concrete mixing, sanding, and painting of the shipping containers that were used to create earthquake-proof homes.

The Learn portion allows students to experience so many areas of the medical field to broaden their scope of knowledge and help them to decide if medicine is the right decision for them, and further, which area of medicine interests them the most. The tutors are incredibly knowledgable and helpful throughout all of the rotations and the evening activities. A mock medicine interview, stitching, ECG, and blood draw are just a few of the activities that are done in addition to shadowing in many different wards of the hospital such as the ER, OR, radiology, and sports medicine. The students are able to get a lot of hands-on experience and see so many cool things up close in the hospitals! The variety of healthcare programs also allows you to tailor your trip to your interests by offering pre-medical, pre-dental, and physio programs! I have only experienced how amazing the pre-medical program is, but I have heard from other students that the pre-dental and physio programs are incredible as well!

The Discover portion was a blast! We did everything from tubing down the Napo river, hiking in the jungle, waterfall rappelling, swinging at the edge of the world, and salsa dancing! Each different part of the country we went to had something unique to offer and had it's own individual beauty. All of the activities we did were so much fun and we all learned so much about the culture and country of Ecuador. I was also able to to an extra week to the Galapagos which was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. The Galapagos islands are incredibly beautiful with so much biodiversity and beautiful landscapes. We were able to snorkel with sea turtles, sharks, tropical fish, and the list goes on! We also went kayaking and experienced some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen and were able to see a giant tortoise sanctuary. The Galapagos is definitely a must-see if you're going to be travelling to South America!

I have nothing else to say about this program except that it is incredible! The owners Juan and Jose are always making sure to give the students the best experience possible and are tons of fun to travel with for the month. Definitely check out HLD if you have been considering travelling abroad!