Program Reviews

The month that I spent in Ecuador with HLD was undoubtedly one of, if not the best, months that I will spend in my lifetime. The three aspects of my (BioMed) trip were all equally amazing in their own aspect but so different from each other that it is impossible to choose a favourite.

The majority of the month, spent touring Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, was exciting, challenging, entertaining and extremely interesting. From waterfalls, to rainforests, snorkelling, and stunning beaches, there truly must be something for everyone on this trip. The Discover aspect of this trip is truly a unique way to see and explore a beautiful South American country in a way that would be impossible by yourself.

The Help portion of the trip, spent building houses in the rural village of Camarones was almost inexplicably amazing. From the satisfaction of knowing you are making a huge difference in peoples lives, to playing soccer against the local community and joking around with the local kids, it is impossible to not leave this portion of the trip with a huge grin on your face.

The Learn aspect of the trip, spent in Quito hospitals experiencing and learning about the medical profession may have just changed my life. I went into the trip not sure if I wanted to be a doctor, but the things I was able to see and the medical tutors I was able to learn from and talk to, have really got me thinking about my future in the field of medicine.

All in all, I would go back to HLD in a second and do it all over without any regrets. This trip really has the ability change your life on an emotional, educational and personal level if you give it a chance. I am grateful for all of the leaders and fellow students who made the trip what it was for me.

This trip was a great way to see beautiful Ecuador without having to worry about your own accommodation, transportation, food etc. as everything is taken care of by the wonderful bilingual guides. This means that you can really focus on just having fun and enjoying the all the cool places they bring you!

The locations you go are nice and diverse, all exciting and interesting in their own ways. It's crazy how much the scenery can change just in a short drive (i.e. from dry and cold at 3300m in the Andes to hot and humid in the Amazon jungle in a 3-4 hour drive!). Each location is jam-packed with fun activities, and you really make the most of your time there.

Breakfast and lunch are provided at all locations, and all the meals surpassed my expectations greatly - I never left the table hungry, and I'm a guy who eats a ton! Usually the group goes together to a restaurant for dinners which are always really good too, and this way you can choose how much you want to spend depending on how hungry you are. The juices everywhere were unreal!!

The leaders were all super fun and friendly which made the trip all the better. The group was changing every week or so due to the different programs (bio-med, pre-med, volunteer) coming/going, meaning that you always had tons of people to talk to. You meet tons of like-minded people, so it's super easy to make friends.

Help, Learn and Discover has made a huge impact in my life. It has showed me how helping others can be so much fun and you get to learn so much about another country and about yourself.

First off, the volunteer site was the best part of the trip. I cannot explain in words what I felt while I was helping in the community but I'll try. You get to help build homes for a community of poor people who have been struggling in paying rent every month. You get to give shelter for their children and make them feel more comfortable. You also get to connect with the community while building homes since you will be building their houses with them. Even if there is a language barrier between both parties, you will still feel that connection with them and you will for sure make the effort to learn their basic language so you can communicate with them. Body language is key in communicating with them as well. The children in the community are so awesome since they are so playful too. After the whole trip, I want to go back to Camarones (the community we helped) after a few years just to see how the community is doing.

Travelling around Ecuador and seeing the main attractions around the country is amazing. You get to learn about the culture and the way people live in Ecuador. Learning about the history and background stories of the place where you are helping is awesome because you get to feel the wholeness of why you are helping that country. Yes, we do lots of fun things like tubing at the amazon, night jungle hikes and jungle hike, repelling down a waterfall, surfing, hotsprings and lots of other adventurous things but that is just the secondary fun of the whole trip. There were times where I wished I stayed in the community longer because one week is not enough. However, Ecuador is a big country and there are just so many things to explore and learn as well.

In this trip, you have to be ready to go out of your box and explore what there is out there for you. This trip has definitely pushed me to do things I wouldn't think I could have done before. It feels amazing. You get to discover your limits and what you can do. You have to dare yourself to do the things the people in Ecuador think is normal (eg. eating guinea pigs and lemon ants). After accomplishing some of these things, I surely felt amazing about myself that I went through these experiences and have learnt that I can do anything in the world. Also, there are more things in life than what we see everyday here in north america.

In the 5 weeks I was in Ecuador, I have learned so much, discovered things about Ecuador and myself and helped families to have shelter the rest of their lives. In that short time, I have accomplished all these and I can say that it feels amazing. I wish everyone can experience this because it not only open your eyes to a new world but also helps you grow as a person and see things in a different perspective. Given a chance again to go back and help another community, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The experience that HLD provides on your trip to Ecuador is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You truly get to see and experience things that you can never imagine seeing in Canada. For example in the medical rotations having the chance to see the everyday rotations of doctors in different specializations is tremendously valuable for anyone who is interested in one day pursuing a career in the medical field. The time you spend on the volunteer site also helps put into perspective just how great we have it back home. Lastly, possibly the best part about this trip is the relationships you form with the amazing people you meet on the trip. Both me and my sister have now gone on this trip and I know we would both not hesitate to recommend it to someone else.

Medical rotation around local hospitals, adventure in amazon river and jungle, chilling in hot spring, volunteer for the poor, and waterfall repelling. Amazing experience.
Leaders and crews are awesome people to talk to and be with.

Somehow after reading tons of very positive reviews before going on the trip, the experience managed to exceed my expectations. Saying that this trip is life-changing isn't just giving it another random cheezy description. It truly is life-changing in so many great ways! I left Ecuador with a better perspective on life, on others, and even myself.

The "discover" part of this trip was flawless. There was always something new to experience every day! Even the rainy days were so much fun. We got to hike through the jungle, rappel down a waterfall, tube down rivers, learn to surf, party with great friends, and so much more! It felt like we were always so sad to leave every area we visited because they were so unique and fun. But as soon as we got to the next destination it was just as exciting as the last! We were not given specific itineraries for this trip which at first made me a little skeptical, but I soon learned how special it was to just live in the moment without constantly watching the time! Loved every moment of it.

The "help" portion of the trip was unbelievable. What a great community to be involved with! Not only did we get to see our fundraised money go directly to use and physically help build houses for very deserving families, we had the opportunity to work alongside and form relationships with the families who would be receiving the houses. This is a really important aspect of the volunteer portion and allowed us to get the most out of the short experience. As well as building the houses with the families, we had an organized party and a huge soccer game where we got to just dance and play with the kids and get to know them! So inspiring to see them so happy with so little.

In the "learn" part of the trip we did just that! For the first time in my life I was learning school material just for the sake of learning. The tutors were amazing! They were great at answering any questions we had at any time and were really committed to our group and helping us learn. In spending time with them, we got to learn not only medical procedures and facts but also what it's really like to be in medical school or a practicing doctor. Got to learn and see so many things that I would have never had the opportunity to experience in Canada such as taking someone's blood, practicing stitches, and standing above to head of a patient during a surgery.

I would do this trip again and again if I could! I came back with some new great friends and a whole new perspective that has inspired me to continue to travel. I can't wait to return to the beautiful country of Ecuador one day.

This experience gave me firsthand experience and opportunities to truly cement what I want to do with my life. During the med rotations, I loved that we got to see what it's like to be a doctor/work in a medical profession. One of my most favourite days was on the surgery rotation where we got to see three different surgeries in 3 hours. Personally, I never was interested in the OR, more so in paediatrics, but after seeing what goes on in there, I am so interested! The knowledge the tutors imparted on us was useful, applicable, and so interesting.

We also got to travel and see the wonders Ecuador has to offer. I loved that we got a behind the scenes look at Ecuador. One of my most favourite adventures was our hike through the rainforest. It was SO beautiful and such an incredible experience. I also loved going to Otavalo and shopping in the market that was there. I loved the med rotations, but this is what made me fall in love with Ecuador. I loved loved loved all the places we got to go see. My favourite location we went to was Canoa. I loved the beachy lifestyle and the hotel we stayed at was so much fun. That part of the trip is something to look forward to!

The volunteer part of the trip was lifechanging. Working with the families that will receive the houses was incredible. The relationships you build with them will stick with you forever. The children were also so wonderful and such delights! It was really humbling to be in a place where they had nothing, yet were so willing to give us what they had and to make us feel special. And that they did it with such joy!

I loved how the medical portion mimicked what it was like to be in the later years of med school and I thoroughly enjoyed the lessons as well as the rotations. I felt it really gave me a feel for what to expect when I pursue med school and only concreted my thoughts on which fields of medicine I'd want to practice. The tutors were amazing and well picked, they really tied the experience together and made sure it was personal and that we got the most out of everything. The food was good and I liked having the ability to choose what I got to eat for the majority of the trip. The hotels and hostels were unique and only added to the experience, I wouldn't change anything in regards to where we stayed. I especially appreciated the hotel at Canoa and thought it was the perfect way to end the trip.

Ecuaexperiance was truly a lifechanging trip for me. I did the Volunteer portion of the trip and being able to spend 12 days with a community as caring and amazing as that in Camarones was incredible. It made you realize how well off we are and how much you take it for granted. The way that the community welcomed us was heartwarming, they made us dinner, took us dancing, and welcomed us into their families. I think it will be impossible for me to forget about the friendships I made with the people in Camarones.

The whole trip for me was a 10/10. The other people travelling were amazing, we all grew so close so easily it was very hard saying goodbye. The leaders made sure everyone was having a good time all the time and the adventures we had will not be forgotten.

This trip was amazing, I would not be surprised if most people found it to be life-changing. The impact of the Pre-Med program has 100% set my medical career goals into stone. The tutors were friendly and professional, with loads of knowledge to share.

The volunteer portion was amazing as well, from the place we stayed to the community where the houses were being built. Seeing what we take for granted in our everyday lives is VERY eye opening. The experience of actually digging and building the foundations for a future house with the to-be owners was unbelievable. Meeting the community, hearing their stories and attempting to communicate with them is just an unforgettable experience.

Finally, discovering Ecuador and everything it has to offer was my dream come true. I could not have imagined that it would be like this. From being up in the mountains, to down by the ocean. From historical settlements, to jungle barely touched by man, to white sandy beaches. Not to mention how many friends were made on this trip.

I would definitely return to do this trip again in a heartbeat.