Vivencias de Estudiantes

Educación

- I would recommend this internship to anyone who is interested in becoming a teacher. You have the opportunity to have your own English classrooms, try out teaching methods, and develop an understanding of the indigenous culture, Andean medicine and Kichwa language. Along with this you will get an inside look at an Intercultural Bilingual school. - Tanya Sue Hahn.

- I was grateful to have Gladys in the classes with me because she helped a lot with discipline and keeping the kids in line but also gave me plenty of time to be in front of the class acting as the ‘teacher.’ I did not feel that I was just her personal assistant, but instead that I had the ability and time to work with the students, answer questions and improve their pronunciation. By the time I left I had a strong bond with the kids especially who loved having someone new in their classes for the six weeks of the internship. Working with Gladys was also great and the other teachers and faculty members were all very respectful and welcoming. - Lara Byrne.

- I highly recommend this internship to any student interested in experiencing education in a rural and beautiful setting. The teachers at Enrique Vacas Galindo are extremely kind and helpful, the students are wonderful and the small number of students made it easy to get to know everyone. Planning classes took time but was not extremely stressful. Teaching was difficult at times but also very rewarding. I learned a lot about what it takes to be a teacher. I had an incredible experience and know that future students will experience the same. - Liz Mohan.

Microfinanzas

- I learned a lot about collaboration and working under supervisors in a professional, humble, capable way. This was a valuable opportunity to apply my knowledge as a journalism student to the specific needs of a non-profit while learning about micro-finance, development and professional training methods for the economically disadvantaged. - Kathryn Elliott.

- The internship is an excellent learning opportunity for students. Students are provided access to virtually all documents and systems of the cooperative as well as the ability to work hands-on with credit applications, etc….. The community of Pucará has several development projects in place and thus there is lots of material that a student can explore for his/her monografía. - Amanda Donohue-Hansen.

Medio Ambiente

- I would highly recommend this internship to students who are interested in environmental issues, nutrition, education, or cultural studies. There are a variety of opportunities to participate and learn about many aspects of this community. Community leaders are extremely knowledgeable and inspiring, and many new and continuing projects are in progress to improve the lives of community leaders in sustainable ways. Wayra Churi offers a unique opportunity to live with the same community that you are working with. For me, this was a really powerful experience to immerse myself in this community and gave me a deeper insight into how I could contribute to projects. - Courtney Columbus.

Salud

- What a great experience! The first week in the hospital was challenging because I had little supervision or direction. I didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing or how I was able to help. However, after observing how the hospital functions and becoming familiar with the staff, I learned that all I had to do was ask questions! If I wanted to spend time in gynecology or internal medicine, no hay problema. All of the doctors and nurses I worked with were very receptive and willing to help me learn. I am thankful that I was responsible for the success of my internship because I grew personally and professionally from taking initiative. I feel as though I gained a complete understanding of the different aspects of the hospital because I had little restriction and a lot of freedom to observe and help. - Kelly DeCaster.

- Jambi Huasi is a good place for an internship because of their past with many international volunteers. I felt very welcomed and comfortable right away because of the small and easy-going environment.The clinic is an interesting place to work, while encountering people from different ethnicities. Therefore, I would recommend this internship to people that are interested in studying the intercultural relationships in Ecuador, in particular the indigenous population. - Rachel Hersman.

Primavera 2011

- I really learned a lot in this internship and I highly recommend this internship for future students. This internship is meant for any student interested in the medical practices. There are three different types of treatments to learn about and for the most part every area is very open to having you observe and learn about their practices. - Adriana Saad.