Public Health & Medicine Internship in the Ecuadorian Amazon

During my internship, I worked in the clinic and on a shaman project. I loved working in the clinic. I loved Carmen and Cris — they made my experience. What I'm most proud of is having acclimated to a completely different culture. The most impactful part was my host family. Being the only white person in an entire community was difficult at first — from it I learned that integrating yourself in a new situation just takes time. I think I could have spent more time in the community during the weekends. Looking back, I developed my Spanish speaking abilities, and the idea of adaptability will definitely help me in my future endeavors. Beyond that, I became more culturally aware. I am grateful for all of the wonderful relationships I made while in Ecuador and all of the amazing people I met. I think I am more confident in my abilities and just more outgoing now in general.

During my internship, I worked in the Red Cross lab, worked as an assistant to the paramedics, and worked with Sumak Kawsay Wasi with the physical therapists going out into communities to help the disabled people who cannot travel to Tena. The 1:1 check-ins were one of my favorite parts of the program — when I was having a hard time with something, the check-ins always made me feel better and gave me a better attitude for moving forward. I was living with the Andy Grefa family in Muyuna. Overall, I wouldn't have traded my host family for another experience because we got really close and they think of me as another daughter and I think of them as a family in Ecuador. I really liked how orientation was intimate and very informative — it made me think deep and I learned a lot before starting the actual internship. What I'm most proud of is using my communication skills to become part of the community and make friends here. I didn't come with a friend — I made all these connections on my own, and I'm proud of myself to think that wherever I go in the world, I can use these skills to integrate into the community. The most impactful part was all of the above. Being the first intern with my host family, I learned that communication is key — after really convincing myself that the only way to feel better was to communicate with them, things started to change for the better and I felt more at ease. During this experience I learned a lot about the importance of needs assessment and first studying a place and the people before trying to get involved — being more educated before diving into a project will only help eliminate obstacles and problems before they happen. My experience with Amazon Learning sparked an interest to work with communities in a healthcare capacity, and although I'm still unsure of how, it made me want to continue to travel and work in the healthcare field. I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to see a part of the world much different than what I have seen before and to have spent four months challenging myself and growing as a result of my efforts and the efforts of others. I learned what is important to me in life — experiences and getting to learn from others is more important to me than material things. I think Amazon Learning facilitates an experience that will change someone's perspective on life and will teach them something about themselves and about other people.

During my internship, I worked in a health clinic assisting staff, mostly nurses, as well as doing medical brigades and vaccination campaigns — really good experience and I would recommend it to anyone else who is pursuing a health career. The communication was very open and I knew I could ask for help whenever I needed it. I was impressed with how nice of a house I was placed in. What I'm most proud of is being able to handle prepping patients by myself on one of the busiest days. The most impactful part was all of the above. Learning Spanish taught me not to be afraid of making mistakes and giving it my all. Looking back, I wish I had spent more time with my family. Beyond that, I gained confidence in all aspects of my life that will help me to pursue my career more head strong. This experience also helped me realize what values I hold and how much they really mean to me — these values will help guide me through my next chapter in my life. This is the first time I've truly felt confident and proud of myself and it has made me less afraid of the future. I'm just so thankful for all the inspiring people I met throughout this experience.

During my internship, I worked on a nutrition plan with Nick — we were putting together a packet on information about fruits from the Amazon. Stephanie is the reason I survived. She is strong and kind and empathetic and always willing to listen and help in any way she can. What I'm most proud of is going out of my comfort zone. Communicating was a challenge, and I learned that if you're nice and you try, most people respond well. I wish I had studied more Spanish. Looking back, I developed Spanish and patience. The experience and patience I gained will help me in leadership roles and in the medical field in the future. Beyond that, it showed me a lot of things that I don't want to do with my future, which is helpful. I am grateful for all the other interns who made the experience so amazing. I would recommend it — just make sure people know that things change so rapidly that you don't really know what you're going to get.

During my internship, we were able to talk to so many people and visit very special places. We spoke to infectiologists in Tena Hospital and a third-line hospital in Quito, visited urban and rural health centers where doctors and nurses showed us around and spoke about their experiences with TB care, made home visits to TB patients together with nurses and community health workers where we heard impressive stories and saw distressing situations, visited the prison in Archidona and received information from the medical team about their screening programme, met with the district office for TB control, visited the National TB Programme in Quito, and — since traditional Amazonian medicine is a very important part of health care for many people in the Amazon — it was also great to be able to visit chakras with medicinal plants and speak to shamans about their work and views on TB care. Through all these visits and conversations we were able to get an idea of all the possibilities in Ecuador regarding TB care and control. The weeks in Tena and around were amazing — we got a complete overview of TB care and all stakeholders involved. So much is being done comparably to how we work in Amsterdam, and on the other hand there are so many struggles for doctors, nurses and patients. At times it was heart-breaking. The visit to the Ministry in Quito added so much and placed it in a broader light. And we also had a great time personally — we met wonderful people that made our internship very worthwhile and even became friends. Tena and the surrounding area is stunning; it was a privilege to be there. I am not proud — just very grateful for this opportunity. The major challenge was visiting very poor people who were hit hard by tuberculosis or other diseases and not being able to be of real help for them. My Spanish improved quickly. This experience showed me tuberculosis care and control in a global perspective, and Tena, Ecuador is in my heart. I am grateful for the whole programme, the welcoming people, and the friends we made. A great thank you to Andy Gavilanes for organizing this wonderful trip, for being there for us to adjust the schedule to changing insights, and for helping out with translations. I think for people in a public health related field this area offers so much — there is a lot to see and learn in a friendly, safe, and beautiful area.

During my internship, I worked at the Centro de Salud in Muyuna. What I'm most proud of is learning to communicate with my family and create a bond. The most impactful part was my host family. Losing my headphones was a challenge — it made me learn to be innovative and also learn how to be strong without my music readily available. I think I could have traveled more and made more effective use of my weekends. Looking back, I developed leadership, self-motivation, linguistics, and more. This experience helped me gain valuable experience in the Global Health sector of Public Health and also helped me better improve my linguistic skills. It will definitely make me challenge myself more and go out of my comfort zone more often. I truly learned how to be alone and how to make myself mentally stronger. I am so grateful to all of the people that made Ecuador feel like my home — I met so many phenomenal people and without them, I truly believe I wouldn't have been nearly as successful in Ecuador as I was, including everyone at Amazon Learning. This experience was so life changing and amazing that I want anyone and everyone capable to experience what I did.

During my internship, I volunteered in 9 de Julio. The 1:1s were great for collecting my thoughts and processing all of the experiences I was going through — it was easy to get caught up in the flow of community living and forget to stop and soak in all of the cultural learnings and experiences. I always came away with a greater understanding of what I was going through and how I can continue to grow and enjoy myself. I loved my family and community. What I'm most proud of is becoming a member of the community on a level I couldn't have imagined at the start. The most impactful part was my host family. Communication was always difficult even up to the day I left — I learned that with patience and support, inter-language communicating can be done effectively, and I also learned not to be afraid or embarrassed to at least try to speak Spanish. Everyone always appreciated my effort. I think I could have prepared a bit better with my Spanish, and I also could have interacted with the adults in my community a little more — I found myself interacting with the kids more because it was easier and more comfortable. Looking back, my language skills strengthened immensely. I learned a lot about community development, how to enter a community and build their trust and support, and how to adapt to a difficult situation and make the best of it. I hope to work with communities, so this was great experience in entering an unfamiliar community and gaining their trust. I now have more ambition to travel to new and unfamiliar places, and I feel more capable and confident in my abilities. I am grateful for the warmth and compassion of my community — it was as unexpected as it was heartwarming and meaningful.

During my internship, I worked in the Red Cross, Sumak Kawsay Wasi, and Amupakin. With the Red Cross I worked in their lab with Mariuxi — she's awesome — and did fundraising efforts. I created a GoFundMe and a 5k race and raised a total of around $1,100. At Sumak I assisted and mostly observed the epic team of técnicas who worked with disabled people in communities. At Amupakin I helped the midwives in the chakra and basically just learned from them! Mika was awesome at giving me tons of feedback and support during the 1:1s — I always left feeling more inspired! I loved my host family so much — had the best experience, and I hope they will host more students in the future. What I'm most proud of is my fundraising efforts for the Red Cross — it was small but I'm still proud. The most impactful part was all of the above. I struggled with homesickness towards the end, but I gained so much independence and resilience from being away from my home for a long time. I could've done an even better job at being present and not having my mind in the clouds — but I'm a generally spacey person, so that's a life goal right there. Looking back, I'm really proud of my improvement in Spanish, and I'm much better at making connections now. I feel like I developed my confidence in myself a lot, and I can take more initiative now in all aspects of my life. I know a lot more Spanish now, which is going to help me so much in the medical field. I also have so much more inspiration to go through all of those years of studying, and I'm full of ideas of the kind of doctor I want to be. I will appreciate my family and friends so much more now. After everything I saw and experienced in Ecuador, I hope I'll continue to make the right choices in my life. I'm so grateful for my host family — I'll never forget my time with them, and they are far from seeing the last of me!

During my internship, I worked with MedWater designing and implementing a hygiene intervention for school children, conducted a qualitative study on how Kichwa people transport water and areas of possible water contamination, developed a monitoring program for MedWater's programs, and participated in three medical brigades. Andy was very supportive of my needs. What I'm most proud of is being able to apply my public health skills in real life. The most impactful part was all of the above. Learning about the Kichwa culture taught me to be a better listener and to have patience. I wish I had more time to write a report on all my activities. Looking back, I developed practical application of public health, and this experience has given me field experience. Beyond that, I plan to return to Tena. I am grateful for the support provided by Amazon Learning staff. It was an amazing experience and I would like many more to have such an opportunity. Continue the great work.

During my internship, I headed a public health project focused on preventing common infections among children in the region — creating a poster and pamphlets to be used to inform children and their families in the hospital about the most common types of infections, their causes, recognizable symptoms, and how to prevent them. I also worked in various areas with the Patronato, including going on medical brigades where I helped with translation, helping with Dr. Fabian's physical therapy patients, and helping run the summer camp activities for children in July. My host family was the most incredible part of my experience in the Amazon — they were so sweet and very hospitable towards me. I greatly appreciated all the support and guidance that Stephanie gave during our 1:1s — she was always incredibly receptive to any and all ideas I had and never hesitated to go above and beyond to make sure I was getting exactly what I wanted from the internship. What I'm most proud of is creating an educational program structure that can be adapted and used in the hospital to inform many different population groups about the most pressing health issues and how to best prevent them. The most impactful part was all of the above. I struggled a lot in the beginning with the fact that there seemed to be a lack of structure in my internship — however, this helped me learn to recognize and appreciate the different culture that existed when it came to work and pace of living in general. I wish I would have spent a little more time in the communities, learning about how their lives were different than that of life in the city. Looking back, I developed communication skills, patience, workplace interactions, the ability to reach outside my comfort zone, and Spanish speaking. I will be more willing to take risks and more confident in my ability to get involved in new things. I want to continue traveling to new places and learning more about how health is integrated in the lives of different people and cultures. I'm grateful for the people I met and the incredible and lasting relationships I made. Overall, my experience in the Amazon is one I would want others to be able to experience as well.

During my internship, I worked with the Red Cross — both in the laboratory and with the ambulance. I worked with the Ecuadorian Rivers Institute to help with river conservation in the JondachiFest and Piatua Libre. I helped teach English at Amazonico, and we also started the vivero. It was a pleasure to be a part of each project. I LOVED my time at the Red Cross — they were like a family that welcomed me with open arms. It was the perfect hands on experience that I dreamed of having. Gabi and her family are God's gift to the world. She is a lifelong friend and it was a PLEASURE to live with her. I got to learn so much about a different way of life that I previously knew nothing about. From bucket showers to washing my clothes in the river, I could not get enough of the culture. You guys at Amazon Learning were always there when I needed help, but you also gave us a lot of freedom to figure things out on our own — I felt like you gave the perfect balance of support and freedom. What was most impactful was all of the above. What I'm most proud of is working with the Ecuadorian Rivers Institute — I felt so passionate about the river conservation and I loved the way Mateo went about doing it. Bringing awareness to the beauty and financial success of the rivers by way of kayak races is absolutely brilliant. It pushed me out of my comfort zone. That two-week mark definitely got to me — I went head first into everything I was doing and forgot to take care of myself. I realized that I need to take care of myself a bit more and make sure I am in a good place because otherwise I can't help others as much as I'd like to. I can't honestly think of a thing that could have gone better — everything happens for a reason and I enjoyed every moment. I learned how to deliver compassionate care across language and cultural barriers. I remained calm in the high stress situations of the ambulance, and during my time in the lab I developed a wonderful relationship with the lab guy — he even let me use his arm to practice drawing blood. I can tell you very few people have that experience before medical school. My time in Ecuador has completely changed the way I look at life — it has made me a lot more aware of the harmful effects of being wasteful, and a lot more aware of how thankful I am for life. I just have a greater understanding of the world and it has made me a better person. I feel like I'm a completely different person. I was bullied a lot in high school and my undergraduate studies left me feeling very vulnerable about my intellectual capabilities — but as time went on I began a great transformation and I started to realize that when I put my mind to something, I can succeed. I feel like I needed that time to find confidence in myself and to find a greater understanding of life in order to be the doctor that I aspire to be. Thanks to AL, I will get there! Huge fan — keep doing you!

I interned with Beyond Travels during the winter of 2017 as a Public Health intern at the Runa Foundation. My time there was incredibly impactful in learning what field I would want to go into after graduating from college. I spent my two month internship learning about the chacra system and traditional medicine from local farmers and my host family, developing arcGIS mapping skills to help the Runa Foundation in their project aiding local farmers in the mapping of their land, and also assisted on a food security project which involved interviewing farmers about their family’s nutrition experience and needs. This experience helped my language skills immensely, launched me into the local culture of Archidona, Ecuador, and taught me that I want to go into medical anthropology and learn more about how indigenous communities engage with health care systems. These connections from my internship with Runa Foundation through Beyond Travels helped me make the connections that I would then use for a Fulbright scholarship this year. I am now researching women’s health in Archidona on a Fulbright grant, thanks to the help and support of Beyond Travels opening my world two years ago.