Anthropology & International Development Internship

Thank you for this experience and for welcoming me in Atandahua. I will never forget this time. During my stay, I had the opportunity to work closely with local families on the chocho production project, learning about the agricultural processes, challenges, and traditions that are such an important part of the community. It was inspiring to see the dedication and resilience of the farmers and to contribute, even in a small way, to a project that supports local livelihoods. Beyond the work itself, what made this experience truly special was the kindness and generosity of the people I met. Living and working alongside the community allowed me to better understand their culture, values, and daily life. I am grateful for every conversation, every shared meal, and every lesson learned. The friendships, memories, and experiences I gained in Atandahua will stay with me forever, and I will always look back on this time with gratitude and appreciation.

I really really enjoyed my time in Ecuador, in the beginning I thought that 6 weeks was a super long time but it was not nearly enough I could have stayed much longer. I’m super happy with the work I managed to get done in this short amount of time! Everyone was super friendly from the other interns to the staff and the community :) I was there over carnaval which was amazing to experience part of the culture , we got to dance. I now have memories and friends for life thanks to el terreno.

In Atandahua, the people of the community have adapted and faced different challenges that have cemented in their cosmology and way of living. From a Western perspective, they are different from what is lived in Europe and North America, but in the rural countryside, these practices are considered part of the norm. From an agricultural perspective, there is a saturation of the market and land mismanagement due to the overproduction of the same products. On the other hand, gender norms and women’s health are constantly at risk, yet it has become a standard form of living. Through our projects, we wanted to propose alternative problem-solving that could have a long term impact, while still respecting the cultural traditions of the region. By starting a chocho production system with multiple farmers in the area, and reinforcing the linkage between health centres, hospitals, and midwives, the two pilot plans seemed to have started to have a positive impact on the people in the community.

My ten months at El Terreno has been another deeply enriching and eye-opening experience in my life: one I can definitely call a whole 'chapter'. What stood out most to me was El Terreno’s commitment to working with the local community, rather than for it. It never felt externally driven or detached from the realities on the ground: "what you see, is what you get, and you have to work with that". I had a chance to engage with the local culture, reflect on different dimensions of development work, and grow both professionally and personally. While there are always areas to improve within organisations - particularly around project continuity and intercultural collaboration - I leave with a strong sense of appreciation and insight. El Terreno not only provided me with a valuable internship for my graduation semester, but it also - thanks to the community, Joshua, Karina, the animals, and all the wonderful people I met - turned my time in Ecuador into something much more: a place that felt like home

After finishing my third year of civil engineering in Canada I wanted to find an internship abroad, I had a focus on international development and I didn't want to go abroad to work with big international companies. This internship was perfect for me as it really highlighted the community aspect, working with local organizations and farmers was a great opportunity for me not only to explore aspects of my field but also to create connections and see the impact my work is making. Our mentor, Sebastian, was extremely helpful to us, we learnt a lot about agroforestry and natural water conservation. Joshua was also very friendly and I enjoyed the close-knit atmosphere El Terreno had. Atandahua was an extremely picturesque town and I enjoyed living with a local family there and speaking to them about their life. As for the specific work we did, we conducted interviews, followed the standard design ideation process, surveyed natural wells, compiled the data and also presented to the community. I also had the opportunity to go on trips all around Ecuador during the weekends! It was overall an incredible experience. I did this internship for 2 months and I can't wait to return to Ecuador to see how our project has evolved!

I had an amazing experience with El Terreno. I participated in their Culture and Anthropology internship and learned more than I could ever have expected. The support from Joshua and Karina throughout the process was outstanding and my experience in a homestay and with the other volunteers and interns was absolutely amazing. I am so blessed to have had this experience and would strongly recommend to anyone else who is considering.

I spent 4 weeks at El Terreno, and loved my time there! I volunteered in the mornings with the manual work at the house (building barbed-wire fences, digging ditches, chopping trees, building a gate), and spent the afternoons doing my internship in the form of research for my bachelors dissertation in anthropology. I loved the community that I became a part of in Atandahua, both with the neighbours as well as with the volunteers that lived with me in casa communal! My time there involved a lot of different activities: cooking classes learning to make tortillas and empenadas with a new local friend, minga’s, class-prepping for the kids in the afternoon, visiting the nearby communities for research, as well as celebrating both the project anniversary and a local lantern festival that I was lucky to have been a part of my time there! (They love celebrating in Ecuador as you’ll come to find in your own time there too!) I spent my free time with the other volunteers, and we would sometimes go into Guanujo to have dinner together, celebrate each others birthdays, watch football matches, danced salsa and whatever other fun activities we came up with doing together. (The volunteer community is really what you make it yourself which is always fun!) And then of course playing with all the dogs that became a part of my time there too! The internship was really flexible which was awesome in my case for collecting research and needing to alter it over time and follow what opportunities would come up! I also got better at Spanish during my time there as I was practicing everyday, and the neighbours were always up for a chat! The project is very versatile, and you are encouraged to come with your own ideas/initiatives!!

I had an amazing experience with Joshua and Karina in Guaranda. The project is incredibly well organized and the work is fulfilling. There are lots of opportunities to learn about the indigenous Kichwa culture of the region and to explore the natural beauty of Guaranda and its surroundings. The work itself was easy enough but rewarding, and I enjoyed being able to plan our own projects through the cultural project aspect. We taught English classes to a neighboring community and had a party for the community during my time there! The accommodation is great - nice rooms, comfortable beds, and great lunch provided by Karina on work days. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!