Anthropology & International Development Internship

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.