Volunteer Voices

My experience in Ecuador was better than I expected. Not only is the country filled with beautiful surroundings, the people of Ecuador are equally amazing. They were incredibly welcoming and so appreciative of my help. I was immediately greeted at the airport with warm smiles and open arms. Lumbisi is a very poor town in much need of our help and everyday I felt that I was making a difference. Two weeks was not enough time! I wish I could have stayed longer, but I know that I will go back again someday. In the mornings we would work within the school of 3-5 year-old children, playing soccer, directing activities, and serving lunch. In the afternoons we were working in the community elderly center, where we also directed activities, such as arts and crafts and dancing. We had a few hours of down time to nap, read, or hang out with our host family before we headed back to the school to teach English for the after school program created for the older kids of the community (ages 8-14). In the evenings, the other volunteers and I would head into the city for dinner and sightseeing. It was an incredible experience and I highly recommend volunteering through VFP if you are looking for a different way to immerse yourself into another culture. Ecuador alone is worth going to. We had the weekends off to travel around the country and I stayed an extra week just to see the rest of it, I even stayed in the Amazon for a few nights! I was a recipient of the VFP scholarship and could have gone anywhere I wanted, and I am so completely satisfied with my decision to go to Ecuador. I only hope more people would open their hearts to be courageous enough to volunteer in a program such as this!”

Macy Pollock ~ Ecuador 2010