Working with Amigos de las Americas

In 1990, the summer before my freshman year in high school, I had the opportunity to travel to South America to work on several community service projects in remote communities in Ecuador.

I feel so fortunate to have been able to experience life in another family’s home, community, and country. I know in my heart that I left a part of myself in Ecuador and it left something in me. I have always wanted to go back – if only to tell my wonderful Rotary International host family how much I appreciated their hospitality. 

I owe the whole experience to a wonderful organization called Amigos de las Americas, which has continued to give U.S. students these amazing opportunities year after year. The work we did had an immediate impact on the lives of these villagers. We planted trees, taught dental hygiene in elementary schools and vaccinated dogs against rabies. Yes, you read that right – with no medical experience – we went into remote villages to vaccinate dogs (often wild and ownerless). We made amazing memories and friends.