Advices and recommendations↴

... from Ecuador
Three things we appreciated with in Ecuador
- The people! How kind, generous and loving most people are, despite rough living conditions, they receive you with open arms.
- The variation in the (relatively small) country – the coast, the mountains and the orient offers different climates and culture
- Chickens or guinea pigs on the bus? No problem! 40 roaring guinea pigs living in the kitchen? No problems!
Three things that have taken more time to get used to
- Time is flexible – Meetings are moved at the last moment, people do not arrive without warning or arrive two to three hours late for a scheduled meeting /activity
- The serving size at all meals (half the plate is often a mountain of rice!)
- The Hard Life of Small-Scale Farmers
Five things to consider before the internship
- It’s up to you how much you want to learn! What do you want to get out of the internship?
- Culture clashes aren’t always bad, often very fun indeed
- You don’t know what awaits you! Travel with an open mind!
- It may take some time for newly started projects to get started
- Wow!
/ Matilda and Tove
... from Bolivia
Top three challenges
- The frustration that nothing can be planned as we are used to.
- You live and work in the same place.
- Diseases under less favorable conditions.
Top five coolest experiences
- To live and share everyday life with people who live completely outside the capitalist system.
- To see the part of Bolivia that you had never been allowed to experience as a tourist.
- 16 hour bus ride is actually quite fun and cozy.
- To see the incredibly rich and diverse nature Bolivia has to offer (all dangerous animals).
- Carnival
Top 5 best tips for upcoming interns
- Prepare yourself mentally; nothing will be as you imagined.
- Hand disinfection, hand disinfection, toilet paper, toilet paper.
- Culture clashes are something that often comes unexpectedly. When do you get treated badly and when is it actually a conflict between cultures?
- Try to be open minded. Many events can become opportunities instead of problems.
- Keep in mind that sexism is more tangible than we are used to.
/ Sara and Cajsa