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ECUADOR|
Community Internships in Latin America
2
of 5 reflections
During
my first day of “real” work
at my internship, FINCA, I was incredible
nervous. I was to conduct a short meeting
with fifteen female loan recipients –
IN SPANISH! The format of the meeting
was very informal, being held at one of
the women’s convenience stores, but
I had never done anything remotely similar
in another country, culture, or language
in my life! How would I be accepted, would
they understand me, and would I be able
to understand them were a few of the many
questions running through my mind.
Amazingly, the meeting went much better
than I had envisioned. The women were
patient, compassionate, and wanted to
share their stories, their lives, and
a coke! I was invited to their homes and
businesses to learn more and to share.
At the end of the day, I knew that, although
my time in Ecuador was short, I would
be able to develop relationships and share
intercultural experiences that would make
long-lasting impressions on me.
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