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ECUADOR|
Community Internships in Latin America
2
of 6 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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