For three weeks, we had the privilege of hosting a fantastic volunteer from Canada: Jay, a paramedic with solid experience in her hometown of Calgary. She arrived with excellent Spanish, thanks to her studies in Málaga, Spain, a few years ago.
At first, we thought she would be just another volunteer—
but she quickly proved us wrong.
Jay didn’t follow the usual four-hour volunteer schedule.
Instead, she consistently stayed up to nine hours a day, driven by her passion for her work and her desire to help.
During her first week, she spent her days riding through Quito in an ambulance.
Because of her professionalism and dedication, she was later placed in the Emergency Department, where she truly shined.
Every evening, we would gather around the table for dinner and conversation. Jay would tell me and the other volunteers all about her day—always with contagious enthusiasm.
What struck her the most was the warmth and kindness with which the hospital staff treated their patients. Despite the lack of certain supplies, human compassion and genuine care were never in short supply.
This is just one more story that shows what it means to volunteer in Ecuador—
to be more than a tourist, to connect, to serve, and to learn.
Jay left this weekend, very sad to go.
She didn’t want to leave, and the hospital staff already miss her deeply.
Don’t miss the opportunity to live your own adventure with Fundación Bolívar Education and help make this world a better place!
