This June, the MPI house is filled to the brim! The current residents include: thirteen summer interns, four program directors, and a lovable German Shepard named Lola. Four of the interns arrived in the beginning of May, nine arrived earlier this month, and all will continue their stay through the beginning of July (or later)! With the following Q&A passages, you can get to know two of our interns!
An Interview with Molly Knudsen
Name: Molly Knudsen
Age: 21
School & graduation year: Texas Christian University, Class of 2017
Major: Nutrition
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Hobbies/interests: Horseback riding
Duration of internship with MPI: 4 weeks
Q: How did you become interested in Manna Project International?
A: I became interested because two girls in my nutrition program a year ahead of me had volunteered [with MPI] the previous summer. I heard about it through them; it was very interesting to me. I did some volunteer work in Spain last summer and I wanted to volunteer abroad again.
Q: Why did you choose to come to MPI's Ecuador site, specifically?
A: I chose Ecuador specifically because of the nutrition programs. I’m interested in community improvement and I think the nutrition and cooking programs are good ways to get the community involved.
Q: What MPI programs are you involved in this summer?
A: Adult Nutrition & Cooking, Children’s Healthy Living Club, Diabetes Club, ESPE (local university), Adult English, and Science Club. The Diabetes Club interested me because I think that having the knowledge to build your own diet to control diabetes and live your best life is really important. Sometimes doctors don’t tell you specifically how to build a diet to combat diabetes, fitting exactly what the body needs. This program gives the participants the ability to learn how to build a healthful, tasty meal that reflects their dietary needs.
Q: What is it like living in the Manna Project House?
A: So far, it’s been a blast. It’s a mix between summer camp and my sorority house. I’m constantly around people my age who are passionate about building and improving the community and getting to know each other on a personal level.
Q: What destination in Ecuador did you enjoy the most/are you looking forward to the most?
A: I’m really looking forward to our free weekend, when I’ll hopefully be going to Baños and Quilotoa. It will give me the opportunity to travel on my own, be independent, and learn how to handle situations as they come.
Q: Biggest cultural/lifestyle shock?
A: Probably when the water in the house went out. It was fine...dishes got dirty, I showered with a bucket... What was most surprising was how long it took to turn it back on, which was 2 or 3 days.
Q: Favorite/most memorable moment?
A: Hiking in the Amazon was surreal. The 6-hour hike was strenuous but it was a once in a lifetime experience. From hiking up and down the hills, falling in the mud, and thinking we would never get out of the rocks caves, to finally returning to the beginning, it was a truly rewarding experience.
Q: What will you be doing when you finish your stay with Manna Project?
A: I will be traveling to Peru with a friend; we’ll spending 11 days in Cuzco, Machu Picchu, and a different area of the Amazon. I’ll get back to the States mid-July, and finish up schoolwork before the Fall, and visit family.
Q: If you could summarize your MPI experience in five or six words, what would they be?
A: “Be adaptable at all times.”
An Interview with Claire Monyak
Name: Claire Monyak
Age: 19
School/year in school: Bucknell University, Class of 2019
Major: Spanish and International Politics
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Hobbies/interests: Make-up
Duration of internship with MPI: 11 weeks (May – July)
Q: How did you become interested in Manna Project International?
A: I had already been interested in doing some type of immersion program this summer, and I heard about MPI through a friend of mine at school. She had applied previously but didn’t follow through for financial reasons. I thought volunteering with Manna Project would be a good opportunity for me to practice my Spanish and immerse myself in a new culture.
Q: Why did you choose to come to MPI's Ecuador site, specifically?
A: I’ve been to Nicaragua before and I did love it, but I wanted to see a different country.
Q: What MPI programs are you involved in this summer?
A: I am involved with ESPE, so I help teach English to the university students. I also teach Adult English Level 2, and sometimes also help teach EGAP, which is the business and entrepreneurship program. I think Adult English is my favorite because I think it’s really interesting to see how the English language is taught to ESL students.
Q: What is it like living in the Manna House?
A: I think it’s an adventure. I think it’s fun living with so many people at once. It’s definitely different than anything I’ve experienced before, but in a very positive way!
Q: What destination in Ecuador did you enjoy the most/are you looking forward to the most?
A: Mindo was definitely my favorite because we got to go tubing, which is one of my favorite things to do, and we toured a chocolate factory and I love chocolate. The hostel was incredibly relaxing too because it was essentially a tree house with a bunch of hammocks and plants.
Q: Biggest cultural/lifestyle shock?
A: I think the food for me has been the biggest change, because I’m so accustomed to very American food. It’s been difficult for me to get out of my comfort zone and try new foods, but I have enjoyed a lot of Ecuadorian foods.
Q: Favorite/most memorable anecdote?
A: The most memorable time would definitely be when we went to Baños and went rappelling down waterfalls because I was terrible at it, it was really scary for me, but all the fellow interns cheered me on. It really brought us closer together...but it was so scary and so fun. We bonded over it.
Q: What will you be doing when you finish your stay with Manna Project International?
A: I will be going on a family vacation to Cape Cod and then I will be going to Nicaragua for 5 months. I’m doing a gap-semester program called “Amigos de las Americas”; I’ll be living with a host family and working at an orphanage.
Q: If you could summarize your MPI experience in five or six words, what would they be?
A: Incredible, Friendships, Food, Immersion, Life-changing (for sure).