Darian, a Grade 4 student at Guy Brown Public School, came back from his adventure, eager to share what he had learned with his classmates. He got his chance last month when asked to make a presentation to his class.

He had lots of photos to show and experiences to recount. One photo shows him seated with a Ecuadoran translator behind a display of medicines that he helped to hand out at one of the clinics; another shows him on a steep hillside surrounded by lush forest where there was a long vine equipped with a stick so that children could swing on it "like Tarzan," he explained.

He also had stories to tell about poisonous guarder ants that live in bamboo. "I saw four of them!" he proudly exclaimed during an interview with the Review.

A visit to a local market in the South American country also proved to be an eye-opener. Darian was fascinated by "humungous worms with black heads and white bodies" that were cooked and sold to shoppers. Equally entrancing was a rare woodpecker that a merchant had captured and was hoping to sell.

Sometimes required to travel by river in a motorized boat, Darian also got a chance to see Cayman crocodiles, piranhas, turtles and frogs. He also experienced sleeping on the floor, eating Ecuadoran food, playing with native children and learning to conserve energy while living in a cabin where limits were placed on the amount of time that electric lights could be used.

His aunt, Dr. Raoufeh Rahimpour, saw the trip as an opportunity for her nephew not only to learn about people living in another culture but also "to learn respect, kindness, giving and receiving." She says these traits are important to his self-development.

During his stay in Ecuador, Darian played the games that the Ecuadoran children played and he ate what they ate, she explained. He accepted a different way of life and didn't protest about the differences, she said. "He made me proud."

"It's important for young people to learn (values) from childhood," the doctor explained. "It's important to teach children service to humanity, without expecting anything back."

For the past six years, Dr. Rahimpour has been volunteering with Health for Humanity, a Baha'i inspired, non-profit organization that promotes health development programs in countries around the world. During her recent trip to Ecuador, she helped set up three medical clinics in communities such as Esmeraldas in the northwest part of Ecuador and Coca in its southeastern section.

She joined three Ecuadoran doctors in treating people with a variety of conditions, including skin diseases, gastro-intestinal disorders, pregnancies, diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), asthma and allergies. "Our goal is to teach locals to be able to take care of their own problems," she said. Local doctors continue the project when the volunteers return home, encouraging the people to adopt preventative health measures, watch their diets and exercise regularly.

A Hamilton resident, Dr. Rahimpour works at the Halton Family Health Centre at Dundas Street and Walker's Line. She took her nephew to Ecuador last summer as well, but their first trip lasted just a little over a week.

Despite the brief stay, Darian quickly made friends with children in Ecuador. He was eager to renew his friendships when he returned this summer.

"I liked seeing all my friends, helping people, meeting new people, spending time with them and having fun," he said of his recent visit. He wants to return next summer but his younger sister is suggesting that it's her turn to accompany their aunt on an adventure.

Regardless of whether he gets his wish, Darian has reaped the benefits of a rare opportunity to understand and appreciate another culture.

"I was thankful to go with my aunt," he said. His trip made for an interesting school presentation and most definitely was a learning experience that many young students don't often get.