Theses and Dissertations Collection

A Glimpse of International Development is an ethnographic study in partnership with volunteers from Engineers Without Borders (EWB) as they conducted an assessment trip for a potable water project in Bolivia. This study seeks to understand what motivates volunteers to invest their effort in international projects, and how the experience compares to their expectations. Data for this study was collected through participant observation and interviews. Excerpts from the interviews have been grouped into themes based on their related subject matter, and then presented with a brief discussion to allow the reader to make their own interpretation of the collective experience. This research finds many similarities amongst the team's thoughts and feelings towards the development industry, the community and their project. This work is intended to benefit future generations of the EWB-UI team by retaining documentation of their chapter's first trip, and initial introduction to the community of Chivirapi.