Non-target student - IB internship in Ecuador?

Hello WSO!

Ever since Covid hit, I've been doing extensive research on what I should do with my future and what career I would like to pursue, because I had no idea and felt lost. It was in March that I discovered IB, and I've fallen in love with the idea - specifically M&A division, which sounds really exciting to me, based on my very limited knowledge, but that's off-topic.

Through family connections, I have the marvelous opportunity to have an internship at an IB between the 1st and 2nd years of my studies, at a small bank located in Ecuador. This is an ecuadorian bank, which nobody in the USA or Canada has ever heard of, bringing me to the topic of this post;

Would it be best to take up this opportunity presented to me on a silver platter despite it being in South America at a no-name institution, or would it be better to look for a non-IB role at a reputable bank in North America? I would of course begin my networking for future internships a few months into my studies.

Info if it helps at all with advice:
- 18m
- Headed into non-target (think uOttawa, Carleton, Trent) in Finance
- Planning on transferring in 3rd year to a target (Ivey/Queens/McGill, leaning on Ivey)
- Parents own a small business
- Landed a job in marketing/sales that I will be able to maintain throughout my studies up until I transfer
- Canadian citizen, might get french citizenship in the next year
- Fluently bilingual (en/fr) & hoping to learn Spanish in these coming years

Thank you all for any advice!

 

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