Today we have a guest post from a Nursing student who was able to participate in a study abroad opportunity in Guatemala during spring break in 2014. If you are interested in study abroad, opportunities like this are available to all majors at ODU. This particular trip is offered every year, and has recently been made available as an option for all Health Sciences majors as we focus on interprofessional education. So if you are interested (especially Dental Hygienists) please look into taking advantage of opportunities like these or visit the Study Abroad office to see what they offer, which you can do here. So, without further ado, here is the guest post by Amanda Porter.
ODU GLOBAL HEALTH: ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA
by: ˜Amanda Porter: School of Nursing Class of 2016˜
Last year over spring break, I had the opportunity to travel abroad to Antigua, Guatemala with ODU Health Sciences. This was my first time travelling outside of the country so it was safe to say that I was experiencing a flood of different emotions as I boarded the plane on that chilly morning in March. After having a short layover and flying three more hours, I can remember when we began flying in over Guatemala. I remember seeing large volcanoes, beautiful mountains and valleys throughout the area. When we finally arrived in Guatemala City, I immediately fell in love with the beauty of the country. As my classmates and I exited the airport to board a bus that would take us to Antigua, I can remember walking out and being awed at how bright the cloudless sky was and how all of the people and city seemed to be buzzing with life.
˜First Day in the Clinic˜
Although we were there on a Global Health endeavor, we were given ample time for sightseeing. Throughout the week we would have free time where we could walk throughout the Antigua’s cobblestone streets to shop, eat and experience the culture. It was breathtaking to walk down the narrow cobblestone streets seeing the brightly colored homes and tiendas (convenience shops) in a city surrounded by mountains. Along with that time, we also had the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful lakes in the world: Lake Atitlan. We even got to go on a zip line course across it! Another sightseeing opportunity was when our group got to do a three mile hike up Pacaya Volcano where we got to experience the various wildlife and nature that makes up Guatemala.
˜Various Street Shops˜
As soon as we had gotten settled into our guest homes, we met with the coordinator of El Corazon des los Niños whom we would be working with throughout the week. She aided to coordinate some of the health science related activities we did with the organization which included visiting a local school and teaching the young children about germs, hand washing, and the importance of brushing their teeth. Later on in the week we actually had the chance to travel to different villages to work in the local clinics. When we arrived we were met by large groups of men, women, and children seeking our medical attention. These days were our busiest days on the trip but the most rewarding in my opinion. Seeing the patients with various conditions or those just looking to have a general check-up truly opened my eyes to some of the major health concerns in Guatemala.
˜Lake Atitlan˜
The days that we worked in the local clinics consisted of constant patient contact and interaction. Whether it was physical assessments of the patients, mixing up medications, or playing soccer with all the children who came with their parents, everyone was busy and had a job. A patient interaction that stuck out to me specifically was with a little girl who came to the first clinic we worked at. She came in with her mother and was very suspicious of us all at first because we were each wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). However, when she came to me and I gave her a princess sticker while getting her height and weight her face lit up with joy.
˜Cobblestone Streets of Antigua˜
Overall, it was those moments that reaffirmed to me that I was in the right career path. Travelling to a different country and having the chance to be submerged in a culture different than my own taught me how we all can, in the words of M. Scott Peck, “Share our similarities and embrace our differences.” Although I came to Guatemala excited, anxious and not really knowing what to expect, it has truly influenced how I perceive nursing as field. My experiences in Guatemala left me with a better holistic understanding of how compassion and caring are at the core of nursing. Guatemala and my experiences there will always have a place in my heart and from the moment I stepped on that plane to come home, I have wanted nothing more than to go back.