Introduction

GLA’s Global Health Initiative program is a primer for studying medicine or public health in the developing world. A university-level program, it’s designed to give a progressive experience— challenging preconceptions of health with new experiences, and guidance from attending medical and public health professionals working in the field.

Global Health Initiative Itinerary

Please note: Activities may happen on different days due to weather or community needs. This is a tentative itinerary.

—

Everyone Arrived!  Check back soon for blog entries and pictures!

July 23, 2017

This morning a few of us woke up bright and early for a workout with our mentor, Chelsea, on the lawn. Afterwards, we all ate an Americanized breakfast consisting of pancakes, eggs, and toast which we all enjoyed. We then loaded onto our bus with our favorite bus driver Samuel and headed to Cachon. At Cachon half of us helped cement the new lab for the clinic while the others played soccer with the local children. After a great lunch of the traditional rice and beans and chicken we continued working in the hot sun remembering to stay hydrated. We then headed back to the home base we changed into swimsuits, swam in the pool, and bought jewelry from the vendors selling the Dominican Larimar stone. Then we ate a delicious fish and potato dinner and then enjoyed free time to ourselves. Later in the evening we had an introduction to global health and played a game of Mafia with a twist. We ended the night with mentor groups and then bed. Deuces!

-Authors: Lauren Minutella and Bella Kese

Blog Post Day 7/21

Today, after our flights landed, the whole group gathered in the airport. We exchanged dollars for pesos and then headed to the bus. We drove to a pizzeria in the middle of the Zona Colonial. There, we tried pizza with corn on it! It seemed weird at first but we tried it and it was actually really good. After, we walked around the colonial zone and got to see the architecture from when the Europeans colonized the city. Did you know it was the first colony to be established in the western world? We were immediately exposed to the different culture as we saw stray dogs and cats, people selling items along the walk way, and horses pulling old-fashion carriages. As we were walking, it started to rain. We also got delicious ice cream from a place called Bon. We had to learn new ways of communicating also, since there is a language barrier between us and the local people. After all the fun colonial activities, we went back to the hotel and got some well needed rest!

– Authors: Lindsay Gelles and Hannah Rahn

– Date Written: 7/21/17

Blog Post Day 7/22

This morning we woke up, got dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast. We had eggs and toast, and then we filled our water bottles and got on the road.  We started our 4 hour drive to the lodge where we will be staying for the next two weeks. Our group started to bond as we listened to music and relaxed on the bus. We made a stop at a local Dominican Restaurant where we ate rice, beans, chicken, yuca, and cabbage salad. It was delicious and exciting to try traditional Dominican food cooked by an amazingly sweet Doña. Then we got back on the bus and continued our drive. It was really interesting to see people come up to the windows of our bus trying to sell us various items like snacks and fruit. Once we arrived at the home base, we were given room assignments and started to settle in. During our rest hour, we all went swimming in the pool, which was really nice since it was pretty hot outside. it was also a lot of fun getting to know the other groups that are sharing our home base with us. Then we had a program orientation and learned about what we are going to do in the community. After that, we had Sancocho for dinner. It is a type of traditional stew made with pork, chicken, beef, root vegetables, and it is served with rice. It was Amazing! After, Johnathan (one of our awesome mentors) lead us in a discussion about the 7 Elements. This is the organization we are working with here in the DR that focus on the 7 elements of human security: Health, community, economy, environment, personal security, political, and food. The last activity for the day was our mentor groups. We broke up into smaller groups and introduced ourself and discussed what our thoughts about the program and activities are. We are excited for what is to come!

– Authors: Lindsay Gelles and Hannah Rahn

– Date Written: 7/22/17

Due to bad service at the home base, blogs are coming in less frequently. All the kids are alright and having an amazing adventure!!

July 24, 2017

Today was absolutely riveting. After finishing our eggs and fruit, we filled up our water bottles and boarded the bus headed to Los Patos so we could paint the water tank in that community. It was a strenuous hike to reach the water tank, but that didn’t stop us! In just two hours, we were able to paint the bottom half of the tank in a light blue shade. On the walk back to the bus, many of the community members stared at us because we were covered in blue paint, which we found very humorous. After that, we headed to the Shortest River and ate pastelon de platano which is basically a plantain lasagna. Many of us interacted and danced with some of the locals at the river. Additionally, there were many small shops to buy common snacks. They even sold American chip brands as well, such as Cheetos. The locals that we met taught us dances, songs, and Spanish words which made this trip to Los Patos so memorable. On the way back, everyone was exhausted from the sun and ready to hit the showers. At six, we ate really good burgers and fries. Then, one of our mentors had a very insightful group activity that portrayed the importance of communication and how to strengthen our leadership styles. This lesson is one of many that we will encounter that will further strengthen our leadership skills and incorporate them into our communities at home.

Written by: Mia and Erick

July 28, 2017

Usually Group B starts the day with breakfast at 8:00 am, but today we ate at 7:00 so that we could get on the road and start working earlier. Plot twist: we took four wheelers up a rocky, curving mountain to help a few friendly Dominicans finish a cementing project. The work entailed carrying buckets of cement up an incline to the project site for repairing the underground water tanks (plus a few of us learned how to dance bachata 🙂 ). We finished our cementing, followed by another lunch of (you guessed it) rice, beans, chicken, vegetables, and fruit. Which is always so good! Chelsea, Jonathan, Emily, and a 95 year old local, Frank, led us on a quick hike, showing the group coffee bean plants, leaving us all wishing we had a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee. We found out these beans were used to make the Santo Domingo Cafe- so we are excited to try it in the airport on the way home :). We all hopped in our four wheelers and bumped our way back to home base. A few common themes: Dominican people are so welcoming no matter where we travel; the rice and fruit is a huge hit here with Group B; the mentors know great music when they hear it; the drivers here are way better than at home; and we are having the best time. We wouldn’t trade Group B for anything… even some Chick- Fil- A J  #GroupBForever

-Erin Arevalo

-Emily Rougelot

Hey y’all! It’s Liv Luchetti and Kruthi here! Here is a rundown on what happened today for yall:

Some over-achievers started the day with a workout with our mentor Chelsea (not us obviously). After a scrumptious breakfast of corn fritters and eggs the gang traveled to the Haitian Dominican Center. There we pulled a HGTV Home makeover!! We met our Dominican friend Billy who helped us with our makeover. We sifted and mixed cement to repair the walls and entry way. While putting in hard work, we made many new little friends. We danced, played with the soccer ball, and practiced our Spanish. We had a YUMMY lunch which consisted of chicken, rice, beans, and veggies. After lunch we kept grinding and finished the project. After work we had a discussion with Michele, the center’s founder, about the conflicts between the Haitians and the Dominicans. He also talked a lot about the center’s actions to stop sex trafficking across the border. Michele has lived a very inspiring life, facing kidnapping and physical abuse from his opponents. After returning to homebase we split up in two groups. One group had a cooking lesson and the other went to the beach and chilled. We cooked Yuka fritters, which were DELICIOSO.  After a dinner of SPAGHETTI and empanadas, we watched Poverty Inc. with the Building a Sustainable World students. The movie was very informative about the downfalls of foreign aid. Mentor groups were entertaining as always. We look forward to more fun bus rides and more exciting days hard at work.

Xoxo, see you on the flippity flip,

Liv Luchetti and Kruthi

August 2, 2017

Introduction

GLA’s Global Health Initiative program is a primer for studying medicine or public health in the developing world. A university-level program, it’s designed to give a progressive experience— challenging preconceptions of health with new experiences, and guidance from attending medical and public health professionals working in the field.

Global Health Initiative Itinerary

Please note: Activities may happen on different days due to weather or community needs. This is a tentative itinerary.

—

Blog Updates

Day 2

Our first work day of the trip! We traveled to Los Cocos to help with the construction of the local school using plastic bottles. We left feeling both incredibly sweaty and incredibly grateful for this experience. A standout for a lot of us was playing soccer, kickball, and volleyball with the local kids. It was really exhausting getting demolished by the children, but really cool to see how we could connect in another way despite the language barrier. It was great to see how the community was so active and helpful in building the walls out of bottles with us. It really brought it home for us that this work was so important to the community, especially the kids.

When we got back many of us spent our free time enjoying the beautiful beach down the road. After dinner (taco night!) we played a game that taught us more about global health and how important it is in both developed and developing nations.

We’re very excited for our first clinic day tomorrow!”

Written By: Emma and Alexander

Day 3

Today was our first clinic day! Being in the clinic today was a big eye opening experience for us because it was vastly different that what we were expecting. The clinic serves close to 5000 people in 6 communities, but the shocking part is that there are only 2 doctors, 2 pharmacy staff, and a single nurse. The more we talked, the more we noticed the differences between healthcare in DR and the US. It was shocking to us that it was up to the patient to arrive to the clinic considering the conditions of the road. The only ambulance that the communities shared burned down a couple of months ago and there is no 911 service in the entire province. After we got back to the home​ ​base we had a cooking class and got to make fried yuca bites and they were soooooo good.

Day 4

Today, we went to a mountain community named Cachote. To get to this community we had to leave behind our bus for 4X4 off-road trucks with roll cage seating styles in the bed that made the trucks feel like “Indiana Jones”.
In the community of Cachote we repaired and painted the communities water storage tanks, which allow the members of the community to have access to cleaner drinking water. Our lunch was prepared by a community member who cooked and we enjoyed chicken, rice, vegetables, fruits, and salad while sitting in the community member’s front yard. After completing our repairs and painting of the water storage tanks we loaded back into the 4X4 trucks and travelled back to the home base for a crash course on Merengue dancing.

Date: July 10, 2017
Authors: Madeline P. & Katina H.

Day 5

Today we were all pushed to the limit both mentally and physically by renovating and working on the roof of the soon to be health clinic lab. It was a thrilling and stimulating experience. Our fellow students worked on the top of the health clinic lab, laying out the cement which was an extremely hard task in addition to the fact that we were standing of the middle of a field in the sun. It is these moments which truly emphasize the extreme importance of hydration and sun protection. While some fellow students worked on the health clinic lab, others enjoyed the company of community children eager to play, run and interact. Some of these children are younger than our fellow students and it is a great experience to see fellow GLA students overcoming the language barrier and creating bonds with community children and their families.

Author: Katie and Juliana

Day 7

– Arriving a few hours before noon the (border market Jimani) sight was breathtaking! The mountains arose in the distance reminded me of those in Greece, or the Himalayas or the Great Wall of China; You have to see it with your own eyes to know what we mean! The mountains are even more amazing up close, there were sites filled with carvings drawn by Taino Indians prior to the colonization of the island by the Spanish. These carvings are relics left behind by the indigenous and now extinct peoples of the island. However only speaking of Lago Enriquillo’s surroundings would not do it justice, lago (lake ) Enriquillo has a very rich history but it’s greatest impact has been that on the living communities around the lake. Its rapid expansion between 2003 and 2015 led to the displacement and relocation of an entire town – Boca de Cachon (mouth of Cachon) to a whole new region. The Town lost farmland and it’s community was displaced as a consequence and social tensions of ”Enriquillo wrath” didn’t end there. The lake’s expansion killed off many species, forcing predators in the region to flee!

After a boat tour and a hike up one of the mountains we were on a 3 hour ride home or so we thought!  The only road leading to Jimani was blocked by a local community strike and we were forced to turn around long story short the day ended with a 13 hour drive that left us exhausted hopefully that never happens again!

Author: Rajdeep

Today we woke up bright and early at 5:30am to travel to Jimani a Dominican – Haitian Market place. Halfway through the ride we encountered a literal bump in the road when the road was blocked because of a community strike. The community was striking because the government has refused for 3 years to improve the communities’ hospitals and clinics. Because of the strike we had to change directions and head straight to Lake Enriquillo to visit its waters and sight see in its vast wildlife that included huge iguanas.

Author: Gemma

Day 8

In a movie Called Poverty inc., we learned that people’s attempts to be helpful aren’t as they may think. For example, the shoe company TOMS made a promise that they would donate a pair of shoes to a child in need when someone makes a purchase of their shoes. TOMS didn’t take into account the fact that there was a preexisting shoe maker in the town of the children in need. The community member of the children in need who was the shoe maker was put out of business because of their lack of social awareness. From this, we learned the importance of checking the situation before bombarding them unnecessary aid and assistance.

Author: Julie

Today we were renovating a clinic in Los Patos that we had visited before. We had helped paint the walls, ceilings, window frames and the doors of the clinic. Our day started quite nice. Our breakfast consists of cinnamon toast, oatmeal, fruits and hushpuppies. And these hushpuppies are really really really delicious. They are like a fried pancake or more like a fried dough. It was a sweet and savory and ultimately extremely delicious. During our time renovating and painting at the clinic, everyone was having a great time. We were able to get our work done and in the end, everyone was covered with paint all over their hands, shirts and pants. It was quite funny. When we came back to home base, after a long day of painting, everyone went to the pool to hangout and to swim overall today was a nice day. We did not need to do hard labor and had time to relax and to rest as well.

Author: Kathy  

Day 9

Our final work day at the Juan Esteban clinic went by quickly. Everyone was working hard and connecting with the patients keeping the clinic running smoothly to refuel our students a delicious meatball lunch was devoured. Because of everyone’s hard work we left early and got back to home base. Next we had time to pack and relax by the pool where local craftsman sold their merchandise for one of our last meals together we enjoyed a good old American hot dog!
During supper the mentors announced…. Stay tuned for the last blog post!!!!
Authors: Ashley & Sarah

Introduction

GLA’s Global Health Initiative program is a primer for studying medicine or public health in the developing world. A university-level program, it’s designed to give a progressive experience— challenging preconceptions of health with new experiences, and guidance from attending medical and public health professionals working in the field.

Global Health Initiative Itinerary

Please note: Activities may happen on different days due to weather or community needs. This is a tentative itinerary.

—

Blog Updates

​Date Written: June 20th

Author: Elif ​Ulutin

Today we visited the Haitian Dominican Centre and worked on renovations. Using the water bottles we collected at the beach yesterday, we built walls in the community centre and began cementing them. We also had the opportunity to interact with the children in the community during a dance party! We then got to talk to the leader of the centre, who discussed his experiences with assisting Haitian migrants and the trauma these migrants face. We finished off the da with a swim in the pool, a lecture on Environment and Forced Migration, and a documentary called “Black in Latin America”. The documentary also was about environmental issues on the island and Haitian- Dominican Republic Relations.

Introduction

GLA’s Global Health Initiative program is a primer for studying medicine or public health in the developing world. A university-level program, it’s designed to give a progressive experience— challenging preconceptions of health with new experiences, and guidance from attending medical and public health professionals working in the field.

Global Health Initiative Itinerary

Please note: Activities may happen on different days due to weather or community needs. This is a tentative itinerary.

—

Blog Updates

 

09/08/17

Los Patos Clinic Day

Today we awoke to the sun shining brightly. We were greeted with a wonderful breakfast that consisted of pancakes, toast, eggs, and delicious fresh fruit. After we were full, we went on a ride to Los Patos, where we visited an amazing clinic. We spent the morning learning about the inner-workings of the clinic and the services that they provide. Nurse Urki even showed us all the places that they work every weekday.

Once we got back to the home base, we enjoyed a delightful lunch and learned about the health brigades that will take place this upcoming week with the help of Doctor Thomas. We then enjoyed some free time where some of us experienced the Dominican Republic ocean for the first time. After our exhausting swim, we were treated to a great dinner. We then learned about the 7 elements of human security and how it affect us every day. Overall, today was very informational and we all learned a lot. We can’t wait to see what else we learn in these days to come.

– Beth & melodie

08/10/17

Haitian-Dominican Center

We started the day with a breakfast of eggs, toast, oatmeal, ham, and cheese! Then, the activities started with a drive along the ocean to San Rafael. At the Haitian-Dominican Community center we began work cementing walls in an add-on clinic to the building. We met many new local Haitian-Dominican residents, and enjoyed playing soccer and walking with the kids! The trip ended with a description of the clinic’s function by Morbé.

After the fun events in the morning, we came back to the lodge and got right to work in the kitchen. Half of us learned to make a wonderful fried yucca treat, cooked with help from the chefs using the recipe shown below.

–       7 yucas (grated)

–       6 eggs

–       3 small onions

–       1 spoon of salt

–       2 spoons of sugar

To start, we simply grated the yuca (cassava), and mixed in the remaining ingredients. To cook it, we fried them in small balls in oil until golden brown. They were amazing!

– Jules & Abigail

08/12/17

Cachote

We woke up bright and early ready to start our next day’s work. We scrambled to breakfast, excited to see an abundance of french toasts prepared for our breakfast.  After breakfast, we loaded ourselves onto the 4 four-wheel trucks and set off a rocky journey to the village onto the top of the mountain, Cachote.  Two hours later, we arrived in Cachote and started off to work right away. We were working to finish a water tank that a previous group had started. The water tanks provide water security to those in the village that would otherwise have a strenuous walk down the mountain to the river for water.  After the hard work of making paving the cement, we played a fun game of capture the flag, which ended up being a game of competition and a few scrapes. All in all, we had fun, and we were ready for lunch.

After lunch, we continued our day’s activities with our coffee tour and meditation. During this time we had the amazing opportunity to learn about the history of the Dominican Republic’s coffee crops which had suffered plagues three years ago which left the coffee industry at a standstill. We were able to learn about how it affected the country today. Later, our group experienced an excellent time of meditation where we were able to connect with ourselves and nature. It was a very relaxing time for all of us. After, we went back to the lodge where we had dinner and watched a very informational movie titled, Black in Latin America. We learned about the history between Haiti and the Dominican Republic and how it shaped the culture today. Today was a very hardworking and informational day we were all happy to experience!

-Kylie & Bira

**Hello, family and friends! DR is receiving severe rain causing the internet to be down. The staff is having a hard time getting blog posts updated! The kids are safe and having fun. Please stay tuned for more updates soon.**

8/14/2017

Jimaní

Today we took a three-hour bus ride to the Haitian Dominican Boarder to see a marketplace where the two nations can trade. Once we were there we partook in a scavenger hunt to find out information about buyers and merchants. After that we took a forty-five minute bus ride to Lake Enriquillo. At the lake we ate lunch and went on a boat ride to see the destruction caused by rising water levels due to global warming.

Once we returned from the lake we had free time! Then we had dinner followed by a presentation by Sarah on environmental security. All in all it was a very hot day with a high of 97, but we learned a lot about Dominican Haitian interactions and the environmental crises in the DR.

-Maddy and Anna the trustworthy leaders of the day!

P.S Hi Mom and Dad from Anna!

8/15/2017

Cachón

Today we went to Cachon’s Lab Renovation and played a role in building and renovating their clinic. We sifted sand, mixed it with cement, and created a concrete paste that we would later plaster onto the walls. Half of our group worked on the renovation while the other half had the opportunity to bond with one another by playing kickball. When we reached the halfway mark of our time at Cachon, our two groups switched jobs.

When we arrived back at the lodge, we were able to spend some time for ourselves, in which we enjoyed time at the pool and were able to bond with our fellow group mates. We later participated in a group activity with one of our mentors, Erin, where we were able to bond with one another through pool-related games and reflect on our time in the Dominican Republic through journaling. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner prior to participating in a social justice lecture. We had the opportunity to learn about the inequality in the world and the stereotypes that often shape our lives.

-Jackie & Colleen

Brigade August 17th 2017:

This morning we left at eight for San Rafael; the second medical brigade of our trip. We started accepting patients a little before 10 am and ended around 1 pm. We saw thirty something patients, which was a bit less than our last brigade, so we were able to get back to the lodge for a quick rest before a leadership activity with Erin.

We did a leadership obstacle course with different segments, from logic puzzles, to capture the flag, to laser simulations. After all the hard work and competition, team two won. Afterwards, we had dinner (burgers, fries, and a Dominican dessert similar to bread pudding!) at 6:30. After that we talked about comparisons between US & DR healthcare systems.

We finished the day with a debate over universal healthcare; one side opposing the universal healthcare system and the other side supporting it. The debate was interesting and both sides made very good points, given that we only had a short time to prepare.

It has been another great day!

Introduction

GLA’s Global Health Initiative program is a primer for studying medicine or public health in the developing world. A university-level program, it’s designed to give a progressive experience— challenging preconceptions of health with new experiences, and guidance from attending medical and public health professionals working in the field.

Global Health Initiative Itinerary

Please note: Activities may happen on different days due to weather or community needs. This is a tentative itinerary.

—

Blog Updates

July 23, 2017

Los Patos Clinic

After an overcast breakfast, we traveled one hour to sunny Los Patos to meet with Nurse Urki. Urki told us about the types of services the clinic offers, insurance in the Dominican Republic, government sponsored medical services, and the limited medical service the community receives. These services include family planning, checkups, and vaccinations. The clinic is only open for seven hours each day, five days a week. There are only two doctors and one nurse for 5,000 people in the surrounding community. Additionally, the clinic is unable to provide many types of medications, vaccinations – as Urki only receives thirty percent of the supplies the clinic needs from the government. As a result, the clinic in Los Patos often needs to refer patients to doctors or hospitals half and hour or more away. Urki then took us around the clinic, discussing the lack of proper sterilization supplies, and limited space.

Once we arrived back to home base, we learned about how we will be providing services to the community via medical brigades. After discussing the brigades, we performed mock brigades, with Mabelle as the sickly, spanish-speaking patient, in order to practice taking vitals, speaking Spanish, and interacting with community members. After the brigades we took a quick trip to the beach and relaxed in the pristine waters.

After dinner, we had a lecture with Erin about the seven elements of human security. We also related these securities to current day events. Before bed, we had our second mentor group meeting, and learned more about each other.

Day 3 Group Leaders: Mara Kessler and Alyssandra Deseranno

July 24th, 2017

July 26th, 2016

Los Patos Shortest River

Before engaging in our daily activities some of us woke up early to do early  morning yoga on the lawn of the home base. After a refreshing breakfast, we embarked on a 40 inute bus drive to the Los Patos river. There, we had the opportunity to swim and engage with some of the local people. The shallow waters of the river and the palm trees near its shores made for a very scenic environment. After a pleasant swim, we proceeded toe at a mix of local vegetables, chicken and rice. The local stores and restaurants made for a bustling and stimulating environment.

After returning to the home base, we enjoyed a free period of around 2 hours before listening to a lecture on social justice. The discussion structured around the concept of equity providing a more desirable society than one that would only seek to promote the principle of equality and that would not provide equality of opportunity. After the stimulating discussion, we briefly learnt how to dance to bachata music which proved to be embarrassing for some of us. After a meal mainly composed of rice, potato and beetroot salad and chicken, we were divided into groups to argue about the various problems that less favorable societies can face.

By Thomas Hill & Paige Kelly

July 27th, 2017

Jimaní Market & Lago Enriquillo

Today, we ventured out on a three-hour bus ride to the border market between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The five thirty wake up time was brutal, leading to many of us sleeping on the bus both to the market and back to home base. One group even got to cross the border into Haiti for a few minutes! The marketplace was hectic and the culture shock was real. It was a location in which many people, both Haitian and Dominican, converge to sell products that are not seen on the other side of the border. Shoppers ran frantically trying to purchase their goods and return home to their families. We worked in three different groups to find different items and talk to the shoppers, many of whom only spoke French or Creole.

After an hour at the market, we visited Lake Enriquillo, a landmark for its historical growth over the past decade. Growing over three feet a year for many years, it displaced countless farming families. Upon arriving at the visitor’s center, we were greeted by a family of maybe five or six full size iguanas. These lizards were not shy! They would march right up to us and beg for food (the kinder of us obliged) and scare us by popping out from under the benches. We then went on a boat tour of the river and watched in awe as our tour guide pointed out the many crocodiles that inhabited the extremely salty river. Salt deposits high up on the trees marked where the river once stood and that it was now receding – a hopeful fact for the many wishing to get their land back. During these trips, we learned a lot about race relations and how global warming has a large impact on those in developing and developed countries alike.

By Rachel Tiersky and Bailey Scruggs

Friday, July 28, 2017

As the cockadoodles of our phones could be heard in the brisk dawn, it signaled the start of a new day. Today, we went on our first brigade. Although we had prepared for what was to come, we had no idea what to expect. As we loaded the 4×4’s with all the necessary supplies and people, we embarked on our journey up the mountain to Las Filipinas. After a bumpy ride, we finally arrived at the site. Our team was divided into the various stations to be efficient. We opened the doors at 10 a.m. and began to help the community. We saw patients ranging from a couple months old to 75 years old, from miners to police. We continued to serve for 4 hours and saw a total of 54 patients. It was very successful. We finally came back to home base, and after a couple hours, we had a lecture on environmental security. We made PSA’s on environmental concerns in the Dominican Republic and presented them to the group. After that, we ate dinner, followed by capstone discussions on NGO programs for potential communities with certain insecurities. We finished off with mentor groups and lugged ourselves to bed to rest for the upcoming day.

– Anna Maria and Andrew

29 del julio, 2017

What We Did Today

Hola los padres! On this lovely day of July 29, we woke up at the beautiful time of 7 am to do morning yoga with Anna. After a nice workout in front of the ocean (which consisted of me, Rachel, gracefully falling on my face at least twice), we ate some breakfast and headed out for the day. Rather than our usual work day, we had a free day, which we were all fairly thrilled about. We went to Las morones, a gorgeous river close to home base. Upon our arrival, we were surprised (typical Dominican etiquette ) with a grueling, uphill hike to the river, but it was well worth it! The river was quite refreshing after our trek, and it was a gorgeous blue color. We particularly enjoyed floating downstream, although some (me again) struggled to gracefully float whilst avoiding the rocks. After our river adventure, we came home for a brief lunch and headed out again to the supermarket.

At the supermarket we had the chance to buy those foods we were craving so much. After the market, we headed back to the Home Base and had dinner, which consisted of spaghetti and some delicious empanadas. Later, one of our mentors, Erin, led a presentation on leadership and the important qualities one must posses in order to be an efficient leader. There we also had the chance to test our leadership qualities and divided into groups according to our most valuable quality. Afterwards, we were challenged on an obstacle course around the hotel where our abilities of leadership were tested. In the end, the group that won most activities actually lost the challenge and the other was victorious by showing their capabilities as leaders and teammates. At 7:30 we all watched the movie “Captain Fantastic” and enjoyed some snacks and a discussion about the meaning of the film. We hope to continue enjoying these last few days here in the DR and can’t wait to see you all soon.

-Rachel J & Amalis

July 30th, 2017

Cachon Lab Renovation

We started the day with a nutritious breakfast at eight, and left for Cachon at nine. When we arrived at Cachon, we immediately began to sift and mix fresh cement, which we used to complete the walls of a new lab. We split into two groups, the first group worked with the cement and the second group played with local children. After about an hour, the two groups switched.  We worked past noon until a homemade lunch was prepared for us. After lunch we continued to work until two thirty when we began to clean the tools we used and pack up the food, water, and materials into the truck.

We returned back to the home base at three thirty and had an hour and a half of free time, which people used to hang by the pool, and sleep. At five-o-clock, we danced merengue with GHI group B. It was a spicy experience. Dinner was at six, followed by a lecture about health care in the United States and the Dominican Republic. Finally, we ended our day with being with our lovely roommates at nine thirty, and lights out at ten.

– Olivia & Brooke

Day 11 Brigade

7/31/17

Today was lit. We started off the day with delicious pancakes and nutritious eggs along with toast. At 8:45 we departed for Cachon for a jam-packed day of clinic service. We attended to fifty-three locals that needed our attention. Each and everyone one of us contributed in our own way, may that be in vitals, interviews, registration, pharmacy, or data. What was cool about this specific brigade day was that we got to participate in a clinic in which helped renovate. After a hard yet beneficial day of clinical service, we enjoyed a delicious meal of rice, beans chicken and vegetables. Once we had cleaned up it was time for us to head to head back to the home base for a little bit of free time, rap sessions and journal prompting. After writing in our journals, we enjoyed an appetizing meal of dominican soup and rice.  Shortly after dinner it was time for us to get into our capstone research groups to continue our discussion about environmental security threats to our specific communities. For Rachel’s birthday we were given the opportunity to celebrate with a dulce de leche cake made by our very own, Freddie. We ended the day with a deep reflection on our time here in the Dominican and what we hope to gain from this experience. Over all, today was a really fun and extra special (Rachel) day.

Over and out, your LO(r)Ds,

Carson and Ru.