All students in our group have made it safely to the lodge! They are getting settled in to life in the Dominican Republic, and looking forward to our nature walk tomorrow up Brison mountain!

Day 2

Sup parents,
Today we hiked Mt. Brison in the flaming hot sun. It was humid and muddy, but we set the record of reaching the peak at an hour and a half, faster than any other group. On the way up, we walked through different communities, saw a rooster fighting arena, and purchased multi-color wristbands. Once we got to the top, we shared lunch with a local family and enjoyed a beautiful view. Overall, it was a sweaty day, but we became closer as a group.

Lindsey and Josh

Day 4

Today we started off with pancakes for breakfast, I think many people were surprised to find that they gave us honey instead of syrup, but it was really good. After breakfast, we took two buses to the service site… we really enjoyed being the first bus to leave. Building the bottle wall for the basketball court in the hot sun was hard work but ultimately rewarding. Half of the group got engaged in a game of basketball with some of the local kids, it was great to see how people from two different cultures with two different languages could still interact with each other and have a friendly game of trash can basketball. It was also interesting to see how creative the local kids were, using a trash can as a basketball hoop since we were working on the basketball court. In the afternoon we enjoyed rice, beans and chicken… big surprise. It was so much fun when our kite-boarding plans fell through because of the wind, or lack there of. We chose to get tossed around by the waves instead. Day 4: a more successful day than the day 3 of success.

Your LODs,

Trevor and Laura

Day 5

Today we started the day off with the not so healthy coco puffs cereal. Alongside it we enjoyed fresh eggs and fruit. After breakfast, we went straight to service in Cano Dulce. We had so much fun getting our hands dirty in the cement while mixing it and putting it on the wall. It was so cool to see the Dominicans willingly get involved to help us help their community. Our other service we did today was painting the floor of the cabana. However, we may have to save that one for another day because of the pouring rain. This rain led us to the bee keeper where we learned about his bee hives and got to taste fresh honey. We all enjoyed playing basketball with some of the local children. After we got home from the tiring day of hard work, we all jumped into the warm ocean except for Carly, Finlay, Cade, Bridget, and Laura who got gnarly cornrows from the wonderful locals. Today was also special because we celebrated Jovanni’s birthday! We all signed a wonderful card for him and sang happy birthday at the bon fire. Overall, it was another fantastic day in the Dominican!
XOXO,
Abbie, Bridget and Duke

Day 6

Today we went to Dudu lagoon after a hardy breakfast. There, we were immediately greeted by a zip line which ended in a 35 foot jump. Everyone had a great time, even though a go-pro was lost and there were a few minor injuries. Other than this, we all had fun. We also went to another gorgeous lagoon and a cave that used to be a nightclub. We had lunch, which included the best chicken we had all trip. After we left the lagoon, we continued the adventure by going to a beautiful white sand beach where we purchased jewelry and enjoyed our pineapple drinks. Everyone was worn out after this adventurous day and we all hit the hay after dinner and a lecture. Everyone had so much fun taking a day off for cliff-jumping and beautiful beaches!

Your LODs,
Bridget and Eliot

Today was a great day full of sports! We started the day with a pancake breakfast topped with honey, we are started to get used to that flavor instead of the traditional syrup. Then we made our way down to the beach to get started surfing. Our surf instructor, Colin, taught us how the ways of the surf board. Meanwhile, others had fun playing in the ocean, whether that was body surfing waves in, or just chilling in the shallow end. After lunch, we were supposed to go down to the beach again to have our second lesson in kitesurfing. Unfortunately, the winds were not sufficient for optimal kitesurfing. Instead, we had a free day at the beach where some tried to improve their surfing skills while others enjoyed a nice soccer game on the beach. In the evening, all the GLA students gathered around to watch a documentary about the struggles of making it to the MLB for people of the Dominican Republic. It was very interesting to see how they persevered through their hard times and provided much money for their families.

Your LODs,

Caden and Christina

July 16, 2017

On this ridiculously humid summer morning in the Dominican Republic, we fueled our bodies with white eggs and cheese. We loaded into the bus to begin our full day of service. Where we continued to build the wall, and paint an obstacle course. We mixed more cement and continued to create bonds with the locals. While we were hard at work, a bell rang. It turned out it was the ice cream man!! We cooled off with our helado and headed back to work. At around 12 we broke for lunch. Which consisted of rice, beans, and chicken…again. When we finished out work, we came back to the lodge and went down to the beach to have more kite surfing lessons. We also had a competitive game of soccer. Today was Laura’s 18^th birthday. We celebrated with a hot and sweaty dance party and snacks. Can’t wait for the many more memories that are going to be made!

Your LODs,

Carly and Owen

Day 10

Day 10 started off with a morning surf adventure that was accompanied by an amazing sunrise. After the surfing journey, we arrived back to home base where we were welcomed with some flavor bread and eggs. Following breakfast, we marched back to the beach where we were forced to paddle out in the overly beautiful waters once more. After the exhausting, treacherous swim we went play to play baseball at a local pasture. Unfortunately, Mac mislead his teammates on his ability to play the sport “baseball” and became the worst player on the field. Then we attempted to fly a kite but then there was no wind so our plans of kiteboarding today were diminished. As the sad souls of the GLA camper once more headed back to the lodge, Camper Ethan lightened the mood by performing multiple belly flops as the others watched in awe and some confusion. Attached are some pictures of camper Ethan trying to kite board.

Your LODS,

Luke and Finlay

Day 11 also started off with some surfing early in the am. Not such an amazing sunrise due to the extreme clouds, but the surfing was just as good. After breakfast, we had a great two hour hot bus ride with hardly any room to move. We arrived at 27 Charcos and rode down only 12 because the other 15 were dried out ☹. Then we switched it up and ate at an actual restaurant that served the same things we’ve been eating for the past 11 days. Highlight of the day had to be restocking on our snacks. Huge grocery store with all the right goods. Overall still gonna give this day an A++.

Your LODs

Zoe and Cade

Day 11

Day 11 started off with a healthy and delicious breakfast consisting of cereal, eggs, bacon and fruit. Shortly after breakfast, we loaded on to the bus to Cano Dulce. Today was our last day in the community and we made the most of it: our portion of the wall was finished and relationships between us and the locals grew even stronger. After a sad goodbye, we headed back to the home base where we ate succulent fried chicken and veggies. We then went down to the beach for an afternoon of kitesurfing and tanning. We even had a soccer game going where Walner…obviously lost. As our trip comes to an end, we are especially grateful for the relationships made with the locals and our small yet influential impact on Cano Dulce.

Your LODS,

Carson and Olivier

Wednesday, July 19, 2017,

Started with an alarm clock at 5:26 in the morning. You may have heard about other kids waking up early to go surfing, but my reason was much different.  I grabbed the massive dung beetle hiding in our cabin safe, and I set out for the cabin of boys next door… Before I ran over, I made sure the dogs, Ernie, Terny, and Berny were off duty. Once I confirmed I was not going to have to go on a early morning chase down con los perros, I sprinted over to cabin. I meticulously opened the creaky cabin door with the assistance of my cameraman, Josh. I snuck over to Dukes bed and gently placed the palm sized sucker onto his baggy cargo shorts. I bolted out of the room with the growing urge to break out laughing.  This may seem like a stupid and mean prank, but what comes around goes around. Karma bit duke on the butt this time.

At 8 we had a special meal. Instead of having rice we ate beans. Man I love those beans. After breakfast, we relocated towards the beach. Colin created a team obstacle course, our team took a heavy loss. After defeat, I tried to surf in tough ocean conditions. That ended in a defeat as well. Getting smacked in the face before even attempting to stand up drains persistence and dedication. At least I tried. We hung out on the beach until lunch came around. Lunch is like Christmas. The parents usually give more presents than they receive. I always end up in the back of the lunch line for whatever reason, and I am always forced to clear and put away everyone’s plates! Later in the day, the group went kite surfing. I finally learned how to stand up!!! (barely)  Beach life is hard. The sun is hot and leaves something called sunburns on gringos who forget to put on sunscreen. In agonizing pain, I ran home and spent the next thirty minutes lathering myself in Josh’s aloe. I worship aloe and so does Jonathan in his bible studies. Well today was a great day, well how could it not be? We are in a beautiful country and I am surrounded with 22 newish friends. I often realize how near the end is. We will keep in touch after this memorable trip. Well gotta scat, I think I hear dinner calling my name. I heard we will be having rice and chicken!

See you soon mom,

Ethan Baram

June 22, 2017

Everyone is here and happy at the beach! Tomorrow is our first full of service and we can’t wait!

Day 2

The first day of service was an unfamiliar, yet interesting experience. Although work was difficult, seeing the smiles on the local children’s faces made it worth while. We made great progress on the refinishing of the community’s basketball court, met new Dominican friends, and saw the process of making local honey. We had to wake up at 8:00AM which was hard to adjust to in a unfamiliar time zone, then tried new food like fried cheese for breakfast, learned how to mix concrete, sweat bullets in the hot sun and humidity, learned how to communicate with a language barrier, swam in the refreshing ocean, and learned about the importance of human security. We learned the importance of teamwork, to be open minded, and the feeling of accomplishment after a day of hard work.

Day 4

Today, we carried numerous bags of cement, sand, and water to the basketball court the second we got to the community. We created the cement and finished paving the basketball court. We came back to base camp for a lunch of pork, fruit, and rice and beans. After lunch we split up into groups to learn how to surf and kite surf. The surf group learned how to mount a surf board in one of the pools, well the kite surf group practiced safety procedures and learned how to maneuver the kite/parachute. Then the groups switched. After this we enjoyed some time relaxing by the pool followed by an American dinner of chicken tenders and french fries. Then we discussed key qualities of a leader and what qualities we possess.

DAY 4

Today, we finished the basketball court for the Caño Dulce community and painted the lines. We also painted an obstacle course for the little children of the community. During this experience we really bonded with the kids. We played stick ball (their form of baseball) with them. We were all sad to say goodbye. ​After that, we continued our training for kite-surfing and surfing. Some of us were even able to stand up on the surf board! This took about 5 hours. Tonight, we learned two cultural dances called marengue and bachata with two local teachers. We had a ton of fun and are looking forward to tomorrow.

June 27, 2017

Today we went to Dudu lagoon, about an hour drive away. Almost everyone chose to participate in a thirty foot high zip line, dropping into the water. It was so fun! We also played volleyball and soccer at the lagoon, and explored an old cave bar. We then drove to a beautiful beach, Playa Presciosa, with smaller waves, and less of a current than the beach near the lodge. We drank pineapple smoothies on this beach, and they were very yummy. We had a blast today!

Day 8

Hello parents and guardians,

Today we had a fantastic time surfing in the morning and kitesurfing for a little bit in the afternoon due to the thunderstorms that rolled in around three. The surf this morning was great and nearly everyone was able to catch a wave, but before we begun to surf we of course had to have a fun relay! The mix of both counselors and students participating in the race provided an entertaining and very close finish to a fun morning. We look forward to exploring the waterfalls tomorrow after having such a fun day today!

Day 9

Today was very exciting! We had a little bit of an earlier morning, waking up at 7:00 am. We promptly ate and got on the bus for a two-hour bus ride to 27 charcos! This means 27 waterfalls. Once we got there, we got our life jackets and helmets, walked on a short hike, and then jumped and slid down waterfalls! It was incredible! On the way home, we saw a long line of college or high school (it was undetermined) graduates who all looked absolutely beautiful. We all clapped and cheered for them and most of them smiled. We then made it to the grocery store, bought some candy and food, and went back to the lodge. After some funny guardian angels (it was opened up so anyone could write any to anyone) Michaela had an amazing lecture about poverty. Hope your day was as fantastic as ours! Unfortunately we could not take any pictures due to the adventurous nature of our day!

Charlotte

July 2, 2017

Dear parents,

This morning we woke up 8am with breakfast at 8:30am. This morning we got to play on the finished basketball court against the locals. I’m pretty sure the locals won most of the games that were played but it was all smiles all morning. In the afternoon, we went kitesurfing. The wind was good and strong, a couple people even got up on the boards for the first time!  Overall we had a really great day!

Clara

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

After arriving at the airport in Santo Domingo, we gathered with our GLA peers and staff and ate some food. With our new friends and mentors, we boarded a bus and traveled to La Zona Colonial where we stayed at Hostal Primaveral. We took a trip to a pizzeria and walked through the colonial zone and visited the plaza to conclude our night.

The next day we ate breakfast and enjoyed some naturally made jams and juices! We began our journey to our home base in Barahona, this took about 4 hours, but we stopped at a local restaurant in Azua and ate some delicious rice, fried chicken, yucca, and fruit. Upon arrival at El Hotel Quemaito, we settled into our rooms and ate a phenomenal dinner. We had orientation and concluded with our mentor group.

To begin Day 3, we ate eggs, pancakes, bread, jam, mango juice, and scrumptious fruit. Afterwards we gathered our tools and headed to Cachon to help in creating a laboratory for the clinic in the community. Our work consisted of cementing the roof and walls. Along with our hard work we interacted with the children from the neighborhood. After departing to the home base, we had free time and some of the staff took us to the beach. The beach was surreal and very blue! Then, we were introduced to the 7 elements of human security by Jonathan and learned about global health with Chelsea. These lessons will greatly enhance our learning and understanding throughout the program!

By: Maria and Ani

Today was our Medical Orientation Day training. We had breakfast: oat meal, fried cheese, ham, toast and mango. At 9:00 am, we set out for the clinic: Los Patos. We drove through beautiful scenery of crystal blue water and beaches. We spoke to a nurse and two doctors about the healthcare in the Dominican Republic and the programs the clinics offer. They were very welcoming and happy we were there. We headed back to our beachside hotel and ate Pastelón de Plátano Maduro. It was by far a favorite. We began clinical training with a lecture followed by a clinical simulation presented by Doctor Thomas. We practiced our medical brigade, had some free time, then ate dinner. After that, we watched Poverty Inc. and discussed our ideas on the topics presented in the film. Needless to say, it was an amazing day!

Date: 8/12/2017

Today we got the opportunity to go to the Haitian-Dominican Center. There, we helped construct a multi-purpose room to the building, and played with the local community members. People who were on construction were mixing cement and spreading it on the walls. The people playing with the kids were doing activities like playing volleyball to running around with the children to having dance lessons. The Haitian- Dominican center is a refuge for Dominicans of Haitian descent or Haitian immigrants. This place helps them obtain information about their rights and resources. Michelle is the leader of the center and advocates for all people who enter the center. He is an amazing man and got to learn a lot from him in our Q&A session. We learned about the prejudice Haitians face in this country an how people like Michelle are helping them. After this, we got to go to the beach by our hotel and participate in a leadership activity which taught us about active listening. We had to figure out how to interpret information from people using limited information and come up with creative ways to communicate. Overall it was a great and eventful day!

>Authors: Christina Martin & Sophia Adeghe

 Date: 8/13/2017

This morning we woke up to a power outage that was caused by a tropical storm that was hitting the southern coast of the DR. We didn’t let this stop us from enjoying our adventure day! After yet another delicious breakfast, we headed out to the manroe river. To get to this river, we had to hike up a very challenging, steep hill. When we arrived at the river we were all super excited to jump into the crystal clear water. We took many pictures in our “traje de banos muy bonitos” and explored the rocks and area around us.
For lunch, we went back to the hotel and ate chicken and pasta. Then, we headed back out to the city of Barahona for an exciting scavenger hunt around the city. For this scavenger hunt we had to try local ice cream, find out information about local drinks, and learn more about the city. We truly enjoyed the Dominical culture and the authenticity of local life. After we had a fulfilling grocery shopping experience where we got to load up on snacks. We ended this fun excursion day with dinner and a movie- Another great day in the DR!

Authors: Jane Coghlan and Yue (Alex) Yin

We started our day with breakfast of Fruit Loops and fresh pineapple, and then departed to renovate a lab in the community “Cachon”. First, we worked by sifting through a pile of sand to pull out rocks to refine the sand, then mixed it with cement and water to make the cement a toothpaste consistency. After we started to paint the walls of the lab with the newly made cement. While others were mixing cement, the others were playing soccer with the local kids. Another group scraped off the excess hardened cement on the roof of the lab. Then, at 12:00PM we had lunch, which consisted of pork, rice, beans and salad. Afterwards, the groups switched and we continued work on the lab. Once we were done working, we packed up and road home with DJ Suvar playing music in the bus all the way back to home base. When we arrived, there was a group of merchants that was selling a local rock unique to the Dominican Republic called Larimar. It came in various forms, such as bracelets, necklaces and earrings. They also sold paintings and T-shirts. Dinner time soon arrived which consisted of salad, fruit, tostones and vegetables. Then, we started a lesson on a dance called “Merengue”, which is a traditional Latin American dance. This lesson turned into a miniature dance party, topped of with Keah’s birthday celebration where we ate cake and danced. Finally, we broke off into mentor groups to discuss our day and our general thoughts on the trip so far.

Authors:Kennedy Allan and Jonathan Buckner
Date written: 8/13/17

**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.**

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