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.

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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.

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

Hi parents!

July 15, 2017

Haitian-Dominican Center Brigade

Bonjou,

Today we traveled back to the Hatian Dominican Center for our final brigade of the program. Earlier in the program we helped renovate the building, so it was very satisfying to see how quickly the work we had done was benefiting the community. Although we were thrilled to be seeing more patients in the community, we ran into many language barriers, as many of the patients were Hatian, so they spoke Creole. However, we remained positive and tried to keep the patients happy while they were awaiting care. We were also able to interact more with members in the community who were helping us translate. We taught some of them English words and made some oragami.

After the Brigade we had a leadership class with one of our mentors, Erin. We learned a lot about different types of leaders and the categories they fall into. To determine which type of leader we are, we did an activity to highlight our strongest atributes. It was eye-opening to see the different types of leaders we have in our group, and how they all contribute something unique to our daily adventures. Later in the evening, we had another lecture with a mentor from Group B, Sarah. We learned about the health care system in the United States; such as how it works, how it differs from the Dominican Republic health care system, and the different opinions many people have towards Universal Health Care. At the end of the day we went to bed with a  better understanding of how the health care system works in the United States.

– Grace Blecharczyk and Olivia Chan

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

All students in Program A for the Global Health Initiative safely arrived in Santo Domingo. They were transported from the airport to Hostal Primaveral, close to La Zona Colonial, where they settled into their rooms and rested for a bit until dinner. Around 6:00 PM the students split up into smaller groups to walk around the historical sites and ate pizza for dinner. The groups started returning back to the Hostal around 8:30 in time to shower, settle into their rooms and write in their journals to reflect on the experiences of the day. Today they will be traveling to Homebase in Barahona where the adventure will begin!

June 20, 2017

Today, we as leaders in GLA woke up this morning and had a Dominican breakfast. It consisted of eggs, ham, and bread with pineapple and mango juice. We were very excited to arrive to our new home for the next two weeks and are looking forward to becoming the change that would like to see in the world. For lunch, we enjoyed a Dominican meal with new friends and mentors. Driving through traffic was kind of slow but very fun. We occupied ourselves with music and singing. Our favorite song would have to be “Despacito”. Arriving to our home base was breathtaking. Our view of the ocean from the balcony made us very happy. We’ve been waiting to swim in the water since we got off the plane. We enjoyed spending time in the pool, eating dinner, and learning about one another. We also made full value contracts about what we expect from each other in this experience. We are very excited to see what the Dominican Republic has in store for us.

June 22, 2017

Los Patos Clinic

We woke up excited to begin a new adventure today. We came down to breakfast and ate delicious eggs with pancakes to help start the day. Our Leaders of the Day told us the schedule for the day and we were all ecstatic to learn that we were attending Los Patos Clinic. To begin our journey we got on the bus and even though it’s a bit stuffy, we love to sing along to the songs and to be able to see the beautiful views such as the oceans and the people in the community. Once there we had time to see the clinic, and talk to the doctors and nurses. They talked about their experiences, the programs and resources they offer to their community as a first level of attention. We got to ask questions and learn about the community even more and it was a great opportunity to express our thoughts and hear from others people’s experiences.

We came back to El Quemaito to eat lunch. After lunch we had a talk with Javier who taught us how to measure height, weight and blood pressure. We learned that we were going to do our own trial medical brigade. We were in different stations such as: registration, vitals, waiting rooms, clinical interview, doctor consultation, pharmacy and data transcription. We got to learn how it is to be in our own small public health system. We got to have free time and go to the pool. To top it all off dinner was delicious!

Haitian-Dominican Center Renovation

Today during group A, we went to San Rafael. We picked up trash specifically plastic bottles. After that we brought them to the Haitian Dominican Center. We used the plastic bottles to build “recycling walls” throughout a room in the center. The recycling walls should encourage community members to recycle rather than just throwing the away or throwing them on the beach causing pollution.

At the Haitian Dominican Center, we also met Michele, someone with first hand experience with the tension between the Haitians and the Dominicans. Michele told us about how the tension began and then, how it progressed in later years. While this originally started as a division between the two groups, it progressed into prejudice and political and social exclusion. Michele’s goal is to help ease this tension. It is important for us, that while we are here, we remain not only aware of the issues, but also aware of their origins.

June 23, 2017

Cachote

Today was an amazing experience. We traveled to Cachote on 4X4 trucks through rough terrain in the mountains. Our Project for the day was to help renovate the community’s water tanks. We were able to experience a day without electricity and indoor plumbing. On our break, we hiked to a nearby nursery where we saw seedlings of trees that only grow in the park of Cachote.

In Cachote there is a population of 125 people, and all living in small communities in the park. We had a chance to play with the baby kittens and the family of dogs. There were also chickens roaming and fat pigs wandering the beautiful mountainside. We enjoyed a delicious lunch made by a resident of the community. When we traveled back to home base everyone enjoyed a dip in the pool and tasty ice cream cone. All in all our day was very eventful and fun filled!

June 24, 2017

Cachon Lab Renovation

Day six has been an exciting experience to add to our GLA adventure. Today we went to the First Attention Clinic in Cachon to help construct a medical lab. This rewarding task consisted of making cement and plastering it on the walls. While taking breaks from work we played baseball with the kids of the community. This experience allowed us to interact with the kids on a more personal level. In addition it was funny to see the attempts that some of the students made at batting. In comparison to the locals we were poor competition (It was six and seven year olds beating us J). At the clinic we got to learn more about the health situation here in the Dominican Republic.

After saying our goodbyes to the people of Cachon we headed to a local supermarket to restock our snacks. It was interesting to see the differences of the markets here vs. others at home. We got to explore new snack options offered in the Dominican (others chose to stay within their comfort zones). Students are continuing to become more aware of their privileged lives at home. We are looking forward to undergo more new experiences in the week to come! Thinking of all of you at home and cannot wait to see you!

June 26, 2017

“The struggle you face today is developing the strength you’ll need tomorrow”

  This morning we started with this quote and reminded everyone to keep it in their minds throughout our first brigade day. We knew there would be struggles with the language barrier and with pressure and emotions in the clinic. Our team boarded the safari vehicles and trecked our way up to Las Filipinas, where we set up our clinic in the local primary school. We registered, interviewed, took vitals of patients, shadowed the doctors, and distributed the necessary medications. Since the brigade wasn’t a permanent clinic, our supplies of medicine and time only allowed for us to treat 50 patients. Las Filipinas does not have access to primary attention clinic there were many people in need that we were unable to treat. It was very difficult for us to watch people leave without getting the help they needed and it was an amazing reminder of how lucky we are to have access to sufficient medical care at home.

After relaxing at home base for some free time, emotions ran high again during our social justice lecture given by a mentor named Sara. We learned about struggles people face at home and all over the world. This reminded us again about the changes we can make with our resources. We had time to reflect on these emotions with our mentor groups and there were many tears. Dear mom and dad: we love you a lot and miss you dearly. But, we are never coming home. Hahahahaha 🙂

June 26, 2017

Jimaní/ Lago Enriquillo

Today started with an early morning and a long trip to Jimaní, a Haitian border town. When we arrived we were met with chaos within a lively market. The market held small treasures within the bustling walls. Many of us were met with an intial shock of the reality of the market. We pictured beautiful rows of souvenirs, yet the poverty shown through in the market. It became known to us that not every shopping center is provided with wealth. Many of us realized today that poverty comes in many forms and it is our mission to make a change where it is needed.

The second part of the day consisted of an adventure to Lago Enriqullo and a lunch in a beautiful hiking area. We got the chance to hike along the beautiful streams and through the forest. At the lake we were met with a few friendly visitors- iguanas! Although we didn’t see them, crocodiles were also near the beach. The amazing views these two forests allowed for nice pictures, but more beautiful memories.

To our parents:  we love and miss you J See you in less than a week!

June 27, 2017

Continuing Cachon Lab Renovation

We arose at dawn for another beautiful morning at Hotel Quemaito. We were grateful for waking up at the more appropriate and manageable time of 8:00. After a plentiful breakfast, we held a moment of silence in reflection of the natural beauty that surrounded us. We proceeded to load the buses and returned to the clinic in Cachon, where we continued our laborious work on the laboratory. Our day consisted of sifting sand in the hot, humid sun, mixing cement while trying to avoid its splatters, and playing soccer with the upbeat, local children. We made extra sure to stay hydrated and drink lots of water; we even had the fortune of some sort of local angel deliver us ice! After a hearty lunch, we continued our mission in helping the community.

Heading back to home base, much of the group took a dip in the refreshing pool during free time. We gathered outside to watch a documentary about the unfortunate situation of Lago Enriquillo, where it has flooded the immediate town and forced its residents to leave.  The documentary featured many areas our group has already visited, including the lake itself and the Haitian-Dominican market. We reflected with interest on our own experience with these areas with the clips from the documentary. After a surprising meal of bacon-wrapped chicken, we headed to Room 8B, where we began our lecture on healthcare and had an intense debate on its status as a right. We continued with a touching clip of Jimmy Kimmel’s miracle of his newly born baby, finally concluding with the best ensemble cover of Don’t Stop Believing. We finally rest and await another adventure-filled day in the Dominican Republic.

June 28, 2017

Los Patos Tank Renovation

Today was probably one of the best days, because we got to struggle through working on a water tank and in doing so bond closer together. On the way back down from the water tank one student, Luke, started the “100 bottles of beer on the Wall” song and attempted to teach us one of his football cheers (it didn’t go very well). Also, we got to experience the rejuvenating power of the shortest river (yes, that was its real name) the view was spectacular. The ocean was so blue and clear, a sure sign of this Paradise that we’ve come to love.

After hard work and sweat, going to the river felt really refreshing. Then Erin, one of our mentors, showed us a fun way to float down the river, by letting the current carry you. A bunch of us did this at once and it was a blast! After getting out of the river many of us bought candy and ice cream from small vendors at the river, which was unique experience. All in all, this day brought with it some of the most breathtaking sights we have seen this whole trip.

Medical Brigade #2 

The alarm rang at 6 am sharp forcing me to wake up and get out of bed. While half of me wanted to complain, the other half made me realize that the work I will be doing with the rest of my group will make every yawn worth it. Approaching the Clinic in Cachon, the excitement from the 24 students trapped in a small bus began to build. Not knowing whether or not this clinic would be similar to the previous, we all had one mind set, we are here to help others, learn their culture, educate ourselves, and bond with our fellow group members. The similarity of the surroundings and ideas were a lost identical, but one thing was resoundingly different: we were experienced.

The day went by hectically but we are proud to say that we survived. Through the shuffling papers and struggling to understand Spanish, our team, rather our family, grew together to support each other throughout the day. When our time was not spent with patients, it was spent playing with the children. Whether it be soccer, baseball, or kickball our athletic abilities were tested under the 90 degree sun.

After what we would consider to be an adventurous bus trip, we arrived at the busy market. We spent the last of our pesos, noticing the imminent end of our journey. The res of the day was filled with lectures and discussions on what we had done that day. While those meetings may have felt as if they were interrupting the precious last moments we have with our friends, we all know that this only improve the experience. The cultural experience we all gained in the past 10 days will definitely affect the rest of all of our lives.