Impact of Dominica

Completing the Dominica rotation was an experience that will henceforth have a positive impact my personal and professional life.  The people with whom we interacted were in all cases friendly, open, happy, and warm.  Weeks ago I had been telling people I was going to Dominica and that I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing, but I was going to be helping and teaching people; the rotation was to be sort of a medical mission where we would be offering assistance.  Now that I have completed the rotation, I am quite aware that the experience was so much more than that, and for that I am grateful.  I was not always the teacher, the helper, or the expert.  The people of Dominica had so much culture, knowledge, and philosophy to impart, and they were ready and willing to share all they had to offer.  

I have learned the beauty of living simply and the splendor of working with nature as opposed to against nature.  Many people in Dominica live as one with their environment and as part of nature.  For example, Moses is a medicine man whose livelihood is growing food as a means of sustenance for himself and his family, and herbs for treating a wide spectrum of ailments.  Moses is well-versed in traditional Dominican uses for herbs, which he learned from his grandmother, and he has written an internationally-selling book on herbal medicine.  Pomme is another individual who exemplifies simple and happy living.  Pomme lives completely off the land, and the only way to access his home is through an hour and a half hike through the jungle.  A huge plot of land supplies Pomme and his family with everything they need; it is easy to see that Pomme has his work cut out for him, as managing this garden is a huge task.  Nevertheless, it is a task that imparts great satisfaction and reward; it must be a combination of hard manual labor, fresh healthy foods, and lack of outside stressors that keep Pomme and many other Dominicans looking about 20 years younger than their chronological age. 

Interactions with individuals at the primary schools, health clinics, and house of hope also were learning experiences for me.  At the final school we visited, Dara and I were lucky to have a culture lesson from the fourth graders.  The class captain and vice captain explained the meaning of the different colors and symbols on their flag.  The other students taught us about their independence day.  The students performed several different cultural dances for us, including bele and heel toe.  I was fortunate to have one girl take my hand and try to teach me one of the dances.  At the health clinics I enjoyed interacting with different individuals and having conversations that resulted from their interesting and insightful questions regarding medicines and health care. 

This rotation provided me with many valuable learning opportunities.  I experienced a different culture and was able to combine my knowledge with theirs, which provided me with a more well-rounded understanding of health that will last me forever.  I learned a lot about myself and had some amazing experiences with great new friends.  I challenged myself physically and mentally to complete some really tough but even more rewarding hikes and adventures.  I feel so lucky to have had this experience in Dominica, the nature island of the Caribbean.