At first, it’s hard to describe what impact studying aboard has on you as a person. This is not because changes have not occurred but because the changes occur subtly and slowly. You know that something is different. You feel there may have been a shift in your perspective but you cannot pin point the change to one thought or idea.
Travel always results in a new perspective, an education, and a new twist on what is really important in life. You learn about a different culture or lifestyle. It may be something as simple as speaking with a child about his/her daily activities that transforms you. You may even discover that other healthcare systems of the world are better than your own. In the end, there is no one event during travel that alters you. It is the entire experience.
Reflecting back over the last two weeks it is hard to really comprehend what events took place on which day and what my expectations were before going. The truth about study adventures like this is no expectation could prepare you for what it is really like. You have to just go. We can share about our experiences, the culture, the education, the health system, the people and the island itself all day and never get our point across. You must experience it first hand to feel the reality placed before you in pictures.
I always have trouble after returning from travels aboard on how to readjust back to the “American lifestyle”. Over time I have come to realize that people in other cultures have a much greater awareness of what is important in life and what can wait until a later time. Almost all other cultures can take a step back from the high-speed pace conquering America and breath life before moving forward in their day. It is hard to jump back into the belief that every detail is of utter importance and must be completed immediately. The truth of life is that the most important detail is living it and not letting it rush by.
I know that there was not an event that triggered a switch in my brain to say, “This is the moment, this is the event of this trip that will forever change you.” On the other hand, I know I have been changed. Every event, conversation, interaction, activity on this trip has impacted me as a person and will alter the way I engage as a healthcare provider. It was appalling to see physicians, nurses, and pharmacists unable to provide patients with necessary medication due to a lack of supply that will never come close to filling the demand. And yet, every individual was extremely thankful for whatever care they could be given. To see a community that came together to create a home for physically and mentally disabled individuals overwhelmed me with the reality that people do the best they can with what they have. It was amazing to learn about the history of their dance, and see the healthy long lives of Dominicans (who all look about 20 years younger than his/her stated age). It was a struggle to see the beginnings of Americanization on the culture. I was torn emotionally after a conversation with a man living out in the woods with his family because he was scared to see the changes occurring in his culture. His comment about, “the KFCs, and Pizza Hut, and increased number of cars,” influenced me, profoundly. I was sickened by the truth of our fast food nations shifting the flow of this great nation. I was devastated to hear that diseases that used to be rare in Dominica, diabetes and stroke, were now the leading causes of death. It was hard to comprehend that patients who use to solely survive on natural treatments were forced to turn to Western medication for treatment. Overall, there were and are definitely other factors in the Dominican environment that could be increasing the number of these diseases in their society. However, it was hard not to say that American culture was not having some impact on the health of this country.
In the end, I wish everyone could see first-hand the changes that occur after travels like these but it sometimes takes years to come to the conscious awareness. It takes time and often occurs very slowly. However, some day you may look back on travels you have had and decisions you have made and note that there is a difference in who you thought you were.
