Dear Future Dominica Rotation Student,

Even though you will spend two weeks communicating together as a group before you start on the great journey to Dominica, I hope that this letter will help you to prepare and give you a better idea on what to expect when you arrive.

Dominica is a very beautiful island, everywhere you go you are surrounded by plants. The people here utilize many of these plants everyday and they are very knowledgeable about their uses. In school we did not spend a large amount of time learning about alternative medicine, but you will learn so much about many different herbals and their medicinal uses. Walking around Pomme’s house and garden is a great experience. It is truly amazing to see just how many fruits, vegetables, herbs, and plants that he grows there. It is even more amazing that Pomme can identify each and every one and tell you what it is used for. Even aside from Pomme and Raphael (who will show you how to make coconut oil), everyone on the island is truly a resource for learning more about herbals. Although we have only been here for a week so far, I am much more open to recommending herbals to people.

Healthcare in Dominica is much different than in the United States. Each town has a health clinic and those clinics are heavily relied on by the residents, despite having scarce resources. Participating in the clinics really puts things into perspective. The pharmacy areas are so small compared to what we are used to; in some of the clinics they are not much larger than a closet. The variety and amount of medications available is small as well. It really hurts to see patients not getting the medication they need, or having to reuse syringes and lancets because the pharmacy is out. If you can bring things to donate or organize some sort of donation supply drive, I would highly suggest that you do so. Over the counter items that we take for granted, such as aspirin and clotrimazole are hard to come by and will be greatly appreciated.

The people in Dominica are so friendly and welcoming. Riding around the streets, almost everyone will wave as you pass by. Whether it be at Jungle Bay or the people you talk to at clinics, everybody is open and willing to talk to you. I would say really embrace this experience and be willing to ask questions, talk with, and listen to everyone. The kids you will interact with are also very nice and a lot of fun to be around.

I also just wanted to share a few more tips that I think will be helpful. First, it is no joke that you have to exercise before coming here. There are some hikes that are optional but some are required as well. Don’t let the hikes scare you though, I had never gone on a hike before coming to Dominica but I still went on some of the hikes, which I was very proud of. Besides being able to participate in hikes, you will also need to walk up to your cabin several times a day. Some cabins are located higher up the hill than others, and some have up to 157 stairs up, so definitely try to prepare for that. Also make sure that you have a good, comfortable pair of walking shoes that can get wet. Second, don’t worry about the food. I am a very picky eater but the food here at Jungle Bay is actually pretty good. There is a good variety on the menu and the kitchen staff is usually really accommodating. The dessert is amazing, so always ask what’s on the dessert menu before ordering an appetizerJ. Third, as far as packing goes you will need a couple of dressy outfits such as skirts or dresses for clinic days, but other than that workout clothes are what you will spend most of your time in. The weather is hot and oftentimes it will randomly rain so be prepared for that.

Lastly, I just wanted to say that you should expect to be pushed out of your comfort zone to some extent on this trip. Everyone’s level of comfort is different, but you will do something you are not used to doing at least once on this trip. For me, I never expected to be doing things like dancing Jing Ping at dinner, or riding around Petite Savanne advertising the health fair with a microphone, but I did. It is sometimes hard to go out of your comfort zone, but just do the best that you can and try to have fun doing it.

I hope that you enjoy this experience as much as I have. If you have any questions or just want to talk about this rotation feel free to contact me.

Good Luck!

Bianca Cannavo
ACPHS Class of 2014