When I was in nursing school, a guest lecturer came in to talk about her experience in international nursing. While I can’t remember the specifics of her story, I do remember immediately falling in love with the idea of working overseas with under-resourced populations. I worked for ten years with adults and children with developmental disabilities, all while trying to plan my grand entrance into the international arena. I knew that a long-term volunteer experience would bolster my chances of getting into a Public Health grad program and give me the footing to start my career, and I frequently read up on different international organizations. Then, after years of finding excuses to push off my service, I found myself at a turning point. I was in a job I didn’t enjoy, my lease was about to be up and I had just ended a long-term relationship. I decided this was as close to perfect timing as I was going to get.
After extensive research, I applied and was accepted to NPH. Not knowing much about any countries south of Mexico, I decided to work in Guatemala based on the amount of interaction I would have with the DD population there. I moved to Guatemala in December 2011, unable to string a sentence of Spanish together and totally unsure of what I was getting myself into. After an intensive five-week language program that gave me some bare bones Spanish, I arrived at the home and was thrown into the midst of nearly 350 children. I was scared in the beginning, mostly of not being able to communicate enough to do my job effectively. The Guatemalan staff were kind and patient though, and as my Spanish continued to improve, I began to feel more and more like part of the team.
My job consisted of many parts. I worked as a staff nurse in the clinic and treated children for anything from stomachaches to stitches. I assisted the doctor with wellness visits and the rare emergency that we would have. Our resources were limited in the clinic so we took advantage of community doctors as frequently as possible. I was responsible for bringing the children to these appointments and acted as a liaison between our clinic staff and the specialists. I was also tasked with health education for the home. I would write and present in-services for the staff members and children covering topics such as sex education, alcoholism and seizures.
There are things that I expected out of this experience. I knew that I would grow professionally, both through exposure to new medical conditions and also the need for creative treatment with limited resources. I knew I would learn about a new culture and walk away with some level of Spanish fluency. I knew I would develop strong relationships with the children. There are several unexpected gains from this experience, as well. I’ve learned to navigate a very different medical system than that in the United States, one that relies heavily on networking and relationships. I’ve learned about the amazing culture here, but also about the culture of the fellow international volunteers. In our homes, we celebrate holidays from all over the globe; I feel that I’m walking away with a better understanding of the world as a whole. I’ve built relationships not only with the children, but also with the Guatemalan staff members and the local townspeople. I’ve gotten to know a society that thrives on kindness, generosity and patience; people who would spend their last dime on dinner for a stranger and count themselves as blessed despite their hardships.
I’m leaving this experience with an incredible amount of appreciation. I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity to volunteer, to have people both here and at home who supported me during the struggles and helped me celebrate the victories. I’m leaving with love for a country that I barely knew existed a year ago. Most importantly, I’m leaving here with relationships and memories that will continue to influence my life and career long after I’m home.
My year is over. I've been back in the United States for a week now, visiting friends and spending time with my family. I'm starting from scratch again, having to buy a cell phone, a car, an apartment and find a job. I've been here before though, and I know within a few weeks my life will be back to normal.
I miss the kids already, and I miss sharing my day with my fellow volunteers. I miss Tia Rosa and Ratatouille and even classes with Juan Carlos. I know I'll be back though. While my contract in Guatemala is up, my commitment and service will continue through my relationships with Julian, Aylin, Maria, Pablito and the yet-to-be-born cousin of Pablito.
I'm sad to be stopping this blog, it's really been my engine these last few months and knowing that you were reading it and cheering me on has kept me focused and motivated. My life will be far too mundane to write about now, but I'm looking forward to that. I want to focus on my next big life goal, settling down and starting a family of my own.
Even though I won't be sending you updates on all the NPH kids, you can still keep up to date on what's happening at the orphanage by visiting www.nph-guatemala.org. Consider sponsoring a child. You would become a Godparent to a child and given the opportunity to send letters back and forth to them. There are office staff who will translate all your letters, so you don't need to speak Spanish to talk to your kid. I can't begin to describe how important this relationship is to the kids. I've seen kids carrying around photos of their Godparents in their pockets, kids who run up to excitingly tell me about what's happening in Florida or Minnesota, or wherever their Godparents are writing from. It's one of the few opportunities that the kids have to be connected to the outside world, and to feel individually important to someone. Please consider becoming a Godparent through the Padrino Program. You can find more information on the website.
Thank you again for all your love and support! I promise to keep everyone updated through facebook :)
No comments:
Post a Comment