OSU Abroad

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OSU Abroad

The Pathways in Cambodia

May 13th, 2013 · No Comments · College of Public Health and Human Sciences, IE3 Global Internships, Returnee

Molly MacGraw recently graduated from Oregon State University. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Sciences with a minor in Human Services. During her last year, Molly interned for Pathways to Development in Phnom Penh, Cambodia through IE3 Global Internships.

Molly Macgraw - IE3 Pathways to Development Cambodia(3)My experience in Cambodia took me places I could not have imagined before I left home.  The richness of the culture, the friendliness of the people, and the breathtaking landscapes of the country side left me itching with curiosity and wanting more.

Besides discovering the beauty and mysteries of the country, I learned who I am as a person at this point in my life.  My experience forced me to learn, adapt, and change in ways that in the moment were incredibly difficult.  Cultural differences, different structural working systems, drastically different climates, and language barriers caused me to reach inside myself and find a new gear.  This new gear always consisted of patience and also allowed me to look at whatever situation I was in through a different lens and new perspective.  Although these experiences were very difficult, these lessons and experiences are what I thrived on as an intern, traveler, and as a person.  Molly Macgraw - IE3 Pathways to Development Cambodia (2)

One of many experiences that I still hold very close to my heart is the relationship I was able to create with my host mother in the remote villages of Takeo (a small province south of Phnom Penh).  She didn’t speak a word of English and had endured a very hard life so far. She was the sweetest, most positive woman whose huge smile gave me so much comfort.  It amazed me how we could communicate so well through a simple touch on the shoulder, a hug, a smile, or a wave.

Molly Macgraw - IE3 Pathways to Development Cambodia (1)Although the relationship I had with my village host mom was rare and one of a kind, I found myself surrounded by many meaningful, beautiful, and genuine relationships by the end of my trip.  This clearly speaks to how incredibly open and kind Cambodians are.

My time in Cambodia was wonderful, incredible, difficult, crazy, enlightening, and a very worthwhile experience that is hard to put into words.  My international internship in Cambodia will stay close to my heart for a lifetime.

For an extended version of Molly’s story, please click here.

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A Pocket Guide from your Northern Neighbors in Canada

April 24th, 2013 · No Comments · College of Business, Uncategorized

Malorie Reimer is an International Ambassador at the International Degree and Education Abroad (IDEA) office. She is currently studying Environmental Economics and Policy and Business and Entrepreneurship.  As a native Canadian, Malorie gives an unique insight to the differences in the  American and Canadian culture.

Right above United States of America, on the world’s longest land border, is an enormous country full of rich culture. Although it is the second largest country on the planet, Canada is often referred to as the upper half, or ‘Hat’, to The United States. Even though it is nearby, there are many differences between the two nations that are interesting to learn about.

Fun Fact: Canada has the 4th lowest population density in the world. An average of roughly 3 people live in one square kilometer.

Before traveling to Canada, here are a few quick facts to start you out and help you learn about this diverse and wonderful country.

Population: 35 million (Nine tenths the population of California)

Official Languages: English and French

Vocabulary:

Canadian Word

American Translation
Tuque Beanie or Knitted Hat
Loonie One dollar coin with the common bird called  a loon on it
Washroom Restroom or Bathroom
The States United States of America
Pencil Crayon Colored Pencils
Tim Horton’s The Canadian Equivalent of Starbucks, Famous for their donuts and coffee
Garburator Garbage Disposal
Bunnie Hug A hooded sweatshirt without a zipper
Kraft Dinner Kraft Mac and Cheese
Chesterfield Couch or Sofa
Brown Bread Wheat bread
Parkade Underground parking lot
Housecoat Robe
Zed The letter Z pronounced ‘zee’ in United States

 

Canadian Cuisine:

Poutine: A French Canadian Dish including fries smothered with cheese and hot brown gravy.

Smarties: Instead of the American Smarties that are a small powdery sugar candy, Smarties in Canada are like flatter M&M’s.

Nanaimo Bar

Nanaimo Bar: A dessert square that requires no baking. It contains three layers of deliciousness. The base is a chocolaty, wafer crumb layer topped by a layer of light vanilla or custard flavored butter icing and topped with melted chocolate.

Ketchup Chips: Possibly the most popular flavor of potato chips in Canada. Ketchup chips are a must try.

Butter Tart

Butter Tarts: Like a mini American Pecan pie but without the nut topping. They consist of a sugar, syrup, and egg filling all within a pastry shell. Sometimes raisins are added in.

Timbits: These are essentially donut holes that are bought from Tim Horton’s that come in a variety of flavors.

Myth or Fact?

We say ‘Eh.’ On American TV shows and movies Canadians are often ridiculed for the way they talk. Our most common word is thought to be the word ‘Eh.’ Although it may not be used in every single sentence, they truth is that it is used quite often. FACT

We all speak French. Canadians are often asked if they speak French or not. Although it is mandatory for grades 4-6 to study French, it is not commonly a fluent language for most people living in Canada. In the 2006 census, it was recorded that only 21.3% of Canadians have declared that their first language is French. MYTH

We don’t have an Army.  Due to Canada’s neutral nature we are assumed to have no army. The reality is that we actually do and they are called the Canadian Forces. The force consists of sea, land and air elements that include the Royal Canadian Navy, The Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. MYTH

It is always cold. Many people think that we might live in Igloos. People outside of Canada imagine that the country is covered in year-round snow. The truth is that only the very north of the Northern Territories contains snow year-round. Instead, most provinces contain a summer season which can average around the mid 80’s Fahrenheit. MYTH

 Our national sport is hockey. Due to the winning nature of Canadian hockey teams, hockey receives high recognition. Hockey was invented in Canada, is very popular, and is our national sport. But what most Americans don’t know is that hokey is our national winter sport. Our national summer sport is Lacrosse which was also invented in Canada. MYTH/FACT

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Adventures Down Under

April 17th, 2013 · No Comments · Australia, OUS, Returnee, study abroad

Patrick Cousineau is an International Ambassador for the International Degree and Education Abroad office. He studied abroad at Deakin University in Australia through the OUS program for winter and spring term of 2012. Patrick is a Senior, studying Natural Resources at Oregon State.

Imagine if you were the only person on this planet. What an uncanny feeling that would be. On one hand you observe the peaceful tranquility and uninterrupted natural life around you, but on the other hand lurks an eerie feeling of emptiness. Although just a hypothetical scenario, there are still places left to this day that are so desolate and isolated that you truly start to feel alone.

I studied abroad in a small town in south eastern Australia, situated right on the Southern Ocean. It’s not what first comes to people’s mind when they think of Australia, but the Southern Ocean is the coldest, windiest and most unforgiving ocean on this planet. Gail force winds from the Antarctic send monstrous waves to the southern coast, creating some of the most spectacular and intimidating sites imaginable. For obvious reasons, the Southern Ocean is one of the least explored regions left on this planet. It is no wonder why it can seem so lonely.

Every once in a while the conditions would cooperate just enough to be able to go surfing. My Aussie roommate and I would set out at around 5 am to avoid the wind that generally picked up later in the morning. We would drive sometimes for hours, looking for the perfect spot and wave to surf. The surf spots couldn’t have been more inaccessible, with strenuous hiking, traversing, and climbing required just getting to the waves. For that very reason, and the fact that most ordinary people would rather be in bed than jumping into 45 degree water at 5 am, there was never another person in sight. I could look for tens of miles in every direction and see no signs of civilization. In all my years of surfing, I have never felt so small, vulnerable, and alone than I did while surfing in Australia’s Southern Ocean.

Looking back, I am so fortunate to have had an experience like this. It has made me realize that we are just small components to a greater and more powerful world. A world that can at any time unexpectedly change our lives in ways we had once thought to be beyond the bounds of possibility. Studying abroad in Australia has given me a new perception on life. It has made me realize that your personality is a function of the experiences that have accumulated throughout your life. The more you immerse yourself in new, uncomfortable situations, the more you learn about yourself and ultimately grow as a person.

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Seven Wonders of the World

April 12th, 2013 · No Comments · Chile, College of Liberal Arts, Returnee, Spanish, study abroad

Carly Clark is a junior at Oregon State. She is majoring in History and minoring in Spanish. Carly studied abroad in Chillan, Chile, fall term 2012 through OSU: Universidad del Bio Bio.  

Three months, four countries, and countless unforgettable memories later; I accomplished a childhood dream to study abroad. During fall term 2012, I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel abroad and study Spanish in the South American country of Chile. I traveled to Chile with 17 other students from Oregon State in search of life changing experiences and a unique opportunity to study Spanish in a native Spanish speaking country. What none of us expected is that we would create deep roots and a second home in Chile.

During my time in Chillan, Chile, I had the unique experience compared to the rest of the group. I arrived two weeks later due to my sister’s wedding. The rest of our group had two weeks to get use to the new surroundings, the language barrier, and ultimately settle into our new lives in Chile. At the beginning it was difficult, overwhelming and unlike anything I have ever had to overcome, but in the end it did not hold me back thanks to the help of my host family, friends, and our program coordinator. Through everything, I have created lifelong friendships and our group has become my second family. Our classes were very different than I expected. Our professors were very easy going, patient, and encouraged us to travel and to learn more about the Chilean lifestyle and culture.

The Chillan, Chile study abroad program offers students an unique opportunity to fulfill their Bachelor of Arts language requirements in three months, while learning about an entirely new culture in a foreign country. My initial intention to study abroad was to finish my second year of Spanish in three months, but what I did not expect to happen was to find a passion in learning Spanish and to continue my education working towards a Spanish minor. Oregon State offers a wide variety of study abroad programs with endless possibilities. I considered studying abroad in Spain or Costa Rica, but something stood out about the Chile program. When talking to the program coordinator, Lucia Robelo, and past program students, I could see how enthusiastic they were about the program – learning a foreign language and most importantly how their lives had changed. Chile had become their second home. In the end, I felt Chile was the best program for me, and I was right!

During my time in South America, I traveled to Argentina, Uruguay, and topped it all off with a trip to Machu Picchu in Peru. Buenos Aires, Argentina, the birth place of the Tango and some of the best vino (wine) y carne (steak) in the world. Six other students from the program and I ventured to Buenos Aires in early November. We spent a week in the country’s capital as well as a day in Uruguay. We drank the wine, ate the steak, danced the Tango, and experienced the Argentinean lifestyle. Uruguay was an unplanned day trip, but ended up to be one of the most memorable adventures I experienced in my three months abroad. Rounding out my three month stay in South America, two others and I traveled to Peru in early December to visit one of the 7 wonders of the world, Machu Picchu. After living out of a backpack for 7 days and hiking through the Peruvian rain forest in a straight down pour, we finally arrived at the city of Aguascalientes below the site of Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu was one of the most remarkable and breathtaking experiences of my life that I will never forget. Throughout all my trips, nothing was more important and exciting than meeting natives from the different countries I visited. I truly enjoyed learning about their experiences and culture.

On my last day in Chile, I was very excited to board the plane and begin the long 22 hour trip home to the U.S.  After the plane left the runway, I knew I would not be saying “goodbye”, but “see you soon” to my Chilean family, friends, and my second home in Chile. In the future I hope to return to Chile to visit my Chilean family and friends, but until then we all have remained in close contact. My study abroad experience was like nothing I have ever experienced or expected. It was BETTER! I was emerged into an unknown culture, community, country, language, and overall way of life. I can proudly say I have grown as a person and have the utmost respect for other cultures in the world. I would recommend studying abroad to any student interested. It is not impossible!

If someone were to ask me when I was beginning my first year of Spanish if I planned to study abroad or if I would continue studying Spanish after I fulfilled my foreign language requirements. I would say it was very unlikely. However, the unexpected happened; I studied abroad in South America and I am currently six credits away from completing my Spanish minor. After my experiences abroad, my life and goals have changed for the better. I graduate next spring with a degree in History and a minor in Spanish. After all the life changing adventures I have been fortunate to experience within the last year, I have created one life goal for myself: to maintain my Spanish language skills.

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New Experiences in New Dehli

April 1st, 2013 · No Comments · India, Returnee

Monica D’Angelo is a Public Health Major at Oregon State. This fall term, Monica completed an international internship in New Delhi, India with MAMTA.

My trip to India has become one of the best decisions I have made. It was a positive and enriching experience that I never could have imagined. When the MAMTA internship was presented to me during class, I was quickly drawn to the subject. It sounded like something that I should learn more about. After attending a few information sessions, I was convinced that this was the internship I needed. Once the ball started rolling, time flew by, and soon enough I was packing for the trip of a lifetime.

When I arrived, I found out I would be living with two Oregon State interns and ten other interns from all over the world. It is safe to say that the culture shock set in quickly, and lasted about two weeks. Once I started to feel more comfortable with my surroundings, I became much more open-minded about my experiences. Simple activities that we are all accustomed to in the United States became huge struggles that I had to relearn in my new environment. Plugging in appliances were never a simple task and power outages were common. Lighting the stove on our single gas burner made cooking a challenge. Grocery stores were almost non-existent in comparison to what we have access to in America. If and when we decided to buy food, it was coming from what is most similar to a convenient store. It is not hard to imagine that our diet was not on-point during these three months, while most days we would eat our or order in simply because the convenience and lack of access to well-balanced home cooked meals.

Our mentors on site at MAMTA Health Institute were very accommodating to the ideas and passions that I have for Public Health. There were able to tailor projects to each of our interests in order for us to work directly with adolescents in the slums. We created a risk analysis in order to understand the health risks facing these 100 adolescents, as well as how their activities of daily living in the urban slums may affect them in years to come. Working with the community and being hands-on in this way opened my mind to so many things that I had never encountered before, including a life of poverty that is so normal for many people in India. The poverty and filth I saw in these areas was overwhelmingly powerful, real and eye opening It is sad to say that with the internship only lasting ten weeks not much could be done as far as creating changes within the community. In reality, outreach and awareness is something that I would have loved to become more involved with in order to allow for positive changes to help these families with their overall health and wellness.

On our off time, we were able to travel and learn more about the country that we were living in. Aside from the initial tasks that we learned while getting to and from work every day, like crossing through lanes of traffic on the overcrowded streets of Delhi, catching a rickshaw or bartering with our drivers, we also learned a lot from the other students we lived with; simply though the differences and experiences we each have by being from different countries and cultures.

We were able to take amazing and unforgettable trips like to The Taj Mahal, camping on the beach in Rishikesh, and rafting on the Ganges River. We had the chance to paraglide through the Himalayas during a weekend trip to Manali and Kasol, and ride elephants and camels in Jaipur.

 

It is difficult to encompass everything that I was able to experience in words during my trip. However, I know that it was an experience and adventure that I would never want to change. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity present to me by Oregon State and their partnership with MAMTA. It allowed me to work abroad hands-on with the community in order to set the framework for me to preform international Public Health outreach and awareness to underprivileged children and families.

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Academic Voyage with Semester at Sea

March 14th, 2013 · No Comments · College of Business, Uncategorized

Malorie Reimer is an International Ambassador for the International Degree and Education Abroad office. Malorie is studying Environmental Economics and Policy as well as Business and Entrepreneurship. She recently returned from studying abroad with Semester at Sea, where she visited eight different countries.

Upon returning after studying abroad with Semester at Sea, I was frequently asked some form of the same question: “How was your cruise?” or “Didn’t you go on some boat trip this summer?” Yes, I was on a large, cruise-like ship, but what people don’t realize is that it is basically a floating University. While holding around 550 students, the ship sent us across the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and back during the span of two months. Visiting eight different countries allowed me to really experience the multi-cultural world we live in. I’ll be frank: this trip did include some lounging in the sun on the back deck, but often times it included studying and reading textbooks for upcoming midterms or finals.

In the nine classrooms and one major lecture hall there were over twenty different classes offered. The classrooms seemed similar to a regular classroom, but when I looked out the window there was open ocean instead of trees and land. With the small class sizes, I was really able to make the most out of my time. Since I was constantly afloat, I thought it would be beneficial to take a Marine Biology class to learn more about the ocean below me. Learning the scientific names of 50 marine organisms helped me identify the diverse sea-life around me. Out of the many things I saw in the ocean, the most interesting was a flying fish. It is a fish that shoots out and soars above water for sometimes 30 seconds in order to escape predators. Snorkeling in multiple countries was another highlight and allowed me to immerse myself with the sea-life and study their ecosystems.

It was when I was sitting in the water of Croatia with snorkeling gear on when I realized something; I was getting credit for learning hands-on skills that I was really interested in. This  snorkeling and kayaking trip was part of a requirement in each course which is called a field lab. A field lab is a partial day that is spent with the entire class and led by a professor. In certain countries, you either visit a specific monumental location or engage in an activity that connects with what you are studying in class. These field labs often included going places that will enhance understanding in the classroom. Seeing and engaging with your coursework is much more intriguing than only reading about it in textbooks.

My second field lab was in Turkey for Developmental Economics. The most interesting part of this excursion is when we went to the oldest mall in the world, the Grand Bazaar. I was below the roof of what James Bond rode atop on a motorcycle in the opening scene of Skyfall. My mind was blown while I was in this fifteenth century structure that has 58 covered streets, hundreds of domes and 4,000 shops. While shopping and observing market interactions I was also learning about the Economics of Istanbul. This style of hands-on learning and interacting with the shop owners allowed me to expand my knowledge about economics and really dive into the culture of Turkey.

One other thing that made this ‘cruise’ into an academic voyage was the incredible individuals teaching on the ship. Not only were they great teachers inside the classroom, but they were great people outside of the classroom. Eating in the same dining room, bumping into them in port and getting to go on trips that they led allowed me to connect with the great professors.   That casual connection made it easy to speak with and listen to advice from them. My economics professor remains a main pivotal point in my college career for changing my major. His kindness mixed with his different way of teaching and thinking about economics transformed what I wanted to do at Oregon State University. Another great experience that allowed me to connect with the faculty was going on a faculty-led trip with an Archeology professor that had an extensive knowledge about the ruins of Troy. His expertise allowed for a much more rewarding trip. The passion that these professors had for education and expanding my knowledge made this voyage a special and unforgettable experience.

Along with the amazing professors, I spent my time growing closer to the wonderful shipboard community. I like to refer to all the students on the ship as my SAS family. We were all there for the same reason: to discover the world. This common goal of wanting to see and experience the world made it easy to bond and make new friends with the students on board. Students on the ship came from all over the United States as well as other countries around the world; just being on the ship was a new cultural experience.  I had to adapt to the wide diversity I encountered on the ship. My roommate from North Carolina (pictured on the right) taught me much about the American South. I also learned a lot about Central America from my neighbors down the hall. The ship culture, mixed with the diverse cultures I encountered at each port, encouraged much self-reflection and personal growth.

No matter if I was in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Greece, Croatia, or Turkey, the words “just a cruise” never crossed my mind. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about those two most amazing and impactful months of my life. All the hard work that it took in order to go on this experience proved more than worthwhile. Although I may have spent a good amount of Euro, Lira, Dirham and Kuna on amazing food, souvenirs, and transportation, I wouldn’t take back a penny of it if it meant I would lose my many amazing memories of Semester at Sea. So now when people ask me about my ‘cruise,’ I chuckle to myself and respond with a short explanation of how it was, while realizing that no one can understand how truly amazing my experience with Semester at Sea was until they do it themselves.

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Conquering the Calanques

March 8th, 2013 · No Comments · API, College of Business, France, Returnee, study abroad

Natasha Badaa is a senior at Oregon State University. She is studying Business Management and French. During Fall 2012, Natasha studied abroad at Grenoble Ecole de Management in France through API.

During my study abroad experience in Grenoble, France, I had one goal: do something every day that scares me. Although I was a thousand miles away from what I called home, I dared myself to go outside my comfort zone in a foreign country and a foreign language. One of my favorite memories related to achieving my goal happened during a weekend trip to Marseilles, France with my friends. Marseilles is famous for the Calanques, which are a beautiful set of cliffs that extend off the coast. Tourists travel from near and far to hike the cliffs down to the Mediterranean Sea and swim in the private lagoons. My friends and I traveled by bus to the trailhead and hiked for over an hour to this unbelievable swimming spot surrounded by cliffs. There was something special about this place we found in the Calanques in the south of France. It was a place to escape from reality and immerse ourselves in the scenery of the rocks and sea. Climb one of the cliffs and perch up there for a while. Admire the humbling view. You’ll quickly see what I mean. The view extended for miles and miles above the clear, aquamarine water.

Tourists lined the rocks, jumping off one by one into the sea. Terrified of the prospect, I was determined to try it anyways. My friends and I climbed a huge cliff that was nearly 15 meters tall. I was shaking with the fear of slipping and falling. Frozen in this fear, I perched on the rock and refused to jump. It was not until my friend climbed back up and convinced me that I could do this. She reminded me about how great it would feel to accomplish something I was afraid of. Together we jumped off that cliff, together into the deep blue water.

My time abroad meant conquering fears and accomplishing goals that I never dreamed were possible. In five months, I traveled to new countries, became fluent in a language, hiked mountains in the Alps and jumped off cliffs in the Mediterranean Sea. I made friends with locals, went wine tasting in the south of France, and learned more about myself than expected. Studying abroad has changed my life in more ways than I could have predicted. I learned independence and confidence. I learned culture, American and otherwise. My biggest piece of advice to anyone who wants to study abroad is this: do not hesitate about anything. Be brave and jump off cliffs.

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Immersed in the Waters of Ecuador

February 22nd, 2013 · No Comments · College of Science, Ecuador, IE3 Global Internships

Ellen Dow is a junior at Oregon State, studying Biology. Ellen recently returned from Puerto Lopez, Ecuador where she interned for Equilibrio Azul.

During fall term of 2012, I interned with Equilibrio Azul in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador. I began my internship with a language immersion program while living with families in Quito and Cuenca.

My host families made me feel so welcome during my first couple weeks in a foreign country as I prepared myself for working with locals and other foreign volunteers. In my classes, I was able to explore the language and then practice with my respective family. I made some remarkable friendships with my hosts in Quito, even so much to call them my Ecuadorian family and stay in contact through sharing stories and pictures using email.

From the Andes, I traveled to Puerto Lopez, Ecuador on the coast, experiencing the lively adventures of the bus and the vendors that hop on at stops to sell food and a few goods for fifty cents or a few dollars. I wound up in a dusty local fishing town that was in the slow season for tourism and began my work straight away.

I volunteered with Equilibrio Azul as an intern. I had the same responsibilities as other volunteers: to go to the fish market to document shark species and work on the larger turtle project as numbers and measurements were gathered.

The activities I did while working with the turtles were my favorite. Every other day we would walk along different beaches to survey turtle activity and we went snorkeling for captures. I would not call being outside and being able to explore beaches and the ocean ‘work’ with how much I enjoyed being out there. I also had the opportunity for night patrols because I was in Puerto Lopez during the hawksbill and green sea turtle nesting seasons. We volunteered with local children from the community through EcoClub, which allowed us to have fun and educate the locals through crafts and interacting with people from all over the world. As an intern, I had my own project: I focused on the nesting demographics on a local secluded beach called Playita where we surveyed during night patrols.

All of my memories are very important to me and have shaped me throughout my experience. The ones that stand out the most as incredible occurrences in nature were seeing turtles nest and hatch. I had amazing luck at watching these things and even helping catch a turtle. I was there at the right time of the year and had the chances to go to different places and be out there nearly every day and night, which I took advantage of.

Interning with Equilibrio Azul taught me about being completely responsible for my own person and self-motivation after being dumped in a foreign place where I did not know the local lingo and was not entirely sure of how anything would work out. I learned perspective, how to go with the flow of life as friends and opportunities come and go, and the importance of the choices I make from what life gives me.

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Chau Chau Argentina

January 31st, 2013 · No Comments · Argentina, IE3 Global Internships, Returnee, Uncategorized

Diana Cardona is a Human Development and Family Sciences Major at Oregon State. She recently completed her internship with the Community Center in Argentina through IE3 Global Internships during the Summer 2012 term.

Although there were ups and downs, my experiences in Argentina have tremendously impacted my life. I have made personal and professional growth in the Engranajes association. I made many new bonds and felt like I left friends and family behind when returning home. I left with Argentina in my heart. My internship was an unforgettable experience and I am able to carry the lessons from my travels into my daily life.

Argentina is a country full of wealth. They are rich in art, and when I say art, I mean many things: art is found in their paintings, music, poems, writing, conversations, and politics. I am very happy that Argentina preserves their culture, traditions, and values. So many things I did in this country revolved around politics and I am glad I was able to see how important politics are in our lives. I have become more familiar with the political system and I want my voice to be heard. I know it is important to stand up for others and to especially speak out for children in difficult situations.

I learned that music allows us to fly, play, and grow, but more importantly it lets us be different from one another.  In learning this, I decided to share some of my Mexican and American culture with Argentina. I learned that we are more similar than I previously thought. I learned that family is not only made up of people with whom we share DNA, but also those friends that you choose to trust. I especially felt this way about the family that shared with me their space, love, and culture. They opened my eyes to the value of living simply and respecting what you have. My conscience over politics and culture grew enormously.

The experiences with the children from the barrios taught me that children are pure joy, our future, and our present. It is important to stand up for them. I noticed that our presence made a difference in their lives. I realize that we are very privileged to live in North America and we are a country filled with opportunities. I changed my way of thinking. I opened my eyes to see that the most important thing in life is love. My family has now grown to include Argentina, Mexico and the United States.

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A Mishap in the Maternity Ward

January 18th, 2013 · 2 Comments · College of Science, IE3 Global Internships, India, Returnee

Connie Lee is a senior at Oregon State University, majoring in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry. Connie interned abroad at the Center for Social Medicine in India through IE3 Global Internships.

As I learn more about microorganisms, my interest in the medical field grew. The medical field can be broadly divided into two fields: clinical work or research work. I have researched in a laboratory setting as well as volunteered in a hospital. However, I have not been able to experience clinical work with doctors in order to gain a true feeling of what doctors do. Besides my background knowledge of medicine from science courses, I grew an interest in learning about cultural differences from my anthropology classes. Thus, in summer 2012, I participated in the public health and medical internship at Center for Social Medicine in Loni, India.

This internship was a great opportunity for me to experience the public health and medical fields in a completely different cultural setting. I participated in a huge variety of interesting programs, such as social programs for sex workers and mobile clinic services. However, the most life-changing experience occurred at the operation theaters, particularly the posting at the maternity ward.

To say the least, the experience at the maternity ward was very intense. I was already anxious about observing my first delivery. Half way through the delivery, I started to feel nauseous and dizzy to the point where I left the labor ward. However, I challenged myself to go back into the labor room and finish observing the entire birthing process. It was self-rewarding to return to the labor ward, because at that moment I grew personally.

The environment setting is very different for pregnant women in India compared to the United States. I noticed that the maternity ward was a lot more crowded, the resources were very limited, the deliveries were usually rushed due to the number of patients, and women did not normally receive individualized care during the actual labor. Ultimately, the standards in both of these countries are on completely different scales.  However, I learned to respect that, although the delivery environment is very different through an outsiders’ lens, the system works for the local villagers. The services are provided with no charge to the patients, and babies are still born healthy. Although there are many differences, some even shocking, between the two medical systems, both strive for the same goal of providing health care to people in need.

Last but not least, my experience in the operation theater helped me confirm my interests in surgery medicine. I observed a variety of surgeries including, but not limited to, cataract surgeries, joint/hip replacements, medical termination of pregnancy, open/laparoscopic tubal ligations, kidney obstruction, hysterectomies and more. The experience was very eye-opening as I could never receive the same opportunity in the United States.

I enjoyed the environment in the operation theaters. It is a place where all doctors and anesthesiologist work together to help solve a patient’s problem. I saw how the surgeons work to find a solution, and their quick reactions to find alternative methods if the original method did not work. I found a passion for the human body; the human body consists of both delicate (eyes) and strong (bones) parts. Every part of the body works in harmony to allow an individual to function.

 

 

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