College of Public Health and Human Sciences

Chelsea Saelee studies Public Health with an Anthropology minor. Last fall, she interned abroad with the Women’s Aid Organisation in Malaysia through IE3 Global. Read on to learn about the specific challenges and rewards that internships abroad can offer:

On September 4^th, 2016 I boarded a flight and traveled 8,000 miles to my bravest adventure. When I told my parents I decided to travel abroad for my internship, I don’t think traveling alone to Southeast Asia was what they had in mind. My family emigrated from Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, and growing up, I always heard stories about family struggles with money and the region’s endemic poverty. It pained me to know that my family once lived the way they did due to unfortunate circumstances and it hurt me even more that there are still people in the world who struggle every day to survive.

During high school, I had the opportunity to travel to neighboring countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam as part of an organized volunteer group. We spent two weeks visiting orphanages and the time spent with the children and local caretakers were some of the most treasured moments I have ever experienced. I remember returning to the U.S. feeling so grateful; that was the moment that sparked my interest in studying public health. When the opportunity to intern abroad through IE3 Global came, I discovered the Women’s Aid Organisation, a leading non-profit organization in Malaysia that provides shelter and resources for women and children who are victims of domestic violence.

Malaysia is a country with an incredibly rich history and culture. It is home to people of many ethnicities, traditions, and people. As I walked around and admired the capital city of Kuala Lumpur’s beautiful skyscrapers, I couldn’t help but to also notice the large amounts of people pan-handling on the streets. Handing over one or two ringgits didn’t seem like a big deal because it was the equivalent of 50 cents or so in the U.S. Out of curiosity, I brought up homelessness in Malaysia to a few clients and colleagues at the WAO shelter and was surprised at their instructions to never give out money again. They told me that often times, these individuals are set up by a wealthy boss or “owner” who collects the money earned at the end of the day in exchange for a roof over their head and mediocre food to keep them alive. I was shocked and upset that something so dangerous and cruel was happening nonchalantly to a great amount of people.

One night while walking with a friend, I noticed many people averting their eyes or making faces after looking at a man on the sidewalk. As we walked by him I noticed he wasn’t sitting on anything but the cold pavement and only had an empty paper cup nearby. There was a group of tourists walking behind us and just as we turned around, I noticed they had stopped and crouched down near the man. We walked over and that’s when I saw that he had a huge gash in his leg and his wound was pretty exposed. A woman asked us if we were local and if we could call for emergency and to all of our surprise, the elderly man started waving “no, no, no!” I couldn’t understand why he refused to let us call for help until I thought about the women at the shelter and wondered if perhaps this man was in a situation like they had described. We all stared at each other debating what to do and eventually decided to respect the man’s decision and leave him. The group left cash in his cup and he thanked them as they walked away. I noticed we had passed a convenience store along the way and my friend and I decided it was best not to give money but to purchase a few snacks and bandages instead. We returned, left the bag of items next to his paper cup, and walked away.

Choosing to intern abroad was an act of courage that I chose because I knew it was going to be challenging yet rewarding. Every difficult situation or task I encountered contributed the most to my gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to learn about the realities of the world, especially in impoverished areas. Whether it was spending time with the women in the shelter or handing water to a homeless disabled person on the street, each interaction I had empowered me to believe that small changes and contributions do make a difference in the world. Having the opportunity to experience interning abroad in a new country with different people and their culture is something that I will always be grateful for. I landed in Malaysia full of curiosity and a willingness to learn and was given so much more along the way, which included the motivation to continue doing what I love: helping others.

To learn more about the international opportunities available, click here!

Jarinn Settsu is a senior in Kinesiology through the College of Public Health and Human Sciences and an International Ambassador for the Office of Global Opportunities. Last winter/spring semester, Jarinn travelled to Sydney, Australia on an OSU Exchange Program for the adventure of a lifetime. Read on to learn about his favorite parts about being abroad in a strange, new culture!

My most memorable experience about studying abroad in Sydney, Australia was definitely, as cliché as it is, having barbeques by the beach. During the barbeques I had the unique opportunity to try some food native to Australia. I’m not talking koala burgers or quokka sausages, but I am talking about Kangaroo steaks and emu burgers. The reason why these barbeques were the most memorable experience of my time studying abroad is because it gave me the opportunity to interact with people who lived in Australia their entire life and from people from all over the world.

At these barbeques, there were people from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, from Florence, Italy to Beijing, and all the countries in between. It allowed me to learn not only about my culture and the Australian culture, but cultures all over the world. It’s amazing to see how, no matter where you may live in the world, there are always things you’ll have in common with someone. The differences you may have, whether it be cultural or specific interests, are ways to learn about cultures from people who actually grew up in that culture and get a first hand account of their life and rich history of their culture.

The Australian culture, words can’t begin to explain the Australian culture…but I’ll try. The Australian culture is centered around the history of the native Aboriginal people. Because of this, it only seemed right to dive right into trying to learn the history of the Aboriginal people. One way I tried to immerse myself in the Australian culture was through the playing of the didgeridoo. Lets just say I’ll stay in school. But it was an amazing way to learn the stories and history played through the didgeridoo. Although we may come from all backgrounds, countries, and religions, there are some things in the world that people can bond over. Whether it be, food, music, and the desire to experience new cultures outside of our own. We just need to be open and willing to take the time to learn about cultures other than our own, and I believe studying abroad provides you the opportunity to do so.

I came to Australia wanting to learn more about the Australian culture, but I left with the experience of learning about cultures all over the world. That’s something that would take years of studying in the classroom, but I was able to in a matter of 15 barbecues.

Allyson Satter completed an international internship in Loni, India with IE3 Global during the winter term of her senior year. Majoring in Public Health through the college of Public Health and Human Sciences, Allyson chose a program centered on social medicine and its impact on populations within rural communities. Read on to learn more about the culture differences that stood out to Allyson and how she used this internship to further her career!

At one point, going to India was just a dream. I was a freshman looking at another student’s blog and wishing I could experience the same program. A couple of years later, I found myself sitting in LAX waiting for my 16 hour direct flight to Dubai and then to Mumbai. India now holds some of my fondest memories, not a single day goes by without something popping into my mind.

As a graduate in Public Health, this was the perfect way to end my Bachelor’s degree because I was able to apply it to real life scenarios. I remember sitting in one of my Public Health classes and thinking “what the heck am I going to do with this degree? Where do I even start?!” India led me in the right direction; I realized how much I loved promoting health, wellness, and community resources after I spent 3 hours teaching Indian children at a private school in Loni. 72 hours after I returned to Oregon, I found myself in an interview for Kaiser Permanente and was hired 3 hours later. I would be lying if I said India didn’t come up in my interview, it practically related to every question! I am grateful for the opportunity I was given in India, as well as the doors it has opened for my future and the lifelong friends I have made. I encourage every student to break out of the mold and push the boundaries we have been accustomed to; be a minority, experience a new culture, and embrace what the world has to offer.

Here are some interesting things I learned about Loni, India:

No one really shakes hands; it caught me off guard when someone actually did. But, on your birthday everyone shakes your hand!
There is always room. i.e. a family of four on a motorcycle, 10 people in one cab, or people just hanging onto the outside of a car/bus/train.
Forget about PDA, it is just unacceptable in rural areas. However it is perfectly acceptable to hold hands, hug, and lean on the same sex, but homosexuality is not acceptable. Trust me, I am confused too.
A milk shake is not actually a milk shake. You may get flavored milk or a smoothie.
When you order a grilled cheese, make sure to say hold the corn…but really, it normally comes with corn. Weird.
Anytime a person of higher authority walks into a room, everyone must stand until they are told to be seated.
Oh you want a pizza? Enjoy your ketchup pizza sauce.
Your personal space vanishes once you land in India, an entire road could be available but a stranger will still brush up against you.
Every dish can be eaten with your hands i.e. rice, Dahl, soup, you name it.
There are no voicemails, the phone just keeps ringing, and ringing, and ringing.
Eggs are considered a meat (aka non-vegetarian).
Small white squares with a green dot in the middle indicate a product is vegetarian.
Restaurants take pride in calling themselves 100% vegetarian. Some even get a little crazy with 200% vegetarian, overachievers.
I still haven’t figured out why, but many pastas taste sweet.
His and Her cologne are advertised with the saying “0% Gas,” I am still trying to understand what that means.
Expect a little masala (mixture of spices) in your lemonade.
Speaking of masala, they have masala EVERYTHING. Chips, candy, top ramen, fruit, soda, water, you name it. India loves masala.
“Red Label” is a brand of alcohol and not a great word usage to describe the chocolate bar you are looking for…whoops!
Milk comes in a plastic bag.
Instead of just saying my cousin, you specify female/male by saying my cousin brother or cousin sister.
There is a cheese commercial where kids make a sub sandwich and say “American!” and then boom, they are Cowboys and Native Americans.
There is a lack of structure, or maybe a sense of entitlement among individuals. Do not be surprised when someone cuts in front of you.
The caste system still very much exists, unfortunately. You only marry within your caste, and even how you speak to a person depends on your caste.
When you cross the street make sure to look both ways, and then look again, and again, actually just keep looking until you get to the other side. They are supposed to drive on the opposite side as the U.S. but that doesn’t always happen, no one follows the rules.
All tea and coffee is made with milk and sugar, you won’t get black anything unless specified.
There are countless commercials about fairness cream or face wash, forget Jergens natural glow, my skin tone is in style here!
Every girl has their nose pierced on the left side, I have met one woman with it on the right like mine.
Rings on the second toe symbolize a married woman, as well as gold necklaces.
There is cilantro in every dish.
Noodle dishes are titled based on their spice level. Mild is Shezwan, medium is Singapore, and hot is Hong Kong. But no one knows why they chose those names.
Eye glasses are referred to as specs.
If you run out of minutes on your phone, you obviously cannot make any calls/texts, but others can still call you.
Cricket is some serious business, you know a game can take 8 hours? ONE game!
Tapestries surprisingly don’t exist in India, unless you are expecting a picture of the last supper.
When it is your birthday, you can expect to have your friends feed you cake. Just picture a line of people putting cake in your mouth. Mmmm.
As a sign of respect, you touch a person’s feet and then touch your chest.
The guest truly is god, prepare to be pampered in every way imaginable.

To learn more about international opportunities at Oregon State University, click here!

Katherine Larsen, a recent OSU graduate, interned with IE3 in Cape Town, South Africa during the summer of 2014 at the Cape Town Refugee Centre. Majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences through the College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Katherine was able to help counsel and provide guidance to refugees in the small community of Observatory. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Social Work graduate degree from Portland State University and plans to focus her career on clinical social work with the intent to work abroad in the future. Read on to learn about the ups and downs of returning from a life-changing IE3 Global Internship!

It has been a year since I have returned to the United States. I still cannot believe that my time abroad is over. As I reflect back on my 10-week internship at the Cape Town Refugee Centre, it feels as though time simply flew by, although I know that each day was packed with adventure. There are so many qualities that I have gained through this experience and I feel as though I have changed in a more than noticeable way. Not only do I feel more independent, I feel confident in myself as a person, a future social worker, and a community member. I have made an abundance of new relationships and now have global friendships that will last a lifetime. By consistently challenging myself to work diligently at the Cape Town Refugee Centre, I have gained valuable skills that will stay with me throughout my future career. Through volunteering and living within a new culture, I connected to the suburb Observatory and the city of Cape Town in an unexplainable way.

I learned an abundance of life lessons throughout this experience. I took time daily to reflect on my experiences, journal, and conduct continuous research regarding South Africa. One of my favorite pieces of reading I completed during my internship abroad was “After Mandela: The Struggle for Freedom in Post-Apartheid South Africa” by Douglas Foster. The biggest lesson I learned was that I cannot have control over all situations. This trip allowed me to be more spontaneous and to stop sweating the small things. My stress levels had never been so low! In addition to learning to go with the flow, I learned how to immerse myself deeply into a culture and adapt to the changes in lifestyle. My work as an intern at the Cape Town Refugee Centre taught me that everybody has a story and I will never learn that story if I judge a book by its cover. Opening myself up to experiences and simply listening during one-on-one conversations has massively shifted my opinion of others and has taught me to be more empathetic to those who are different than me. Furthermore, I have come to realize how much circumstance plays a role in an individual’s life. I worked with people in South Africa that have worked so hard to better their situation but were held back by many obstacles. Many people will continue to struggle throughout their lives, simply because of the family and geographic region they were born into. I will hold all of these realizations that I made during my global internship with me for the rest of my life.

Coming home and learning to adapt back to the United States’ way of life has been a challenge. One of the most frustrating parts of ending an internship abroad is my inability to explain in words what my experience was like. Friends and family have asked me to share what it was like and although I try my best, nothing comes close to what my summer actually was. Cape Town is a city unlike any other place I have ever been and it is hard to capture in words the beauty of the culture and the people. I especially miss walking to the train in the mornings and seeing Table Mountain hovering over the city. Regardless of my struggles adjusting, being home with my loved ones is wonderful.

Although my time in South Africa has come to an end, I know that I will return to the wonderful neighborhood of Observatory in the future. There is a quote on the streets of downtown Cape Town that holds so much truth: “I came here to change Cape Town, but Cape Town changed me.” I feel blessed to have had such a wonderful experience in the amazing country of South Africa. I left part of my heart in the city of Cape Town and I cannot wait to visit my second home again soon.

To learn more about the study abroad and international internships OSU offers, click here!

Rosa Keller was drawn to Thailand because of her love for Thai food. In fall of 2014, she studied in Khon Kaen, Thailand, through CIEE. At Oregon State University, Rosa is majoring in both Nutrition and Anthropology. During her time abroad, she was able to integrate her knowledge of people and food by conducting a nutrition intervention in rural northeast Thailand.

Before traveling to Thailand, I had no idea how much I would learn about intervention planning, public health, and group work. Having so much freedom and knowing that the work we were doing was really helping people live healthier lives gave me so much motivation to do my best. The last couple of months of my time in Thailand were dedicated to conducting research, planning community visits, and finally, implementing a public health intervention based on community need.

Our group conducted a nutrition education and a diabetes screening intervention in a rural village Cuisine l Rosa Keller in northeast Thailand. We decided to focus on these topics due to an increasing rate of Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Thailand, specifically in the northeast region. Our initial research concluded that Nonsang Village had a high prevalence of T2DM but a low rate of diabetes screening. Additionally, we observed a lack of awareness of healthy portion sizes and dietary practices. Our research in the community led us to develop our intervention.

First, we held a community dinner where we educated villagers on healthy portion sizes, mindful eating, and the biological and behavioral factors that lead to development of T2DM. All of the food that was prepared for the dinner was either grown or purchased from the village to ensure that the meal was sustainable. The menu included things like steamed veggies, chili sauces for dipping, omelets, and spicy green papaya salad, with fruit for dessert. The following day, we worked with the Health Promoting Hospital and village health volunteers to hold a T2DM screening session. For both events, there were around 30 participants in a village with a population of around 500 people, which was our expected outcome.

Overall, the intervention was a success; but, most importantly, through our experience we were able to build a strong relationship with the community. I truly hope that our intervention empowered the villagers to eat healthy and be more mindful of their dietary intake. Through this intervention, I was able to learn how community participation is an important asset to a successful intervention.

Laurie Armatas has been a Registered Nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in the labor and delivery department for 20 years. Her daughter, Hilary, is following in her footsteps in becoming a nurse. While majoring in Public Health at OSU, Hilary went on an IE3 Global Internship to Durban and Cape Town, South Africa, to be part of the Child and Family Health International program. In this entry, Laurie writes about how it felt to send her child to South Africa, and provides a mother’s perspective on education abroad.

Hilary in Cape Town l Hilary Armatas — Hilary in Cape Town, South Africa.

When Hilary heard that she had been chosen to go to South Africa on a medical internship with IE3 Global she was ecstatic. She had spent a year working to accomplish the goals she had set for herself that would make her a desirable candidate for the program. As her mother I was incredibly happy for her, but I must confess that there was some trepidation. She was going to be traveling half way around the world, and immersed in a culture she knew very little about.

Working in the health care field myself, I worried that practices in a developing country may not be what I believe to be safest for the practitioner. Would they teach her to wear protective covering when needed? Would there be resources available to provide the protective covering for her? I also worried that she might not realize what she needed to do to be safe, not just in the hospitals and clinics, but out in the communities as well. What would the families she would be living with be like? Would they support her if she needed it? I gave her far more instruction than I’m sure she wanted or needed, and then I left her with probably the most important advice…get all she possibly could from the experience, open her eyes as well as her mind, and enjoy herself!

She followed my suggestions and had what she describes as the “best time in her life”. She was pretty sad when it was time to come home. The adjustment once home seemed to be hard. Her situation is likely different from others because she came back to hear she had been accepted into nursing school and would be leaving her friends at Oregon State to pursue her nursing degree. In any case, she came home a more mature and self-confident person, with clearly defined goals in place. The experiences she had in South Africa really helped her fine tune the path she wants to travel and the goals she wants to meet.

My advice to other parents whose children are heading off to experience the world on an IE3 Global internship would be to learn what you can about the culture they will be immersed in so you can help them to be safe (they will probably think you are being overprotective), stay in contact with them (we used Whats APP on our cell phones ), and they will likely need (want?) more money than you think. Hilary earned all she took with her, but ended up borrowing some so she could do the once in a life time things that came up (bungee jumping and caged shark diving!!!). Finally, I would advise parents to send them off to have the “best time in their life”.

When I was in nursing school there was no treatment other than supportive care for HIV/AIDS. Hilary’s internship opportunities taught me that it is now considered a chronic condition that can be well managed with available resources and education. I think it would be fulfilling to help provide that, and to be a tiny bit instrumental in improving the health status of a population in need. Because of the amazing experiences Hilary had, we are talking about the possibility of going back together once she has finished nursing school to volunteer in a medical venue.

OSU Football Game l Emily Calwell — Emily (front left) and friends at an OSU football game. Go Beavs!

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Emily is a direct exchange student from the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. This is a College of Business international exchange program offered to students intrested in studying international business. Arriving here in Fall to study Business and Exercise and Sports Science, Emily tells us about her time in Beaver Nation.

What inspired you to pick OSU?
I had heard great things about OSU from people who had studied abroad here in the past and I also loved the idea of living in a college town on the West Coast. Before applying for OSU I hadn’t heard much about Oregon but I was excited to explore such a unique state.

In what ways is OSU different from your home university?
There are honestly too many things to mention. However, the college sport has stood out as a big one, the atmosphere is amazing! My home university is in the suburbs of a major city so most people live at home and commute to uni everyday so living in a small college town surrounded by students has been a big change but so much fun too.

In what ways is OSU similar to your home university?
They both have great international/study abroad programs and the staff have been great on both sides of the world. Both have a very diverse range of study options and are in great locations that make it easy to travel on the weekends and during breaks.

What is one memorable experience you’ve had in Oregon?
People making fun of my accent! No matter where I go or who I speak to there’s always someone who will mention it. It’s always fun when my friends and I come across words that we say differently or have different meanings. We speak the same language but you’ll be amazed at how many times we can’t understand each other!

What are some of your favorite aspects of studying abroad?
I have loved meeting new people and discovering what its like to live in the PNW and other places within the US and around the world. I’ve also really enjoyed trying new foods, experiencing ‘college life’ and learning about American culture, which I’ve found to be quite different! I have also loved having the opportunity to be independent and travel!

What has been one challenging aspect of studying abroad?
Being away from family and friends during celebrations such as birthdays and Christmas was tough, but having such incredible friends here at OSU made it so much easier to be away from home.

How will your time abroad affect your future career or life?
This experience has taught me a lot about who I am and who I want to be. Although I’m still not entirely sure what I want to do in terms of a career, my experiences here have definitely confirmed my love for travelling and exploring. I have had the opportunity to develop new relationships with people, deal with tough situations and find my way around the world- which are all skills that can’t be taught in a classroom but will definitely have an impact on the rest of my life.

What is one “take away” or lesson from this experience?
‘Life begins at the end of your comfort zone’. Go for it.

What is one thing, person, or experience you are excited to reunite with when you return to your home country?
I’m definitely most excited to see my dog when I get home! Being away from him for so long has been one of the most challenging parts of this whole experience.

What is your message for OSU students considering studying abroad in your home country?
Go for it!! This has honestly been one of the most rewarding, challenging and exciting experiences that I’ve had in my life and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I now have close friends in Oregon and all over the world, I’ve learnt so much about the American way of life, and I’ve discovered a new meaning of the word ‘independence’. For those looking to study abroad in Australia, don’t be turned off by the wildlife! It’s not as dangerous as you think!

If you’d like to learn more about going on exchange to Emily’s university, follow this link!

OSU Abroad

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Category Archives: College of Public Health and Human Sciences

My Bravest Adventure: Malaysia

Down at the Barbie

Allyson Satter

Back to the Real World

Nutrition Intervention in Northeast Thailand

The Best Time in Her Life: A Mother’s Perspective on Education Abroad

Meet an Exchange Student: Emily

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