For my STEP Signature Project, I participated in a two-week global health program in Córdoba, Argentina with Child Family Health International (CFHI). Everyday during the week I spent four hours shadowing at a local pediatric hospital and I took two hours of Spanish language classes. I lived there with a host family and other CFHI students and I was fully immersed in Argentinian language and culture.
Before doing a global studies program like this, it was easy to get set into one way of thinking. I have always lived and worked in the United States, and although I’ve studied other countries, going to see the world for myself was a completely different experience. Immersion into a different culture was very transformational and it allowed me to better understand a diverse set of habits and values that differ from my own. CFHI emphasizes the idea of “letting the world change you,” and I set that as my goal before beginning my program. By letting the world change me, I was able to absorb all that I could learn and allow it to change the views I held before the experience.
Shadowing in the pediatric hospital was a major transformational aspect of my global health program. I shadowed in dermatology, rehabilitation, mental health, emergency, surgery, and optometryand I got to see a lot. I really enjoyed seeing the interactions between patients and providers in a setting where cultural habits differ from what I am used to. Their professional standards differ as they take a more informal approach to emphasize the relational side of care. I learned a lot from the doctors as they interacted with children, but also when they worked to help families understand what was going on with their child. Pediatrics are so special because of the teamwork between providers and parents of small children, and I learned a lot from the relationships that I got to see. As I lead into my future career in healthcare, insider experiences in hospitals are very influential.
Another pivotal aspect of my experience was my homestay situation with a local host family. My host family lives in a very central area of Córdoba which was an excellent way to be immersed into city-living. Every night, my host cooked traditional, homemade meals and we all ate together. In Argentina, they normally eat much later, around 8 or 9 pm, and they spend much more time in conversation. Some nights, we would spend around two hours talking and enjoying those meals and I learned a lot about their experiences in Argentina and about the country itself. Not only did I get to try delicious Argentinian food, but I learned so much from spending time with them. Being immersed into a different culture is very transformative in opening my mind even more and giving me a deeper understanding of other cultural values.
Overall, my global education experience pushed me to go out of my comfort zone and try things that I’m not normally used to. Traveling on my own and getting around in a country far away from home was not always easy, but that’s what made it such a life changing experience. As I was out of my comfort zone, I felt even more encouraged to try new things, meet new people, and challenge myself in any way that I could. As I practiced the Spanish language, I was also challenged in my communication skills and I was able to build confidence through practice. When I spoke in Spanish, it was certainly not perfect and I needed a lot of patience from those around me. I became comfortable making mistakes and asking for help and that is a sense of comfort that I can bring into all areas of my life as I continue as a student and a life-long learner.
The transformation that occurred during my global health experience will manifest in all areas of my life on a personal level, as a student, and as a future healthcare professional. Personally, the confidence and relational skills that I built up by going out of my comfort zone will allow me to find new opportunities to learn and grow. I feel that I am more willing to try things that are unfamiliar and I will benefit greatly from the new found open-mindedness. As I go forward as a student and pursue language and health studies, I will remember this experience to have a better understanding of diverse and underserved populations. I would like to take that approach throughout my career as I continue to pursue experience and knowledge of the world.