Volunteer Stories
United Planet
Sydney Yovic
23 years old
Volunteer in Chile
§ Short term- 2 weeks
§ Worked in the rehabilitation center in the reception
§ Was not able to help with direct healthcare, buts still felt she was able to improve the minds of the children she worked with.
Overall Experience
§ Changed the way she saw herself and the world
§ People were very friendly with warm personalities
§ Says her volunteer experience was “the most fulfilling work [she had] ever been a part of”
Quotes by Sydney
“My experience in Chile was like a vacation for my soul.”
“I hope to learn whatever possible and to help whoever possible.”
Jane Hedrick,
22 years old,
Volunteer in Peru
§ Short Term- 3 months
§ Nurse
o Worked in a clinic for the full stay
§ Played with the children, assisted in feeding, changing, and daily hygiene’
§ Also was able to triage the patients including taking heights, weight, Blood Pressure, pulse, temperature and giving injections
Overall Experience
§ Lived with a host family for the entire 3 months, they were very friendly, welcoming
§ Ate traditional Peruvian food
§ Got the real experience of the culture
§ “Included in the Peru quest is a trip to Machu Picchu, which is an overnight trip. You take the train to Aguas Calientes and spend the night there and then head up to Machu Picchu in the morning where you have a guided tour and then time to explore on your own.”
§ Spanish Schools
o Learned Spanish
o Organized get togethers with other volunteers and travelers in the area
o Cooking lessons, dance lessons, etc
§ Clinic Work
o Inpatient- housed about 50 children with mental and/or physical disabilities
i. daily care of the children such as bathing, dressing, brushing their teeth, combing their hair, and feeding as well as playing
o Outpatient- more Nursing Tasks
i. Blood pressure, pulse, temperature, height and weight to triage the patients and give injections
ii. Helped with preparing supplies and filing
Peace Corps
Kyra Stenslie
Paraguay, 2006–2008 (26 Month)
Panama Response, 2012 (3 Month)
§ Teacher
o Basic English
§ Embera Tribe
o Lived on the Charges River
o They depend on tourism
· It is essential for them to learn English
§ “Each morning I awoke to the peace, quiet, and beauty of living in a secluded native village on the river.”
§ Learned a lot about the culture
o Slept in the fresh air on the wooden floorboards
o Ate the traditional meal of fried tilapia and plantains
o Traditional music, dance, and artisan crafts
§ APROCO (Asociación de Profesionales Costarricenses)
o Costa-Rican organization in Panama City
· Helped teach English
§ “Experiencing the joys and challenges of a new culture, forming friendships around the world and seeing things through the eyes of the host community are what make a Peace Corps Response service so memorable and unique.”
Connect 123
Greg Goldstein
Medical Intern
Cape Town, S. Africa
§ “breathtakingly beautiful”
§ Full of culture, athletics and fun opportunities
08 February 2011
College Junior
§ Red Cross Children’s Hospital
o Afterward decided to pursue a career in pediatrics
§ Experience
o Observed Surgeons and procedures
o Involved in a lot of research
o Was in the operating room on a daily basis
o Regular interaction with nurses, other volunteers, heads of departments and specialists
§ Helped the hospital as well
o Was relaying important information about patients to anesthesiologists
o Helped surgeons communicate more effectively with patients
§ Other Experiences in Cape Town
o Day trips to the Cape of Good Hope
o Hikes of the iconic Table Mountain and Lion’s Head
o Cruises on the Harbor
o Shark diving
Amy Caporello
Nursing Intern
Cape Town, S. Africa
14 December 2010
§ Salvation Army Hospital
o Nursing Student
· Worked alongside staff
· Cared for a variety of patients in rehabilitation
· Learned about the differences in international healthcare
· Spent a lot of time talking to and comforting the patients
o Nurse-led Hospital
· Focuses on creating a plan of care for each individual patient
o Helped the Nurses and staff with dressing changes, morning care, feeding, occupational therapy, physical therapy and transport
§ “This was not your average internship; this was a chance to care for others and to learn from them as much as they learned from me.”
§ “It is here that I learned the meaning of Nursing, and the compassion and intelligence needed to truly care for someone.”
§ Connect 123 organizes events
o meet other interns and students
o get involved and out of your shell
§ Was able to travel and learn about the country
§ Is very happy that she took the time to do something different and exciting.
Tyler Maiers
Medical Intern
Cape Town, S. Africa
02 December 2010
§ Red Cross Children’s Hospital
o Was a part of the largest tuberculosis diagnostic study ever conducted
o Work days involved seeing patients alongside supervisors
o Aiding with the collection of sputum and blood samples from patients that were suspected of having tuberculosis
§ Traveled between two different hospitals during the week
o learned about measles, HIV/AIDS, and drug-resistant tuberculosis
§ Spent three days each week at Red Cross, one day at a Doctors Without Borders clinic, and one day at diagnostic microbiology lab at Groote Schuur Hospital.
o Got a lot of experience in different situations
§ Connect 123 organizes events
o Weekend trips
· Shark cage diving
· Safaris
· Bungee jumping
· Wine tasting tours
· Trips to nearby suburbs
§ Connect 123 Staff
o Very warm and comforting
o Knowledgeable
o Very involved
§ This was truly a life-changing experience and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great alternative to a traditional study abroad while also enjoying every moment of being in one of the world’s most beautiful and multicultural cities.
No comments:
Post a Comment