Broadreach: Puerto Rico Veterinary Medicine 12 Day Adventure

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this program because I felt like I needed a kickstart to my veterinary medicine career. I was intrigued to learn that this program worked with a variety of animals, from manatees to horses and dogs. It was especially interesting to me because I got to learn about what I love in a new setting, which made the knowledge even more colorful.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Broadreach is incredibly organized. They have been running abroad trips for over 23 years, and their experience is evident. They told me exactly what I had to prepare for, what forms to fill out, what to pack, throughout the entire experience. It made packing and traveling much less stressful than if I had to do it on my own.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

One thing I would tell a friend thinking about going abroad is to research ahead exactly what kind of climate you are heading to. You want to be comfortable at all times, and what you wear is the biggest part of your comfort. For someone considering going abroad but isn't 100% sure about it, I say go for it. It is an incredible experience that you'll never forget.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Mornings are typically pretty early, but what better way to start off the day than with people who share the same interests as you?

Being in a completely new setting really has a way of helping people bond, and jumping into a new culture is a great way to come together.

You are always with the people on the trip, so you make amazing memories all throughout the day, whether you're spending the day hiking through a rainforest, or volunteering at a manatee rescue center.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it and/or how did your views on the issue change?

Going into this experience, my biggest fear was "am I going to be safe?" I know that my parents wouldn't have let me go if they had one cloudy thought or feeling, but with all of the issues going on around the world you can never really be 100% positive.

To my surprise, when I first met up with the group, all of my fear melted away and I immediately felt safe and at home. That feeling lasted throughout the whole trip!

Do you have a favorite story from your time abroad?

Before I went on this trip, I had always been hesitant to take a risk. If all of my friends were jumping, I didn't want to jump because it was annoying to get cold and wet in the water. So, my friends would jump without me. They would laugh and shout and talk about how alive they felt and talk about the cold water hitting them like a sudden adrenaline rush. Ten minutes later, they've warmed up from the water and now we are all the same temperature.

The difference though is this: they have a forever memory with friends they love, and I have a warm jacket. After feeling a moment of hesitance on top of a waterfall in a rainforest in the middle of the El Yunque rainforest in Puerto Rico, I decided to jump.

I've never been happier with a decision. Looking back on it now, I realize just how much it's affected little day-to-day decisions. These little moments are the decisions that change our lives, and I'm so happy I was able to realize that with this trip.