Medicine in Mongolia- High School Special

I went to Mongolia with a friend at 17. While I had travelled alone before, I had never gone so far by myself. The Projects Abroad staff were easy to reach and made me feel supported throughout my travels, and were easy to find at the airport when I arrived in Mongolia. Though few people outside the staff spoke English, we were able to get by with a combination of hand gestures and google translate.
The project itself gave me opportunities I would never get as a student in Canada. As someone who is interested in a career in medicine, I was able to ride along on ambulance calls, sit in on surgeries (I was 2 deviated septum surgeries and a hysterectomy), play with orphaned and special-needs children, as well as get hands-on while helping to treat patients with a local doctor. I learned how to insert an IV, measure blood glucose levels, bandage wounds, perform CPR, and take blood pressure.
The social aspect was also awesome. We had a small group, about 13, of kids from all over the world. We had 4 girls from Canada, 2 kids from the USA, 2 boys from Japan, 3 girls from Taiwan, a girl from Korea, and a girl from Italy. I made great friends who I am still in touch with. Together we got to go to a karaoke studio, visit the Mongolian countryside, see tons of national monuments and museums, and take pictures in traditional Mongolian costumes. I had an amazing experience in Mongolia, and I would definitely travel with Projects Abroad again.