"To whoever is nervous or second guessing themselves, do it. Don't think too hard, don't second guess yourself, you will be okay and you'll get a story and a beautiful experience out of it."

This July from the 3rd-16th, I volunteered with IVHQ in Jamaica at a Veterinary Clinic and it was the best two weeks of my life. I am home now and I don't feel the same, I'm not quite sure what the word for the opposite of homesick is but it would perfectly describe how I am feeling right now. I am in school right now studying to become a vet, it's the one thing in this stage of my life that I am 100% certain about. I chose this trip very randomly, I knew I wanted to travel but I wanted purpose in my travels, so I did some google searches and found IVHQ and the veterinary project. The first couple of days it took me time to get used to everything, I came alone, it was the hottest weather I have ever experienced and to be completely honest I was just scared. Within 2 days this all changed. The V2 staff in Jamaica are some the kindest people I have had the pleasure of knowing, shout out to Sam for being so supportive and helpful! My project was at North Coast Animal Clinic and I am so grateful that my fate brought me there. Dr. Denise Cole, and two vet techs Sean and Jessica are people you meet and will never forget. They are funny and smart, and everyday at the clinic was something new. I was terrified I would realize on this trip that Veterinary isn't something I want to pursue and I just wasn't cut out for it, but I experienced quite the opposite. I know more than anything now that it's this or nothing, there is no Plan B. I am eternally grateful for those three at the clinic for teaching me so much, making me laugh and even shed some tears at the end there ( I did not want to leave on the last day!). Outside of the clinic and back at the accommodation, I made life long friends. It took us all some time to adjust, it was hot and we weren't quite sure how to go about integrating into the culture, but that helped us bond. Late nights and lots of laughing over the same struggles. I'm 19 and I'm only growing and learning still, I make lot's of mistakes but every now and then I do something super awesome that older me will look back on and think "holy I was so cool for that", and the decision to go on this trip was the best thing I have ever decided on. To whoever is nervous or second guessing themselves, do it. Don't think too hard, don't second guess yourself, you will be okay and you'll get a story and a beautiful experience out of it.