VIDA ECGT010913

I came to VIDA with a few goals in mind, but those goals changed by the end of my trip. I used VIDA to possibly make my application stronger for medical school, but when the trip finished my heart stayed in Guatemala. The culture immersion was fun to see and the clinics we went to were very eye opening. It made me realize how comfortable and good we have it in the United States, compared to others living in developing countries. Everyone has their own insights and passion about serving others, but my heart never left Guatemala due to the things I've seen. I am already thinking about doing another trip with VIDA in the next coming up years (if time and money permits). Some areas of Guatemala may be more dangerous than others, but our team leader warned us before doing anything. This is actually a great benefit to the trip, because it shows how living in another area is so different from living in America. Some of the people I served in the clinic made me cry because it's sad to realize how hard they have to work for their food, not to mention their chances of seeing a medical professional for help.