Eye Opening

Although I wish my trip to Costa Rica could have been more hands on, there were many invaluable experiences I gained from this trip. The staff at the clinic was amazing- they are dedicated and passionate. Their passion was so inspiring to me and really opened my eyes to the work and help that is needed in underserved populations such as in Costa Rica. Although I was only able to do small works such as shadow the doctor, log in patients, and fill out prescriptions, I truly believe I made an impact. However, the people I met and the stories I heard during my trip made more of an impact on me. I vividly remember going to the soup kitchen to help which was my favorite part of the trip. I was able to speak to children (most of them who come regularly) and hear some of their stories. One small boy around the age of 12 told me he was not from Costa Rica and that he very much missed his real home as he showed me a picture of his hometown on his cellphone. I was also taken on a small drive to see the living conditions of the people of Costa Rica which was also very eye opening. I saw the shacks that they lived in and the dirt roads that they traveled on. Besides my experiences with the clinic, I was able to spend a lot of time with the team I came with from the University of Illinois. We were able to hike up a mountain, go zip lining, have a nice dinner on top of a mountain, as well as visit the beach. Not to mention, I had a very generous and giving host family to stay with. They took us to a local onion festival the night I arrived in Costa Rica and I was able to experience local festivities.