Huancayo, Peru- an unforgettable experience

In Peru, I spent most mornings shadowing in two hospitals, a general one and one focused on maternal health. Both hospitals were large hospitals so that means I got to see a variety of cases. I had the opportunity to observe surgery and a live birth. We visited the medical school and learned about the Peruvian health system from medical students and took a short class on suturing there. In afternoons, we taught classes at orphanages about dental hygiene, and did a dental hygiene campaign at an elementary school. We each cleaned one kid’s teeth and then helped with filling cavities. We also did some general service projects, like helping care for a tree reforestation farm and volunteering in a soup kitchen that serves hundreds daily (and is normally run single-handedly by one woman). Natalia, the assistant FOM, made all the logistics run smoothly and she arranged a great homestay. I was with a large group of volunteers and it was great working with them and making new friends from around the US.
I also got to spend a weekend day in the Amazon, which I would highly recommend doing!