Reflexion de Mi Viaje

Cuando leo mis objetivos y preocupado que escribo antes del viaje de Costa Rica, sé que mi primero objetivo era obtener - tener más confianza con el idioma.  Es verdad que Español es un nuevo idioma para mí, y estaba muy nerviosa hablar con otras personas que saben mejor el idioma.  Durante las días primeras, no hablaba mucho, solo cuando era necesario.  Usó a mis compañeros mucho para traslación y ayudar con las palabras que no sabía en lugar de usar las palabras que sabía.  Sobre reflexión, después 2-3 días, estaba cómoda hablando con mi mamá tica, las personas en la clase, mis profesoras, y personas no eran familiares! ¿Era correcto? A veces!  Pero para mi, la confianza era el área para desarrollo.           

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The majority of my learning I would place under the category of personal development.  This does not necessarily mean that I did not leave Costa Rica with an incredible amount of new knowledge about the healthcare system, integration of holistic herbal medicine into their daily practices, cultural perspectives on the environment and their community, or general priorities - but all this new information lead me to self discovery in regards to where I want to put my energy as I move forward into post-grad young adulthood.  

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While I had an idea as to whether the United States healthcare system could benefit from reform or adaptation prior to this study opportunity, I felt it was necessary to validate how feasible my proposed solutions were before attempting to implement them.  As I’ve learned through the Entrepreneurship program at Miami University - validation is everything, second to identifying the correct problem.  Through the many tours, lectures, hands-on experiences, and conversations I was able to be a part of during my time abroad, I can confidently say that I have validated that this structure of public-access healthcare can work.  That is not to say that the exact model could be copied in the U.S., as there are many economic, cultural, legislative, and systemic differences to be accounted for including the stark contrast of wealth and population.  What this experience highlighted for me was that a health-oriented lifestyle is achievable.  

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This time in Costa Rica also validated some of my personal concerns about whether or not healthcare was an area that I truly wanted to work in.  I have struggled with my health my entire life, and was nervous that by working in that industry where I have been a patient rather than a practitioner that I would have no work/life separation.  Returning after spending two weeks chest deep exploring the ins and outs of how health is defined and delivered in Central America, I cannot remember a moment of the trip where I was uninterested, burned out, or in need of space from the subject.   This was helpful for me in feeling good about my choice to further explore the industry for my innovative endeavors to come. 

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It is challenging to articulate just how profound of an experience this was for me.  To have the opportunity to immerse myself in a culture that sees healthcare the way I have for so long was incredibly refreshing, as I am often finding myself surrounded by like-minded people in the U.S. but with little to no idea how to begin taking steps towards change.  I now see a path forward for myself, and that is an invaluable souvenir.  

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Additionally, I have gained a sense of independence and confidence with ambiguity and the unknown - qualities that I feel will set me up for success not only in my personal life but in any event where I am faced with a challenge or task that requires trial and error.  This trip taught me that mistakes are okay, and fearing or avoiding them is a waste of energy.  I made mistakes more times than I could count every HOUR in Costa Rica and emerged with nothing but growth.  This can be applied to almost every new experience I approach in this next stage of my life. 

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