Global Experiences
Study Abroad in Costa Rica
During the summer of 2022 I had the fantastic opportunity to do a month long public health study abroad program in Costa Rica. The program was associated with the University of South Carolina and was hosted at the Universidad Veritas. As a public health major with a latin background, this program immediately caught my attention. I stayed with a host family for the duration of the program who opened me with open arms. My home was within walking distance from the Universidad to Veritas so I could easily walk to my two classes, Epidemiology and Global Health.
I enjoyed taking these courses in Costa Rica because I was able to see the public health topics we were discussing in action. For example, for Epidemiology I had the privilege of working with the Carlos Maria Ulloa nursing home in San Jose. As a class we visited the nursing home and helped them go through their medical records to create a database to track the most common diagnoses and conditions. We also interacted with the residents and played Bingo with them, which was my favorite part. I enjoyed learning Epidemiology this way because it was hands on and allowed me to see our work in action. Moreover, for my Global Health course we spent some time engaging in discussion in the classroom, but then immersed ourselves in the curriculum by visiting local clinics and healthcare facilities.
When I was not attending class I spent much time walking around the city and exploring San Jose. One day while walking downtown my friends and I even got to see a presidential inauguration, which amazed me because it was history in the making. Although the program mainly centered around San Jose, when we had longer breaks from class my friends and I would take the bus to explore other parts of Costa Rica. One weekend we took a bus to see the Volcano Irazu. The sheer vastness of the Volcano and surrounding area left me speechless. My favorite excursion was a full class excursion to Manuel Antonio on the central pacific coast of Costa Rica. We spent the weekend exploring the jungle full of monkeys and sloths, spent time swimming in the crisp ocean water, and even ziplining over the jungle. I am so grateful for the time I spent in this magnificent country and for the lifelong relationships I was able to form. From a young age, it had always been a goal of mine to study abroad, so I’m glad I got to pursue this dream in such a beautiful place.
UF Navigators International
For the past two years I have had the privilege of being a part of UF Navigators International. Beginning in 2010, Navigators International has helped almost 3,000 international exchange students become acclimated to the University of Florida and the United States. Navigators International matches incoming international exchange students with established UF students to ensure international students are able to grow to love Gainesville and UF as much as their mentors do.
I first joined navigators in Fall 2021 of my Junior year as a general body member. I had the opportunity to serve as a mentor for international students from India, China, and Denmark. Serving as a mentor not only allowed me to help exchange students acclimate and learn about the U.S. and Gainesville, but it also allowed me to learn about different cultures. Later in the semester I had the privilege of hosting several exchange students from Denmark and Germany at my home in Orlando for Thanksgiving. It was very special for me to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions with my new friends. I enjoyed participating in the organization so much as a general body member that I decided to run for the executive board.
I was elected to serve as the Navigators Membership and Matching Director and served from July 2022 - December 2022. As the Membership and Matching Director, it was my responsibility to develop applications for the matching program to be distributed for both UF students and incoming international exchange students. I then read through all of the applications to match students based on their personalities, goals, and preferences. Overall, I matched approximately 300 international exchange students and 150 UF students. As the Membership and Matching director I also assisted in organizing events such as trips to St. Augustine, New Orleans, and around the Gainesville community. Serving as the Membership and Matching director was a fantastic experience and allowed me to interact with people from different cultures and form global friendships. I am so grateful for this program and for the lifelong friendships I gained.
Days for Girls International
During the fall of my Junior year I had the opportunity to intern with Days for Girls International as a Community Outreach intern. The founder of Days for Girls realized that oftentimes when girls when menstruating they were forced to miss school due to lack of supplies and negative stigma surrounding periods. Therefore, Days for Girls International aims to advance menstrual equity, dignity, and health both internationally and here at home. Additionally, Days for Girls International partners with international governments and health coalitions to advance global menstrual equity.
As an intern, I helped to cut, sew, sort, and organize the materials used to make the reusable pads. These pads were then packaged and taken to Days for Girls partner countries such as India, Cambodia, Kenya, South Africa, Malawi, and several others. I also had the opportunity to lead and supervise groups of volunteers to assemble women’s health kits for distribution while teaching them about the mission of Days for Girls. Some of the most rewarding activities I did as an intern was helping develop health education materials to take abroad and engaging with the Gainesville community at local events to teach them about the importance of women’s health and disparities facing women. This internship taught me about the importance of global collaboration and teamwork. This is a fantastic organization and I hope to continue volunteering with them to support the Days for Girls Mission.
