Numerous times I have been put in a position where I collaborated and interacted with people whose experiences differed from mine. However, the first time I was exposed to such a setting was a trip to the Dominican Republic when I was 12 years old. My initial visit to the country opened my eyes to a culture I was not familiar with. Coming from the United States, one of the most developed countries in the world, I came with preset customs and beliefs some of which were drastically changed by the end of my trip, to a third world country, due to various experiences. These experiences did not only open my eyes to different languages, cultures, and styles of living but also helped me realize how fortunate many of our lives are even though we often
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As I walked the narrow halls to my grandfather’s room I instantly realized drastic differences between hospitals in a third world country compared to those back in the United States. Due to my dad, being a radiologist, I was very familiar with the friendly, helpful, and sanitary hospital environment which would have been used to describe the complete opposite of the hospital I was at. There were long wards of several beds where the patients were lying on thin mattress, some with even no sheets, with what seemed to be a sparse medical staff to tend to their needs. The hospital simply lacked a significant amount of hygiene, one of the most essential needs in any hospital. I came into this trip unexposed, yet at the right age to understand, the way many people in the world are forced to live and how they must overcome those obstacles to not only protect themselves but other cherished love ones. Having had the opportunity to interact and collaborate with people from different races, religions, traditions, and cultures made me realize that even though they may be different or less fortunate they are still normal human beings with the ability to positively impact the world in their own way.
I came to the realization that before this trip I had taken many things for granted. Being able to see and interact with people in these socio-cultural differences made a big difference in how I felt about different situations and life in general. I realized I would take many things for granted growing up, thinking it was common to have a good sized house, multiple cars, food to spare, and the ability to maintain hygiene on a daily basis. These vast experiences and interactions in my trip ultimately helped me become a more mature, understanding human being with the desire to help others in
As I walked the narrow halls to my grandfather’s room I instantly realized drastic differences between hospitals in a third world country compared to those back in the United States. Due to my dad, being a radiologist, I was very familiar with the friendly, helpful, and sanitary hospital environment which would have been used to describe the complete opposite of the hospital I was at. There were long wards of several beds where the patients were lying on thin mattress, some with even no sheets, with what seemed to be a sparse medical staff to tend to their needs. The hospital simply lacked a significant amount of hygiene, one of the most essential needs in any hospital. I came into this trip unexposed, yet at the right age to understand, the way many people in the world are forced to live and how they must overcome those obstacles to not only protect themselves but other cherished love ones. Having had the opportunity to interact and collaborate with people from different races, religions, traditions, and cultures made me realize that even though they may be different or less fortunate they are still normal human beings with the ability to positively impact the world in their own way.
I came to the realization that before this trip I had taken many things for granted. Being able to see and interact with people in these socio-cultural differences made a big difference in how I felt about different situations and life in general. I realized I would take many things for granted growing up, thinking it was common to have a good sized house, multiple cars, food to spare, and the ability to maintain hygiene on a daily basis. These vast experiences and interactions in my trip ultimately helped me become a more mature, understanding human being with the desire to help others in