(SEA)Seattle - (TJA)Tarija

In preparation for my trip, I faced a few challenges in scheduling my yellow fever vaccine that is required to get into Bolivia. I thought it was easily accessible at pharmacies like the flue and COVID vaccines, but, since yellow fever isn't common in the US, you have to get a doctor's prescription which takes time. I scheduled too close to my departure date, but, in the end, I was able to get it done. I could've avoided all the stress if I'd made a list and planned better.

This year, I've chosen to take classes during the summer before my study abroad trip; I guess I'm having a hard time not only organizing but also maintaining my schedule, classes, and, on top of that, my responsibilities. As a student, a large part of my identity is doing well in school; so, when that part of my life starts to suffer, I start to lose myself mentally. This summer was supposed to be geared towards tackling several things in life: working to finance my trip, attending summer classes, and being there for my family. I guess the biggest challenge for me is learning when I'm taking too much at once, but how do you do that when you feel behind all the time? I'm starting to realize that finding a balance between everything isn't going to be easy. Even now preparing to going abroad, I'm still trying to find some balance. One thing I remember from a mentor is to prioritize your mental health above anything else, so here I go!

I'm going abroad with the intention of learning more about the world and the different cultural spaces within it. I also want to get more exposure to healthcare and medicine to test my level of interest. Do I want to continue medicine? How badly do I want it? Am I willing to do whatever it takes? Am I even capable? I guess part of being abroad will also be learning more about yourself which I'm actually okay with. In the United States, I am many things. I am a regular full-time student working a part-time job. I am also a son, brother, classmate, and a friend to the people who live in Washington. In Bolivia, I will be a tourist, a pre-medical student looking to shadow doctors in Tarija, and an American English speaker.

Before going abroad, I wanted to shadow doctors here in Washington to compare the similarities and differences in terms of healthcare; I was fortunate to shadow four doctors from different specialties. Since I don't know much Spanish, my main concern abroad was communication. I don't want to be burden, especially in the clinics and hospitals. My shadows were helpful. Dr. Chun taught me that you can learn a lot from your patient's body language and the tone of their voice; he said it was just basic human interaction. What stuck with me was the patient communication aspect which Dr. Chun put perfectly as "Respect, Know, and Guide". I got to see how he kept in mind the holistic health of his patients and acknowledged that every person is different all while personalizing their care with communication. Many doctors I shadowed had also studied abroad; they told me not to worry so much, and, that by immersing myself in the culture and making an effort, I will be able to learn the language and how to better communicate. I have a lot of feelings as I prepare for my trip. I feel overwhelmed, stressed, scared, guilty, and underprepared. But, I also feel excited, relieved, and optimistic.