Submitted by Madison Werth on the 2017 summer session program in Peru sponsored by the School of Nursing…
So far, my experience in Peru has been absolutely amazing. We’ve spent some time at a local hospital – El Centro de Salud en Calca. There was a birth on the first and third day, which some of us were able to watch. We were also able to get some great experience with patients, and although at times communication was a little difficult, we were able to make it work and learn a lot from the health care workers and patients in Calca. So far, today was my favorite day of the program. We traveled up into the mountains and visited a community to teach about women’s health, fertility and the environment. We started off by playing games with the children, which was very fun, and I met a little girl named Genny who was 7 years old and so sweet. Although she was very shy at first, she opened up and shared her beautiful laugh and smile with us. The most amazing part of today was letting the children listen to their own heartbeats, which they had never done before and I think they really enjoyed. Being up in the mountains reminded us all how big and beautiful this earth is and that the world is so much more than just us, our lives, and our struggles, and I’m so glad to have the opportunity to experience this beautiful culture.