I have never gone to this kind of journey before so I did not know what to expect. I have seen on television programs how some of the places’ living conditions were. But to actually be in one of those places was different than seeing it. At first, I was overwhelmed because I have not been to this kind of environment before. However, I soon became adjusted to these conditions. The bumpiness of the bus rides became unnoticeable and sometimes a bit fun as well. Having no electricity just meant that we had to sleep earlier than usual, and if I had to see something in the dark, I used my cell phone’s light. Having no water, which happened very rarely, meant that we just had to use bottled water in small portions. At first, I was worried about the bugs and insects, but when I realized that we have bug repellent sprays, I was relieved. Rain, thunder, and lightning still frighten me a bit, but nice, cool rain shower at night in Honduras and Nicaragua was very soothing and welcoming because the weather is very hot and humid during the day. The unpleasant bathroom became a welcoming sight once I realized that even just having a bathroom was a blessing and a luxury.

The main thing that made this physical discomfort so easily bearable was the fact that we were there to help the people. We were literally in those countries, actually helping the people get better. There were few times when I did wished that I could do more than just be a volunteer, since I am not a nurse, a dentist, a pharmacist, or a doctor. Even though I could not do what they were doing, just seeing them interacting with the patients made me feel like I was a part of the team. With the help of our translators, they personally talked to, examined, and treated each and every individual patient. Language barrier did not stop them from helping the people. In the midst of the heat and noises, the doctors never lost their patience or their smiles and continued to treat the people. The dentists were constantly working on one patient after another, always focused and doing their best. I mainly worked in the pharmacy so I was able to observe the pharmacists working. I was so amazed when they were able to tell instantly what each medicine was used for. Even when one type of medicine had couple of different names, they were able to group them together. The nurses and volunteers were also doing their best to help each other to complete the assigned tasks.

 

I always had an ideal image of what it would be like to volunteer in other countries. By the experiences I had in Central America, I can now form a real image of what it is like to be in those places. I have formed many new friendships with the other volunteers as well, even though we did have a bit of difficulty communicating with each other at first since I could not speak Mandarin. I have also learned a lot about volunteering and what this organization is doing to help the people in the countries that we have visited. It was truly an honor to have been a part of this wonderful, sacrificial team, and I hope that I would be able to participate again in the near future.