It was nearly three in the morning when I arrived at the rendezvous point that Friday, but I could neither feel the rock-like weights on my eyelids nor hear the lullaby of the dark night. People were hustling about like bees in a hive, making sure everything was in order and that nobody was missing. Minutes later there was not a single body left on the scene. The trees stood as still as scarecrows, the moonlight casting their ghastly shadows onto the sidewalk. All that could be heard was the drone of car engines, fading away into the distance.

 

And thus Taiwanroot Medical Peace Corps’ (TRMPC) trip began, deep into the mountains in eastern Taiwan to provide free medical visitation at aborigine villages. Having seen many stories in the news of organizations providing aid and relief for impoverished regions around the world, I was both eager and excited to finally have a first hand experience. After a long car ride that was characterized by winding and bumpy roads, we arrived at the first village.

 

At every village we would unload our equipment from the trucks, set up tables for each medical station, and treat any and all patients who came to the site. The process was repetitive, and at some locations there were only a few patients. Nevertheless, most patients were ones with many ailments, rarely had the opportunity to see a doctor, and were extremely thankful for the medical treatment we offered them. I stood on one side observing the examinations of the doctors, filled with both admiration for the love and caring of the doctors and compassion for the sick patients.

 

By the afternoon of the first day, I started to feel a bit dizzy, with pulsing headaches and a throat irritation. Originally I thought it was just dehydration and lack of fluids, but when drinking two bottles of water did not improve the situation, I knew I was getting sick. As the day progressed my symptoms worsened, and although a pharmacist on site gave me some medication, it only provided temporary relief. I felt like I had become a burden rather than a helping hand, and I wished that the symptoms could just all disappear. Unfortunately, this was one wish that would not be granted.

 

Throughout the day I continued to observe many medical examinations – there were patients with a variety of diseases that needed to be treated. Some were delighted to have this rare opportunity, while others were just there because we provided a free service. It was more than satisfying to see that we could give these local natives something special, something that they could not normally receive.

 

The fever went up that night while I was sleeping and never went down since. The next morning my back was sore, my throat ached, and my headache pulsed heavily; I had to cut my trip short and return home early. The group brought me to a train station on the way to the next village. While on the train, I thought about what I would be missing by leaving early, and regretted not having taken better care of my body prior to the trip. The trip was a unique and enlightening experience, but for me it was incomplete. These thoughts circled in my mind over and over. I closed my eyes to relieve the constant pounding of the headache, knowing that next time I will be ready.