My typical weekday...

I realized that while I've been posting about all my adventures and travels, I haven't really shared what I do on a normal day here in Sevilla. So here's the daily routine...

I set my alarm for 7:30, and usually don't get up until 8:00. I get ready, eat corn flakes, mini-muffins, and wheat crackers for breakfast, and usually ride my Sevici bike to the center. Monday to Thursday, I have class at 9:00, "Spanish for the Health Professional," which has definitely been my favorite class here. I am very interested in the topic, which makes the early morning not so bad at all.

This is the outside of the center, located on a little center street named "Harinas." I still need to take some photos of the inside.

El "Centro Norteamericano". I love the colors of the building and the crisp white of the city. 

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, right after class, I go to my internship at the Hospital de la Caridad until lunchtime. I have really enjoyed that experience. More photos of that to come...

On the days that I don't go to my internship, I go to my favorite cafe with some friends for what they call a "descanso"-- a rest-- which is the Spanish second breakfast (I swear that's the only way they can make it to a 3:00ish lunch). Everyone and their mother is out between 10-12, eating a toast with ham and cheese, with a coffee. It's only two minutes away from school and is really neat on the inside. We've even made friends with some of the workers.

The outside of Boca a Boca-- the corner of a little street by school. 

The inside-- what a cool vibe. 

The usual for me... cafe con leche and media tostada con mantequilla y mermelada. Aka a coffee with a toast, with butter and jam. They usually always have peach jam which has grown on me. 

I go home and eat lunch with my host family and roommate. Since my host mom is from the north, she is very punctual... 2:30 everyday. I have come to realize that some of the stereotypes they have about the north and south of Spain are very true. Northerners are known to be a little more serious, hardworking, and punctual, while southerners are the laid-back, always-tardy-but-not-worried-about-it-at-all type. I've been told the weather has a lot to do with it. The eternal nice weather of the south lets the people stay out, while the less preferable weather of the north keeps people inside.

Anyway, lunch is usually a very large meal. There are usually two courses, and a fruit for dessert. There are a lot of soups and my host mom Sarah always has "picos," which are essentially little breadsticks, with every meal.

After lunch is siesta. Something I am really going to miss when I am back in the United States. A lot of stores and businesses will close from 2:00-5:00ish for lunch and siesta, then re-open for the evening. It's nice to have some downtime in the middle of the day, even if I don't actually take a nap.

Later, I either go to my culture class at the center, or tutor little kids in English. All are at 6:00 pm. I have enjoyed tutoring a lot. It is really great that I had to chance to earn a little bit of income while I was here. I have to say though, the children were a lot to handle!

What I do after that depends on the day. After class on Mondays, we go to a cookie shop behind las Setas. Sometimes I do homework. Sometimes I feed my Grey's Anatomy addiction a little and watch an episode or two. Sometimes I just walk around the beautiful city.

Dinner is at 9:30, also very punctual. Dinner is smaller, but still pretty big since snacking isn't very big here. I love talking with my host parents. That is one of the things that has most helped my Spanish.

What I do after dinner also depends on the day. I either go out with friends, do some homework, or go out with my intercambio, Maria. On Wednesdays, I like to go to Cien Montaditos-- refer to earlier blog post for more information :)

And that about wraps it up... sounds like a pretty good day, huh? Then again, it's hard to have a bad day when you're in Sevilla.

Entry 11 (English Translation): Final Evaluation of my Internship

Eight months ago, I was talking to my Spanish teacher, and asking her advice. I really didn't think I was ready to do work in a medical environment, in a new country, and in a language that was neither natural nor easy for me. Now it's December, and my time is running short in el Hospital de la Caridad in Seville. It is true -time flies! In a week, I will return to the United States, with new knowledge and a different perspective of both the world of medicine and myself.

el Hospital de la Caridad-- where I've been learning a lot this semester! The portrait on the right is the founder of the hospital, Miguel Manara, who I wrote about in a prior post.

During my hospital experience, I have met and talked to nurses, general practitioners, specialists, and management personnel. I've acquired a very useful vocabulary fora job in medicine. I think my class at the center, "Spanish for the Health Professional, " has reinforced what I learned in the hospital. I had the opportunity to talk to patients and have developed an understanding of how to present myself in a professional and medical facility. My experience has taught me to ask when I do not understand, without the fear of making mistakes in speaking Spanish. It is important to talk and practice, in order to improve language skills. The internship, of course, has also offered me an opportunity to get a better idea of the specific job I may want to pursue in the future, and how specialists work together to effectively cure a patient.

I learned about the health systems of the two countries-- they are certainly very different. Spain's healthcare system is public, and the U.S. system is private. In Spain, anyone can go to the doctor and receive medical care and prescriptions for free . And not only Spanish people, but any person who is registered with the government. My teacher in my class at the Center told me that many people from other countries of the European Union now come to Spain for surgeries or more serious treatments, because they also can be assisted for free. Now, because Spain is experiencing an economic crisis, according to the same teacher , copays are becoming more frequent, but it is still incredibly cheap and accessible in relation to the US healthcare system. There is a branch of private medicine in Spain, for which you have to pay for medical insurance, but that comes with more personal treatment and faster service. In the United States, I have never heard of the public system, nor do I know if it really even exists. The US healthcare system is completely private, like the vast majority of companies in the country. Health insurance is expensive and difficult to obtain if you have a serious or preexisting condition. President Obama has intentions to change the system, to make health care more accessible, however, it's a very controversial topic right now over there across the pond...so complex and controversial that the U.S. government stopped working a few weeks, with what seemed to me like no definite result when they resumed. After experiencing both systems, it is easier to see the best - and worst - of each. It has definitely given me a more objective perspective of medicine. I saw for the first time that the idea of ​​health may vary in many different cultures-- for example, the idea of smoking in relation to health consequences is extremely different in both countries. To me, it is very interesting that I had this experience during a time when the healthcare system in my own country is undergoing vast change, and moreover, that it seems to be converting to a system that looks curiously a lot more like the Spanish system.

Really, though... isn't it beautiful?? I love the palm trees around the building, too.

There really is nothing that I would change about my internship experience here in Sevilla. At first, as I said earlier in my blog, I didn't like the idea that I was going to be working with a nurse instead of a doctor. Now, I think it was a much better alternative, because I had the opportunity to meet all the doctors of the hospital, rather than just one specialist or general doctor. I saw and learned about the responsibilities of other workers in the field of medicine, such as nurses and administrative figures. I could not have learned as much working with a doctor alone. It is important to know not only about the branch of medicine that I wish to pursue, but also how it works in relation to the others and how they all work together to help patients in a complete way. I also liked that my schedule was flexible; if I wanted to travel for a weekend, I could work the hours lost another day, or work a few extra hours on Fridays I was in Sevilla. I liked that particular hospital because it was so close to my school and my schedule there coincided very well with my class schedule, hence, I didn't lose a lot of time traveling back and forth between my the apartment where I live and the hospital or school. The employees have all treated me with great patience in explaining and language, and with an interest in learning about my life, as well. I think I now have the ability to help Spanish-speaking patients in the future and I have a better understanding of communication in general. I know how I want to affect and change, in small and possible ways, the healthcare system in the United States-- to better treat patients, and to ensure the system is fair to all. For all these reasons, my internship at the Hospital de la Caridad has not met my expectations, but exceeded them.

The most important thing I've learned about myself in carrying out this journey is to have confidence in myself. I feel that if I can do this, which I was so incredibly scared of, then I can, with some determination and persistence, do all I want to do in my future career. What a self-empowering experience!!

Only a few more days, then I will have to say goodbye to this place... is this for real?

11ª Entrada: Valoración final.

Ocho meses antes de hoy, estaba hablando con mi profesora de español, y pidiéndole consejos—no creía que yo estuviera lista para realizar un trabajo en una ambiente médica en un país nuevo, y en un idioma que ya no fuera natural ni fácil para mí. Ahora es diciembre, y está agotando mi tiempo en mis prácticas en el Hospital de la Caridad, en Sevilla. Es la verdad-- ¡que el tiempo vuela! En una semana, voy a volver a los Estados Unidos, con conocimiento nuevo y una perspectiva diferente de la medicina, y mí misma.

Mis días en la Caridad consisten en varias cosas. Durante mi experiencia en el hospital, he conocido y hablado con enfermeros, médicos generales, especialistas y personas de gestión. He aprendido mucho vocabulario útil para un trabajo en el campo de medicina. Creo que mi clase del Centro Norteamericano, “Spanish for the Health Professional,” ha reforzado lo que he aprendido en el hospital. Tenía la oportunidad de hablar con pacientes y he desarrollado un conocimiento de cómo presentarme en un lugar profesional y médico. Mi experiencia en las prácticas me ha enseñado preguntar cuando yo no entienda, sin temor de hacer errores en hablar español. Es muy importante hablar y practicar, sin temor de decir algo mal, para mejorar las habilidades del idioma. La práctica, por supuesto, también me ha ofrecido una oportunidad de conocer el trabajo más específico que quiero hacer en el futuro, y cómo funcionan los especialistas juntos para efectivamente curar a un paciente.

He aprendido sobre los sistemas sanitarios de los dos países-- son dos sistemas que funcionan en maneras distintas. El sistema sanitario de España es público, y el sistema estadounidense es privado. En España, cualquier persona puede ir al médico y recibir asistencia médica y recetas, gratis. Y no solo los españoles, sino cualquier persona quien esté matriculado con el gobierno. Mi profesora de mi clase en el Centro me ha dicho que muchas personas de otros países de la Unión Europeo vienen para operarse o recibir tratamientos más graves, porque también se pueden atender por gratis. Ahora, porque España está en un estado de crisis económica, según la misma profesora, a veces hay más copagos para medicamentos, pero todavía, es muchísima más barata y accesible la asistencia de España que la de los Estados Unidos. Al mismo tiempo, hay una rama de medicina privado en España, para que haya que pagar seguros médicos, pero que es más rápido. En los Estados Unidos, nunca he oído del sistema público ni sé si existe—casi todo es privado en los EEUU. Los seguros médicos son caros y muy difíciles para obtener si se tenga una enfermedad grave o preexistente. El presidente Obama intenta plantear cambios al sistema, para hacer que la asistencia médica sea más accesible para los pobres. Sin embargo, es un problema muy complejo ahora en los Estados Unidos…tan complejo y controvertido que el gobierno estadounidense paró de trabajar unas semanas, sin resultado definido al problema cuando re-empezaron. Después de experimentar con los dos, es más fácil ver lo mejor—y también, lo peor—de ambos sistemas. Ha hecho que yo tenga una perspectiva de medicina más objetivo. He visto por primera vez que la idea de salud puede variar muchísimos en culturas diferentes—por ejemplo, la percepción del efecto de fumar en la salud es extremamente distinta en ambos países. A mí, es muy interesante que yo haya tenido esta experiencia durante un tiempo en que el sistema sanitario de mi propio país está cambiando mucho, a un sistema que curiosamente me parece más como el sistema español.

En serio, no hay nada que cambiaría de la práctica. Al principio, como ya he dicho en mi blog, no me gustaba que fuera a estar trabajando con un enfermero en vez de un médico. Ahora, creo que era mucho mejor—he tenido la oportunidad de conocer a todos los médicos de la Caridad, no solo un especialista o un médico general, y también aprender sobre las responsabilidades de los otros trabajadores del campo de medicina, como los enfermeros. No habría podido aprender tanto trabajando con un médico solo. Es importante saber no solo sobre su propia rama de medicina, sino también como funciona en relación a las otras y como hacer que funcionen juntos para ayudar a sus pacientes en una manera completa. Me gustaba mucho también que mi horario fuera flexible; si yo quisiera viajar un fin de semana, podía trabajar las horas perdidas otros días, o trabajar unas horas más los viernes que estaba en Sevilla. Me gustaba ese hospital en particular porque estaba muy cerca del Centro Norteamericano. Los trabajadores del hospital me han tratado con mucha paciencia en explicar y con el idioma, y con un deseo de aprender de mi vida. Creo que ahora tengo la capacidad de ayudar a pacientes que hablan español en el futuro y que tengo un entendimiento mejor de comunicación en general. Además, sé como quiero afectar y cambiar, en las maneras pequeñas y posibles, el sistema sanitario de los Estados Unidos, para tratar mejor a los pacientes, y para asegurar que el sistema sea justo para todos. Por todas esas razones, no se han cumplido mis expectativas con respecto a la práctica, sino se han superado.

Lo más importante que he aprendido sobre mí misma al llevar a cabo esta práctica es tener confianza en mí misma. Tengo la sensación de que si yo pueda hacer eso que me daba tanto miedo, puedo, con determinación y persistencia, realizar todo que quiero realizar en mi carrera en el futuro.

Acción de Gracias-- Thanksgiving in Spain

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and family back in the US!! It feels so weird to be away from home for the holiday. I feel it only appropriate to share my Thanksgiving experience today, and share my many thanks for my life's blessings.

The center had a Thanksgiving lunch for us today. Since the restaurant owner was American, the meal was much more authentic than I was expecting (except for the Moroccan soup for the first course...): complete with turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, bread, and even wine for everyone.

Not too bad for a country that doesn't even celebrate the holiday, eh??

Before lunch, Amalia, our program director, asked if anyone wanted to say a few words, a grace. I was so thankful for the center's understanding of the importance of the holiday for us-- they really tried so hard to make it as normal as possible given the circumstances. I'm sure they know this is one of the harder days for students during the trip.

About five students got up and said all the usual, and then some. We're thankful for our families, for our friends-- new and old, for the extraordinary opportunities we've been blessed to have and the memories we'll always remember from our time in Sevilla. 

We're thankful for having food to eat, houses to keep us, and warmth in the cold winter months. We're thankful for the people in our lives who have made this study abroad experience a reality for us.

I'm thankful for all the little things here that have put a smile on my face. A cup of coffee between classes at my favorite cafe with friends, the stranger who helped me to pay for my baggage fine at the airport, the other Americans I meet here who are having similar experiences and have the same kind of dreams that I have. 

I had a new mindset to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, too. I worried about leaving home so much this summer, that it would sometimes bring me to tears. As excited as I was to have the opportunity, I couldn't stand the idea of leaving behind my family and missing all the things that I would miss throughout my time here. But looking back now, I can only be thankful to God for giving me a new outlook. I am so grateful that He has given me the ability to overcome my greatest fears and a self-confidence that before I never knew, and that I still wouldn't know if it hadn't been for this trip. I am thankful for having the chance to become more of the person I want to be one day. 

And it's true what they say, that you don't know what you have til it's gone. While I love all those who I've met here (ok, well, most of them at least...) I realize every day I'm gone why my family will always be the best thing I have in my life. I'm tearing up here thinking of the endless support my parents and sister have given me and their understanding of my leaving. How do I thank these people who have done absolutely everything in their power to help me achieve my wildest dreams?? 

Mom, me, Steph, and Dad at the mountain house in Pennsylvania.
Hope I have a chance to go over winter break!

Mom and Dad, I am so glad I got you guys. Sarah and Pedro are great, but I would never want to call anyone but you my parents. I am so grateful for the way you have raised me, and the values that you taught me that make me able to carry out this journey. Although maybe not in this exact way, you have taught me so much about things as simple as respect for other people, that seemingly have escaped so many others on this trip. And Steph-- I miss you so much, you punk. Wouldn't want anyone else as a sister. 

Me (left) and Steph, little sister (right). Christmas circa the 1990s. 

I have to say that I'll miss running around the house and trying to help mom here and there, seeing all the crazy people we call family come visit, the annual rummy tournament that card-shark Mommom always wins (one day we'll prove that she's been cheating all this time), the night before of making pies with all the ladies and listening to the first Christmas carols of the season.

Well now that I am sobbing here in my bed writing this... hope everyone back home enjoys a day of endless family, food, football, and fun!! I'm so thankful for all the wonderful things waiting for me back home. 

10a ENTRADA: ¿Qué he aprendido sobre mí misma al llevar a cabo esta práctica?

Es claro que he aprendido muchísimo durante mi práctica en el Hospital de la Caridad, ¿pero qué he aprendido sobre mí misma al llevar a cabo esta práctica?

He aprendido a superar mi timidez un poco. Es necesario preguntar para aprender bien y entender lo que he visto en el hospital. He aprendido que también es necesario no temer de mis errores en español, porque no voy a desarrollar mis habilidades en el idioma sin hacer errores o adivinar a veces.

He aprendido que tengo mucha paciencia. A veces, escucho a los médicos por un rato muy largo sin entender nada, especialmente cuando dicen chistes y tienen rato libre. No me cansa de escuchar mucho, pero al mismo tiempo, he aprendido que a veces, la paciencia no es buena. Muchas veces, hay que participar en la conversación, y no esperar para que alguien me invite o me pregunte para hablar.

He aprendido que, por segura, quiero ser médica. Antes de esta experiencia, no he tenido mucha experiencia en el campo de medicina, a causo de la formación de los médicos en los Estados Unidos. Entonces, he aprendido más sobre mis intereses de trabajo para el futuro. He aprendido cuales son las especialidades que me interesan, como cardiología, y además, las que no quiero realizar, como la geriatría.

Y lo más importante que he aprendido durante mi tiempo aquí, aunque es cursi, es confianza en mí misma. Yo tenía muchas dudas sobre aplicar para el programa de prácticas de CCCS. Hablé mucho con mis profesores de español sobre el programa, y pidiendo consejos. No creía que yo pudiera realizar con éxito un trabajo en un país diferente, en un idioma a que no había estado expuesto afuera de mis clases de español, y en un campo en que todavía no había tenido mucha experiencia. Casi no apliqué—yo no apliqué hasta el último día que era posible. Como siempre se dice, he aprendido que en realidad, mi autoestima y determinación puede ser lo más importante para realizar mis ambiciones. Esta experiencia en Sevilla, especialmente mi práctica, ha sido la más auto-empoderamiento de mi vida. Tengo la sensación de que si puedo hacer eso, puedo hacer todo lo que quiera en mi carrera profesional. 

Casual Continent Hop-- Weekend Trip to Morocco

I can now officially say that I have been on three different continents. This past weekend I went to Morocco, and it was a trip I will never forget. After my shift at the hospital Friday morning, I went home, grabbed my bags that I packed the night before, stopped by OpenCor (which is now SuperCor?? but I guess that's a different story...) for some snacks for the road, and walked to the bus stop which was conveniently located an easy 5-10 minute walk from my apartment. 

While we've done most of the trip-planning on our own-- aka our travel-savvy friend Corey has figured literally everything out-- we used a student travel agency for this trip called Discovery Excursions. The trips we plan on our own are usually less expensive and more flexible schedule wise, we thought that since it was Morocco we should go with a group that was more experienced. It was definitely worth the cost! It was all-inclusive, so all of our meals and hotels were pre-paid. 

We got off the bus and took a boat across the Mediterranean to Morocco. I loved the ferry ride! What a beautiful sunset...

That night we stayed in the hotel and tried some Moroccan food, which thankfully, I really enjoyed. We ate a lot of chicken and rice while we were there.

The next morning we hopped in the bus again to head to Chefchaouen, a city that was almost completely blue. It was my favorite of the three cities we visited, by far. We stopped for some mint tea on the way.

We did a little bit of exploring and took a hike. There were a lot of stray cats, and some even came into the restaurant where we were eating and sat next to us while we ate. Very different vibe than Europe or the US. Something that also surprised me was that people were very uncomfortable with us taking pictures. Morocco is a predominantly Islam country (at least where we were) and I learned that taking pictures is considered too self-centered, and frowned upon. People turned their faces and covered themselves when we were near! We tried after that to be more discrete.

Poor widdle baby cat, shivering in the cold :(

We climbed up a mountain to get a better view of the city. So pretty! We had a local guide who told us a little bit about the history of the area.

We saw a lot of doors in the middle of the brush... we didn't know what they were for or what they
were from, but they sure were pretty!

After some bartering in the afternoon-- there were TONS of street vendors, who sold things very inexpensively-- we took the bus back to the hotel. We had a show at dinner....

Yes, this man has lit candles on a tray on his head. I think there was a magnet, but still. So neat!

Me and my chocolate mousse dessert: pretty content. 

There was a free sangria party after dinner that night. It kind of confused me. Drinking is against the religion of the people of the hotel, but we had the whole sixth floor to ourselves and the guides threw a little party. I was surprised we were allowed to have our little get-together. It was so much fun! We met students who are studying all over Spain. We played cards, once it started clearing out, with the guides. I don't know why, but expressions and jokes are so much funnier when told by someone who doesn't speak English as their first language. Good times.

Next morning, off for more adventures. We went to the beach of Asilah, and even got to ride camels. It was a short ride, but I don't think I would have wanted to for that much longer anyway. I felt a little bad for the camels, having to get up and down constantly and trek us around. I met a baby camel too, who was really cute.

Always happy to be at the beach :)

Yours truly, riding a camel in Africa. 

 Last stop: the Caves of Hercules...

View from the inside of the cave...

I am so glad I had the chance to visit Morocco-- it was a place I didn't even think of visiting until I got here. The culture was so completely different from any of those I've seen so far in Europe. While I enjoyed the trip, I felt the most uncomfortable on this one, because of all the differences. The vendors were very aggressive, and some had a lot of things to say about Americans, which also made me uncomfortable. 

It's weird that coming back to Sevilla after all these mini adventures feels like coming home. I didn't think I'd get to that point here, and I'm so glad I did. Have to say though, I am getting really excited to see my family for Christmastime. I'll miss them so much on Thanksgiving. I am working on finishing up my plans for getting myself through the airport and all, trying to make sure that it's all planned so that I don't mess anything up on my way from Sevilla to Madrid... should be interesting considering my navigational skills. 

And the countdown begins-- 21 days left! Where did the time go? As they say in Spanish, "el tiempo vuela"-- time flies. 

9a ENTRADA: ¿Cómo puede influir esta experiencia en mi futura carrera profesional?

Decir que mi experiencia en el Hospital de la Caridad es útil sería una atenuación. Es claro a mí que mis prácticas aquí en Sevilla van a ayudarme mucho en mi futura carrera profesional.

Primero, el idioma es crucial para mí. Quiero poder tratar y ayudar todos los pacientes que sean posibles, y saber otra idioma con un vocabulario especializado en que yo haga, es inestimable para eso tipo de trabajo. Sé que he aprendido mucho que me va a ayudar directamente en la consulta, cuando soy médica. La capacidad de comunicar con otro mundo de pacientes es la manera en que mis prácticas van a influir mi carrera más.

También, he aprendido sobre especialidades que me interesan, y que quizás voy a realizar. Aunque sé que no quiero trabajar en geriatría / la tercera edad, he observado y conocido a un cardiólogo en el hospital, y creo que la cardiología podría ser una especialidad en que me gustará trabajar. Entonces, mis prácticas me han ayudado a ver mejor las especialidades de medicina, y cuales me interesan, y las que no me interesan mucho. Por ver todas las especialistas que vienen al hospital, he adquirido un entendimiento mejor de las responsabilidades de cada tipo de médico, y más, personas administrativas y en enfermería.

Finalmente, en además de la lengua y conocimiento de especialidades médicas, he aprendido mucho del sistema sanitaria de España y lo de los Estados Unidos, y lo mejor (y lo peor) de ambas sistemas. Son dos sistemas muy diferentes—el público español y el privado americano—que tienen vistas de salud diferentes. Hay reglas diferentes en los dos países y procedimientos distintos en lo que respecta a la medicina. Hay una formación diferente para los médicos en España y los Estados Unidos, que influye las diferencias en los dos grupos. Todo eso conocimiento va a ayudarme a tener una vista de la medicina más abierta, y a implementar lo mejor de cada sistema para practicar medicina en una manera que percibo mejor para todos.