One final group picture before loading up the vans!
So we have finally made it back to the states. A bittersweet goodbye to the beautiful city and people of Guatemala. It has been a life-changing experience for all of us involved. There isn’t a single one of us that will not keep a part of this trip with us at all times.
We really love this view!!!!
As promised, we have put together a little something special for our final post… each member of the groups has written a little about their trip. Below is a snippet of each member’s favorite thing about the trip and what they are going to miss most!
Katie Smith: My favorite thing about this trip was how everyone came together and worked as one team. It seemed like we had all known each other before, but I only knew one person coming and now I am leaving with so many friends. I will miss the kind hearts of the people and how they are so appreciative of what they have.
Jade Liwag: As we served the communities in need, we became our own community. We worked together, shared meals and a living space together, and laughed together, too. I came into this trip not knowing what to expect, and I didn’t know many people either. As the days passed, I’ve grown close and comfortable with all of these dedicated, caring people. I will always remember this trip, and I will miss seeing the smiles and joy of those that we served.
Brooke Riordan: My favorite part of the trip was working as a team to provide the best healthcare possible for the people of Antigua. It was heart warming to know that people were looking to us for many the only health care they will receive in the next year or so. The families were so extremely grateful and could not say thank you enough. It really made me feel important and impactful — thus what I will miss the most!
Meredith Massengale: This has been such an incredible week, full of serving, laughter, and adventure. My favorite part about this trip was getting to work alongside other healthcare students to accomplish a common goal: to care for the beautiful people of Guatemala. I will miss the beautiful cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and smiling faces of everyone here in Antigua.
Cassidi Honer: It’s hard to pick a favorite thing about this trip. We started as five separate professions and are leaving as one coherent team. Knowing that we all worked together to serve communities deeply in need is such a heart warming and rewarding experience. I will miss the beauty of Antigua, the positivity of everyone we served, and the amazing friends I have made through this trip.
Maigen Bartlett: My favorite part of this trip was serving the people of Guatemala. Not only did they light up while we gave them care but they gave us hope as well. They were some of the best people I have ever met. The people here are so welcoming and happy and they appreciate even the smallest things. I will miss the people of Guatemala but I will also miss getting to be with all of my new friends 24/7. Everyone that came on this trip is amazing.
Andrea Wilkinson: There have been so many amazing parts of this week here in Guatemala that it’s hard to pick a favorite. I would have to say my favorite part of this trip was getting to know everyone in our team and being able to work with not just one other profession, but 4 other professions in order to serve the people here. I’ve learned so much from everyone on this trip, and that would have to be my favorite part of this week. I’m going to miss getting to work with each and every one of the people on this team as well as all of the amazing views here in Guatemala.
Pablo Castaneda: My favorite thing was to have able to meet you all and realized you grew so much and in so many different ways. I will miss having so many laughs and running around to make sure we were ready. I will to get you in ONE VAN in 5 minutes…….LOL. Wait……another favorite thing; you love my coffee and learned so much about it!!
Brittany Collins: My favorite part of this trip was expanding my knowledge not just in the pharmacy world but gaining a better understanding of the other 4 professions. I also loved the the gratitude and loving nature that I was shown more times than I can count this week. I will miss the beautiful views, the amazing food, and the familial culture that we have been welcomed into this week.
Claire Isaia: The similarities between cultures served as my favorite part of this trip. Throughout the week it was easy to find commonalities between the clients and ourselves. Joking and laughter came easily during even the harder evaluations. From this trip, the thing I will miss the most is the intense focus on client centered care. When we were with the Guatemalan clients everything else we were worried about went out the window and all that mattered was that person’s need. I hope that we can learn from this experience and carry it on in our future work.
Emma Stepniak: My favorite part of this trip was how receptive each patient was. Whether we gave them medication or just told them that what they were experiencing was normal they were all so grateful. I will miss most our group. Through the week we have gone from strangers to family. I feel that this really strengthened us and helped to give the best care for the Guatemalan people.
Dave Wyant: It was great to see our students serving “the least of these”.
Maria Papadopoulos: It was an inspiration to see the joy, faith, and hope of all the people of Guatemala and connect together so easily. I greatly enjoyed being able to serve together as a team in such a unique way.
Missy Bryan: It was amazing to see our students from a variety a variety of health science programs come together in service to provide care, love, and compassion for the people of Guatemala. My favorite parts were the interactions we had with people and learning about Guatemalan culture. Keramion was full of love, from teachers to children, children to teachers, and children to children. It was beautiful to behold.
Dennis Caffrey: My favorite thing was watching how well the various student groups were able to work together, especially since that multi-discipline approach worked so well.I will miss seen all of you.
Halle Jarnagin: My favorite thing was getting to know the amazing people of Guatemala and their culture and faith. It was amazing to see how we all unite under one God. I will most miss the relationships built and the opportunity to care for people on such a great inter professional team.
Courtney Pitsinger: My favorite thing was getting to meet Griselda and the children at Keramion. Griselda’s testimony as well as all of the effort and love she put into making sure her students get the best care and education possible was truly inspiring! The thing I will miss the most is the pure joy and acceptance of the people of Guatemala. They were so receptive to the care we gave them and I am so thankful that i was able to experience their kindness and joy!
Jamie Adam: My favorite thing about this trip was seeing all the professions find common ground through serving the vulnerable. It was an incredible experience to witness and be part of- wow!
Caleb Darensbourg: My favorite thing was working together with the team. Everyone got along well, and I was very impressed with everyone’s work ethic. This is an experience that will make me a better pharmacist in the future. I will miss the hospitality of the Guatemalan people. They were very kind and thankful for what we were trying to accomplish. The people were so receptive and welcoming. Their optimism and positive outlook made the experience worthwhile.
Lindsay Campanis: My favorite thing was everything about this trip. I’ve never felt more at home in a different place or more myself while with a group of strangers. Guatemalan’s are so rich in faith and spirit. I’ve said time and time again that the people of Guatemala have an inspiring faith in God that I will always carry with me. It was an honor to get to know them. I am truly going to miss hearing and speaking Spanish all the time. Everything about Guatemala is captivating. I am going to miss being with this group day in and out too. This was a trip that was soul shaping. 🙂 best trip ever.
Raven Bentley: My favorite thing about this trip was just having the opportunity to serve the communities on Antigua, Guatemala. I was humbled by how grateful our patients were when we gave them even the simplest interventions. They were so welcoming and loving towards all of us, and their love for God shined through in their love for us. I also loved the interprofessional care we were able to provide. I think the interprofessional care is what I will miss most. As a team, we provided collaborative advice for the patient that included nursing, pharmacy, OT/PT, and social work information all in one. Through this type of care, we were able to provide a full range of care for our patients in a short amount of time.
Kaitlyn Kerley: It’s hard to pick one thing that is my “favorite” from the trip… there is so much that I have taken from this experience. It was absolutely humbling to meet and serve the people of Antigua. It is refreshing to see how welcoming they were to absolute strangers. They put their complete trust in us and our abilities. I will miss waking up to the smell of fresh coffee, the view of volcanos in the sky, and most of all being surrounded by this amazing group of people!! I have truly been impacted by my experience.
Sue Iliff: My favorite thing about the trip was seeing the group come together as an inter-professional learning community to serve the people of Antigua. The coffee and guacamole were top notch too! Thank you to everyone who supported and organized the trip. It was a huge success!