I don't really have a single word to explain how I felt about this trip. There have been amazing moments, times where I felt uncomfortable and times where I didn't want the day to end. Each day and visit was different so at times it was difficult to prepare. On the other hand each day felt the same because we had normal early morning/late afternoon "shifts". There were many positive but also some negative moments. Regardless I've learned from each moment.
I have come to appreciate many things that I took for granted in the States. We truly are the melting pot and thats something I did not see in Thailand. Walking down the streets or in the hotel lobby we definitely got some looks from locals or even visitors. I don't believe anyone meant any harm. I believe that people just weren't used to seeing someone that looked like or talked like me or some of my colleagues. Adjusting to this was a challenge but I think got through it just fine. :)
I remember one particular instance when we went to a traditional medicine hospital. A professor there was talking about certain size acupuncture needles and pointed out specific people that would need larger needles because of their physical size. I am not saying this wouldn't happen in the States but simply that I haven't witnessed it in the setting we were in. Most health care providers are aware about how weight conscious their patients or people in general can be. Again the intention was pure but there was a cultural difference. This was definitely one of the negative experiences but I still learned from it. I appreciate the diversity we have here.
Moving on to the positives.
Dr. Krebs said we were going to meet so many amazing people and he was not wrong. Noi, our coordinator, was incredible. We went to lunches/dinners with her and she would order everything. We'd have family style meals where we had the opportunity to try so many different dishes. She would explain each dish in detail and we learned a lot of Thai culture from her during these meals. She also traveled with us everywhere and guided us to the hotspots in the area. She was almost like a mom telling us what things to stay away from and what things were okay to do. I really hope to stay in touch with her.
There were several people at the hospitals that were excited to have us. I remember our first visit and the hospitality was incredible. We had snacks and lunch through out the entire day. By the time we left, I decided I wasn't going to eat dinner! Every doctor, nurse and pharmacist that presented thanked us for being there several times. I was taken back because I felt as if I should be thanking them more for inviting us and taking time away from their patients.
I think every trip has it's positives and negatives. This one by no means was a perfect trip but I've learned from every moment. There were times when I was home sick, missed pizza, was physically sick (will never eat oysters..ever again) or sleep deprived. There were also many moments where I was excited to be traveling, meeting new people, Thai food, hiking and so much more. I've learned from many different people about pharmacy and non-pharmacy topics. Every hospital, clinic or pharmacy we went to, we talked about more then just pharmacy. It gave us a chance to know each others culture and life style. It was amazing how different people see us based on the region we are from. It was an opportunity to teach each other!
Truly an unforgettable trip!!!
Purvi :)
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