In the jungle of Costa Rica, a group of Islander nursing students had the adventure of a lifetime. They were providing medical check-ups to Indigenous families while learning to adapt to the environment.
“Their eyes were open to using things like diet, herbs, and other kinds of nutrition to help with common problems because that is what those folks do. They don’t have access to all the medications and doctors we have here in the States”, said Leigh Shaver assistant clinical professor.
We spoke with student Rita Castillo before and after the ten-day trip.
“I feel like I will have more empathy when I come back for when I am dealing with the families in the hospital systems and clinics”, said Castillo.
After returning, Castillo said that what struck her most was the way these families lived from day to day.
“They are able to manage their health in different ways over there versus us over here, yet they were meeting the same of not better goal medically”, said Castillo.
Student Maria Delgado says the trip had brought tears to her eyes and that seeing the families they worked with reminded her of how her family lived in Mexico.
“It shows you how to treat people differently and be nicer to them because you never really know what they have going on at home. Have more patience for them because sometimes they will have a smile on their face and say everything is going fine at home and that they have everything they need but they don’t”, said Delgado.
The Texas A&M system has a campus called the Solstice Center located in Costa Rica. Equipped with casitas, dining halls, classrooms, and labs, the center housed these students and provided them with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. All fifth-semester nursing students can participate each year.
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