Photo Essay Contest

While in South Korea, we were able to see and experience many wonderful things. Over the two weeks we were there, we all fell in love with many aspects of Korea. This country has a long history, and they keep amazing records of it. Palaces are preserved and in some cases rebuilt following the original blueprints. The pictures I took only capture a small portion of the beauty encapsulated in this country. A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, though I would argue it's worth so much more. I saw so many beautiful things that a picture doesn't quite do it justice. A picture has many purposes, and I hope that the pictures I took inspire people to go see these places for themselves. One of the first places we visited in Seoul was the Gyeongbokgung Palace. This landmark was breathtaking with its intricate artwork on the inside and outside of the different palace buildings. This artwork is called Dancheong and it showcases different flowers representing wishes for this life and the next. Seeing this beautiful form of art in person was truly amazing. We were able to see so many places but the second place that really stood out to me was K-Star Road. This popular tourist destination in Gangnam district of Seoul has Bear statues along the street. Each bear is painted in a completely different way Showcasing art while each represents a different band. Although there is no list of requirements on how a band receives a bear. The agency in charge has stated that the artists overseas activity’s are heavily taken in to account. Bands that have received bears include BTS, EXO, CNBlue and several others. This has become a very popular tourist spot for the K-Pop fans to visit when they go to Korea. Seeing this area of Seoul in person was so cool, simply because it is “new Seoul” so it looks alot like New York city building wise. We saw so many things and learned something new every single day. Our limited time in South Korea was a transformative and educating experience. Beyond the stunning palaces and vibrant K-pop culture, we discovered a nation deeply rooted in its history yet embracing modernity. The beauty of South Korea, as captured in our photographs, is truly inspiring. I encourage others to visit this memorable country and witness its unique blend of past, present and future firsthand.

Studying abroad in Puerto Rico as a nursing student was a transformative and fulfilling experience. They showed us their nursing and simulation classes and toured the different opportunities they have on campus for their students. Going to Puerto Rico I was nervous about not being educated with my Spanish speaking skills. Once we interacted with the faculty and students they helped me learn more medical terminology to help speak to the community. From engaging in as much as we could during the community events, I gained invaluable insights into the healthcare practices within a diverse and dynamic environment. We were able to build connections with the nursing students and the faculty that will last a lifetime. For the community events we got to see 2 different communities but also they were similar. It was family taking care of family and they were doing a great job at it. For me personally, I was nervous that we were going to walk into their homes and expect them to not want us there but it was nothing like that. Both houses in the different communities we got to help were welcoming us with open arms. They took our information for their healthcare needs and wanted to learn more about it. The next day we were able to do a healthcare fair that allowed us to treat more patients that wanted to be screened. As a nursing student, we were able to practice our skills of glucose checks, blood pressure, ear assessment, and even offered a plant kit. This gave us the opportunity to teach others what we've been working so hard to learn. The last day, we were able to go on a hike in the rain forrest and it was beautiful. it was a great way to relax and absorb it all in as our days in Puerto Rico were ending. As I reflect on my time abroad, I am forever grateful for the lessons I learned and the memories we made. I will continue to shape my journey as a culturally competent nurse.

I have traveled before, I have even studied abroad before, but there is only so much mental preparation you can do before actually living an experience. Colombia was vastly different from what I seen while living in the US and Europe. Going there in the end of May gave us Spring weather which entailed a lot of humidity and a good balance of rain and sunshine. This was my first time in South America; the other students and I going with professors that have done this trip before, put us more at ease. Some of the personal goals I set for this trip was to live in the moment, do not say no to new experiences, work on my Spanish, and to take back all the knowledge I learn to apply it to the social work things I do back home with a passion.

I am so lucky to have been given the opportunity to see Colombia from more than a tourist perspective. We were there for 10 days and most of them were spent listening to those who have lived through the horrors as well as those who have fought for the change the country needed. The 9 students that came were a mix of Social Work and History majors, we all came from different backgrounds but we all were just as interested, empathetic and grateful towards the people who were kind enough to offer their hospitality in food and words that are simply not strong enough to capture just how much they went through. For example, a man named Narciso told us his story of how he ended up on the farm that we stayed at for a couple of nights, how he lost everything, was shot in the face, and displaced during the war. He talked about the horrors but he also told us how thankful he was to God for sending him all the people/ organization that helped him heal and do what he loves on the farm. On that same farm was La escuela en el bosque which translates to the school in the forest. There were dozens of kids that walked from their home to come to this interactive ecological education, we were lucky enough to be able to be there one of the days and get to do the activities with the children. We learned some about nature through a blindfolded activity touching and tasting some items that were sourced from the forest, went around with the kids finding several different mushrooms and took pictures for their contest, but we also had a moment at the end to sit and appreciate the view at a lookout point and set positive intentions while thanking Mother Nature. Not everything on the trip was super fun though, we had hiccups including sickness and transportation issues but it was minor in retrospect to the truly astonishing experience we had. I was humbled, surprised and inspired in my 10 days there.