On May 14th
to the 21st I had the wonderful opportunity, along with 8 other of
my peers, to travel to beautiful Republic of Costa Rica. Our mission was to
learn about their healthcare system and educated the young and elder community
about healthy lifestyles via various health fairs. All of the members were part
of a UIC organization called Health Oriented Latino Association (HOLA). HOLA is
a group of Latino based students who are pursuing careers in the health field.
For
the first couple of days we stayed at a hotel at the Posada Llanos del Cortes where
our host Marielos, Co-Founder and Program Director at Central America Study
Abroad CASA, prepared us typical delicious Costa Rican meals and enlightened us
with all we needed to know about our new “home”. We learned about the history
and how the health care system of Costa Rica has evolved. Also, we were shocked
to hear Costa Rica hasn’t had a military for a long time. Former President José
Figueres formerly abolished the armed forces on December 1st, 1948. Costa
Rica has been a peaceful country and for that, they are grateful. The most
intriguing aspect is the solidarity of the country. Every Costa Rican pays a
share of their income and the system works out so well that the poor end up
receiving free or very cheap healthcare.
In between our
busiest days, we had delectable meals. There were a variety of meals to choose,
from eating fruit for breakfast and fresh homemade juices to devouring plates
of tilapia with delicious salads, there was always something new and yummy to
eat. My favorite traditional plate of Costa Rica was called “Gallo Pinto”,
which consists of white rice with black beans, corn tortilla, eggs, and
plantains. It is typically eaten for breakfast on a daily basis; I would have
to say it was my favorite meal of the day.
Our day would
usually start early in the early morning around 6am, first to eat breakfast
prepared by Marielos. Afterwards we would have a lecture of what the task for
the day would be. Our biggest task: preparation for the health fairs. The group
was split up and was told to devise a presentation on various topics like
nutrition, hygiene, prevention from chronic diseases, prevention from STDs,
vaccinations, and prevention from dengue fever. Dengue fever was something new
to the group. Dengue fever is caused by one of four related viruses and it
spreads by the bite of mosquitoes, most commonly found in tropic and subtropics
regions. One of our many tasks was to inform the community of how to prevent
the virus by maintaining a clean environment.
After a successful
week of helping the community, the group had great experiences enjoying the
Llanos del Cortes Waterfall, swimming in the warm beaches, and spending the
last couple of days in a rural area with another host family. A lot of us were
scared to stay with a family we did not know anything about. However, it turned
out to be one of the most influential and fun experiences we have ever had.
With our families, it was easier to grasp the culture and lifestyles, something
you cannot buy living at a hotel.
Within a nine-day
trip, we all started to feel as if we were from Costa Rica. The friendly locals
and family traditions made you feel at home and safe. Even though it is just
the third mission trip for H.O.L.A, Costa Rica left us all with an appetite of
traveling and educating Latin and Central America, with a hunger to help others
internationally. It was a memorable experience and the group wishes to plan
another mission trip for summer 2014. Perhaps, Costa Rica again? Peru? Join us
and help us make a difference in the world!
Last dinner/night at Costa Rica.
From left to right: Diana Alvarez,
Benjamin Vazquez, Veronica Atariguana, Daniela Mota, Jeanne Santamaria,
Marielos (our host), Dr. Warner Picado, Viviana Nava, Yessenia Vazquez, Carlos
Montero, Kara Callahan (our coordinator), and Armando Baez.
Cataratas de Llanos de Cortés
