Tanzania: Kristen Patterson
Program: UW Health, Education, & Tanzanian Culture, Winter Intersession
Kristen’s Major: Biochemistry
What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?
While in Tanzania, I learned that no one way of life is ‘the best.’ Coming from a Western European culture, it is easy to believe that our way of life and social structure is how it should be everywhere else in the world. After interacting with Tanzanians and being able to experience some tribal culture, I have been able to fully understand how people from other cultures can live enriching and good lives. I found myself initially feeling remorse for people living a different way than me, but I further realized that they are living completely happy and normal lives for their socioeconomic culture. I have become more understanding and comfortable with initially uncomfortable situations, and I am incredibly grateful.
Global health is really interesting to me and being able to incorporate what I learned into becoming a doctor will help me provide care to all individuals and make a change in the way we think about medicine.
What is your most memorable experience from your program?
This experience will help me become a better healthcare professional in the future. I am now more well-rounded about other healthcare systems and more educated on how I can make a difference in countries like Tanzania. Global health is really interesting to me and being able to incorporate what I learned into becoming a doctor will help me provide care to all individuals and make a change in the way we think about medicine.
What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?
Having never traveled out of the United States before this program, I was slightly apprehensive about the journey. I did initially have a hard time adjusting to the time difference and completely opposite climate of Wisconsin. I was often very fatigued and congested, but after about a week, I felt much more adjusted. Likewise, I was a bit homesick and anxious about being on the other side of the globe from my family and friends. I found that leaning on the people I was with helped so much. I have made best friends that I will have for life on this program, and they really helped me through some of these struggles. Despite these challenges, it was very worth it for the experience I was able to have.