New Zealand: Jayden Rather
Program: UW Crossroads of Culture and Health in New Zealand, Winter Intersession
Major: Kinesiology
Describe your internship, research, or fieldwork and how the experience helped advance your career or studies.
During our studies in Dunedin, we got to learn from Jim Cotter and join him in his laboratory space at the University of Otago. We conducted experiments in a hot environment that included subjects who were cycling and subjects who were passive, both located inside a heat chamber. We also conducted experiments in cold water environments, a cold water plunge (19 degrees Celsius) and a cold water shock (8 degrees Celsius). All of these experiments helped us learn more about the adaptability of human physiology in extreme environments. It really helped put the knowledge we learned in lectures into practice. It was also interesting that we came in on the first day not knowing we were going to be experimenting to come up with data within an hour and a half. It challenged me to think more on my feet and problem-solve as issues arose. This will be important in a healthcare profession, as you commonly have to pivot from your original plans and try to problem-solve from a new angle.
What is your most memorable experience from your program?
One of the most memorable experiences from our program was being able to surf as an entire group in Christchurch. It was a lot of people’s first time surfing, and seeing us come together as a community to support each other was really special. We also went to the hot pools, and a group of us did some cold plunges in a 8 degree Celsius pool. This not only challenged our mental strength but also related to the concepts we learned in physiology about human adaptation to cold environments.
It challenged me to think more on my feet and problem solve as issues arose. This will be important in a healthcare profession as you commonly have to pivot from your original plans and try to problem solve from a new angle.
What is a custom, food or tradition from your host country that you are taking forward?
One custom that I am taking forward from New Zealand is the Māori concept of Hauora or holistic wellbeing. This idea of health and well-being is represented by a house diagram with the pillars being physical, spiritual, mental/emotional, land/roots, and family/community. If one of these pillars suffers, the entire house collapses. I think that this is not only important to consider in terms of my own well-being but also as a future healthcare provider, considering each of my patients and their recovery. Healthcare within the United States is very individualized, and it was an important reminder that support systems and holistic health benefit recovery and longevity of communities.
What is the moment you are most proud of?
One of the moments I am most proud of was experiencing Māori culture in Te Hana when we stayed in the marae. I have never been so immersed in a culture before and seeing the Māori people open our entire group with open arms was an amazing experience. It was only our second full day together in the program and this experience brought our group much closer. We even learned a waiata or song to sing for the Māori people at the marae. I was very impressed with how quickly we learned the words to the song and performed it the very next day.