Skip to content

Tag: public health

Published on

By rmattiola

Our trip to Santiago seemed a bit like an obligatory stop at a tourist destination. Nonetheless, we acquired more important information regarding public health and traditional cultures. The two most educational aspects of this week were our visit to the Panamerican World Health Organization and a community ruka (traditional hut) in a highly indigenous section of Santiago called La Pintana. Our group was fortunate enough to have been the first of SIT to have this small conference with the Panamerican World Health Organization.

The information was pertinent and well organized, but I’d like to focus this blog on the observations and information gained from our visit to the urban ruka. Unfortunately, for some reason I struggled to understand a large part of the lectures in the ruka. I felt frustrated and disappointed to know that I was missing out on very important material. Regardless, I feel responsible to share the little information I gathered. It is necessary to share these experiences in order to help make the Mapuche voice heard.

There is an obvious clash between the Mapuche and the government. It seems some are even resistant to the laws and organizations put in place to improve their situation. Our director in Makewe (a community outside Temuco) seemed disguisted with PESPI, the government organization that focuses on the health of indigenous people. This well-spoken, intelligent, calm, professional Mapuche leader crinkled his nose and crossed his pointer fingers in the form of an X when he heard we would be lectured from a PESPI leader.

...continue reading "Urban resistance"

Published on

I have a confession. Study abroad is not all pretty views and happy times. Superficially, it can seem like a photo under the Eiffel tower with a picnic blanket splayed of wine and strawberries. In reality though, there are days when we all question what we’re doing here. Those feelings are exasperated by unfortunate situations like 3 week-long traveler’s diarrhea, colds from freezing weather and kitchen smoke, and bed bugs.

Yes, I have experienced my fill of each of these unfortunate conditions. I think it is important to share this “dark side” of study abroad not to scare anyone away from the experience, but to highlight reality. Our social media world is often all too positive. This false reality sets unreachable standards, contributing to disappointment and mental insecurities. I feel that my experience is very real. The reality is, I go to the bathroom expecting there to not be toilet paper or soap—even in the health centers. When someone tells me, “yes, there is wifi” I expect the connection to be shaky at best, and nearly impossible to work with.

The truth is, it is difficult to travel for a month with 23 other compañeros constantly by your side. I envy moments like this, sitting in a café, thinking, writing, and sipping house [tea] on my own. I admit all these negativities in order overcome them and emphasize the positive aspects. Although all these undesirable traits exist, everyday I am grateful for the landscape, the culture, the people, the new knowledge and the overall beauty radiating from all forms of life. Now that I have acknowledged the bad and the ugly, we can go on to the plentiful good. Perhaps this can be a new addition to my weekly blogs—highs and lows.

...continue reading "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"

Published on

 

After Hanoi, CET took the program participants to Hue—the imperial city.

Hue houses a large amount of Vietnamese history considering that it acted as the capital through French colonization. Only after the, "American War" did Hanoi take power.

Our first afternoon in Hue was spent visiting a school that housed children, young adults, and adults with developmental disorders. The school, in part supported by Eurasia Foundation, teaches vocational skills to their pupils—including gardening, lacker painting, and food preparation. In addition, they also teach them life skills like brushing their teeth and public speaking. This experience showed me and my peers a completely different sphere of Vietnamese society that I never truly considered before. The services this school offers are in high demand but unfortunately uncommon.  These individuals are cast aside and never given the chance to develop their potential and the Eurasia school attempts to give them the opportunity to be contributing members to society.

...continue reading "Another Nation's (Ancient) Capital"

Published on

By rmattiola

"We are all children of mother earth"

In Chile, there are about 10 recognized indigenous groups, although many others exist. The largest two are the Aymara (or Aimara) of the extreme north (aka the region of Arica and Parinacota) and the Mapuche of the Central- South (Arancunia Region).

During class, we received small details about each group, and we occasionally can pick up on personal opinions, but it seems like the program is encouraging us learn directly from the indigenous, rather than from a secondary source from an outsider’s perspective. We quickly learned the significance of Pacha mama (Mother earth) and Inti (Sun) from various artisans and educators in Arica, but I was craving more information.

I was fascinated by a brief lesson taught in a Spanish class about the Andian Cosmovisión (roughly translates to “world view”). The surviving Andian communities are the Quechua and Aymara who share many aspects of their world beliefs. This ancient group is thought to have migrated from Lake Titicaca in Tiwanhaku, Bolivia to the coast of Chile and Peru well before the conquistadors arrived in Latin America. We learned of the strong community connection rooted in familiar ties between the inhabitants of Aymara towns. Apparently, the hardest and most important work is often shared. The whole community will come together to dig a canal, or plant seeds, or harvest potatoes, and then feast together afterwards. We learned of the belief in 3 worlds:

Uku or Alak pacha: the world below the earth; the roots; where the dead live—but not to be mistaken for “underworld”—uku pacha has a lighter connotation. It is a respectful resting place, rather than a punishment. In fact, apparently the Aymara will pour out a little wine or milk or liquor on the ground for their ancestors (called antepasados) before drinking the beverage themselves.

...continue reading "Putre: “Somos todos hijos de la madre tierra”"

Published on

Recently, my program partook in a traveling seminar throughout Vietnam. Although the trip did not include many stops, it gave an incredible look into the diversity that I never knew existed within the country.

Our first stop was the capital—Hanoi. When talking to some people in Saigon, they described Hanoi as being a much more toned down version of Saigon that wouldn’t get as rowdy and didn’t have as much to do. Despite only being there for roughly 4 days, I’d beg to differ. Hanoi was an absolutely incredible city and had so much to offer. We were fortunate to be in a very popular area of the city—The Old Quarter—so getting around was not difficult.

Hanoi's history, unsurprisingly, is very scattered and the architecture consists of remnants of an old citadel alongside French villas that are now occupied by fusion restaurants. During the 20th century, Hanoi was the capital of Northern Vietnam and now, subsequently, modern Vietnam. Walking around the streets, and when talking with locals, the capitalist/communist influence is very evident.

...continue reading "Hanoi, Forever Ago"

Published on

By rmattiola

Thus far, I’ve toured and observed 6 health centers with in the public sector: Two CESFAM (centro de salud familiar: Family Health Center) one CESCOF (centro comunitario de salud familiar: Community Family Health Center) one Posta Rural (rural post), UNACESS (la unidad de atención y control en salud sexual:a sexual health center) and Teleton (a center for children with motor disabilities).

A brief explanation of the private and public system before I begin with my observations and opinions:

The public system is entirely government run. In fact, the level of government involvement in health care is surprising. It is easy to classify their system of health care as “socialized” although it is not universal. However, there is still an obvious connection to social medicine (which studies the social determinants of health). Between 80 and 90% of Chileans have public insurance called FONASA (Fondo Nacional de Salud) which has 4 levels, A, B,C, and D. Those with A and B receive free health care. Those with C and D pay a percentage of their fees to the government for their health care (10% and 30%, respectively). The public sector adequately covers primary care, although the region of Arica and Parincota is seriously lacking in emergency care centers, and specialists. In fact, there is only one SAPU (urgent care center) and one hospital where specialists are difficult to utilize. Apparently, all the specialists are concentrated in Santiago.

Regarding the private system, I only know that insurance is much more expensive, there are more specialists, and wait times are supposedly shorter (there is plenty of justified complaining from locals about wait times in both sectors). As far as I know, the government only regulates the private industry and has no other involvement.

...continue reading "Chilean Health Care 101"

Published on

Recently, my program coordinated a program to the Mekong Delta. The region is to the southeast of Saigon and, as expected, is a much more rural area. It was the first time I’d been exposed to what might be considered “real Vietnam.”

It was only 3 hours to our home stay—including a boat and bus ride. Our homestay was absolutely stunning. Each room had their own outdoor shower and a beautiful view of the Vietnamese wildlife. Best part, there were three puppies that loved hanging out with us!

The trip was a much needed reprieve from the city. While there, most of our travel was by boat across same channels. On the first day, we went to a coconut candy factory, a brick kiln, and a fruit market. At the fruit market, I had a taste of “Jackfruit” and it was delicious. It has almost a taffy like appearance and a pretty mild, sweet flavor. That evening we had a small cooking class where we made bánh xèo. Bánh xèo is like a Vietnamese crepe filled with radish, carrots, pork, and shrimp. It was delicious.

...continue reading "To Mekong, With Love."

Published on

By rmattiola

I am almost bothered by how constantly I am noting cultural variations. I need to actively tell myself to turn off—stop thinking—just enjoy. Here are some of those never ending cultural observations:

  • Besos (kisses): Here in Chile, and in most of Latin/ Central America, the greetings are more intimate. Handshakes are reserved for men. I made this mistake early on based on instinct, and felt the discomfort from the other person and those watching. Friends of friends and family of friends are automatically qualified for cheek kisses. I’ve even seen doctors give besos to their patients after the appointment. I was nervous about this new greeting style since my family and friends at home are much more casual with greetings, and I had little to no practice with cheek kisses. But I’ve found it’s much less stressful than I thought--the kiss is merely putting your right cheeks together and making a kissing noise while you half hug or place your hand on the other’s shoulder. The Chileans are smoother than I am, and I sometimes feel like I’m crashing into the other’s cheek rather than gently meeting them. The angle of the kiss changes on the intimacy between the couple. For example, family members and close friends will often turn to actually plant a kiss on the other’s cheek. We were warned to be cautious of how close our “kiss” lands to the other person’s mouth, because if you even remotely get close to a kiss on the lips, you are understood to be making an advance towards the other person.
  • Dogs: dogs are everywhere! Most people have one or more dogs, and there is a surplus of street dogs. I hear dog “fights” frequently. Usually these “fights” are more or less playful, and people are unconcerned, but they are very noisy, and last all night.
  • Doorbells: When the doorbell rings, it’s not commonplace to get up and answer it right away. They wait, almost ignore it, talk about who it might be, and after a few minutes will get it.
  • Time: many of the girls in the group are having a hard time adjusting to Chilean time. I however, am thriving in it. It’s normal--and expected--for locals to arrive 30 minutes to 1 hour late to any event that is not class. I believe that this lateness is actually respectful, because if you arrive on time or early to a party, the host might not be fully prepared.

...continue reading "Field Notes"

Published on

By dylanmaric

When preparing to go abroad, I consulted with my doctor on a rabies vaccination. Considering the more lax animal restrictions, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“Well, yes, a rabies vaccination would be advised, but it is a series of three shots that are roughly $300 each.”

After hearing that figure and losing consciousness for a few seconds, my mother and I opted for the alternative,“possess self-control, Dylan—don’t pet the dogs, Dylan” solution.

That was much easier said than done.

Since exploring Saigon, it is almost impossible to go out and not see a dog somewhere on the street. In the compound I live in, there are a regular 3 that hang out with the security guards. One of them knows how tempted I am to pet him and he follows me around sometimes. (Sidenote: There is also a very senile Chihuahua that I do not want to look at let alone touch.)  To cope, I got a bag that has my favorite Animal Farm quote—despite it's roots in Stalinist satire.

...continue reading "My Four-Legged Friends"

Published on

By rmattiola

Last Sunday, after the earth briefly shook beneath my feet (my first experience of a tremblor), I found my own thoughts and opinions shaken up a bit as well. A week ago, the program director Brian informed me that there is a strong movement amongst the Aymara (indigenous to northern Chile) to assimilate. At the time, I couldn’t understand why.

Over the past few days, I’ve been asked if I was Chilean or not—if I was a student from the US or one of the host siblings. Of course, I was ecstatic to be asked this. Blending in in a different country or culture is something that I consciously work towards and assign importance to. But why do I feel this way? Why am I happier in my dark, dark, Mediterranean skin than my porcelain American skin? Why is it that I’m almost ashamed of the attention attracted by my American body and accent? The reason is now clear: I have a preconceived notion that Americans are perceived as gluttonous, rude, obnoxious and uncultured. I am aware of my own feelings and attempts to blend in, yet I’m shocked when I hear that natives are trying to assimilate because I feel they have a history and a culture to protect.

In reality though, I’m sure they feel (and have felt for many years) just as I do now; happy to blend in and ashamed to be associated with a poorly connoted group. The indigenous live this struggle their whole life, while I will only experience it here for 4 months. So what should be done and thought about indigenous assimilation? What is ethical? Should we ignorantly allow the indigenous to assimilate so they can transcend discrimination? Should we push for measures that facilitate the maintenance of cultural ties? Or should we establish a system that enables self-empowerment and diminishes the pressure to assimilate? It’s interesting how quickly your opinion can change when you put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Over the last week, classes have really picked up speed. We don’t have homework assignments or true exams, just readings, essays and projects.

...continue reading "Assimilation or Empowerment: to blend in or to stick out"

Unless otherwise indicated, the content and opinions expressed on this web site are those of the author(s). They are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of the George Washington University.
Privacy Notice
Viewing Message: 1 of 1.
 Notice

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Visit GW’s Website Privacy Notice to learn more about how GW uses cookies.