Teenagers Abroad program

Teenagers Abroad program

By Vilina Phan

Hot, hot, hot, must escape from the scorching rays of sun, I thought to myself as I got out of the taxi and power walk inside. Aged white walls entered my vision when I stepped inside, not really thinking about what I was getting myself into.

I’m in the Teenagers Abroad program, and part of the commitment was to volunteer at a local hospital. On my first day there, when I heard our assignment of the day, I’ll admit I groaned a little bit. But nonetheless I went out with the rest of the girls, handing out fliers in the surrounding area.

What I saw regrettably surpassed anything I’d ever seen. Such sadness could be felt throughout the neighborhood. Stray dogs ran loose across the dirt ridden ground, where only a few brave blades of grass could peak through, and the earth was used as a wastebasket. In contrast to my suburban neighborhood, the homes were devastating; some of the people were living basically under a tin roof with only a few sticks supporting it up. It broke my heart to see this, especially since at home, my life is filled with things that some of these people can only dream about. It’s strange to think that people can live like this when only a few blocks away there are other people paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a night for a condo or resort. But I digress; I handed out fliers, using the limited Spanish I’ve learned to help them best I could, by informing them of the Angel notion clinic, and honestly a lot of them seemed grateful. There was a shop owner who told me a story about her daughter who was having a difficult pregnancy, and how she was eternally grateful for our flyer and our willingness to help. I came back to the hospital blistered, sweaty, and dehydrated, but at the same time none of that mattered because I knew I made a difference in someone’s life, even if it’s not world changing, it still gave me a fantastic feeling. That was only day one.

On one occasion, we did touch ups around the hospital by painting over decaying spots on the wall, and at first it didn’t seem to make a difference, just an odd job. But when the paint dried, the walls were like new, for lack of better words. And it truly spruced up the appearance of the hospital, making it look more welcoming and warm.

On another occasion, as we were waiting for our assignments, I saw a little boy and his mother. The little boy couldn’t have been more then five years old, with beautifully bright and curious brown eyes. As his mother was talking to the receptionist, we had fun playing a peek-a-boo game, and as he waved good-bye to me, I waved back feeling satisfied.

This clinic hospital is a fantastic place, located where money is scarce and all help is greatly appreciated. Volunteering here was an unexpected experience that broadened my perspective of life.