As mentioned before, I am only going to stay a semester in Australia. It is absolutely wonderful, but I just cannot stand being away from home for a year… Six months is good enough.
Anyway, my original plan for the summer was to head to New Zealand and then home to the US, but to be truthfully honest, I am kind of sick of traveling around, living out of bag, moving from hostel to hostel, and just wasting my free time when I could be doing something worthwhile.
I really wanted to do a medical internship this winter in Mexico (after being a year in Australia), so I could work in a hospital and shadow a doctor... BUT since I am going back home early, I just decided to move the internship up to this summer!
I just recently applied to a medical internship in Chiang Mai, Thailand through Experiential Learning International (ELI) volunteer program.
The program seems absolutely wonderful… The program fee is for 4 weeks, which includes housing, food, airport pick-up, etc. The only thing I need to worry about is airfare from Perth to Thailand, airfare back to the US, immunizations, traveler’s insurance, a VISA, and personal expenses... but I think I will be alright. I am going to find a job here in Perth, and I am also going to start fundraisng to try to raise money via donations.
Through this program, I will get the opportunity to work in a hospital & shadow a doctor in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It looks like a great way to get some one-on-one clinical experience, yet at the same time, experience a country that is completely different from the US & AUS. Plus, I think it will look great on a medical school application because I will get to see healthcare from an international perspective.
I’m excited, but at the same time a little scared… It’s going to be in a country that is nothing like the US. Australia was very similar to America, but now I will be in a place with absolutely no Wal-Marts, IGAs, or Walgreens...
I'm going to be completely out of my comfort zones, but I’m all about taking chances and experiencing something new & exciting. I will never know unless I try it, and I know I would regret it if I never tried to go.
I am applying for four weeks, so I will be there from 06/22 – 07/20, but I might want to stay an extra week. I’ll probably be home something like July 27th.
The new adventure is currently in the process, but I will definitely keep everyone updated. Check out more information at…
http://www.eliabroad.org/
Picture of a temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand (compliments of wikipedia.com)
More statues in Chiang Mai (compliments of eliabroad.org)
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