Journal 2: What are your goals for your service experience? Develop SMART goals based on the following categories: Language, Country, Social Issue, Service/Research, Personal, Pre-Service, In-Country, and Post-Service
Language & Country: I’ve always wanted to speak Spanish so I’m really excited to be able to completely immerse myself in Spanish this summer. Although I won’t be fluent after just a few months in Ecuador, I hope to speak more confidently and fluidly by the end of my internship. Language classes will be a part of the program, but I think that I will learn more from just talking to people and using Spanish as much as I can. I also want to really explore and experience Quito and Ecuador this summer and see more than just the typical touristy things. I think that by making friends with locals and developing good relationships with friends and my host family I will be able to improve my Spanish and also see more of Quito.
Social Issue: While I’ve done a lot of research on sexual and reproductive health in Ecuador, I hope to get a fuller understanding of the issue while I’m in Ecuador. I’m interested in learning more about how the NGO I will be working with operates in such a conservative climate. I also hope to learn strategies for discussing sensitive issues like sexual and reproductive health while being respectful of culture and traditions and at the same time helping to change people’s attitudes and making a difference.
Pre-Service: I want to be as prepared as I can be before I go to Quito. I know that there’s a lot I can’t prepare for, but I do want to make sure I know as much about my social issue as possible and about Ecuador in order to be a more effective volunteer and be more useful to the NGO I’ll be working with. I will continue to research Ecuador and read news from Ecuador to make sure I stay up to date and aware.
Service/In-Country: I’m not quite sure what I’ll be doing for the NGO this summer, but no matter what it is, I hope to do meaningful and useful work, while keeping in mind what we learned in class this semester about the ethics of service and different models for service. I also hope to learn a lot from the NGO and get as much out of this experience as possible by developing good relationships with the people working with the NGO and talking with them and getting to know them.
Post-Service: I want to be able to bring what I learn during this experience back home. While the United States is much more open about topics like sexual and reproductive health, it’s still an extremely important issue and a lot of people here aren’t getting access to the health services they need. I want to take what I learn in Ecuador and use it as a student at Rice and as a future doctor. During the summer, I also want to think about how to describe my experience effectively when I come home so that I’m prepared to effectively share my experience with others when I get home.
Personal: I’ve been thinking about possibly working abroad or working in international service after I graduate from Rice and go to medical school. I think this experience will be a great opportunity for me to get a better idea of what that would be like. I have also recently been thinking that I might want to focus on women’s health and topics such as sexual and reproductive health as a doctor. I hope this internship can help me get a better idea of what kind of job I want and what I want to do long-term. I also want to have fun, make friends, be adventurous and challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone during my internship. I think this will help me learn more about myself and help me have the best experience possible.