Today marks the first week done after having a complete work and class schedule, and it has been both challenging and incredible. I kept thinking of when I would finally get some time to write since so much has happened with almost no breaks! Then again, that is a good thing since it shows how much a month seems at first but then you end up wishing you were here longer. Equinoterapia (“horse therapy”) has been a lot of fun since it has been a combination between hands-on work and work outside of the site. Heather (my partner there) and I are working with the horses and helping with their maintenance, we’re also helping the kids ride the horse and do movement and vocal exercises to improve their different medical illnesses, we have been getting to know them, and we are also tracking their improvement. When we’re not at the job site, part of the work includes translating articles from English to Spanish that have more information about Equinoterapia.
Spanish class is another big part every week, and it has been more interesting and fun than I expected. Since Spanish is my first language, I personally didn’t think the classes would be as entertaining, especially a class that is 2 hours and 40 minutes long. I’ve had a great time in that class and it has been challenging and entertaining. Learning medical terms in Spanish and being able to translate them back and forth is not an easy task, but it has been a lot of fun working on it together and helping each other out. I also like the class because I speak Spanish more often there than I do back in New Jersey. The class has helped me practice and maintain proper grammar, and I’ve learned and refreshed my memory with a lot of key words used daily and in the medical field.
Time outside of the classroom and horse therapy site has also been incredible. I cannot believe how much we have done in the past week and a half from biking and hiking, to dancing, exploring the city and their markets, and fully diving into the Oaxacan culture. As a group, our bond and trust keeps growing every day through all the activities we do in and out of the classroom (especially when it comes to exploring new places) and that is something unique that Studying Abroad gives you the opportunity to do 🙂
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