Hola y Feliz Navidad!

The Christmas season has looked a lot different this year: the middle of summer, 100 degree heat, sitting in the park to share meals and drinks with friends to celebrate. As a Minnesota native, I have had a hard time really being able to feel like it’s Christmas without a few feet of snow, negative degree weather, and Christmas tree farms on every corner. My last couple of weeks have been filled with various Christmas celebrations of friends showing me how the holidays are celebrated in Argentina. Even though it doesn’t look like Christmas around here, there is definitely still the same feeling of love, joy, and connection that is reflected in this season. 

My friends hosted an early Argentine Christmas dinner for us all to be able to gather and celebrate together. It was complete with Torre de Panqueques, Pollo Relleno, Sandwich de Miga, Pan Dulce, and Clerico. Since the summer heat is strong here, all Christmas foods are cold, which is quite the opposite from at home. We spent the night sharing Christmas memories and traditions, playing games, and enjoying time together. There’s a word in Spanish that doesn’t have a direct translation, but it’s called “sobremesa”.  It’s the moments after you finish a meal, but no one gets up to leave. Rather, you spend hours staying gathered around the table laughing together, sharing stories, and just enjoying time together. Truthfully, every meal here is followed by sobremesa, but it felt extra special to gather to celebrate Christmas together and stay for a while to be in each other’s company. 

We also celebrated an early Christmas at work by sharing a traditional breakfast together. This one was complete with Pan Dulce, Mantecol, Turron, and Garrapinada. Having breakfast together at work has become some of my favorite moments because it gives us a little bit of time to have fun together and have intentional conversation as friends too. Even though we are with each other everyday, it’s good to have a little bit of time outside of working to be able to share with each other too. We chatted about the differences in Christmas celebrations between Argentina and the United States, the difference in the weather, and the difference in the sweets and treats that are enjoyed during the holidays. It has been so much fun to hear from so many different people about their experiences, and also the assumptions they have about how celebrations are done in the U.S. 

Weeks like these are what keep my time here filled with so much love and happiness, even though it is hard to be so far away from home for some of the traditions that I usually share with my family. It has been an honor to be included in new traditions and be able to learn about things that are special and important to the people around me. It’s hard to describe the feeling of holidays in a different country and culture, but to me, it’s one of the best parts about living abroad!

With love, Sarah

Hello and Merry (early) Christmas! The holiday season is in full swing here in Nairobi. While decorating and celebrating the holiday isn’t quite as common as it is at home, shopping malls and restaurants have become adorned with Christmas trees and pop music has been traded for carols on the radio. This is my first Christmas away from home and I am incredibly grateful to experience this season in a culture other than my own. However, I must say, I never would have guessed how much the weather has impacted my “Christmas spirit.” It doesn’t quite feel like Christmas time when it’s 75 and sunny everyday hahaha.

Holiday reflections aside, my past couple of weeks in the clinic have been full of the same busy routine. While the majority of our patients are being seen for routine ailments, we have had quite a few minor surgical procedures in the past few weeks. On procedure in particular involved removing a nearly 1-pound lipoma from a man’s back. I was able to assist the doctor with this procedure and my role included helping him control bleeding, grabbing instruments, medications, and supplies he needed, and even removing part of the mass. It was fascinating!

I enjoy days when we have out-of-the-ordinary cases like that, I always learn something from them, and it always adds some unexpected excitement to the week. I do always, however, have the tendency to compare how such procedures are handled here to how they would be handled in the U.S. While lipoma removals are out-patient clinical procedures in the U.S. as well, there are obvious differences in how the procedure is carried out and most of those differences are related to variances in access to medical care and equipment. For example, there are vast discrepancies here in sterility, particularly when comparing it to the strict adherence to sterile procedure you would see in the U.S. To overcome such an issue here, the doctor will prescribe a variety of antibiotics for the patient to take before and after the procedure to, hopefully, circumvent the added risk of infection. With all this being said, I always hesitate to point out such comparisons because I recognize the privilege in them. But, a large part of my reasoning for being here is to learn from these things so that I may be more sensitive to them in my future career.

Outside of my day-to-day, I had the opportunity to visit an artisans market last weekend. I went to a similar event put on by the same company in September and loved it so, I knew it would be a great way to spend my Saturday when I heard they were putting on another market. I spent hours walking through the 100ish booths and taking in the nice weather and environment. I came away from the market with lots of gifts, dark chocolate, and a beautiful handmade bag made from upcycled leather clothing (pictured below).

All in all, I am continuing to love and appreciate my time here and am excited for all this is to come as I enter my last month here. Talk to you next year!

My cute and sustainable bag from the artisan market!

The past two weeks have been some of the most chaotic since I arrived here—but for all the right reasons. I have been filled with so much joy and given the opportunity to create memories that have continually reminded me of God’s unconditional love for me. It’s strange to think that even in the hardest moments, He can create pockets of joy, peace, and laughter that give you exactly what you need to persevere. For that, I am deeply grateful.

Since arriving at Mercy, I’ve realized that my gifts were needed in more areas than one. I had the opportunity to facilitate and lead a meeting with the leadership team, where we revisited the “why” of the nonprofit. Early on, I noticed gaps in structure, relationships, and internal communication, and I felt called to bring these observations to my boss. As the youngest person on the team, it was intimidating and nerve-wracking to speak honestly with the CEO of an organization she has poured so much into—yet I trusted that the intention behind my words mattered.

For two hours, I guided conversation, created a safe space for team members to share, and helped establish a renewed sense of stability that many had been longing for. It has been incredibly fulfilling to be stretched in multiple areas, especially as someone who values authenticity and growth.

During the final week of work before the holidays, the women completed all of the orders, which allowed us to slow down, rest, and simply enjoy one another’s company. Building relationships has been at the heart of this entire project. Impacting the lives of the women—and even my coworkers—has never been a box to check off a list, but something rooted in a genuine desire to serve. It can be easy to post about the work I’m doing and feel a sense of pride, but the truth is that my greatest hope is to leave a lasting impact—one that is imprinted on the hearts of those I’ve encountered.

The Christmas party was such a wholesome and meaningful experience. We began in worship, inviting the Lord in and expressing gratitude for all He has done. One of my favorite parts of working at Mercy is the ability to fully integrate my faith into the work I do. The women then reflected on the goals they achieved this year and shared hopes for the year ahead. Seeing how far they’ve come in just three months warmed my heart. Even though I wasn’t present at the very beginning of their journeys, I’m honored to witness their resilience. It’s been truly inspiring—and has expanded my heart more than I ever imagined.

As I look ahead to this break, I’m excited for the opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and rest in the sense of safety that only home can bring. God has been incredibly kind and faithful to me. He has revealed His light through His Word and through the community I’ve built here in the DR.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 100

celebrating our friend Natasha’s birthday

a glimpse of the party

Dominican hot chocolate

some Dominican food

the best coworkers and big sisters a girl could ask for

My sweet roommate and I !

chinola (passionfruit) cheesecake

Hola todos! 

Another couple of weeks have flown by, and I realized it’s been a while since I updated you on the work I am doing here, which is what takes up the majority of my time!

After having the opportunity to shadow and observe in a bunch of areas within the municipality, I have settled into a couple different spots where I am researching, developing, and implementing a couple of new projects with an emphasis on the social economy of the city. Recently, I have been most heavily focused on developing a project called “Economia Plateada (Silver Economy)”. With the fluctuating economy in Argentina, it has become hard for people of retiring age to actually be able to retire successfully. And, for some of those who have already retired, they are unable to  continue to afford the cost of living without working. As this is becoming a growing issue, the city is working to find ways to help and support this group of people in need. So, I have been researching the depths of this issue, and have been creating a program that works to provide solutions for those who need work. This program would exist to provide people within this generation a curriculum of workshops to help them gain skills to either start their own small business or be able to return to the workforce in a way that is adapted towards them. While it is still in the middle of the development phase, I have been able to go into community centers of the community to meet people struggling with these issues and hear their stories. It has been such a cool opportunity to be hands-on with the residents of Mendoza and really be able to understand life here for everyone. 

In other news, summer is in full swing here and the heat is intense! Most days are spent trying to avoid the sun in the middle of the day, but enjoying the evening weather and spending time outside after the sun goes down. Life here happens outside, which is something I have learned to love about the culture in Argentina, but the summer heat makes it a little bit harder to enjoy spending time outside all day. So, evenings are the perfect time to gather somewhere outside and share a coffee or meal with friends!

This past week, my office had a fun happy hour at a restaurant here that was set up like a picnic with outdoor games and, of course, Argentinian wines. It has been a lot of fun to get to know my coworkers outside of work as well, and I have really enjoyed growing closer with them, since we spend every day together. They all have played an integral part in helping me adjust to life here and making sure I am feeling comfortable in every aspect. I am so thankful for them! 

Unfortunately since I am with them all of the time, I never think to take pictures (which is really becoming a theme that needs to change), so I don’t have good photos to share with you all. But, I promise that lots of photos are to come in the future!

With love, Sarah

Kalispera friends! I am feeling a bit under the weather today and would like to write a more in depth piece for my next blog post, as it will be one of my last. So, until I am feeling well enough, here is a photo dump of what I have been up to for the past two weeks. Reflections on my four months here will be coming very soon 🙂

Handmade earrings from dinghy boats at the Christmas Bazaar hosted by Lesol

At yet another hot spring... with the weather getting cold this is the only way to get outside

Some more photos from the bazaar!

Been spending a lot of time sitting at statue beach and reading, reflecting on my time here

My beautiful friend Tillie came to visit!

A traditional hot spring (spoiler alert: it was HOT)

Greece was smiling yesterday

I led a screen printing workshop at the Christmas Bazaar... my old love of screen printing has become one of my key roles at Lesol

The past couple of weeks involved me continuing to job shadow at the Octavia Waight Center. Interestingly enough, most residents at the center have neurological disorders which perfectly aligns with my field of study. I graduated as a neuroscience major at Belmont University and have since worked in neurology departments at Tristar Centennial Medical Center and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

The most notable conditions of residents at the center are Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Since most of the residents are handicapped, caretakers and nurses  must provide round the clock attention and care. Other responsibilities include feeding residents individually and taking them to the restroom periodically. With 35 residents, the level of care provided is very intentional and requires patience.

Over the past few weeks I have created a sense of familiarity with the residents of the center as well as the employees. Being able to sit down and not only care for residents, but being able to listen to them tell me the stories of their lives has been eye opening. The 35 residents range from being local Belizeans to even hailing from our very own United States or as far as Taiwan. As I have became more familiar with everyone, I have learned that many of their family members rarely visit. Whether it be due to transportation issues, children moving out of the country, or different countries of origin- many residents only have each other to keep company.

Whether it be me listening to someone’s upbringing everytime I walk into the center, cheering them on play “la loteria” which is a Mexican version of bingo I know all too well,  bringing in fresh fruits for snack time, or sharing Mexican jell-o with residents and staff- it has become a second home for me. As soon as I walk into the facility I am greeted by staff and told to sit down by the residents to share about memories they have or even as simple as commentary on the weather.

(This is what my fridge looked like when I made Mexican Jell-o for everyone to try for the first time!)

During my time job shadowing at the facility I have even gained a new “Belizean” grandma. My grandma, Dominica, is originally from Punta Gorda, Belize also known as “PG” to locals. She has many kids which all now reside in the United States, but occasionally call her. Although she is 92, she is the most independent (and talkative) resident at the center. She is known as “the new girl” because of her being one of the most recent residents and often talks about her two wonderful marriages with her now deceased spouses. Although she has no health issues she constantly talks about the “what ifs” that tomorrow brings. As a response to her saying she is elderly, I reply “you are only 92 years old grandma, you still have a few more decades” to which she laughs to.

When I first met Dominica she told me it had been a struggle for her children to be able to convince her to move to the center. Although she had an in-home caretaker in PG, the caretaker would often times not be at home and the risk at her age is very high. After a lot of convincing, Dominica finally agreed to make the big move. Although she was initially not accepting of her new environment, she is now happy to be able to join in activities, make the most of the fresh air and fellowship among people her age.

Hello, hello! My past couple of weeks have been full of the normal routine, long days seeing patients at the clinic and restful evenings in the house or exploring the city. Since I don’t have too much to update you all on, I thought I would use this post to reflect on my experience as a whole thus far. With that, I have compiled a list of my top and bottom aspects of my time here, my “thorns” and “roses,” if you will.

Positives

1. Feeling like a part of the community and team: In my months here, I have become fairly recognized in the community around the clinic. Whether it’s the fact that the patients we see often know my name before I’ve introduced myself or before I know theirs or random instances of an Uber driver knowing me from a past ride or from the clinic, these small interactions have added up to make me feel so deeply welcomed into the community.
2. Cultural immersion and exchange (in more ways than one): Not only am I obviously immersed in Kenyan culture every day, I also have the privilege of working alongside long- and short-term volunteers from every corner of the world. I have literally worked with volunteers from every continent (except Antiartica, of course lol) in my time here. Not only has this afforded me a dense connection of international friends, it has also been interesting to see out work through the lens of multiple cultural backgrounds. Things are also never boring in the volunteer house when I might be living with someone from France one day and someone from Brazil the next!
3. Learning: Obviously, I have learned so much in my time here. Not only have I gained an immense amount of applicable medical knowledge, I have also gotten a firsthand look at how different medical systems function and how primary care, diagnosis and treatment differs from what I am accustomed to in the US. While I know that the skills I use here may not be the same skills I gain as I further my medical education, I will always carry the deep understanding of medical access and culturally sensitive care that I have gained here.
4. Access to nature: As I have spoken about before, Nairobi is a city built in a forest. It has been so refreshing and encouraging to know that, even when the city feels cramped and busy, I can easily escape into nature for a recharge. My favorite places to do so have been the Karura Forest, the Nairobi Arboretum, and simply sitting on my balcony overlooking a lake.

Negatives

1. Perception: Before coming here, I did not understand the full implications of moving somewhere where I am obviously a foreigner, an outsider. From being yelled at on the street or being singled out in social situations, there is a certain weariness that comes with being constantly perceived. While I must note that the perception is never malicious (actually quite the opposite) and this is something I accepted pretty quickly, it has been a big part of my experience here.
2. Always saying goodbye (and hello): As I stated earlier, I am always with people from many different countries and, with this, comes the drawback of feeling like I am always saying goodbye to people. Most of the other volunteers I work with stay from 2-6 weeks so, the volunteer house is a constant revolving door. It has often felt like I form great relationships with people just as they are preparing to leave, which speaks to the larger ethical concerns with short-term volunteering in general, but that’s a topic for another day.
3. Nairobi traffic and other small inconveniences: I can’t wrap up a conversation on the positives and negatives of my experience without mentioning the seemingly one-million small inconveniences that add up throughout my day. From spending two hours each day sitting in traffic to relying on unreliable ride shares and public transit to how difficult it is to do laundry here, there are always these small things at affect you when you’re living outside your convenient, normal lifestyle. With that being said, I am grateful for the ways that these inconsequential issues force me to live outside my comfort zone and acknowledge that this is something that everyone living internationally experiences.

It feels unnatural to end this on a negative note, but I know my descriptions of my time here would not be complete without mentioning that not everything is always positive all the time. And that’s okay, it’s expected, it’s part of the experience and doesn’t take away from how overwhelmingly positive and enriching my time here has been. I am excited for these next two months and am becoming more and more appreciative of this opportunity as my time remaining here grows shorter. Sending love from Nairobi!

I’ve officially reached the halfway point of my journey here in San Pedro, and I’m still in disbelief at how quickly time has flown. Week after week, I’ve confronted fears, stretched myself far beyond my comfort zone, and learned so much about this beautiful country I now call home. My community has grown tremendously over the past few weeks, and that growth has been such a deep source of joy for me. Even amidst the busyness and occasional tension at work, there has been an undeniable sense of peace and celebration in the air as the holiday season approaches.

Last week, we took the women of Mercy and their children to a baseball game for a staff bonding outing—and we had an amazing time. It felt good to relax, laugh, and unwind from the whirlwind of daily responsibilities.

Every other year, the missionaries who live in San Pedro—led by my boss and her husband—host a large Thanksgiving gathering. This year, my boss gave my coworkers and me the day off, and my roommate and I began the morning watching the Macy’s Day Parade. Although I never grew up celebrating Thanksgiving in The Bahamas, my time living in Nashville introduced me to this season of gratitude. This year, it felt especially meaningful. I found myself emotional as I reflected on how far I’ve come and how much further I hope to go. The only word that captures what this experience has been to me is everything. It has meant everything to have distractions stripped away so that I could focus entirely on the assignment God placed before me. I’ve had the privilege of being fully present and giving my best to the women of Mercy because I surrendered my yes. I don’t know if I’ll ever have another experience like this, but I do know that “grateful” doesn’t even begin to capture the depth of what I feel.

At the Thanksgiving lunch, everyone contributed a dish and the spread was incredible—so much delicious food and an array of desserts. Afterward, some of the group played flag football, which was hilarious to watch. Seeing my boss get tackled by her husband for her flag had all of us laughing from the comfort of our lawn chairs.

Now December is here, and we’re all counting down to our long-awaited break at Mercy. I’m excited to visit family and friends for the holidays. At the workshop, the women have already set up the Christmas tree with lights, ornaments, and photos of each person. We’re planning a Secret Santa gift exchange and a Christmas party, and those cheerful preparations are making these final weeks go by so quickly.

One thing I’m continuously learning is that good things come to those who wait—and that waiting must be anchored in gratitude. I won’t pretend it has always been easy, but sitting in the very experiences I once prayed for reminds me that the wait is always worth it.

Hola y feliz Acción de Gracias! 

This year was the first time I have ever been away from home for a holiday and, to be honest, there was a big part of me that was dreading it. Especially because I’m living in a country where the holiday doesn’t even exist. Knowing that my family would all be together, having traditions that I wouldn’t be able to participate in this time, made me feel homesick in a way that I haven’t felt yet since being here. It was hard to anticipate these things happening knowing that I wouldn’t be able to be there with them. Waking up on Thursday morning, I was already ready for the day to be over. 

But, that feeling quickly changed. I walked to work like a normal morning, because that’s what it was for everyone else. It was a weird feeling knowing today was an important day miles away, but it was like a secret that I was holding in. When I got to work, I got to my desk and opened my computer to work, and started talking to a coworker who asked me about Thanksgiving. We started chatting about what today meant to me, how I usually spend the day, and what my family is probably doing right now. Another one of my coworkers decided to order pastries (chipas, yum!) for everyone that felt like our own little Thanksgiving celebration. It was a small action that really meant the world to me. 

Then, some of my friends planned a friendsgiving for me and invited some of their friends to come and celebrate with us too. We cooked together that afternoon and made a traditional dish from Argentina (Pastel de Papa) that really just reminded me of an American Thanksgiving Casserole. We enjoyed a meal together, talked about all of my Thanksgiving traditions, all shared what we are thankful for, played games, and ate a lot of desert! It felt exactly how you would expect an international Thanksgiving celebration to feel: sentimental, nostalgic, but with a little different twist and lots of laughter. It was so special to experience this day in a new way with new people, and also be able to share an American tradition with all of my friends here, since usually it’s the other way around! 

Sitting around that table truly brought me so much thankfulness, and made me feel all of the Thanksgiving love, even from thousands of miles away. Sitting around a table with people I barely knew three months ago and some that I hadn’t even met yet, with people celebrating a holiday that doesn’t exist where they’re from, with people who intentionally took time to help me feel seen and loved, with people who never fail to bring a smile to my face even when I have a heavy heart, truly redefined the meaning of Thanksgiving for me. I truly am so thankful for the opportunity to be here, for all of the people who helped make it possible for me to be here, and for everyone who has welcomed me here with open arms. Estoy tan agradecida! 

With love, Sarah