International Experience

Below are the Category C: Global Competency International Experiences that I have lived through, which involved cultural traditions, customs and ceremonies that I got to be a part of. One of my international experiences was when I volunteered in Fiji for two weeks to teach and perform basic first aid through a Health Education program. I also had the opportunity to go Türkiye on a TRU International field course to learn and play within the rich Turkish culture.

International Volunteer Experience: Fiji

In April of 2024, I decided to travel to Fiji and volunteer to utilize my nursing skills and learn from the Fijian culture by exposing myself to their way of life. I signed up with a non-profit that provides several programs to the nation where volunteers are greatly needed. I decided to volunteer with the health education program so I could educate children in schools about health-related topics and to provide basic first-aide in the villages. I soon learned that the village I was placed in (Sigatoka, Fiji), did not have many resources or materials for the school and clinic I was volunteering at. This allowed me to be resourceful, attend to what is most important, and figure out how I can efficiently transfer my knowledge with limited options. Being exposed to this environment made me realize how fortunate I was for my education and healthcare. Aside from this, the locals that I met treated me with so much kindness and respect from when we first met, it was almost like we were family. I found this friendly nature of their community to be quite opposite to what Canada has, as I concluded that the culture I grew up with was quite individualistic. The Fijian culture is quite different, as they focus on altruism and putting others first before your own. This most likely stems from the rich Christianity faith that was present in each village that I visited.

Singing, dancing, and prayers were always prioritized, whether I was at the school, clinic, or at the field playing sports with the locals. The lively behaviour and attitudes that filled conversations and greetings made me feel included and welcomed. This feeling is something that I want my patients to feel when I care for people when I am a nurse one day. Being able to put peoples looks, beliefs, and identifiers aside when first meeting someone is a special skill that allows for such inclusivity and comfort for the other party involve. I know from this experience that being able to allow for cultural sensitivity and humility when interacting with others can create a sense of trust and respect that can’t be matched, which is what I want to bring here in Canada and through all my endeavours.

TRU International Field Course: EXPL 3000

In August 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Türkiye with fellow TRU students and teammates for an international field course. Something unique about this course was how it blended two of my main interests in life; volleyball and travel. In Türkiye, my team got to train and practice with local professional teams, while also travelling to villages along the coast to volunteer by training young girls in the sport. It was a full-circle moment, as two of my TRU coaches are from Türkiye, so we got to visit their home towns and family. This put a lot into perspective for me, as this world holds diverse cultures and spans many miles, yet I realized you are able to connect with anyone through common interests like volleyball, even though you can’t speak the same language nor hold the same culture or beliefs. This trip challenged me, as many didn’t speak English and the customs are different, including gender-roles being more prominent. In short, I was put out of my comfort zone, yet I got to learn so much from the discomfort and hesitancy that I experienced by quickly following what the norms are. Yes, it was scary shoving myself through crowds at the Grand Bazaar and asking strangers for directions using hand signals to help communicate, but it worked and allowed me to understand their way of life a little bit more by having this uncertainty.

It was very special visiting some of the most historical mosques, palaces and museums that this beautiful country holds. It felt very surreal when touring these locations because growing up in the western world has limited my exposure to such history. Having been able to witness the detail in architecture and design has made me appreciate my own home, school, and more because even though they aren’t as magnificent in design as these monumental locations, they were built by hand, by a hard worker that spent hours creating something for me to live and grow in. Overall, I am thankful to have embarked on such a fulfilling trip that has allowed me to be brave when interacting with those I am unfamiliar with and to appreciate the simple connection between human-kind.