Volunteer Day 1: Medical Clinic in Rio Oeste, Panama

Long after the Floating Doctors left Rio Oeste, a question I was asked at the medical clinic resonated with me.  Toward the end of our clinic day Amy turned to me and asked “Does it make you depressed to see this?  To see how these natives live and the conditions they live in?”  My answer was a simple “No.”  I did not speak this nonchalantly nor did I spout the answer out quickly.  I thought hard for a few moments about my answer.

No, it does not bring me down to see the poverty-stricken world that surrounds me.  What I do feel is guilt for living the life that I am fortunate enough to have.  Seeing firsthand the conditions that other people live in is a humbling experience even moreso than seeing it on a television commercial.

It did not depress me to see how they lived because for these communities, there is only one way of life that they know.  As humans, we naturally find comfort in the places we are raised with the people we love.  The Rio Oestians are comfortable with their way of life and are grateful for the service that the Floating Doctors provide.  While some may think that rural volunteer medicine is not the same as the more developed Western medicine, it is important to realize that care is genuine no matter where it comes from.  The people of Rio Oeste may not be familiar with the access to healthcare, medicine, and health education that first-world has but they have their own way of life which includes the best possible care that they can access.  They are genuinely grateful for anything that the Floating Doctors can do for them just as westerners are grateful for getting the level of medical care that they do.  All I can do is work hard during my volunteer days and hope that everyone gets the care that they deserve regardless of where they are or what conditions they live in.

- Nicole

PS:  My next three days of work will be at multi-day clinics in remote areas, so I won’t be able to blog for a while.  Look out for some Instagram photos and a long blog post on Friday though!  Buenos noches!