Self Assessment

There are moments in life when you know you’ve made the right choice. For me, that choice was the decision to partake in the Magellan project. My Magellan project sent me to Bolivia to research the vaccinations that the girls in the Hogar Sagrado de Corazon received. I then compared the orphanage’s completion rates with those of the Bolivia as a whole. My project was a tremendous success and I learned many valuable lessons that will help me as I move on with my life.

            Pertaining to the actual Magellan project, my work began the day I arrived at the Hogar Sagrado Corazon. For the first week and a half, I found myself buried knee deep in the girl’s medical documents at the Hogar. All the documents were in Spanish, and to make matters worse, most of the notes were in the stereotypical doctor scribbles. The whole process was slow, but I was able to attain valuable information about the vaccination completion rates for the girls. For the rest of my stay, I crunched numbers and made an excel spreadsheet to highlight what vaccinations were the most likely and least likely to be completed. The results of my research were startling. The research showed that many girls do not complete their vaccination schedules and many others do not have any form of documentation of their medical history (I will attach charts to the bottom of this essay so you can visualize how many girls receive the vaccinations). When comparing the results of the orphanage's vaccination completion rate to the rest of the country, you will find that the orphanage is falling behind the national average. This could be attributed to the movement of girls in and out of the orphanage, and the high cost of the vaccinations. All in all, the best way to help the girls receive more vaccinations is to provide more funding to the orphanage.

            When I was not working on my project, I was helping out around the Hogar. I would take care of the baby (Leonardo), help watch the girls of Santa Ana, assist with the older girl’s homework, and even help with some of the cooking and cleaning. These jobs made the days go by very quickly. When I had time to myself, I would go to the market, hang out with the two German volunteers, or chit chat with the girls. For meals, I would eat with the girls most of the time. However, on special occasions, I would be invited to the convent to eat lunch with the nuns. During this time, I would have amazing conversations with the nuns about their lives and history. All the nuns that I encountered during the trip were extremely friendly and helpful which really made the trip more memorable.

            Bolivia’s population is 95% Roman Catholic. Therefore, it should come to no surprise that I had to go to church a lot. The girls and I would go about three times a week (two times during the weekday, and once during the weekend). The masses were usually filled with lively music, clapping, and an occasional traditional Bolivian dance. Towards the end of the trip, I was asked to be Leonardo’s (the baby) Godfather. I attended the baptism in my best clothes (cargo pants and a brown collared shirt with a hole in the side) and I got a standing ovation from the crowd afterwards. It was a very memorable moment.

            I went through many challenges in my three week visit to Bolivia, but I’m only going to highlight a few major ones. First and foremost, the language barrier was the biggest obstacle of the whole trip. When I first arrived, my inability to listen fast enough and lack of authentic practice speaking Spanish didn’t allow me to communicate to the girls in a meaningful way. It also prevented me from picking up information that would have been helpful (like what time dinner was). However, as time progressed, my Spanish improved and so did my relationships with the girls and the workers at the Hogar. By the end of my trip to Bolivia, I could hold a conversation with anyone and I felt confident with my abilities to communicate. Another problem that I had was with my stomach. The food that I had in Bolivia was very basic, consisting of a lot of chicken, rice, potatoes, and fruits. I am not sure if it was the anti malaria medicine that I had to take or the food itself, but my stomach had problems the entire trip. I would like to note that I really enjoyed the food, but I don’t think my stomach was ready for the change. The hardest challenge (emotionally) for me was the stories of the girls. The gaps in the medical history, the girl's past (sexual assault, abandonment, orphaned), and the day-to-day lives of the girls made the last two weeks hard on my heart. It took a lot out of me to see these girls and to know that they are in danger of preventable diseases and were at the receiving end of a traumatic experience. This made the goodbye extremely difficult for me (and them too). There were many tears shed.

            These challenges made me a stronger person and they have truly helped me open my eyes to the world. The challenges that the orphans at the Hogar Sagrado de Corazon face everyday helped me realize how lucky I am. By showing me that my problems are minuscule compared those of others, I have learned to appreciate what I have, and to put more attention to helping those in need. The trip taught me many lessons, from being more patient with others, to thinking before I speak. I truly believe that this once in a lifetime opportunity made me into a better person. The challenges that I overcame seemed insurmountable at the time, but I’m glad that I made it through the obstacles, and learned lessons because of it.

            Overall, the Magellan Project had a tremendous impact on my life. I have learned many lessons that will help me in my future. The trip has humbled me, and made me realize how lucky that I live in the United States. My Bolivian experience has further motivated me to continue doing well in school. Now, I am more than sure that I want to become a doctor one day. I have found that there is no greater joy in life than helping others. I can’t wait for the next chapter in my life because of this terrific opportunity provided to me, the Magellan project.


Vaccination Charts: