Lauren's Travels Begin

Good morning everyone,

As I mentioned a few weeks back, a friend of mine named Lauren is joining the Peach Corps, and she is going to be sharing her experiences with us periodically throughout the year. She is about to begin her amazing journey, and this is her first entry.

The pictures below are from her time she spent in Ghana. I hope reading about Lauren and what she's doing in her life will help inspire us all to be better human beings. For those of us who live in the United States, we take so many things for granted. Hopefully, reading her updates will remind us all of how fortunate we are, but also inspire us to make a difference in the world rather than just living in it. If you would like to wish Lauren a safe journey, you can post a comment on the site by using this form. Good luck today and make it a great one!

Disclaimer -- "The following article does not reflect the opinions of the Peace Corps or the US government"

"For as long as I can remember I have longed to travel the world, help where I am needed, and experience other cultures. International volunteer work is my passion. I graduated from nursing school last May. I have been working on a pediatric floor at a hospital in Georgia since then. I went to Ghana, West Africa from September - November this past fall with Cross Cultural Solutions. There, I volunteered in a children’s ward and ran free blood pressure clinics in twelve villages.

My experience there was very fulfilling because I was able to focus on my favorite aspect of medicine, public health. I believe everyone is capable of improving his or her own health when empowered through health education. For instance, most people I met in Ghana with extreme hypertension had no idea that diet and lifestyle play a major role in determining blood pressure. After learning to decrease their salt and palm oil intake, we saw improvements in there blood pressure, which really validated our clinics.

In the U.S., we often take for granted internet access, books, and our many sources of education. We are lucky that we live in a country where this information is so readily available. Also, I believe that healthcare is a basic human right; sadly, I have seen how few people in developing countries actually have access to health care. In countries where there is insufficient money to fund basic healthcare, the next best thing is to provide them with education on basic health promotion and disease prevention. My trip to Ghana was life-changing in that it changed my perspective and showed me how loving and generous people can be, even when stripped of their health, security, and worldly possessions.

In one week I will be embarking on a new journey. I will be serving in the Peace Corps in Honduras for 27 months. I am part of the Health Program and have been nominated for HIV/AIDS education and child survival. I am hoping to pursue my passion for public health by educating Hondurans on how to improve their own health when access to healthcare is limited. I will be writing articles for Positive Pelham as often as I am able to get on the internet. I look forward to sharing about my life in Honduras, and I hope you enjoy experiencing Honduran culture along with me!

In Peace,

Lauren"

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