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| Public Health
Program Details |
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 The
Location
You will be working at the Clínica de la Soledad
in Oaxaca, a gorgeous city known for its colonial architecture,
unique cuisine and art. At 5,000 feet above sea level,
the semi-tropical city offers an artistic atmosphere thriving
with indigenous culture amid the Sierra foothills. The
town itself is one of Mexico’s foremost indigenous
communities, with archeology and rich cultural traditions
that date back nearly 3,000 years. Oaxaca is a city of
continual parades and festivals, with ancient culture
and heritage around every corner.
The Situation
Though it thrives with culture, the state of Oaxaca remains
the second-poorest state in Mexico with a seriously under-funded
public health system. Those who live in the rural areas
of Oaxaca must often journey to state-funded clinics in
the city of Oaxaca for medical treatment. Many of these
patients rarely visit hospitals and are nervous and skeptical
of doctors. Medical professionals must overcome the patient’s
skepticism in order to collect information and make an
accurate diagnosis.
 What You Can Do
As a volunteer you will learn how American
and Mexican healthcare techniques are combined at a
high-volume hospital that treats everything from the
common cold to cancer. You will learn how to interact
with Latin American patients and ask the right questions
to effectively diagnose and treat particular ailments.
You will also witness how medicines are administered
and how the practices differ from those of your native
country. If you possess highly advanced Spanish speaking
skills and some healthcare training you could also work
directly with patients — taking blood pressure
and even drawing blood. This is an ideal program for
medical students and professionals, or anyone with a
strong interest in public health.
Airport
pickup and orientation:
You will be picked up at the Oaxaca Airport and taken
to your hostel or host family. The following morning,
you will begin your Volunteer Adventure with an extensive
orientation. During this time, you will learn about
living and working in Oaxaca, using public transportation,
and volunteering at your program site. You will meet
your program coordinator to discuss the details of your
work and your responsibilities as a volunteer.
Transportation:
In the morning, you will walk from your host family
or hostel to the language classes at a school in Oaxaca
City. This walk should take about 15 to 30 minutes.
During volunteering, you will also be able to walk to
the program site. If you do not wish to walk, you can
take the bus.
 Language
Classes:
All volunteers will be required to take at least two
weeks of Spanish language classes at a school in Oaxaca.
You may take more hours depending on your volunteer
package. For more efficient placement upon your arrival,
we ask that you take our to determine your language proficiency. If this is not
possible, we will test you upon arrival at the school.
You will be placed according to your language level
in a group of other students and learn conversational
Spanish for about three hours a day, Monday through
Friday.
Accommodations:
Basic: You will be staying at a hostel
with breakfast included.
Standard and Complete: You will be staying
with a Mexican host family. Our host families are carefully
screened and must meet stringent requirements before
being accepted as a host family. You will be given a
key to your host family's home to come and go as you
please. The family will provide a private room and two
meals per day (breakfast and a late lunch).
Meals:
Basic: Hostel serves breakfast only.
Standard and Complete: Host family provides two meals a day.
In-country support:
We work directly with our in-country volunteer coordinator
to provide support during your time in Oaxaca. You can
expect help from program coordinators, field guides,
fellow volunteers and other staff. We provide a 24-hour
cell phone number for emergencies.
 Additional activities
and excursions:
Your volunteer experience will include a number of activities
included in the cost of your course, such as cooking
and salsa classes, Spanish movies, social cafés
and student exchange experiences. For an extra fee,
volunteers can take daylong excursions to the Monte
Alban ruins, Mezcal distilleries, churches and convents,
the waterfall “Hierve el Agua” and the 2,000-year-old
tree, "el Tule," which is believed to be the
world’s widest tree. There are also opportunities
for rock climbing, horseback riding, paragliding and
hiking. |
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Volunteer
Adventures - 915 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO, 80246
Phone: 1-888-825-3454 or 303-777-7783 Fax: 303-777-7246 UK Toll
Free: 0800-028-8051 |
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