In March, Victoria Smith, occupational therapy student from the University of Texas Medical Branch completed her level one fieldwork with us at ASELSI. The experience was just a week, but this is what she wanted to share about that time. Thank-you Victoria for this week’s guest post.

I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to spend a week in Chichicastenango, Guatemala, at ASELSI. From our sweet host family and chef to the rehabilitation promoters and students at “Ovejitas,” everyone we encountered made me feel appreciated and welcomed. Working at the clinic and meeting the different clients, children and adults, was fun, yet challenging. I had to think on my feet about how to evaluate their daily living skills and make recommendations in order to promote their independence in these tasks. In addition, I enjoyed the cultural component. I appreciated the cultural orientation on the first day, as I felt more comfortable going forward when talking to locals and clients. This experience really highlighted how important it is to be client-centered and culturally aware in order to provide the best practice of occupational therapy. This really got me outside of my comfort zone, but also helped me connect with everyone I encountered since I was aware of the cultural differences. I also loved being able to use my Spanish, as people were so happy to hear that I was able to communicate with them. Again, I am so thankful to have had this opportunity. I enjoyed all the different aspects of it! Muchas gracias y Dios los bendiga.