Category: Health & Safety

So, What’s Really Been Going on?

Published on by jessicamattoxxLeave a comment

After getting back from spring break, I had a whole second half of a semester ahead of me before going home. I had this weird feeling of burnout and lack of energy that never fully recovered. It was hard to come back to university life after the experience we had the week prior. I never knew how much I would cling to the memories from that trip and how grateful I was to have experienced it when I did. Around this time, my body started to demand that I slow down, and abroad became a lot harder.  

For context, I was really sick before and after spring break and it’s been a constant struggle since I’ve gotten here. This was something I never thought about or that would get in the way of my abroad experience, but I have learned a lot from it and how to listen to my body. There is such a pressure to be so go go go while on exchange, which is fun for the time being. However, at a certain point, I was just tired and traveling was far down on the priority list. In the beginning, I brushed off the sickness and ignored how I felt because I was so focused on saying yes to every plan that was thrown at me. I am a natural introvert, but I pushed it socially and over time I got so drained without having my much-needed downtime. I was on antibiotics during spring break, which allowed me to feel better momentarily and road trip through New Zealand. Right when I got back, I got sick again, but far worse. I knew this was my sign to take it easy.  

Physical health can really take a toll, especially when studying abroad and wanting to always be out doing fun things. I know that I have a weaker immune system overall but didn’t realize how bad everything would hit me while in another country. When I first got here in July, I had what felt like the common cold, but it lasted over a month, and I felt like I was getting worse rather than better. I was in the student health center on campus on and off just trying to figure out what was going on. While the on-campus doctors are good, I was constantly being told that this was normal for someone studying abroad. Although exposure to so many new illnesses can be normal when away, it was hard to navigate. I learned that it usually takes about 6 months for your body to adapt fully to the viruses in a new country- the amount of time that I was spending in New Zealand. For people with weaker immune systems, like myself, I feel like I was catching every new sickness that I was exposed to.

It got to the point of me being worried because I was only getting worse. This started to affect me mentally. I had to say no to multiple trips with my friends to prioritize my health. I feel like it can be normalized at the age of being in college to feel run down all the time and just push through and go on to the next adventure. It got to the point of me being so weak that I physically didn’t want to go anywhere because I knew I wouldn’t have a good time and it wasn’t worth getting sicker at that point. Another thing is that antibiotics and medication are not as commonly prescribed in New Zealand. It was really difficult to navigate health struggles in another country while on my own and I started to feel tired of having to constantly advocate for myself. It took me getting far worse to even be prescribed antibiotics. In the United States, we often go to a doctor with the expectation that they will just make us better or prescribe medication. I had to get used to the fact that not every country is the same, but I was frustrated because I knew I needed the medication.

If there is anything I can recommend- it is to know and understand the healthcare system and insurance before you leave for study abroad. I grazed over the study abroad handbook, not feeling like I would really need the information. The next thing I knew, I was in another country and trying to learn about how to find a doctor, insurance, and how much I would have to pay on top of feeling quite bad physically. The international SOS people through the University of Denver are actually really helpful and I wish that I reached out to them sooner. They explain the doctor and medical facilities in your area and also how the insurance and payment work.  

In New Zealand, everything shuts down on the weekend. I had seen the school doctor during the week but got progressively way sicker over the weekend. I called international SOS and I decided that the urgent doctor was the best route. The urgent doctor is the only doctor in Dunedin that you do not have to wait over 2 weeks to see. The issue is, that they charge $200 upfront that you can later file an insurance claim for. This is a lot different than the US, and it is a lot to have to pay but I decided it was worth it because of the situation and just wanting to get better. I was skipping a lot of classes and struggling to keep up with schoolwork as well. All I wanted to do was lay in bed and honestly wished I could just be at home in California.

I was beginning to feel quite isolated from my friends and the loneliness was kicking in. I was falling behind in school, not seeing friends as much, and was starting to feel very on the outside socially. I have made awesome friends in New Zealand, which I am extremely grateful for. However, everyone was just in a different mindset than I was which was totally understandable. I wanted them to have the best possible experience and they wanted me to feel better. I knew I needed to take it easy, but it started to get old spending most days and nights on my own. Although hard, it taught me how to trust myself and how I am feeling.

The urgent doctor prescribed more antibiotics, which was good, and also recommended blood tests to check if there was anything else going on that was causing the sickness. I’m assuming that I had mono or something else, but they charge extra for that test and it just wasn’t worth doing when the treatment would be the same. On top of the medications, I’d bought and the doctor’s appointment, the blood test was another $200 ish. The medical expenses were starting to add up and it was slightly confusing how to submit the insurance claims.

Here’s what I learned: Student Safe insurance through the University of Otago takes a really long time to get back but they will help. I decided to go the route of talking to international SOS and using the insurance we have through the University of Denver called Star Companies. International SOS helps to provide a service of looking at insurance and payment options as well as giving medical advice to assess if going to a doctor is necessary. It was nice to reach out to them and have their support while I was away. They kept it all organized for me and sent step-by-step emails of what I needed to do next in terms of insurance and that was helpful.

After the second round of antibiotics, I finally am feeling a lot better. I am still trying to take it easy and just listen to my body- sticking to routines that work for me such as working out and eating healthy. While some things are unavoidable, I am doing a lot more now to prioritize my health and prevent illnesses rather than staying in the constant cycle. I am now in the final stretch of my time abroad, which means the stress of studying for finals is creeping in. In New Zealand, they do a month for finals so that they are spread out. Currently feeling slightly overwhelmed with balancing what I have to do for school, and what I want to do in terms of travel for the rest of my time here. The extra time for finals is nice and very different than DU, but it needs to be played strategically. It is easy to fall into the trap of not using the time to study and feeling like I have more free time without classes. There is an opportunity for more travel on weeks that do not need to be spent studying, but time management is necessary.

Many unexpected challenges arose this semester, and sometimes it is necessary for school to take second priority. Things really do get better and being abroad has shifted my mentality around how I deal with setbacks. Some moments have not been as glamorous as others, but it makes me appreciate the good even more now. I do want to finish strong with school and the rest of my time here. There is still so much to look forward to such as my family visiting me in New Zealand after finals and possibly going to Australia as well. Overall, there have definitely been ups and downs, but I am learning to stay present and take every situation as it comes.

Tragedy in Morocco, Displacement for the Night in Rabat

Published on by hallieahoffLeave a comment

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There cannot be a post to this site without the full acknowledgment of the lives, families, and homes lost, the people of Morocco who have been displaced, and those in mourning. The continued support from the community of this country has been astonishing to observe. Morocco is truly unique in their culture, one full of amiable people and an attentive, genial nature. These characteristics are nothing but amplified in the wake of the earthquake that has recently struck the Southern half of the country, approximately 44 miles southwest of Marrakesh.

I happened to be with my homestay when we felt the initial shock, ironically the first night I and other students had met and settled in with those same families. The room shook, and some pictures fell, however, overall the structural integrity of the homes in the Medina (a community center in the middle of Rabat) remained intact. Aside from some nervous glances and steadying movements, my new family handled the event with ease, even turning the TV back on afterward in an effort to relax. It was not until a few minutes later the decision was made that the safest space may be outside, in the case of aftershocks or an unseen collapse. That was when the effects of the earthquake truly set in.

The layout of a Medina is important to mention here. It doubles both as a neighborhood and shopping center. Your neighbors in the Medina are not across the street or in your cul-de-sac of two-story homes typical in American suburbia. They are above and below you, where the buildings are built high and vertical and the windows are as tall as the top floor to avoid others walking past and seeing inside. A slight architectural nod to the more conserved nature of Middle Eastern culture. In this multi-block neighborhood enclosed by tall walls that have remained standing since the 17th century, every family knows the next. As I walk with my homestay mother on the first day she says hello to almost everyone on her street, she knows every shopkeeper and cafe owner. To her this is not a tourist destination but her home and multifaceted economy, which she and her neighbors contribute to daily.

We exit our home with others on our street, my new neighbor, Malak, a nine-year-old girl whose English exceeds not only my Arabic but French as well quickly grabs my hand to rush us out of the Medina. Malak is not scared herself but for me; almost as instantaneously as my hand is in hers I am moved to tears by this simple act of courage and selflessness. Malak asks me if I am alright and I return the favor as we exit, only to be met outside by even more people. The entirety of the Medina has gone outside. I look to my left and see a group of women who have set up chairs and are casually chatting in a circle, to my right a man is parading around with Moroccan tea, offering a cup to whoever will have one, occasionally sitting and talking with his customers. Children play games and cardboard mats or rugs are handed out for those who wish to sleep. We were fortunate enough to be far away from the epicenter of the earthquake, but families in Rabat have loved ones who were much closer. After a few hours of sitting outside, when news reaches our city of those who have passed on, you can hear the occasional wailing and sobbing of a woman who has lost a family member. Her neighbors surround her, hugging and wrapping themselves around the one in pain, not at all suffocating, in contrast, it appears they wish to take on some of the pain, some of the loss, in whatever way possible. In all the chaos and fear this community has a characteristic of strength that seems unwavering.

Yes, the culture shock of being somewhere new can be overwhelming, but in that initial experience, there is an opportunity to divulge those emotions and transform them, to find a purpose and contribute to a community that is unlike any I have seen in the United States. I saw that opportunity while sitting with Malak and braiding her hair, how small my challenges seemed in comparison to the challenges these families may face in the coming days. I hope to continue to take those emotions and fears surrounding the unknown and channel them into something new in this unwavering community, to learn from their strength and show my respect in whatever way possible.

More updates and hopefully some in-person community aid to come!