Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy Friday, Happy January, and Happy New Year! I hope all is well! Life so far has been treating me well overall, as with a new year comes a reset in values, mindset, ambition, and goals. I recently entered my LATE 20s – can yall believe that? Because I cannot! I still feel like a teenager sometimes, lol. My birthday was last week, and I had such a blessed time celebrating it with my loved ones and my family away from home here in AZ. I feel like I need to normalize celebrating ME more often, not just on my birthday, because I deserve it!
In addition to my birthday, I am excited to announce that I officially stepped into my LAST semester of graduate school EVER! Now can YALL believe that??? I feel like I have been in school forever, yet time has also flown by. It has been an interesting dichotomy. To conclude my final semester of graduate school, I have embarked on my doctoral capstone project. This experience thus far has been so rewarding and enriching. Upon entering grad school, one of the reasons why I was swayed to pursue a doctorate instead of a masters degree in occupational therapy was because I wanted to cultivate a unique project that augments occupational therapy in a non-traditional setting – working with immigrants and/or refugees, specifically, as many of yall know my proximity to this population. I didn’t know how it would be made possible, but it finally has come together full circle after three years of cultivating this goal. I am currently working for a non-profit organization that specifically works with refugee and asylum-seeking families offering essential services for self-sufficiency such as stable housing, financial support, English classes, and communal support. With the partnership of my organization I have been paired with for the next few months, I have been able to create a project that head spears a life skills program teaching various life skills deemed essential for enhancing self-sufficiency and easing adaptation to the U.S. I will be working with a small group of newly arrived Afghan women, and my program will be a hybrid of “in-class” sessions and community outings practicing these newfound skills to use in the community. It hasn’t been an easy journey getting to where I am now, I will say. LOTS of time reading literature, justifying the need for OT in this emerging practice area, coordinating participants, etc. has been spent, and I bet it will still change as I continue my process. However, through this experience, I have learned that being a self-starter and being my own boss is empowering, and I can actually make a positive difference in a community if I set my mind to it.
I just finished my second week of my capstone so far. Some highlights of my time spent include the following:
Practicing my (note: very broken and limited) French and Swahili skills with a Congolese woman attending English classes and witnessing her immediate comfortability with me.
Conducting home visits and getting to know each participant in a very personalized way by learning more about their typical day upon arrival and being immersed in their culture.
Having a traditional Afghan meal during one of my home visits as a way of welcoming me into their home.
Meeting and working closely with my translator who is my right-hand woman and who has been a tremendous help to the success of my developing program.
Being considered part of the team by being invited to an empowering staff meeting and justifying my role as an OTD student at the site I am interning at.
Overall, this has been such a culturally enriching experience so far, and I am excited to be a part of a community where I not only implement my program, but reciprocally learn a ton from the population that I am working with! I think a passion project is the perfect way to re-awaken my passion for OT and wrap up my graduate schooling (because I’m not gonna lie, sometimes that passion was waning during the consistent studying grind I had to endure for long hours on end the first two years). Stay tuned for the progression of my capstone project!
Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy New Year’s Eve and Happy 3 year anniversary to Renrenspeaks.com staying alive and thriving! I cannot believe that the end of the year is here. Earlier today, my younger sister told me that today is especially unique because the date is 12/31/23, which is 123, 123, so enjoy that fun fact because we will never see it again!
Yesterday, I had a beautiful time of reflection with my college friend group as we shared some major goals, aspirations, and wishes that we accomplished this year and aim to achieve next year. Our time together allowed me sit down and ponder on the blessings, opportunities, celebrations, and renewal that graced me this year. I outlined my thoughts and reflections on my handy-dandy iPad, and some highlights from our reflective activity I concluded with included the following:
One word to describe my 2023: Growth
Favorite accomplishment this year: Finished my clinical rotations
Favorite concert this year: Robert Glasper and Kirk Franklin’s Reunion tour
How to engage in joy for 2024: Spontaneous trips
One thing I am looking forward to adding to my self-care routine: An exercise class of some sort – a spin class or Pilates
One thing that really brought me joy this year is the amount of love and support from you all on Renrenspeaks.com! WordPress constructed my site’s version of a year in review, and look at how amazing these stats are down below! It is because of yall I continue to pour into my site and engage in meaningful, reflective conversations with you all. Making an Instagram for Renrenspeaks was an avenue for me to continue to expand my blog and reach so many people I haven’t connected with in a while. I got to collaborate with Black folks in health care for my Black is Beautiful series, participate in a podcast episode with the Banquet Hall Podcast, and feature inspiring world travelers and friends on my Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! These experiences all re-emphasize my love for amplifying beautiful voices via written form through a platform like this blog.
As the year wraps up, I am going to briefly share some of my personal fun highlights of the year!
2023 Highlights!
My 26th birthday with my Apple Watch as my photographer!
A summer day in San Diego at Seaport Village visiting family!
First day of my third and final year of grad school ever!
Landscape of the beautiful Sedona. This was my second time visiting this city!
My beautiful best friend and soul sister who came down to visit me in AZ. We discovered a super cool coffee shop not too far from where I live.
The entrance of Tlaquepaque, a stunning arts and shopping district my best friend and I visited after our morning hike in Sedona.
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They say a picture is worth a thousand words, right? So I gave yall a surplus of 6000 words. 😉 I have a lot to be grateful for this year as you can see. As grand as 2023 was, I believe 2024 is going to be the year of the come up for me, as I get to look forward to FINALLY GRADUATING from OT school (can you believe that?? That will be a whole post later down the road) and getting a real grown-girl job in a profession that I love! I am also claiming that I am going to take another trip abroad somewhere to revive my zeal for travel. I would also like to incorporate more fasting into my life, go to therapy, augment my physical health and nutrition, get back into photography, and become more financially literate. With that being said, God bless yall and I am so thankful for yall! I hope everyone has a marvelous start to their new year. Talk to yall next year! 🙂
Happy December! It is already the end of the month and close to the end of the year, I can’t believe it! How is everyone’s December going thus far? As for me, it is going well! I just completed my second level II fieldwork at an inpatient rehabilitation facility here in Arizona, which also marks the end of another semester of grad school. I have ONE more semester to go and then I graduate – finally! I know that I initially updated yall on my fieldwork experience after my first week, but I have not been consistent (sorry). Therefore, I have SO much to delve into that I am going to sum up as concisely as I can.
The past 12 weeks have been such a learning curve in which I was challenged physically and mentally every day. Overall, my experience was a very pleasant one. I met so many individuals across the lifespan with various conditions, personalities, diagnoses, and life histories. Some highlights of my time being there include a patient’s wife who said she wanted to adopt me LOL, me being mistaken for a 19 year old several times, breaking through to more difficult patients behavior-wise, and overall affirmations from patients regarding my care. At this site, I learned so much about the importance of collaboration among all health professionals – OTs, COTAs, PTs, SLPs, nurses, case managers, rehab doctors, and RTs. Everyone was so willing to assist me regardless of their discipline, and I often felt like I was a part of the therapy team, as staff members asked about my clinical impressions to further confirm their treatment ideas or documentation. Quick side note – shoutout to my clinical instructor for teaching me all that I need to know and for being such a sweet soul! Though I often felt like I did not know what the heck I was doing, reflecting on how treatment sessions went afterward and witnessing patients beam about their newfound independence to don their own socks, reach down to pick an item off the floor without losing their balance or stability, or even receiving a green band were all wins that the patient and I were able to celebrate. The more knowledge and experience I gained each week, the more I was able to step out of my comfort zone and try novel ideas. If they failed (which def happened), I managed to be okay with it because I ended up learning way more from those not-so-fun experiences than if everything was perfect all of the time. Though thank God they were few, I did have some instances when a patient was maybe not the easiest to work with. It would be easy to think that it was a reflection of me, but these not so pleasant instances helped me to view the patient holistically and be more sympathetic to their current condition, life circumstances, coping mechanisms, and support systems that they may or may not have in place.
Every patient, though may have had similar diagnoses, presented very differently. It was very nice to know that over time, I was able to separate the diagnosis from the patient and view the patient as a whole. I guess that is where our famous OT theoretical frameworks come in handy. Several patients taught me the KISS acronym which also helped me regroup when it came to treatment ideas. KISS – keep it simple, stupid. Sometimes, I felt like if was not doing something super creative and innovative, my sessions were not effective. However, I had to remind myself that starting from the basics is okay! Working on what the patient NEEDS in that immediate circumstance rather than fluffing it up with distractors can sometimes be the most powerful form of therapy that will lead the patient to increased independence and function. I loved seeing the progression of care from evaluation to discharge, and observing the resilience, motivation, and improvement my patients developed during their stay. OT is truly a collaborative effort, and it is very cool to be a part of a process that feels rewarding and benefits the patient’s overall well-being.
The intense, fast-paced nature of this setting overall made me feel very accomplished, as I was initially very intimidated by the sharp learning curve. There is still a plethora of things that I need to learn and am excited to build my skills in. The beauty of this profession is that I am a life-long learner. With more experience, I learn more about the essence of people, the barriers they experience, and the tools to advocate for their care. I am blessed to have met so many people from all walks of life, and I learned so much from each patient I encountered. This setting definitely confirmed that I would like to begin my OT career in a setting similar to this one to continue building my clinical skills and reasoning in a medically-complex, challenging, and fast-paced environment.
Thanks all for tuning into the blog today! And shout out to all those who have supported me and listened to my rants, thoughts, and reflections on my clinical rotations throughout these three months. Stay tuned for more content coming your way!
Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy last Saturday of the month! I cannot believe that October has flashed before our eyes just like that. Sadly, it means that the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series is coming to an end. The last person concluding the final rounds of beautiful travel stories I am so honored to have featured on the blog today is my creative study abroad friend, Mike! Before we get into the interview, we gotta love on Mike for a bit!
Mike and I go way back! He is another study abroad friend that I was so blessed to have met along my Ghana journey. We instantly bonded over our similar music taste (like he was the only person I knew on the trip who knew who Hiatus Kaiyote was) and love for photography. Mike always had a camera in his hand and was not afraid to venture out and experience the wholesome beauty of Ghana. Since then, Mike and I have kept up with life through our voice notes (one of the few men who actually send quality voice notes, might I add!). I never respond on time LOL. Mike is an incredibly talented individual who has an artistic eye and captures the world around him in such a captivating, moving way. I am very thrilled to delve into the blog today and share his story! 🙂
Irene: What is your name/pronouns?
Mike: I am Mike Noone! He/him
Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE!
Mike: I am a 25-year-old international photographer and video producer. I’ve been traveling and shooting with cameras for about 10 years. I grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts and attended college at Cal State Northridge in Southern California. I started my own freelance business during COVID and hope to build it to a point where I can get paid to travel year-round.
Irene: What countries have you been to?
Mike: Canada, Mexico, England, Ghana, Togo, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Kenya, UAE, Egypt, Côte D’Ivoire, France, Aruba, Thailand, Ecuador, Iceland, Qatar, and the Netherlands.
Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?
Mike: This is such a difficult question! One of the reasons I adore travel is because every location has something about it that is more emphasized or extreme than other places. I can’t pick an honest favorite but if I had to I would say Ghana. I’m biased because I lived there for a year but honestly the kindness and sociability of Ghanaians mixed with beautiful nature and DELICIOUS natural foods, I feel no guilt picking Ghana over the other countries.
Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second!How did we meet?
Mike: We met in Ghana! We were both in the international California program studying in Legon. I was lucky enough to gain Irene’s friendship through our group travels.
Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you?
Mike: We had a craaaaaazy trip to Togo, West Africa. There was over 20 of us from the California Ghana program that went on the entirely student led expedition from Ghana to its next door neighbor Togo. The first hiccup was that none of us spoke French! Somehow Irene and I were declared the group translators, Irene because she took some French in high school and me for no other reason than I was asked to try.
Our first obstacle cropped up when the Airbnb we booked ended up not existing at all, so we needed to find another hotel on the fly, a difficult task to do when none of us spoke any of the Togolese languages. After a few hours and some assistance, we found a spot for us and settled.
While the language barrier was an issue, it wasn’t nearly as concerning as finding out that nobody but Irene and I had exchanged money at the border crossing!!! And when we went to withdraw money with the whole group, THE BANKS WERE DOWN! No money to be withdrawn! So Irene and I had to collect our companions’ Ghanaian Cedis (currency), ride on the back of a motorcycle, and follow our hotel concierge to a market place where we met some random guy to exchange with. The whole trip lasted only a weekend but with the amount of obstacles to overcome it felt like a month.
While the weekend was going on it was honestly irritating to have so many difficulties crop up each day, but by the end of the trip and having overcome these obstacles I felt like I grew immensely in my self confidence and maturity.
Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?
Mike: I recently went to Durban, South Africa to screen one of my music videos at a film festival. While there, I was supported and shown around by Rastafarians who invited me to their localities in the mountains, to their reggae concerts at the beach, and to their underground bars in the city alleys. Being welcomed and accepted by another community that earnestly shared their cultures and beliefs with me initiated a very real spiritual awakening inside. The way they described and talked about God and the way of the universe deeply resonated with me and incarnated feelings of light and joy in my soul that I’ve never felt before. Genuinely I felt my heart touched by their kindness and openness. It is something I still meditate on and I feel changed permanently by learning from them.
Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?
Mike: Cultural barriers and highlights usually heavily overlap for me. Part of the reason I love traveling is to immerse myself in a new culture that has different expectations, codes of conduct, etc. Having a new culture to abide by helps me identify and shed the barriers of the culture I was conditioned to grow up in. I can also take new cultural highlights and adopt them. For example, after living in Ghana, I now carry heavy or large things on my head, which I find much easier than putting strain on my arms and low back). In this way, I can find and grow my own personal culture rather than be locked into the one I was born and raised in.
It can be difficult when the culture is very strict or closed-minded. I’ve been to some locations where men are allowed into a space but women are not, or vice versa. However, I will say from my own experience that very strict cultures usually won’t force themselves on travelers, and locals understand that if you are foreign, you may not know any better. That being said, do your best to adhere and always move respectfully through other people’s land.
Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?
Mike: I learned to completely trust myself for what I can control and trust in the universe for what I can’t. When I first started, travel stressed me out like nothing on earth! There’s so much to plan, so many contingency plans, so many what-ifs… only to discover that no matter what, everything falls into place. As long as there is somewhere to put my head at night and some food in my stomach, everything is okay. Once I learned this, I saw that I had been seriously skewing the severity of situations my whole life and that I could have saved myself a lot of stress if I realized that the only things that really matter are food, sleep, and your health. Things that are ‘inconveniences’ became something to be dealt with, but not something to stress over, and the threshold for what constitutes as an inconvenience has been shifted greatly.
Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?
Mike: Go do it!!! It can seem very intimidating at first but honestly just go do it. If you have never traveled before, you don’t need to dive straight into Africa or deep into South America. Just find somewhere outside your comfort zone. First, identify where that comfort zone is, then take TWO steps outside it. You’ll be surprised by how quickly you adapt.
Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!
Below are some travelhighlights that Mike has captured during his time abroad!
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Mike, you dropped SO many gems today! First things first – the Togo story has me so weak. Fun fact, Renrenspeakers – the two photos of Mike and me in this post were taken in Togo actually, how funny! The Togo trip literally started off as a mess of a trip that ended up being so comical. Togo was essentially summed up to be the definition of “just go with the flow.” I remember that random hotel – I believe we were legit the only people in the hotel. I also remember the taxi driver who was so willing to take us around everywhere for the weekend, and he even went to the beach with us LOL. Wow, what a time for real. Cultural flexibility, as you highlight throughout your interview, is so important. It is so easy for us to be locked into a particular way of thinking and make sense of the world around us based on our own beliefs and customs that have been passed down to us. When traveling outside of a culture that is not our own, cultural flexibility is so important to practice because this is what really allows us to grow, reshape, and refine our worldview for the better. Respect is KEY when moving through other people’s land for sure! I love that you said that the only things that matter when traveling are sleep, food, and health. I think so many people glamorize traveling and have huge demands that they want met. But as we both know, there are going to be so many hiccups along the way. As long as you are safe, might I add to the list, all things will fall into place. So thank you so much Mike for emphasizing this for us!
Yall, I am so sad that the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series is over! Ugh! This series has honestly been such a pleasure to compose. I don’t know why I didn’t produce it sooner, but better late than never, right? This series took me back to memory lane with the numerous travel abroad stories that were shared. I really have been blessed to meet and experience a joyous time with each and every individual who was featured on the blog for the past five weeks. After grad school, I am ready to start using my passport again. It is getting dusty! I really am so grateful for all of you for tuning into the blog and showing love and support throughout this series. I highly encourage yall to reach out to the interviewees and connect with them on a deeper level! They have a wealth of travel knowledge, as you can see. I hope that this series has inspired yall to have the desire to travel, and if you were previously nervous, I hope that this series has eased your nerves a bit. Hope to catch yall on a plane soon! 🙂
Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday! You know what time it is – another mic drop on the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Today I present to yall the FOURTH interview in the line up! The iconic Keerthana will be sharing her travel experiences today on the blog. In true Renrenspeaks fashion, we gotta gas her up before delving into the interview!
Keerthana is my forever study abroad bestieeeeee! The numerous memories we have together are unmatched. We totally were a dynamic duo in Ghana for sure. I met my match during our study abroad experience. We were girlies obsessed with photography, aesthetics, fashion, reflection, and bougie living (on a budget, of course). We experienced Accra Fashion Week together where we thought we were soooo relevant with Mama Efua designing custom-made clothing for us. We’ve experienced Ghana, Mexico, and the U.S. together. Keerthana is hilariousssss and has such a bright, kind spirit. She embodies being a multifaceted creator and a health care girlie. One quality I so admire about her is that she never gives up on her dreams. Keerthana is a visionary and is an unstoppable force in this world. With that being said, let us get into the interview!
Irene: What is your name/pronouns?
Keerthana: My name is Keerthana and my pronouns are she/her.
Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE!
Keerthana: I’m a graduate student!! I’ve recently returned to school after a couple of gap years in between, so that is the most important identity that I currently hold. In addition, I identify as a hustler, an artist, a storyteller, an activist, a South Indian woman, and an aspiring doctor. An of-course, I can’t forget world-traveler. 😉
Irene: What countries have you been to?
Keerthana: I’ve been to quite a number of countries and I’m going to try to name them off the top of my head. As an immigrant from India, the first country I came to was America! In America, it was easier to travel around this side of the world. I’ve been to Mexico (with Irene!), Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, and Canada. Recently, I actually moved out of the States to relocate and live in India for about a year. While I was back in the East, I also traveled to the UAE, Turkey, Thailand, Hong Kong. And last but not least, I had the privilege to study abroad in Ghana back in 2018 for a few months and it was my first time living somewhere unfamiliar and on my own.
Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?
Keerthana: This is a hard question! It’s like asking for my favorite song and it changes with every song I listen to. As cliche as it sounds, every country has taught me beautiful things about its culture and people alongside what I learned about my own self. Traveling to numerous diverse places has truly helped me grow into myself and become the confident solo-traveler and go-getter that I am now. If I really had to pick, I would choose India and I think it may be biased because that’s where I’m from. Aside from my whole family being there, I’ll try to be more objective in my reasoning. India is one of those few countries that is SO diverse with people and dialects and even minuscule cultural habits that vary distinctively based on the geographical region that you may end up in. Although I’m Indian, I had to adapt to many variations in diet and lifestyle as I traveled through the many states (almost 10 states and territories). Most people wear “Indian” attire which is a very generic term for the variety of clothes worn throughout the country especially as Southern states tend to be incredibly hot and Northern states can fall to near zero temperatures in the winter time. Accordingly, the traditional garment for women known as “sari” is tied in so many different ways that someone deserves an award for creativity. I didn’t even know it was possible to tie a few yards of clothing into such beautiful end results.
Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second!How did we meet?
Keerthana: I still remember my exact first meeting with Irene! We were studying abroad in Ghana at the time, but she was experiencing some delays and issues with her flight to Ghana so she didn’t arrive on the expected date. A few of the students were sitting in our classroom for mandatory orientation with one of the teachers and I remember Irene coming in late to the class (due to the aforementioned flight delays) but she had such a big smile on her face! We soon became friends because we shared similar interests in skincare, DIY projects, fashion, going to flea markets & farmers markets, and of course we were united by our love for photography and travel! At any point throughout our stay in Ghana, you may have caught us on the Legon campus with our cameras and stunning fits posing for a shoot!
Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you?
Keerthana: Although we bonded in Ghana and formed our amazing friendship, my favorite travel stories with Irene mostly take place in Cabo, Mexico because of the wild times we had! The trip was for 2020 New Years (little did we know what was about to commence that year…) and we were in Cabo for close to two weeks. Most people see it as a purely party town, but our friend group did non-traditional things as well such as going to the local grocery store and watching Charlie’s Angels at the mall in Español. My favorite memory in particular is when we ended up on some random trip to go see a waterfall and we had no idea we were seeing a waterfall so we were totally unprepared for the hike and the water. It was chaotic to say the least but so so so much fun nonetheless. Our next trip is in the works, fingers crossed!
Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?
Keerthana: One of my most memorable experiences in a country will definitely have to be Belize. It had quite a few memorable moments! Not only was the country so breathtaking, my friend and I did so many fun activities that I’ve never participated in before. For example, we went zip lining, snorkeling, and even went on an unforgettable cave tour. The cave tour is an experience I will quite literally never forget in my life and would encourage every able-bodied person to check it out for themselves.
Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?
Keerthana: Surprisingly, a smile and a few hand gestures go a long way. An of course, I’m thankful for my Spanish skills from my three years of high school Spanish. But truthfully, it’s not as difficult to get by in foreign countries as it may seem, unless you’re an extremely picky person who likes everything a particular way, because there definitely needs to be room for adaptability. When you travel abroad, you have to remember that you left America (or wherever you’re traveling from), so your expectations have to match the destination. Personally, I feel like I’ve been able to get most of the things I’ve wanted when I’ve wanted it. There’s always some form of gas stations for any quick fix for munchies or restroom runs. After living in India, there’s very few forms of bathrooms that can really throw me off. I am a very chill person so I tend to face less barriers!
Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?
Keerthana: This is really the key question because all the journeys I’ve embarked on in my life have only led me back to a place I call home. I feel so much closer to myself and so much happier with my family and friends after experiencing a life outside of them. Travel is truly a humbling experience, but it’s also the best way to learn. If you can afford it, why would you read a book about the Great Wall of China when you can just go visit it in person and learn from the place itself. The experiences I’ve encountered in all of my travels have been transformative and have only reinforced my personal values and ambitions that I set out for myself in life.
Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?
Keerthana: Get out there! I know that most people who travel primarily post about the glamorous aspect of it. But it is not easy to travel by any means. You have to actually enjoy traveling, because some people tend to be “homebodies”. And that’s totally fine, but understand if this is actually right for you. Travel doesn’t match everyone’s personality and it’s important to acknowledge if it’s right for you before you book that flight. During one instance while traveling around in India, I couldn’t get my suitcase code to work all of a sudden. I quite literally couldn’t open my luggage and desperately wanted to get my PJ’s and toiletries. At times, I was traveling so much that I didn’t know where my comb or toothbrush was half of the time. I couldn’t remember where I was packing some things because I was constantly on the move with packing and unpacking. It became so exhausting that I needed to take a break from my travels to take a minute for myself. Don’t go somewhere because everyone else is going there! Search for places that align with you and listen for your calling.
Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!
Keerthana: Absolutely! Please feel free to connect with me to comment on anything whether it’s about a country I traveled to or a travel experience that I shared here. My Instagram is @keerathandu and I actually do have a blog myself! Click here for the link to my blog.
Irene: Anything else you want us to know about you or anything you want to share with the readers? Feel free to drop it down below!
Keerthana: For long-term traveling where you’re completely immersing yourself in another culture, I would advise learning about the following things: culture shock, reverse culture shock, post-travel blues. These are a few of the things I’ve experienced and I’m glad I had the resources I did when I needed them. Travel is really a full-time job that can pay if you’re lucky! Thank you to Irene and the readers of Renrenspeaks for allowing me to share my travel experiences!
TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS
Below are some travelhighlights that Keerthana has captured during her time abroad!
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See yall, I told yall that Keerthana is so dope! A hustler, a doctor in the making, AND a world traveler? I can’t keep up! First, the fact that you said that you would try to remember all the countries off the top of your head is such a flex lol. Keerthana = travel queen. Gosh, you really threw it backkkk down memory lane! Our mems together are truly lit lol. I was stuck in Virginia for a DAY while everyone was starting to get acclimated to Ghana! Also shoutout to our friend Nii who orchestrated the best photoshoot we executed in Ghana using the natural beauty of UG, Legon. The random waterfallllll hahaha I think we ended up visiting it in sweats not prepared for the warm temperature at all. I wanted to quickly highlight something SO important that you mentioned above – “you left, so your expectations have to match the destination.” YES! I think this is such an important statement because in my experience being abroad, many people easily complain about being “inconvenienced” because the customs, rules, and norms are very different to what they are used to. It blows my mind when people complain abroad about not getting their way because they literally left to immerse themselves into a new culture! Cultural sensitivity and acceptance is critical for being a respectful traveler, yall! So read UP on the place that you decide to visit and make sure that your destination aligns with YOU and like Keerthana said, listen to your calling!
Again, thank yall so much for tuning into the blog today, Renrenspeakers! Continue to be on the lookout for an email notification regarding the next post release on Renrenspeaksnext Saturday, October 28th for our final interview in Part 5 of the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! I know, so sad that these travel stories are coming to an end! 😦 Meanwhile, stay inspired by travel and check out my girl’s personal blog!
Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday! The month of October is flyingggg by can you believe it? Welcome to the THIRD interview of the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Another one of my favorite travel influencers and a good friend of mine is going to be sharing her experiences living abroad. My fav, Kailluhhhhhh! I promise you every time I hear from her, she is in a different country living it UPPP. First, let me gas her up before we delve into her interview!
Maikailuh is the definition of travel GOALS, I am telling yall right now. She is a sweet, hilarious, and entertaining soul who has so much love and joy to give. We have had such deep, hours-long conversations about all kinds of topics whether that was abroad or on our chaotic Zoom calls, and have shared many great laughs. Kailuh lived across campus from me and was way too far, but we always made it a point to meet and eat the bomb Ghanaian cuisines at the Bush Canteen or The Bistro or even at the night market. One quality that I admire so much about Maikailuh is that she is a go-getter and is not afraid to take a leap of faith in all that she does. She has such a huge heart for the various community spaces she occupies, and does not relent when things are tough. She is bold, brave, and is truly one of my study abroad sisters for life. I am so very excited to feature my beautiful travel sistah, Kailuh on the blog today!
Irene: What is your name/pronouns?
Maikailuh: Maikailuh, she/her
Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE!
Maikailuh: I am a fairly recent graduate with my MSc in International Public Policy and a BA in Psychology. I am currently working in education, but also spend time working with community think tanks. I am driven by my ability to educate, support travel among youth in the global African diaspora, and community. To that end, I am also a brand new business owner! Liberated Travels is all about curating meaningful and intentional trips for groups, individuals, and organizations. We are offering group tours, with an upcoming trip to Ghana in 2024! I love what I do and feel so grateful to have the opportunity to see so many places and meet so many amazing people!
Irene: What country/countries have you been to?
Maikailuh: Although there are many more countries I hope to visit soon, thus far I have been to Ghana (with Irene), Togo (with Irene!), Mexico (with Irene too!), South Africa, Botswana, Namiba, Zimbabwe, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium. Of these countries, I have lived in Ghana and the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland).
Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?
Maikailuh: It would be difficult to select a single favorite country, especially because of the varying lengths of time I spent in each one, but I will say that Ghana has become a second home for me, and I miss it — and the fruit — every time I leave for even a few months.
Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second!How did we meet?
Maikailuh: Renie and I met while studying abroad in Ghana! We were actually in the same host program, which afforded us the opportunity to take a couple of trips together, both with and without our program. My personal favorite Ghana trip we took together landed us on a 16 hour bus ride to the Northern Region. A group of our friends decided we wanted to go on a safari, so we trekked north and stayed at an orphanage near the national park we went to visit. We met so many amazing young people and community leaders, saw wild elephants, and got to sleep outdoors under the cool northern sky! The time spent there was amazing, although I ended up stranded on the side of the road for six hours on my way back!
Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you?
Maikailuh: Another salient travel memory I have of us is the time we went to Los Cabos with a couple of our girlfriends that, *surprise*, we also met in Ghana. That whole trip was amazing, from whale watching, tequila tasting, and ocean-front massages to visiting a tiny art village, and taking the city bus to explore the mall and watch the Charlie’s Angels remake in Spanish, which none of us spoke fluently. One of the best parts of that trip was becoming close with the owners of a local taqueria and eating those shrimp tacos every single day! I also loved getting lost in town and stumbling upon the best sweet corn tamales ever!
Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?
Maikailuh: One of my most memorable travel experiences was studying abroad for the first time. At 19, a junior in college, this was the first time I had traveled internationally on my own. I spent ten months at the University of Ghana, Legon. I lived on campus, took classes with students from all across the continent, and traveled the country in my spare time. This experience was so profound for many reasons.
First, it was my first visit to the African continent, which meant so much to me culturally. While there, I connected with my West African roots, and got to witness firsthand the foundation of so much of my own Black American heritage. From the language, food, hospitality, and communal values, to the cultural norms and expectations, I felt right at home in many ways. There were definitely some new social and cultural dynamics I had to adjust to, but overall, I knew I was where I needed to be.
Second, I was a part of an amazing program run by the most divinely-curated group of aunties and uncles any student could ask for! Our program coordinators gave us a fabulous course on culture shock, adjusting to a new style of learning, and so much more. They went out of their way to plan so many meaningful trips and supported us on our individual journeys as young travelers. Today, each of those coordinators remains like family to me, and my experience would not have been so immersive and raw without their support.
Finally, perhaps the most life-altering part of my study abroad experience was the connections I made. As mentioned, I spent most of my spare time traveling throughout Ghana. By the end of my initial stay, I had been able to see all but one region of the country. This amazing experience would not have been possible without the help of my wonderful friends, both from Ghana and elsewhere! Additionally, today one of my closest friends and I met because he just happened to be in a class with someone from my program and she brought them by to meet me and Irene during their study break! Our lifelong bond is just one of so many I made. Over five years later, my current amazing roommates are women I met in my program, and have become family to me. Perhaps one of the most profound experiences I had was meeting my very best friend while abroad. Betty (also featured in this series) has brought so much color and genuine joy to my life, and I owe it all to Ghana & the universe. There is so much I could say about friendship and finding community abroad, but I think the most important thing is to remain open to meeting new people and experiencing the world in a new way.
Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?
Maikailuh: A place where I faced the most cultural barriers was Northern Ireland. The foremost challenge for me was the fact that Belfast, the city I lived in, was partially segregated by religious affiliation (see this link to learn about the Troubles in Northern Ireland). While I did not live in this part of the city, the daily implications of being constantly hyperaware of discussing something such as family history with newfound friends brought about many feelings, but most of all just reminded me how fragile ideals such as identity truly are. This experience also feuled my own efforts to decolonize my thoughts, actions, and the way I show up in the world because the impacts of colonialism are far-flung and ever-expanding in many ways.
Another key challenge was adapting to a new system of learning. Although I had spent a year studying in Ghana which uses the same British Imperial schooling system as Northern Ireland, settling into a Master’s program under this barely familiar system was so challenging for me. As an American, I was used to a more practical approach to research and studying, where I felt that both Ghana and Northern Ireland had much more theory-heavy educational systems.
The final challenge here: living in a country with a 0.2 percent Black population as a Black woman, was also a huge positive for me. Unfortunately, on a few occasions, I did face blatant racism, though much of the discomfort came in the form of microaggressions. The biggest issue for me, however, was the lack of cultural necessities. During my year there, the only beauty supply I could find was a Sally’s! There were a few braiders, but they were hard to reach and the quality was not what I was used to. While a little frustrating, once this challenge became clear, it empowered me to form a more intimate relationship with my own hair and diet, as I was typically the only one tending to my haircare needs and cultural cravings. Overall, I feel grateful for this experience!
Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?
Maikailuh: Through travel I have learned so much about who I am, who I want to be, and what gifts and talents I can offer to the world. The biggest and most profound thing travel has taught me is that community is key. Community is key to embarking on new journeys, on being embraced and held in new places, and in finding meaning in your travels. Whether it be friends, strangers, family, or partners, there has always been someone there to point me in the right direction. There have been days, or weeks even, where I enjoyed solitude and spent time alone in nature, but even then, just the ability to reflect on my loved ones, and give thanks to them has made each day more meaningful.
Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?
Maikailuh: A piece of advice I would give is to plan the trip, book the ticket, and go alone if you have to. Once you’re there, listen to your mind & body. There will be days when you have a packed itinerary, but what you really need is to lay in bed, take that walk, or read that book. There will probably be another opportunity.
Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!
Maikailuh: You can find me on Instagram @_kailuh_ or @kailuhtravels if you have questions or are interested in joining our group trip to Ghana in 2024!
Sincerely,
Maikailuh, MSc, Liberated Travels LLC
TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS
Below are some travelhighlights that Maikailuh has documented during her time abroad!
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My gosh. Well first, PLEASE sign me up for this group trip to Ghana 2024 because I want to see all of my chales again!!! Kailuh, your passion for travel shines through this interview. I am continuously inspired by you and I am SO proud of you because I feel that we often get so bogged down with the automaticity of productivity that we don’t treat ourselves with the opportunity to expand our cultural knowledge and travel around the world. I love that you also emphasize that traveling alone if you have to is totally acceptable and encouraged! I totally want to do a solo trip one day. I believe that it will be a beautiful learning experience. Lastly, I LOVE your emphasis on community. When traveling, there is a special bond none like the one you curate with the people you meet and cross paths with. I still feel so much love and an unexplainable connection to this day with everyone that I was blessed to have encountered during my time abroad.
Once again, thank yall so much for stopping by the blog today and reading this amazing interview, Renrenspeakers! Continue to monitor your email notifications and stay plugged in on the Renrenspeaks Instagram page for the next post dropping next Saturday, October 21st for Part 4 of my Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Definitely check out Maikailuh’s Instagram pages to become a part of the group Ghana trip happening in 2024! Shoot, I might have to do a Renrenspeaks meet-and-greet in Ghana, now! 😉
Hello, Renrenspeakers! Happy first Saturday of the month and welcome to the SECOND of the five interviews in the line-up for the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Did yall jot down a new country to add to your bucket list like I mentioned last week? If not, you have another opportunity to do so through this amazing blog interview we are about to delve into. The second person sharing their abroad journey with us is the charismatic, lovely Betty, who is a literal ray of sunshine! First, let’s love on her a bit before we jump into the interview.
Betty is all smiles, all giggles, and all dimples! Her energy is literally the definition of infectious, as she is the perfect hype woman, one of the best listeners ever, a calm and kindred spirit, and very multitalented. If it wasn’t for Ghana, I would have never crossed paths with this beautiful soul. Betty’s edgy, bold haircut and warm smile were the first things I noticed about her in a class that we were taking with other California study abroad students during my first week in Ghana. Instantly, I knew I wanted to be her friend. I tried to stay behind a little bit so that I could make eye contact and casually start a conversation, but she beat me to it! Betty is a forever abroad sister, as some of my most precious memories together consisted of our late night talks in Volta Hall at the University of Ghana when she ate almost all my Goldfish in one setting (LOL), and in the U.S. when we would each drive an hour each way to meet up at Dana Point to have bougie lunches, sit by the harbor, and catch up on life. So friends, I present to you, #Bettysuccessful and her travel reflections!
Irene: What is your name/pronouns?
Betty: My name is Betty Hang and my pronouns are she/her/hers. My Vietnamese name is Yêń and it means swallow, which is a kind of bird!
Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE!
Betty: I am a writer, a community activist, and AANHPI creative arts enthusiast. I enjoy reading all sorts of literature, pole dancing, art museums, and learning about new perspectives and stories. My personality traits entail coziness, loyalty, fun chaos, and warm professionalism. My mission in life is to accumulate wisdom, spread love and compassion, and create impact during my time on this spectacular planet. Lastly, I am an Associate Producer on the indie feature documentary, NEW WAVE, which is supported by Sundance Institute.
Irene: What country/countries have you been to?
Betty: I have visited Ghana, Togo, Ireland, Canada, and Vietnam!
Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?
Betty: My favorite country I’ve visited thus far is a tie between Ghana and Vietnam. Ghana because it was my first time traveling internationally, where I made my very best friends, and grew my global and cultural knowledge immensely. Vietnam because I learned about the country my parents grew up in, explored many cities with childhood friends and by myself, and learned to adapt in a new city alone.
Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second!How did we meet?
Betty: Irene was a shining light who entered the orientation room at the University of Ghana with a yellow Hydroflask, which immediately caught my eye. It was friendship at first sight. She was someone I felt radiated joy and sunshine so much, it felt like our personalities matched! We hung out, got lunch around campus, talked for hours about life, and I knew she was a friend I wanted to keep in my life forever.
Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you in Ghana?
Betty: A salient memory that I hold of our friendship is spending time in Irene’s dorm hall, Volta, and at the local bistro talking about how we have a strong desire to make a positive impact on our community and our world, becoming better people everyday, and best of all, boys (haha).
Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?
Betty: One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had for a particular country I’ve visited was cussing someone out in Vietnam. It was cathartic and necessary.
Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?
Betty: While making friends in Vietnam, I had language issues that led to me say the wrong things! Long story short, I ended up calling a group of adults a demeaning word for “smart” in Vietnamese, not realizing that word is exclusively used for children. Fortunately, none of those adults took it personally and understood I was a foreigner. Although I grew up speaking Vietnamese, there are still language issues I come across to this day, but understanding that traveling comes with unique trials and error (whether it’s getting lost, tripping up sentences, etc) makes it easier to accept our mistakes. It’s all a part of living life, really!
Cultural highlights I’ve had during my time abroad definitely are making new friends. A memorable experience I had was being accepted as an honorary family member in a back alley of District 4 in Ho Chi Minh City. I spent time with this family everyday. We had coffee each morning, we went to temple and the market together, they would offer me meals and clothes, and we still keep in touch to this day. Even making friends with people who weren’t from Vietnam was refreshing and exciting, like hearing their stories and how they’ve built a life of their own there.
Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?
Betty: What I’ve learned about myself through traveling abroad is that I should not be as scared about the world as I have been. I don’t know if it’s the way I’ve been educated and socialized in the U.S., but while in Vietnam, a large chunk of my experience was my intense fear about my safety. Being constantly frightened hindered my travel experience severely and over time, I learned that as long as I am vigilant and aware of my surroundings, that is enough for me to still enjoy my time traveling solo.
Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?
Betty: I’d say to always stay flexible, nothing ever goes as planned, and to accept that life will throw anything your way and you may not always be prepared for it. Having that acceptance that life will always have great and bad things at any given point makes it easier, at least for me, to be okay with the adversity and just do my best to handle what’s in my control.
Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!
Betty: The best way to connect with me is via LinkedIn. I love to have creative idea sessions or philosophical conversations that lead to creating positive change in the world, so if this is down your alley, do reach out!
Irene: Anything else you want us to know about you or anything you want to share with the readers? Feel free to drop it down below!
Betty: The last thing I want to share with you all is that you’ll never go wrong with being your true self, and also practicing bravery regularly will transform your life! Thank you for reading and wishing you all a day full of acceptance, peace, and celebration. Life is a celebration!
TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS
Below are some travelhighlights that Betty has captured during her time abroad!
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Betty, you completely wowed us with your amazing storytelling. Shoutout to The Bistro and our campus lunch dates back in the day. The juice, sandwiches, and waiters there were absolutely amazing. Also, slow tears building up currently from the picture of the four of us together. Cheers to friendships at first sight, for real! I also want to let you know that I still have my yellow Hydroflask! I was gifted my yellow Hydroflask by someone who said I reminded them of a ray of sunshine, so aint no way it will ever leave me! It is definitely beat up and a bit tattered, but this thing has literally traveled across the world with me and has been with me through thick and thin. Lastly, thank you for reminding us that life is a celebration and that we should strive to practice bravery every day for life transformation. It is definitely a word I needed to hear today!
Thanks for reading this post today, Renrenspeakers! Again, stay tune for email notifications for the next post release on Renrenspeaksnext Saturday, October 14th for Part 3 of the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Keep working on getting that passport! 😉
Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy Saturday, the last day of the month, and the FIRST of the five interviews in the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series officially launched TODAY! Are yall as excited as I am to delve into the world of travel these next few weeks? I hope so! The first person kicking us off with this exciting new series is my good sis, Vayunamu. As per usual, I must give a quick snapshot of our relationship before continuing to read about her travel journey.
Vayunamu is one of the coolest souls that you will ever meet, seriously. She is a model, a fashion icon, and a girl never hesitant to take a risk. I distinctly remember meeting her at a Noname concert, as my friend group and her friend group were the last two groups sticking around to see if we could meet Noname. I think Vayunamu ended up leaving right before Noname came out (which fun fact, I actually did get to meet her). But I remember as we waited in the dark grassy area somewhere in Downtown San Diego at the back of where the concert was held, we bonded about being a part of the African Student Association (ASA), fashion, and other things. Since then, we have made many memories such as discovering various aesthetically pleasing parts of San Diego and joining forces in social events for ASA. She is a woman who is well-traveled, so I am very thrilled for yall to learn more about the places she has discovered on this earth.
Irene: What is your name/pronouns?
Vayunamu: Vayunamu Bawa, she/her
Irene: Give us a quick synopsis of who YOU ARE!
Vayunamu: My name is Vayunamu, meaning “gift of God”, and I’m 25. I’m from Abuja so I’m a Nigerian girl with a Nigerian passport (that needs to be said) and I like to travel and see things in new and different ways. I’m a Christian, I love my personal spiritual relationship with God, and I love people. My favorite color is yellow, I love everything creative, and I’ve managed to turn my passions for writing and photography into income sources. For the past 2 years I’ve been a digital nomad + slow traveler = slowmad. I’m just a girl.
Irene: What country/countries have you been to?
Vayunamu: UK, US, Mexico, Gambia, UAE
Irene: What is your favorite country visited thus far, and why?
Vayunamu: This is kind of hard to answer but I’ve lived in both the US and Mexico so those win because being able to spend an extended amount of time in those countries allowed me to get to know them deeply.
Irene: Let’s throw it back down memory lane for a second!How did we meet?
Vayunamu: We met in San Diego while we were both in university! I can’t remember when exactly but it was either:
Through university collaboration: We went to different schools but were both on the boards of our respective African student organizations, so we connected to plan some activities to get our groups to meet and network.
At a Noname concert: Some of the Black people that went to the show started talking after because we were waiting to get a photo with her and I think that’s when Irene and I got to talk.
Irene: What is a salient memory that you hold of me and you in the U.S.?
Vayunamu: Very sad to say that we have not traveled abroad together (yet!) so my memory is from the US. When I used to live there, we hung out a lot and did a lot of fun things so it’s hard to pick one. I’d say it’s us treating ourselves to nice brunches whenever we can just to chat about what’s going on in our lives and live in the moment.
Irene: Can you speak to one of your most memorable experiences for a particular country that you’ve visited?
Vayunamu: I once met someone in Mexico City who immediately invited me to join them at a nice resort in Baja California Sur because they had a +1 for a work trip. It was a great weekend at an all-inclusive place and I only brought my backpack (no laptop!) so I could read and enjoy the serenity. I was weirdly lucky because I had just come back from a solo vacation less than a month ago in Playa del Carmen.
Irene: What are some cultural barriers and cultural highlights that you have experienced during your time abroad?
Vayunamu: On cultural barriers, I’ll say a difference in values. Traveling and meeting people and trying to get things done means basically being at the mercy of whatever the value system is in that place. All societies have their way of relating to time, commitments, relationships, efficiency, etc., so wherever I am, whether I like it or not, I just have to get used to it and change my expectations. This has an additional challenge of not always fitting in and trying to maintain my own personal compass.
The main cultural highlight that I’ve experienced in every single place, probably every city I’ve gone to, is that there is so much goodness out there. Solo traveling, especially as a Black woman, requires hyper-awareness when it comes to my surroundings, but I’ve honestly learned to lean into the good I’ve experienced and trust that there’ll never be a shortage of it. Just the day before I wrote this, I was stranded in a new city, no cash or card, no phone service, and I needed to pay a taxi driver and some guy in a grocery store helped me. From time to time, something odd like that will happen to me or someone else and there’s always a kind of trust and willingness to help. There are endless bad stories and narratives, especially online, but in real life I think most people are just trying to take care of themselves and do whatever they need to do to get through the day, so they generally operate from a good or at least neutral position.
I also think that being a person transcends every type of category that we place ourselves in and that makes it easier to feel at home wherever you are. Despite nationality, ethnicity, social class, etc. we all have so much in common and it just takes one serious conversation to uncover that and bond with a person.
Irene: What have you learned about yourself through traveling abroad?
Vayunamu: I’ve always seen myself as a strong person but I’ve learned that I’m capable of even more than I think and I can deal with anything that life throws at me. Traveling puts you in all kinds of situations and literally pushes you to the wall so many times that you learn to push the wall itself. And when you get to that point, you uncover a whole new layer of yourself. So I just keep peeling my back layers.
I’ve also learned that nothing is ever that serious. Things aren’t that complicated to me anymore—life is what it is and every single second is a gift.
Irene: Any advice, gems, or words of encouragement for someone who is new to traveling or is looking to broaden their travel experience?
Vayunamu: The first would be to slow down! I’ve been doing the slow-mad thing mainly because it is a logistical nightmare to have to apply for visas for every single place I want to visit, but it’s been such a gift. It’s so nice to be able to go beyond the surface and experience a destination deeply—I think it’s better than breezing through a place and leaving before you’re able to really take something from the experience.
The second would be to start small if you’re scared or unsure. No one needs to cross an ocean before they say they’re a traveler. All it takes to start exploring is going to the next neighborhood, town, city, state, etc., and doing your best to see it with curious, unassuming eyes.
Irene: Can folks connect with you to learn more about you/support you? If so, please drop your social media info down below!
Below are some travelhighlights that Vayunamu has documented during her time abroad!
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Oh my goodness, what a FUN post to read, am I right Renrenspeakers? First, can we just take a moment to recognize that Vayunamu is a gorgeous gift of God and an exemplary writer?? Also, these photos totally belong in a travel magazine. Riding on a hot air balloon is definitely something I would love to try one day. Vay, your memory of us meeting was close, but mine was slightly better. 😉 The fact that we have not traveled abroad together is kind of ridiculous because we would totally be a dynamic travel duo. I am almost done with school, so let’s make it happen soon. 🙂 And, I LOVE the term you coined, a slowmad. I have never heard of that before, but it is definitely a term to add to my repertoire.
Thanks for tuning into the blog today, Renrenspeakers! Keep watch of your email notifications and stay plugged in on the Renrenspeaks Instagram page for the next post dropping next Saturday, October 7th for Part 2 of my Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series! Keep your notes memo open for another location to jot down on your destination travel bucket list!
Hello Renrenspeakers! Happy almost end of September! You know what I have been thinking about lately? TRAVELING. I had a few quick in-state/across-states trips these past few weeks, but I have not been out of the country since 2020. I definitely got caught with the travel blues, missing my adventures abroad as these photo memories of places I have been to such as Ghana and Mexico keep popping up in my photo album. To relive my nostalgia for travel, I have a FUN and EXCITING new series that I am starting! Yall miss the Renrenspeaks themed series, right? It has been a while, so I am blessing yall with another one. 😉
I present to yall the Travelers Abroad Speak mini blog series coming yalls way! Starting THIS SATURDAY, I will be posting every week for five weeks about various travel abroad journeys from some of my favorite, most inspiring people that I know. These lovely individuals are all so willing and thrilled to share their travel stories and have a ton of experience out of the country that they are ready to tell yall about. This is a series that I have been thinking about doing for a while, so I am ecstatic that it is finally happening! I hope that through each story, yall find a new spot on the world map that you can add to your bucket list.
Stay tuned to the series to come! Each blog interview will be posted every Saturday starting September 30thuntil the end of October! Grab yall’s world maps and start pinning locations to visit as we go through the mini blog series!
Also fun fact – the cover photo is a picture of me in Accra, Ghana when I went to visit an arts district with my study abroad bestie/personal photographer! ❤
Hello Renrenspeakers! I hope that all is well! How are yall doing? Happy official start of FALL! The weather here in AZ is finally about 95-100 degrees, which is basically equivalent to a 70 degree day in San Diego 😉 I have had a BUSY month of September, let me tell you! Every week has been jam-packed with fun and entertainment. I went back home to San Diego over the Labor Day weekend to visit my family, and then I went on a roomie trip/staycation the following week, and THEN my bestie came to visit me for a few days and we did a 24-hour staycation/day trip to Sedona the following weekend. During this time, I was wrapping up getting IRB approval for my capstone project implementation starting in January, completing my two classes, and compiling my final capstone paper while prepping for my clinical rotations. It has been a whirlwind of a month, and I cannot believe how fast it went by!
One important update about my busy life is that I am back to working full time (for free LOL) doing my second clinical rotation required of me to graduate from OT school. Also side note yall – I am finally graduating NEXT YEAR can you believe that I have 9 months left of school, yahoo! Anyway, I have left the world of pediatrics and entered the world of adults. I am currently placed in an inpatient rehabilitation setting, so I am doing my internship at a rehab hospital. I have officially completed one week of fieldwork in my new setting, and let me tell you, it is SO different than my first rotation. So far, I am really liking and enjoying my new rotation. Of course, getting familiarized with a new facility is always an adjustment. My new uniform consists of solely black scrubs instead of colorful shirts. My voice and tone changed a ton to accommodate my new population, which has mostly been the geriatric population from what I have witnessed thus far week. Though I have been there for one week only, I feel like I have already learned a TON of information. I have seen a variety of conditions, injuries, disabilities, and illnesses ranging from strokes, amputations, knee replacements, fractures, Parkinsons, and spinal cord injuries and surguries. No two patients have presented the same. Each patient has their own story about how they entered the facility. The things that I have observed my clinical instructor teach her patients thus far are things that I take for granted daily such as getting into my bed, transferring onto a toilet, showering, or dressing myself. These activities of daily living (ADLs) are a no-brainer for me to do, but for all of my patients, it can be so difficult to achieve these ADLs because they need extra time, an extra boost from another person, or need adaptive equipment to achieve these ADLs with ease and efficiency. I love that so far, most of what I have seen has been taught to me at one point during my didactic years. So shout out to my school for preparing me well enough to take on this new challenge for 12 weeks. I take comfort in being pretty familiar with OT in an inpatient rehab setting and that it is not a completely foreign territory so far. I am also gonna shout out the Palomar Pathmaker Internship that I did prior to starting grad school because I was also at an inpatient rehab facility doing shadowing hours, and I have seen a lot of overlap between that hospital and the place that I am currently at.
Documentation is always going to be an adjustment and a learning curve, and honestly the least fun part about OT. My favorite thing thus far has been helping patients achieve as much independence and function as they can or return back to. The amount of patients that have told me that they finally feel human again after our therapy session, whether it was learning how to use adaptive equipment for showering, dressing, etc. or making large strides in their recovery has been so heartwarming and reinvigorating. These patients have endured so many hardships, so the power of respectable care goes a LONG way in this setting. My patients have had incredible journeys that they have overcome in a short time. They have experienced a life that I have not, and I greatly admire their resilience under difficult circumstances.
Going into this fieldwork rotation, I feel like my energy and attitude this time around is different. I do not feel quite as scared and nervous as I did before, even though I can arguably say that this place is more physically demanding than my previous rotation. Of course, the nerves are there, but it seems easier to center myself back to confidence rather than spiral downhill (something that I struggle with at times, admittedly). I think grounding myself and gleaning on my inherent soft skills that were augmented in my previous rotation has helped a ton. My clinical instructor this week gave me an affirmation that made me reframe the way that I want to navigate this fieldwork. She said that I have my people skills down and not to worry because the clinical skills will come with time. Thus, even if I have a time when I am frozen and do not feel competent clinically, drawing on those soft skills with my patients I believe and hope will make all the difference in my sessions. Slowly, my education is coming full circle, and I am excited to see how I grow and learn as a professional after the end of my rotation and into my professional career later on. I thank God that I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a blessing to others in this field.
I will leave yall with one tip of advice that a patient told me on my second day. He first asked my CI and me about how much energy we spent on worrying per day. Of course, I know I personally exert a lot of energy toward worrying, but I couldn’t provide a measurable response. He said 98% of our energy goes to worrying, which was a shockingly super high number. Then, he said that one way to stop worrying is to verbalize the word STOP every time we have an intrusive, worried thought. He said we might look ridiculous constantly saying STOP out loud, but after 2 weeks of this practice, we would have more control over our thoughts to mentally stop worrying thoughts. According to him, from this practice, we can eventually train our brains to say STOP and release the concept of worry because worry does nothing for us but stresses us out. This was very fitting to hear my first week of this rotation especially because as a new student, there is always a need and tendency for us to be stressed, be a perfectionist, and to not fail at all. Though failing is not fun, it is through failure that I have learned the most and remember it for future application. My patient was very insightful and definitely dropped a gem I needed to hear. It is harder said than done, but if my patient can be as worry-free as possible despite his seemingly difficult condition, then I can also try to implement this practice into my daily life.
Overall, my first week in inpatient rehab has been a very pleasant and positive experience. I am excited to continue absorbing information like a sponge and to eventually start applying it to my own caseload I will start to adopt. Thanks yall for tuning into the blog! And remember, if yall are worried about anything, try implementing the STOP strategy. I will let you know how effective it was for me in 2 weeks 😉
Renrenspeaks 