Season 3, Day 18: Hidden Gems

Our time in Spain has come to a close and it was an amazing experience. And emotional! There were tears, long goodbyes, and even a couple toasts led by two students! Genuine, heartfelt toasts (which seem to be a lost art these days). 

Our last couple days focused on discussing how written and unwritten rules, including policies and systemic drivers influence population health in Spain. We heard a guest lecture on the field of global health, a topic a lot of these future healthcare providers don’t hear much about unfortunately. They learned about the differences between equality (everyone gets the same support) and equity (people get different supports based on their need) and how the Spanish system prioritizes equity to ensure all have the opportunity to thrive. It was a fitting end to the class. 

So now I’m left with a lot of grading. (Cue the violin) As part of their assignments, I asked students to go on a scavenger hunt in both Madrid and Barcelona. They are to take photos of works of art, historical landmarks, natural landscapes, and a hidden gem. The hidden gem can be anything that the student finds interesting or even brings themselves bit of joy. Some students commented on interesting foods they found, For others, interesting works of art. 

But this year, something special happened. Several students reported their hidden gem was the new relationships that they formed as part of this experience. This is both fitting and really beautiful. For one, the thing that Spain does better than anyone else (in my opinion) is engage in social conversations at all times. It’s like Spain was built for groups.  For two, this was the one thing these students brought with them to Spain, and they didn’t even know what they had when this journey began. 

So what do you get when you take 22 strangers, lead them to a foreign country that many of them have never been to, and ask them to live together for three weeks? (Does this sound like an advertisement for a game show?) Magic! That’s what! Each of these students made a minimum of 23 new friends (I’m putting Garrett and myself in this bucket). And this wasn’t lost on them. These students completely bought into the family dynamic and I’m so proud that they did. 

Based on their final reports, these students also learned a lot about the major drivers of health and well-being (thankfully for me, this is the purpose of the class). But more importantly, many reported they learned a lot about themselves. Many reported improved confidence in themselves.  Others indicated they were really proud of themselves for getting out there and overcome some sources of anxiety and fear. A couple even felt this was a life changing experience. 

This experience is not for everyone, and unfortunately, it’s not available to everyone. And that’s what I noodle on now. With positive outcomes like these, it feels like a responsibility to figure out how to replicate and scale this experience to those who don’t have access to a 3 week study abroad course to a magical land full of tapas, trains, and Tinto de Veranos. It’s just the equitable thing to do. 

From left: Oscar, Lucas, Stephanie, Emily S, Natalya, Finley, Gracie, Connor, Maci, Mila, Garrett, Isabella, Emma, Sharice, Sydney, Ben, Kaitlyn, Kayla, Sofia, Franca, Emily B, Inesh, Ryan, and Collin.