My White Picket Fence

As I wash the dishes from dinner and peer out the kitchen window at my kids playing with their father, I feel happy and proud to be the woman I am and of the life I chose. Just beyond my incandesently happy family is the white picket fence meant to provide safety from whatever roams beyond. It also reminds me of the decision I made long ago. The shock and terror of the memory suddenly wakes me from my sleep, and I shake away the frightening image of that white picket fence. The white picket fence lifestyle that so many people crave, is the white picket fence I fear. Rather than representing security, I feel caged. For me, each post represents a place I have been and a place I want to go. They represent the person I am and the person I want to become. In my dream I chose the life of husband and kids early, and had to leave behind the hopes and dreams of a girl who has always been a nomad. A girl, who always runs to a barrier, slows, thinks, and hops right over. A girl who wishes well those she once knew, and greets those who are meant to inspire further.

I have left one of my white picket fence posts in every country I have lived and traveled, with the most recent left where I lived in Spain. One has been left in the Dominican Republic and many others left in European countries before. I want a yard for my future family to play in, but if I cannot live within the fence, how could they? That is why I am building my own, a fence that will not cause fear and hinder exploration, but encourage it. I want their fence to be the one I build around the world. In Nicaragua, my next post shall be.

Like anything else, a fencepost must have support in order to stay standing tall. I want to give that post the support when I am working in Nicaragua. I believe it is important to understand how very fortunate developed countries are in their technological advances. Practicing healthcare in Nicaragua will give me the chance to go back decades in medical history to using touch and plain knowledge of the body. My understanding will be tested and improved in the time I practice there. The basic practical approach to healthcare administration will improve my confidence and care upon returning to Marian University and patients of the United States. I believe practicing healthcare where it is free and resources are limited will allow the pure practice of medicine and nursing to be used to their fullest potential, something that will benefit me for the rest of my career and life.

Furthermore, I want this experience to further open my mind to serve the underserved. I have long felt that sense of global responsibility the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization are trying to expose. This opportunity will let me act on that responsibility to provide a service and learn at the same time. I want to get back to the roots of healthcare and it seems as though the only place someone can go is to the place where only the roots are available. My service to one individual in Nicaragua will benefit the entire community and preserve the integrity as a whole. I want to serve as many people in my life as possible and my exploration of Hispanic/Latino health and basic healthcare will provide an opportunity for a healthier life for each and every patient and their family. I also hope this experience will help me see the people right here in the United States, and even closer to home in Fond du Lac, those who are underserved and give them aid.

In practicing nursing, I believe it is very important to understand the culture of your patient. My experience will increase my cultural awareness and benefit my practice of nursing to all, not just the people of Nicaragua. Cultural sensitivity and awareness are essential in giving the best care possible to any patient of any ethnicity or cultural background. I have knowledge of the Hispanic and Latino culture as well as the language ability to communicate well. All I desire is the chance to practice and prove my worth as a nurse internationally and my ability to provide care in even the poorest of conditions. Who I help and what I learn in Nicaragua, will support my fencepost long enough for my children to dig it up and move it further.