January 30th
Today was our official last day of clinical experiences. In the morning we were taken to an outdoor venue where Junior Medical Interns from UERM were doing a presentation on “Waste Management” in the community. Their goal was to educate the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) about the concepts of cleanliness and sanitation as they correlate to the reduction and prevention of disease. The start of the presentation was actually presented in the form of interpretive dance. This is something that some of my classmates and I have talked about in a joking manner when referring to some presentations we have had to do over the past three and a half years… No joke here as dance is an important part of Filipino culture (more on that later). Another part of the presentation involved gauging the current knowledge of the BHWs by playing a multiple choice game where participants lined up behind the answer they believed to be correct. It also served as a means of keeping the attention and interacting with the BHWs by the Junior Medical Interns. Everyone enjoyed the activity, as evidenced by the laughter and undoubtedly learned more about waste management in the process. Certainly the need for teaching the BHWs (who will then disseminate this information into the community) about waste management was reasonable as garbage and animal feces could be seen on nearly every street travelled in the area this was being presented.
After lunch it was time for the Culminating Activity for our brief time in Antipolo with UERM. Nursing students from different years, including our 6 counterparts from 4th year put on an elaborate program. There were several different dances performed and a fashion show which displayed the different school uniforms that are worn in different years and in different areas. A power point highlighting the different activities that we had participated in was also presented. Then came the moment we were a bit nervous about, we were asked to perform a Filipino dance we had been taught when we were in Iloilo. The girls poked fun at me a bit as they could hear the “click-clack” of castanets coming from my room at different times for a few days following our initial instruction on the dance known to us as the “Jota” (hoe-ta) when we were still in Iloilo. All of them, without any additional practice, were able to perform the dance quite proficiently. I am not a dancer, which I am sure I proved beyond a shadow of a doubt. The music was started and we did our best to wind our feet in the required way and click our castanets at the right time, while at the same time trying to smile! The Filipinos dance from grade school onwards and can make it look easy. Our performance, while not graceful (speaking for myself), was another important component of being culturally competent. We received much encouragement and praise from our hosts. It was actually fun, once you forgot about being embarrassed. Oh, but the fun didn’t end there. It was now time for another dance, the “Tinikling”. Two people are squatted on the ground holding two bamboo poles which are tapped and struck together rhythmically while a couple hop/dance on either side and between them. The Tinikling is considered the national folk dance of the Philippines. After a fine demonstration by a couple of Nursing students in full costume we were invited to try. For me it was quite a bit easier than the Jota but still a challenge. Once again we were honoured by our hosts in a manner similar to the other areas of the Philippines we had been. Truly, Filipino hospitality is second to none.
Following supper we bid farewell to the students and faculty that we had worked with the past few days. It was too short a time, but was a time where we experienced different aspects of community health that we had not previously, namely; health screening/ physical assessment of school-aged children and promoting social interaction and physical activity with geriatrics at their activity centre.
No comments:
Post a Comment