Aditi Nukala - Nicaragua
This summer, I went to San Juan Del Sur in Nicaragua for three weeks. I shadowed at a local clinic, Seaside Clinica. Seaside Clinica is the first veterinary clinic in San Juan and assists with the only rescue operation in the area, SOS Rescue. I worked closely with Dr. Roberto and Dr. Fajardo.
They taught me how to do surgeries, physical exams, collect samples, interpret diagnostics and ultimately diagnose patients. Dr. Roberto speaks both Spanish and English, and Dr. Fajardo only spoke Spanish. Dr. Fajardo taught me how to do surgeries. I learned to do my first spay and neuter at the practice. I learned the proper surgical and medical terms in Spanish. I worked with the staff who only spoke Spanish and worked with clients. Some clients spoke Spanish and some spoke only English. It was a good way to build on my Spanish skills and work on my vocabulary. I also learned more about low-cost underserved areas.
Nicaragua is a relatively low-income country and is mostly underserved in terms of veterinary medicine. Seaside Clinica is the first vet clinic and only shelter in the town. Every day, various animals would come to the clinic to utilize shelter services. I saw dogs that were in septic shock, neonatal kittens and their mothers, dogs that were hit by cars and many abandoned kittens. A lot of the medications and products available in the US are not available in Nicaragua, so I had to learn to make do with what was allowed. For example, the dogs that had fractured did not have the benefits of opioids for pain response and only had the benefit of ketamine. The orphaned kittens did not have high quality wet kitten food and learned to eat dry food that was shared between the animals. The doctors were very versatile and taught me how to use the resources available to them. I learned many different purposes for common medications we use in the US. I was also able to care for the animals that were in the shelter. I learned how to raise young kittens and puppies, and the best way to prevent disease in small environments. My time at the clinic was very valuable.
Outside of the clinic, I was able to explore San Juan Del Sur. I stayed with a local Nicaraguan family who were fluent in both English and Spanish, and I was able to converse naturally with them. When I was struggling with certain words, they taught me how to properly say it. I stayed near the beach and got to experience Nicaraguan culture. I went shopping at the local markets, ate traditional food and participated in the holidays. I also got to experience the surf culture in San Juan. San Juan is a popular surf spot, and I took my first surf lesson in San Juan. The local beaches were a 10 minute shuttle away from the home, so I went to the beach every weekend. I met many other tourists and participated in the tourism culture. San Juan Del Sur, and Latin America in general attracts people from all over the world. I met people from England, Ireland, Belgium, and France. I went out to the restaurants, visited the local bars and traveled to nearby towns.
My time in Nicaragua was truly valuable. I learned a lot about being a veterinarian in a foreign country. I learned about the local culture and built my Spanish skills. I also got to experience what the town had to offer to tourists, and learned more about the locals. I learned important skills for both my personal growth and career growth.