La Clínica Week 3

This was my first La Clínica trip but it certainly won’t be my last. We were able to bring 6 cars down to Maclovio Rojas, Mexico filled with FISH members, an RN and a doctor. We made excellent time driving into Mexico (thanks to Bryant’s superb leading skills) and exhibited some professional grade caravanning maneuvers. It was a slow day in the market place but we were able to see around 150 people despite the gusts of wind threatening to blow us all the way back to UCLA. We had the usual stations set up with the addition of a physician consultation, fitness test and kids’ station. I was surprised to see that people kept their slips from previous FISH clinics so that they could compare their results. There was even one lady who fasted the entire morning so that she could have an accurate resting glucose reading. It really proved to me that we are actually making a difference and providing people with the means to improve upon their physical well-being. To know that people depend on our services to monitor their blood pressure and glucose levels makes the 4:30am wake up call a little more meaningful.

I spent a majority of the day at the kids’ station drawing nutritional meals as examples for healthy eating. I loved interacting with the kids because there didn’t seem to be as much of a language barrier. Hand a kid a jump rope and ask “¿quieres jugar conmigo?” and you have an instant friend. Even though I found it easier to communicate with the children there was one particular instance in which my misinterpretation of a hula-hooping girl came from different perspectives of the world versus speaking two different languages. She asked me “¿es del otro lado?” Not understanding what she meant, I turned to Caitlin and asked her, “the other side of what?” That’s when the girl’s mother chimed in and explained that the other side is the United States. For some reason this really shook me from my present state and made me think of how different our worlds were and yet we were just on the other side of the border.

One of my favorite moments of the day was when a man handed his toddler over to Mary so that he could be weighed. Even though the little girl was none too pleased to be leaving the safe embrace of Daddy’s arms, her father knew that she was in good hands. He was completely trusting in Mary with his daughter; just like every patient we see is completely trusting in us and our knowledge and abilities.

After we cleaned up the site we had lunch and debriefed at Tacos las Especias where we ordered as efficiently as any True Bruin would. To bring our time in Mexico to completion, we had an impromptu Karaoke sing-off battle between cars over the walkie-talkies while waiting in line at the border, making this, officially, the best La Clínica trip I have ever been on.

DRT

It is January 14, 2012 and 15 FISHies embarked on the first trip of the new year!
New year calls for new projects and goals. For some it was their first FISH trip of the school year.

As we traveled to Maclovio,  we packed baggies full of vitamins to hand out to our patients. So much for a little bit of shut-eye for the car dosers.
When we got to the clinic, stations ran smoothly and every member enjoyed the presence of patients under the warm Mexican sun. We even launched our 6 steps to health Nutrition program, which turned out to be FANTASTIC. Thank to all the enthusiastic participants and our wonderful translators, we were one step closer to providing a more sufficient health program for the people of Maclovio. 

After a fun time in clinic and our nutrition program launch, what better way to celebrate than to eat authentic Mexican food!
Tacos, tortas, quesadillas, horchatas oh my! The new lunch place, closer to the border, was AHMAAAZZING. It could not have gotten any better than this. Guacamole overdose!

Everyone got their food coma fix for the day and it was back to the border where we passed the time stuck in traffic with those delicious churros.
This has got to be the good life. 

At the break of dawn we all headed out, one car after another. After a quick stop for some breakfast burritos and a pit stop, we crossed the border and made our way to Maclovio Rojas, Mexico. After overcoming some difficulty in transportation, all FISHies finally arrived to our destination and began setting up the clinic. Anxious and curious locals began to gather around and every FISHie was put to work. The clinic ran vey smoothly and we were able to assist many people. USC students shadowed us in hopes of gathering ideas to start up their FISH chapter as well and we had the privilege of having doctor, named Jorge who has worked in a Mexican clinic and his wife, Margaret, who was an MPH, who joined us on the trip as well! As my first trip, I honestly did enjoy this adventure a lot! It was exciting and definitely a new experience all around! I am anxious to continue going on the trips and making a difference in these peoples lives in Maclovio Rojas. What was most memorable for me was getting a sincere "Gracias" from an elder lady who had just finished going through the clinic. You could see the gratitude in her eyes. One thing I definitely learned from this trip, is to be humble and think on your feet in any given situation!
Attached are all the photos taken of the Week 8 trip!

:)

-Dianna Padilla

Today I woke up at 5 a.m., slightly disoriented and a bit sleepy. This was soon overrun by excitement however. After all, today I was going to Mexico on my first FISH trip! I had made sure my passport, a snack, and other necessary items for the trip were all set the night before. Soon I was ready to head to Ackerman turnaround and meet the others. We grabbed water and a granola bar from the FISH supplies and split up into our two cars. I was in Juliette’s car with Stephanie, Valeria, and Nupur while Andy, Danica, and Eric rode in Wendy’s.

Even though it was my first trip, I already knew several people in the group from previous FISH meetings and social events so I felt really comfortable and was full of anticipation for the events of the day. All of us except the driver of course fell asleep at some point, but we had a good time talking, laughing, and getting to know each other when we were awake. We also saw what a sunrise looked like from the Los Angeles freeways. The four hours flew by and soon we were at the border. Both cars met up at McDonald’s before crossing to grab something to eat or something warm to drink. Then we were ready to cross! The only time I had been to Mexico was way back in second grade, so I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous and excited. Nervous about my first time taking blood pressure and glucose at the clinic and excited about my first time doing clinic work and about seeing what Mexico looked like. 

We crossed into Mexico and were on our way to the clinic in Maclovio Rojas. We got a bit confused on the way there but returning FISH members and our driver did a great job figuring out the directions. We arrived at the market around 10 a.m. and went over to the school where the supplies are kept. FISH members took out the supplies to prepare for the day and also bagged vitamins for the patients who would stop by. We then carried the supplies a few blocks away from the school to a side road near the busiest market street. It was a perfect day as far as weather was concerned. The sun was shining brightly and it was pretty hot, but with our tent, the temperature was wonderful. We set up the table and chairs and put the tent over it, got out supplies for check-in, height and weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and consultation and were ready to go!

Stephanie, our amazing trip leader, had as many new FISHies as she could start out on blood pressure and glucose. We quickly realized we had nothing to worry about. I enjoyed my time so much at both stations! The people we helped were very kind. When I wanted to check the blood pressure reading just to be sure for a couple of patients, they did not mind switching arms. My first glucose patient actually knew what step I needed to take before I did and squeezed his own finger a bit for me after I had pricked it to get a bit more blood out for the reading. In addition, I got to practice my Spanish with every patient at least a little.

We had a couple of especially funny moments including a little boy running in front of where we had set up, holding his bottom and yelling “Quemando! Quemando!” It was interesting that he was smiling as he was yelling “Burning! Burning!” It turns out he had sat on something hot and maybe was running to cool himself off. We also had three very interested sons watch their father get his blood glucose done. They asked their father if it hurt “Te duele?” and asked Danica many questions about what she was doing though she could not answer all of them, partially because it can be hard to come up with medical words in Spanish to explain to young children. However, she did a pretty good job and it was fun to watch their inquisitive faces.

As the clinic started to die down, I felt a sense of accomplishment as I am sure the other members of our group did as well. Everybody always had a job to do and thus felt needed throughout our time there. The people were friendly and truly interested about their health, asking if their numbers were reasonable or too high.

Around 1 p.m., we packed up and headed back to the school to talk about how we did and debrief. Overall, the trip was great and everyone felt like they had achieved their goals for the day. Next, we set out to accomplish our final goal: eating delicious tacos de asada o pescado! They were so yummy! – not to mention our awesome coca-colas or diet cokes in glass bottles, always better than a can in my opinion, possibly because they are extra bubbly. Everyone was quite satisfied after and ready for the trip back to Los Angeles.

Annabelle Soares

Logistics Team

On Monday night, instead of having the typical Dinner for 8, FISH pushed all the boundaries and had two successful Dinner for 15s!  It was a delightful evening for all.  Reeti and Walle each hosted one school of FISH at their apartments and prepared a delicious pasta dinner. Then, Walle generously invited all of the FISHies to her apartment for a dessert party. Thanks to Bryant and Walle, all of the FISHies were lucky enough to enjoy three exquisite desserts, including a scrumptious peanut butter dark chocolate cake, a mouthwatering apple crisp, and a delicious pumpkin cake with a cream cheese orange frosting and homemade pralines.  They were all simply FISHtastic.  We then ended the night with a hilarious FISH version of the game Pictionary, in which like most FISH games quickly became intense and slightly raunchy, and FISHies were able to reveal their fantastic artistic capabilities, or most likely their lack of haha. Somehow the phrase “reindeer” was turned into grandma sheep, and eventually ended with a drawing of a sheep love triangle. Overall, it was a wonderful night and I can’t wait to have another dinner party next quarter! And a special thanks to all who unselFISHly hosted the evening!

In the midst of midterms and papers, 11 brave FISHies embarked on an adventure to Hike the Escondido Canyon Trail in Malibu! The weather was cloudy and cold, but we were determined to make it to the waterfalls on our hike. We began the trail with high hopes of reaching to the top with our entire pack! Jumping over rocks and beautiful streams, we had a few slips here and there but we all made it to the first waterfall, with a minor slip for Henry! As we set off for the second part of the hike, we were told that it was quite difficult and required the use of ropes! We climbed the boulders and used the ropes and made it to the second waterfall!! Just when we thought everything was great, a falling boulder hit the back of a hiker right in front of us! Oh Yes, we freaked out! We decided it was best to head on back since we had finished the hike with everyone safe and sound! On our hike down the trail, almost ALL of us had our share of falls! Dianna's fall being one of the most epic ones! We also got lost heading back, but luckily since we all go to UCLA, we found our way back! We hit up Jack In The Box to get some grub and made it back to UCLA in one piece! Overall, an amazing adventure in nature and fun bonding with some great FISH members! 

This trip was, by far, one of the most interesting in FISH history: only three UCLA FISH, one alumnus, three USC FISH, and two doctors.

With such a dynamic group, our clinic strayed somewhat from our regular clinics-but certainly in a good way. We walked the USC FISH through their first clinic with providers present and we discussed how they will develop into the newest chapter. Because it was a slower day at the market, our doctors, Dr. Colin L. Robinson
and Dr. Weiyi Tan
, were not only able to spend decent time with their patients, they also had FISH members sit in on their examinations. Besides all of the teaching, our clinic accomplished its most important goal of providing free quality health examinations to this community.

We sat in the taco stand (the old one that alum and co-founder BJ Swanner insisted we rediscover) much longer than we would on a normal trip. Though the shrimp tacos definitely had something to do with this, the delay was really caused by our exaggerated debrief. The doctors, as well as the Trojans, had such wonderful feedback and such great ideas that we couldn’t bring ourselves to break away from the conversation.

Thank you so much to the two doctors. We look forward to building these new relationships and putting these new ideas into action. 

Before members embark on their trip to Mexico, we ensure that all our FISHies are properly equipped with the necessary skills for a successful clinic! The Training team was ready to teach all the members about height/weight, BMI, blood pressure, glucose, vitamins, safety precautions, and much more! With four main stations, members spent a lot of time learning how to measure blood pressure accurately. 

Overall, we hope our members gained some valuable skills that they can utilize on our trips to Maclovio Rojas! 

Special thanks to Julianne, the Director of Training, and all the members of the Training Team: Jocelyn, Sofia, Candace, Caitlin, LeAnna, Michael, Theodore, Paulina, Venus, Yihwa, and Karl!! 

FISH’s 2011-2012 year was kicked off to an amazing start with our first Maclovio Rojas trip of the year! Six returning FISHies embarked on the standard break-of-dawn drive to the village across the border; however this trip was an extremely special one, in multiple ways. Our initial stops at the U.S. border McDonald’s and gas station included the normal debriefing on the day’s schedule: who would be at each station of the clinic, what the procedures were, and how we were expected to communicate with the Maclovio villagers.


When we reached the market, the first change we had to make was to our clinic setup location. Although we were still situated at the epicenter of the Maclovio marketplace, we ended up on the opposite side of the main road (instead of along the fence and shed of a local business) and had to occupy a smaller space. However, we made do, and soon our cliníca gratis was up and running! Numerous people meandering through the market stopped for free checkups, while us FISHies brushed up on our Spanish (which was quite rusty after a few months on break) and reacquainted ourselves with blood pressure and blood sugar tests.


The friendliness and hospitality of the Maclovio villagers never ceases to amaze me. Throughout the day, our patients observed our clinic procedures with sincere interest, and smiled and laughed with good-natured enthusiasm at our broken Spanish phrases. Children eagerly crowded around the clinic table as we tested blood pressure, marveling at the ballooning blood pressure cuffs that squeezed their arms. People arrived to our clinic nervous and apprehensive, fearing the worst for their health; however after consulting with FISH members, they left reassured, confident that they could still improve their quality of living.

This ability to connect on a deeply personal level with the people of Maclovio Rojas makes every trip to this village worthwhile. Whether a new or old FISHie, everyone goes into Maclovio expecting to teach the villagers about better healthcare and how to improve their lifestyles. What all return with is a greater sense of humility and acknowledgment of amazing privileges and opportunities we have in our lives. Yes, we go in there believing the Maclovio people will simply learn from us; but we soon discover that we must learn from them too.


Side Note #1: We had a surprise addition to our FISH group today: Joe Sikry, a student at USC, was our seventh member on our Week One trip. This is extremely exciting, because Joe is going to be the president of the USC chapter of FISH, which will be initiated soon. It is truly amazing to see how our organization, begun just six years ago, has expanded into the entity it is today. Now we are inspiring other universities to adopt the FISH mission, and it could not have been accomplished without all the dedicated members our group has collected over the years. So, we wish Joe good luck with USC FISH...and we thank all our members for being the hardworking FISHies that make this organization great!


Side Note #2: ALERT! We found a new eatery for our FISH lunches after clinic! This place serves the most amazing tacos and sandwiches, and refreshing horchatas if you are in the mood for a sweet refreshment :) We were unable to catch the name, but it is located close to the border, across the street from Hotel Merlot and a restaurant called El Rey de Pollo. Check this place out the next time you go on a FISH trip!

How many FISH can you fit into a house in Irvine? About 10.

From September 12 through the 14th, the directors and officers met for their second annual DO Retreat. Logistics director, Meaghan, and her family were kind enough to share their home as our meeting place. Our goal for those few days were not only to get the ball rolling for the upcoming year of FISH but to also create strong bonds within the leadership team.

What can 10 people do in three days other than make quesadillas and distract one another? Surprisingly, a lot. We woke up each morning at 8 to begin the first 5-hour FISH block of the day and went to sleep around 11 after our second FISH block. Many times we continued throwing out ideas well after our designated blocks. There was no topic left uncovered- we discussed everything from dues and recruitment to alumni networks and social events. Most importantly, though, we tried to figure out how we can improve our trips to Maclovio.

We have plenty of things to share with the members at our first general meeting. Some of the highlights: Big Fish Little Fish, Children of the Night, health education research, Friends of FISH, USC and UCSD chapter joint trips. Every member should get excited for a fantastic new year with the Fellowship for International Service and Health.

When we weren't talking about FISH, the DO's did manage to have some fun. We made it over to Newport beach for an afternoon, attempted to cook (but really just watched Bryant do most of the work), staged a hilarious photo-shoot, and watched Finding Nemo.

Can't wait for the new year to start!