Meet Alana Herman - Edson College 2018 Study Abroad Student Blogger!

¿Quien es Alana Herman?

Hola, I am Alana Herman, one of the bubbliest, nerdiest people you will ever meet. I’m a nursing major as well as a third generation Sun Devil taking pride in my family’s ASU legacy and my commitment to serve the community as a future nurse.

I'm eager to learn, I enjoy putting myself outside of my comfort zone and I crave exposure to diversity. This hope to connect to others amidst the language boundaries of Spanish here in Arizona and Quechua abroad in Peru motivated me to apply to the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation’s “From Lima to Machu Picchu: Exploring Healthcare, Culture, and Ethics in Peru” study abroad trip.

This goal, however, was not without great fear. When I heard I was accepted, I was tremendously excited but also tremendously afraid of figuring out how to afford it. Coming from a family of eight for me, means paying for college and studying abroad is 95% my responsibility. Essentially, if I hadn't received the CONHI Study Abroad Scholarship, I may have backed out or gone on the trip fretting about money instead of investing in the local Peruvian communities and the opportunities of each moment.

Words can’t express how thankful I am to be the recipient of the scholarship. Because of the scholarship, I’m able to look forward to excursions in Lima, Machu Picchu and Cusco without feeling any extreme financial stress. Because of the scholarship, my excitement for the opportunity is ablaze.

What I’m most looking forward to is volunteering with the indigenous people who speak the Quechua language, a dying language with no written record. We will be synthesizing a language primer that allows them to receive better quality health care from the Spanish speaking physicians of the community. Our goal is to support the indigenous in their quest to preserve their language while asserting that adequate care is delivered.

I’m considering being a travel nurse, so this opportunity will expose me to challenges and rewards of health care delivery in foreign communities. To prepare for the trip, I’ve been researching the customs of the Peruvian communities, their social norms, their laws and regulations, how to bargain for a taxi, what medications to take and not take, and how to express gratitude and appreciation for my host family and the locals via the Peruvian way.

¡Gracias por escucharme!

Sinceramente, Alana Herman