Hello! My name is Raina Evans. I am a sophomore college student at Nazareth University in Rochester, New York. I major in occupational therapy and public health. Occupational therapists make sure everyone can do what they need to do in their life. Imagine Tommy broke his arm. An occupational therapist would help him re-learn how to draw, write, or even play a sport with his hurt arm. My second major is public health. We make sure that everyone in our community is safe and happy. We might look into hospitals, make sure our water is clean, or even find patterns where people get sick. All to make sure people can live their best and most healthy lives!
This semester, I am studying abroad in beautiful Costa Rica! I will take a Spanish class and a class about the history of Costa Rica. Then I will participate in an internship with a public health worker in a Costa Rican community. I hope to improve my Spanish language skills since there are not a lot of Spanish-speaking occupational therapists. I am also learning about Costa Rica's healthcare system. In Costa Rica, they make sure everyone can get the doctors and medicine they need without it costing money. How cool! My passion in life is to make sure my community gets accessible care to always feel healthy and happy, and there's a lot to learn from how Costa Ricans approach these challenges.
I would love to have you join me for these experiences! Welcome to my virtual exchange journey!
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by clicking here!
