Healthcare and history are two subjects I have always struggled with in school. I never realized their importance, and therefore, had little interest in them. I would simply memorize facts given to us on PowerPoints in class. A few weeks later, the crammed information would be forgotten. While abroad, my mindset completely changed. I was able to see and understand the impacts of healthcare and history on a country and its people. We visited historic sites, museums, and healthcare facilities which re- enforced what we learned in the class. I was surprised by how much I was able to learn during my brief 5-week, 6-credit program.
Much of our learning was done outside the classroom on excursions and this is what made learning so easy. Our “classroom” consisted of hospitals, pharmacies, homeless shelters, and many more places. As we traveled to different locations, we would often receive a tour and presentation from a supervisor and were able to ask many questions. A few days a week were spent in an actual classroom at the University of Graz. This allowed us to connect what we were learning in the classroom to what we saw on our trips, making the information stick.
One of the most memorable trips for me was our visit to a homeless shelter called Vinzi Dorf. Unlike a typical homeless shelter, this one was set-up like a village with many small buildings enclosed by a fence. It is funded in part by the government and also by local donations. Vinzi Dorf is strictly for men and while some would come and go as they pleased, others had permanent housing there for years. Slightly outside the fence, there is a small office which is the first ever hospice care for the homeless. While this excursion taught me a lot about Austrian healthcare and showed how they take care of people who are not a part of the system, I also learned a lot about how the Austrian people view life. A short walk away from the village, there was a small cemetery for the homeless. The metal crosses used as tombstones were all slightly tilted, leaning backwards, symbolizing that life is not straight. We also learned that in many Austrian communities, death is not feared, as it brings people to peace.
During my academic experience abroad, learning came naturally. Not only did our excursions help make the information in our lectures unforgettable, but I am now interested in healthcare and history, two topics which I previously dreaded. One of the over-arching goals our study abroad program was for students to be able to form their own opinion on different healthcare systems. Although there is plenty more I still want to learn and research, after traveling abroad and reflecting on my experience, I now feel confident discussing healthcare.
