Top tips to cope with culture shock! Written by Kaitlin Freienmuth

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

Over the years, I have done my fair share of travelling.

DSC 0073 150x150 Top tips to cope with culture shock! Written by Kaitlin Freienmuth

Things can be very different overseas!

I have attempted to rebook flights, trains and buses in a variety of languages—most of which I don’t speak. I have ordered off menus that do not boast the regular alphabet I have grown accustomed to over the last 25 years. I have had adventures in places where toilet paper doesn’t actually get flushed down the toilet. I have jumped off a 7 meter staircase into the ocean and burst both ear drums. And I’m about to travel to a country where forks and knives are not commonplace and mosquito nets are a must. Basically, I have been and will be forced outside my comfort zone more than a few times, both figuratively and literally.

Welcome to the world of Culture Shock!

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The Weekly Question – why did you choose to do your elective placement with Work the World?

Friday, April 6th, 2012

It’s a fact of life; everyone likes to ‘big themselves up’ from time to time! And while we can go on until we’re blue in the face about why you should choose to do your overseas placement with Work the World, the best people to ask are those who did choose us and are on placement right now.

This week we asked students in each of our destinations “why did you choose to do your elective placement with Work the World?” Here are some of the responses…

dental students argentina 150x150 The Weekly Question why did you choose to do your elective placement with Work the World?

Students on placement in Mendoza, Argentina

In Argentina the leading answer was the opportunity for students to brush up on their Spanish with our fantastic week-long Intensive Spanish Course. Amanda Woods, a medical student from Alabama said “interacting with patients in a Spanish speaking company is definitely the best way to improve my Spanish…the programme has everything I was looking for.” Amanda also found us to be one of the only companies she researched offering placements in South America and to include the placement, accommodation, food and in-country support in the total cost.

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Work the World sends two Pampers winners on their elective

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

We’ve just found out some exciting news about the Pampers Student Vision Awards held at the start of the year…. Rachel and Aongola, the first and second place winners are both travelling with Work the World!

pampers student vision 150x150 Work the World sends two Pampers winners on their elective
RCM magazine – January

Rachel plans to go to Sri Lanka in August and told us “It was a lovely opportunity to go to the RCM awards and I was thrilled to have a won the pampers student award.  I’m really grateful to pampers and the RCM for supporting my trip, where I will gain many new and fantastic experiences whilst exploring a new culture and healthcare system.  I’m now really excited about planning the rest of my trip and will fly to Sri Lanka in late August.’

Aongola was just as excited. ““I was amazed, shocked and excited to come as runner up.  The award enabled me to fund my elective placement to Argentina to which I am really looking forward.  Elective placements abroad provide the opportunity to observe services in other countries framed by their culture.  I am excited to be able to observe the provision of midwifery services in Argentina and reflect on the contrasts with services in the UK.”

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Why should I do my elective placement abroad?

Thursday, March 15th, 2012

I get asked a lot why I do what I do and go where I go. Most of the time I like to explain my well thought out reasons. I mean, I am a storyteller after all. But here’s what I think of saying first: “Why not?”

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Students on placement in Sri Lanka

First of all, the world is ever changing. Be a part of that change.

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Pigeon Island – travelling in Sri Lanka

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

As everyone knows, Sri Lanka is an island. But there are few more other small islands around Sri Lanka that are not so well known.

“Pigeon Island” is in Trincomalee, in the the north part of Sri Lanka, a 5 hours journey by bus. It’s long journey but the trick is to travel on a Friday after placement so you save time travelling and have the following day on the beach.

The Trincomalee beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka – white sand with blue water. There are no waves, so you can walk in to the sea for about 500m and still the water will be up to your waist. In ”Nilaveli”, which is about 10KM from Trincomalee, you have the amazing “Pigeon Island” and the best parts of the beach.

In Pigeon Island you can scuba Dive and do snorkeling – it is like the Discovery Channel in front of your eyes, only this time it’s for real…..

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Sigiriya – one of the wonders of the world

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

“Sigiriya” is one of the most recommended places to visit in srilanka.It used to be one of the 7 wonders in the world. It’s a fortress of a king who used to live in Sri Lanka in early days. Most of our students go to visit Sigiriya on a weekday since this can be done during a day. So they can save weekends for more beach time. It’s a 2 and a half hour drive from Kandy. And it’s a 45 minutes climb. If you go in an evening you can witness the Sunset.

Plus you can take some lovely pictures from up there. Even maybe some New Profile Pictures…..

Sigira 150x150 Sigiriya one of the wonders of the world

Sigiriya

On top of Sigiriya 150x150 Sigiriya one of the wonders of the world

On top of Sigiriya

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Weekly Question ”Why would you recommend your destination to future students”

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

We get hundreds of students coming to us knowing they want to do a clinical placement overseas, but with no idea exactly where they would like to go. If this sounds familiar then maybe our current students will help you decide…..

Abby 2011 13 150x150 Weekly Question Why would you recommend your destination to future students

Prasanga the caterer and the gardener Uncle

Katie and Clare in Sri Lanka have a list too long to post but here are some of our favourites; (more…)

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The weekly question: What is the structure of a typical day on a placement?

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

A couple of weeks ago we had a blog about a typical day on placement in Mendoza Argentina, it proved to be extremely popular so we decided to ask students in all of our destinations how they were finding there time on away.

We try and give you an idea before you head out to your chosen destination what a typical day might be like even though I think we all know, each day can be completely different.  Below provides you with an insight into the average day of a student on placement with us.

Kate is currently in Sri Lanka and her day’s starts at 7am sharp with a shower and breakfast before heading out to get a tuk tuk to the hospital for an 8am start

Alison July 10 33 150x150 The weekly question: What is the structure of a typical day on a placement?

On ward round in Sri Lanka

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The Weekly Question – What has been your clinical highlight this week?

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

Often students tell us of rare and tropical diseases that they’ve only read about in the past. Whether it be differences in the treatment of patients, unseen diseases or progressed pathologies, an overseas placement can provide a fascinating learning environment. We have asked this question a few times but we always get some really interesting answers… What has been your clinical highlight this week?

Alison July 10 33 150x150 The Weekly Question What has been your clinical highlight this week?

On the ward in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka after three weeks on the surgical ward Julie’s really built up the trust between herself and her local colleagues “I’m treated as a team member.  I had my own patients for wound care management and contributed to a burns victim dressing. This was a new approach, which had a good effect on the staff and patient as dressing time became less dramatic.”

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The weekly question – Why did you choose to do your placement in the destination you’re in?

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

We think that one of the hardest parts of organising an elective is actually deciding where to go. Whether you’re tempted by the tribes of Africa; the mountains of Asia or the flavour of South America, wherever you decide to go, your elective overseas will no doubt enrich both your professional and personal development in a safe, supported environment.

We currently work in seven locations around the world and like to talk to students in depth about each destination before they make a decision – this way they can work out which placement is most suited to them. So the question we chose to ask the houses this week is “Why did you choose to do your placement in the destination you’re in?”

Abby 2011 2 150x150 The weekly question Why did you choose to do your placement in the destination you’re in?

A Sri Lankan beach

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