Help Support Carson's Volunteer Project in Laos!

Carson Judkins Start Date: Nov 10, 2015 - End Date: Dec 4, 2015

My Travel Story

by: Carson Judkins Start Date: Nov 10, 2015 - End Date: Dec 4, 2015
Hello all! I'm Carson, a 20 year old student from Syracuse, New York. I am currently in my third undergraduate year studying physical therapy at Ithaca College. This past year I have spent living abroad on two different continents: I spent the first half of the year living in the south of France, studying at IAU College in Aix-en-Provence, and I am currently about to finish up my second semester away on an exchange program at Griffith University on the Gold Coast of Australia. This past year has been somewhat of a dream, and I am extremely grateful for the experiences I have had and the things that I have learned, and now, the only desire that I have left before the year comes to a close is to be able to give back. 

Upon the completion of the semester and before I return home to the US, I will be making the trip to Southeast Asia for a two-week long volunteer program in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. As a physical therapy student, I am immensely excited to be able to volunteer directly with physical therapists and other health and medical professionals in a Laotian community rehabilitation center. I will be helping to facilitate treatments for members of disadvantaged communities in and around Vientiane, specifically those with neurological and physical disabilities. I am excited to expand my experiences and breaches within the physical therapy field, gaining insight as to how I can affect change in the world with my future profession, and learning about the differences and similarities between PT in Laos and in the US, and why these differences may or may not exist. 

I am thrilled to be able to combine my love for travel and exploring new cultures with my passion for helping others, while gaining clinical experience in the field of my future career. I cannot wait to help make a difference in the lives of these Laotian people, and to, in turn, learn from them and feel the lasting impact that this volunteer project will undoubtedly leave on me for the rest of my life! This opportunity means the world to me, and I sincerely appreciate all of the support I have been given in effort to help me raise money to offset the costs of the program, helping me to inspire a difference in the lives of others in this community! 

"At the end of the day, it's not about what you have, or even what you've accomplished...It's about who you've lifted up, who you've made better. It's about what you've given back." — Denzel Washington