Support my study abroad trip to Peru!

Anastajiya Danchenko Start Date: Feb 27, 2020 - End Date: May 11, 2020
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Professional Development
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Cusco, Peru

My Travel Story

by: Anastajiya Danchenko Start Date: Feb 27, 2020 - End Date: May 11, 2020
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Professional Development
  • Study/Degree Abroad
Hello, my name is Anastajiya and I am an 18-year-old Pre-Med student at Bergen Community College. I have always been interested in medicine, beginning my journey 2.5 years ago when I became a nationally licensed EMT for my town's volunteer ambulance corps. I originally grew up in Ukraine until I was about 5 years old, in which I originally grew up speaking Ukrainian and Russian. Upon moving to America, I learned English and French. Now that I am in college, I am currently pursuing my 5th language, Spanish. My childhood shaped my global perspective greatly as it showed me the vital importance of learning different languages. As a future medical health provider, it is important that I am able to build a closer relationship of trust and understanding with my patients with language barriers.

I have walked in the shoes of being an immigrant child and my past directly influences my interest in holistic medicine.  I want to be a medical physician that combines the two classes of holistic medicine and standard practice into 1 cohesive personalized form of patient care. Big Pharma plays a large hand in the manipulation and abuse of the healthcare system. We are an overmedicated society in a growing generation with a mental health epidemic. Medical practice has lost sight of nutrition, herbalism, and spiritual growth as forms of healing despite the ample evidence and history backing it up. A good physician should understand all branches of medicine in order to ultimately provide the best patient care. I want to stray further from mandated and accepted pharmaceutical practices in the medical system. Our future patients deserve better than this, and I am very passionate about changing this common practice. 

I am currently fundraising for a month-long study abroad session in the summer 1 semester. It would take place in Cusco, Peru during which I would live with a host family. I will be taking 2 classes, intensive Spanish as well as Spiritual and Herbal medicine of the Shamans. Peru is a very holy land with generations of secrets and lessons that are slowly being pushed away as Westernization continues. However, I am here and I am ready to learn as much as I can in order to later teach and apply those same practices that I learn. It is an incredible learning experience that I am lucky to be offered connected to my community college. Unfortunately, the costs of this program are pressingly challenging for my six-person first-generation family. Therefore, if you do choose to help support me in this educational endeavor to support my dream, I will be forever grateful for your kindness.
  • Cusco, Peru

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