Once in a lifetime opportunity by Casey Churchill

These past few days I have been in the states, it has really opened my eyes to what I learned in Thailand; both personally and academically.

First off, I would like to say that I wouldn’t have changed how I spent this trip in anyway. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I made some pretty great friends on this trip. So thank you everybody, for making it so special. If it weren’t for you, it would have been completely different.
Secondly, I have noticed that I have become a changed person since I have gone and came back to the states. First off, I’m a lot more care and stress free. I can see this in a multitude of situations. Traffic; I have seen family and friends get angry because they reached a red light, or somebody cut them off. I look at them and just giggle inside and say “Chill, it’s not the end of the world, were not in that big of a rush.” I feel a lot more patient in these types of circumstances. Also, before Thailand I would sleep in and take a TON of naps. Since being in Thailand and we did SO much and accomplished so many things in one day, I have realized that I should get the adequate amount of sleep at night and get all I can from the day at hand. Why waste it away sleeping till 12? It really is a waste of a day when I do that. As said before, when in Thailand, I am so much more appreciative of my friends, family, and housing. I really am blessed, and that is just a personal lesson I learned. I can’t put it into words on how I learned it or where it came to stand, it just happened. I hope these life changing lessons really do stay with me and don’t fade over time.

After visiting Thailand and seeing their health care system, it makes me so angry; so aggravated. The health care system here in the United States should resemble Thailand’s is some sort of way. But it doesn’t! It is completely inefficient and ineffective! We pay so much for so little. This includes the quality of care, the actual care given, the length of stay and the type of care. We really need to get it together! My sister deals with seizures that aren’t linked to epilepsy; it has something to do with scar tissue on her brain. She has had brain surgery once to try to solve the problem, but it hasn’t worked. The medicine only gives her side effects and she’s a blossoming 20 year old woman. She is looking into another brain surgery, as the outcomes are higher. There’s one problem; her insurance might not cover it. I have been explaining the Bumrungrad International hospital to her and my mother and it might be an option to visit Thailand once again!

I had a great trip, and the memories will stay with me forever. Thanks again everybody for a once in a lifetime opportunity :)