Cover photo by Bamlak Aklilu

This past spring break, I had the privilege of returning to San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala, with the Vanderbilt chapter of VAW Global Health Alliances. VAW is an international humanitarian organization that connects university students with local healthcare professionals to deliver medical care and essential resources, such as medication, to underserved communities worldwide. Although this was my second visit to San Pedro La Laguna, my perspective had changed due to my recent participation in Vanderbilt’s Global Health Case Competition, which also featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Elizabeth Rose on mindfully engaging in global health. These experiences supplied me with a new understanding of ethical, sustainable volunteering.

On March 16, 2025, we arrived in Guatemala City and were warmly welcomed by our outreach coordinator. From this first interaction, it became clear that our experience would be shaped just as much by the Guatemalan people we connected with as by the work we came to do. What began as simple introductions quickly blossomed into animated conversations about our varying levels of Spanish proficiency, shared excitement for the week ahead, and even a spirited debate about F1 racing. These early exchanges reminded us that genuine connection and mutual curiosity lay at the heart of meaningful global health engagement. Though relieved to have made it, we had a four-hour drive before finally reaching San Pedro La Laguna. 

As we traveled out of Guatemala City, the urban landscape revealed the influence of globalization, with familiar international fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Guatemala’s own beloved Pollo Campero alongside malls featuring brands such as ZARA, Forever 21, and H&M. However, as we moved farther from the capital, the scenery gradually shifted to rural landscapes dotted with locally owned shops, roadside vendors, and expansive farmland. This stark juxtaposition made me reflect on how I would portray our visit as the Public Relations (PR) chair of the Vanderbilt VAW chapter. Although our trip was centered around serving underserved communities in Guatemala, I was mindful not to contribute to the oversimplified narrative of portraying the entire country as impoverished. Acknowledging this complexity was essential in ensuring we approached our work with humility, respect, and a clear understanding of the diverse realities within the country.

As we neared San Pedro La Laguna, our bus wound slowly down the steep, twisting roads of Tzancucha Mountain, an effort that contributed nearly 45 minutes to our four-hour journey. This narrow mountain pass is the only way in or out of the town, a fact that made me consider how difficult it must be for residents to seek urgent medical care. The nearest public hospital is located in Sololá, accessible either by a two-hour drive or a one-hour boat ride across Lake Atitlán, as San Pedro is one of 12 towns encircling the lake. Throughout the week, we made the demanding trip up and down the mountain each day to bring our clinic to more remote villages, gaining a deeper understanding of the physical barriers locals face just to access basic healthcare.

As we entered San Pedro, its vibrancy was unmistakable: murals teeming with color adorned nearly every wall, reflecting the rich Mayan heritage of the predominantly Tz’utujil population. Our first day was spent settling in with our host families and familiarizing ourselves with the town during a guided tour led by our outreach coordinator, while the following day was dedicated to cultural immersion, offering us the chance to explore the town. On the third day, we shifted gears to practicing efficiently setting up our mobile clinics and later hosted an education day tailored for the local youth. Finally, the remaining three days were reserved for clinic work, where we traveled to different communities within a two-hour radius of San Pedro to provide medical care to Guatemalans living far from accessible public hospitals.

Each clinic day began early, with our team working together to transform local community centers into functional mobile clinics. Students rotated through various roles, including intake, where we recorded basic patient information; triage, where vitals were taken and symptoms noted; shadowing local healthcare professionals, where patient consultations were observed firsthand; and pharmacy, where medications were dispensed for free. This structure allowed us to contribute meaningfully and learn directly from experienced Guatemalan doctors who understood the specific health challenges of these communities. 

Though many aspects of the clinic felt familiar to me as a returning intern, my role as PR Chair gave me a unique lens through which to view the experience, not just through my interactions, but also by observing how my fellow interns navigated each moment. I found myself paying close attention to how others adapted, especially those who had expressed initial nervousness about language barriers or performing intake and vitals. As I walked through the clinic, it was rewarding to see those same interns, who just days before had worried about their Spanish proficiency, more confidently engaging with patients, listening attentively, and doing their best to accurately record each patient’s needs. Watching their growth in real time reminded me of the power of stepping outside one’s comfort zone and reinforced the importance of fostering an environment where learning and cultural humility are prioritized.

This trip has broadened my awareness of responsible, sustainable volunteering and has informed how I should approach patient interactions and community engagement as a future healthcare professional. Thus, as I conclude, I urge students interested in participating in service trips to consider six things: who proposed the project, who is involved in its discussions, who makes the decisions, who is doing the work, who is recognized for the work, and who will continue the project (E. Rose, Personal Communication). Beyond its natural beauty, San Pedro is a town with a strong sense of community, where hospitality, resilience, and cultural pride were palpable in every interaction I had.

References

Rose, E. (2025, February). Mindfully Engaging in Global Health.