It’s week three for MEDLIFE volunteer/intern, Ian. See what he’s been up to in this week’s update!

Week 3

Finally settling in here in Lima and three weeks have already blown by!! This internship has and will continue to be one of the most challenging but most rewarding times of my life. With the work we are doing in the communities, the realities we see each and every day, the emotions and feelings that go along with that and being thousands of miles away from home, it is a mind-opening experience. I am so happy that I am working with MEDLIFE and I have already gained an in-depth appreciation and understanding of this great organization.

This week I have been very busy working in the field at our project site.

We are finishing up a year-long project started by another MEDLIFE summer intern who wanted to create a safe space for the young children at the school. We were helping to finish the wall that was built and to create a park for the children to play in and for the community to enjoy. It has been amazing to work in the field and see how MEDLIFE really works hand-in-hand within the municipality and community together to create and complete projects in a more sustainable way.

We also went on a tour of Lima Centro but before the tour we stopped in Kennedy Park, better known as Park. The park is literally filled with hundreds of cats who call it home. I’m not a cat-lover myself but I couldn’t help myself from stopping, playing with cats and taking pictures. We ended our tour Estásion de los Desamparados, an old train station converted into a public library. This stain glass above the section of the library honoring Peruvian authors was absolutely stunning.

Next week we will be finishing a project at the school and I am so excited to see what it will look like!!!

-Ian

Continue follow Ian’s adventures on Instagram: @ianmchale or Follow him on Facebook

About Ian
Hometown: Hamilton, NJ
School: University of Vermont
Major: Biology
Minor: Community & International Development

Ian is a mentor for two awesome mentees Keshon and Kiki, a volunteer at the University of Vermont Medical Center on the pediatric floor, the president of MEDVIDA, his local chapter of MEDLIFE, and a member of the UVM Triathlon club. He loves being outdoors hiking, snowboarding, and camping.

Ian first got involved with MEDLIFE at the University of Vermont by joining his local chapter during Freshman year. He went on his first brigade that summer to Cusco, Peru and it changed his life. During his Sophomore year he became Vice President and Brigades Officer for his chapter. That summer he went on my second brigade to Esmeraldas, Ecuador where he first learned about his current internship in Lima, Peru. In his Junior year he became the President of his chapter at UVM and he is now a MEDLIFE Volunteer Affairs Intern.

His goal for this internship is to connect his Biology major and Community and International Development minor through helping with the planning and implementation of sustainable community development projects that help bring medical access to vulnerable communities.

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