Today was our last day of service at the hospital and I am sad that we had to leave the sweet kiddos we met. I feel like I grew as a person and as a leader during our time here. I learned through the people around me, everyone was able to bring something awesome to the trip. It was awesome to see our group grow closer and be able to open up more as the trip continued. We were able to have more difficult talks that lead us to understanding the various social issues the Denver area faces.
I am so passionate about child life and the role they play in the hospital so I could go on and on. Although during this trip I was able to grow in other ways. The hospital helped me realize the importance of communication and the different barriers that it may bring. In the hospital there are people of different race and cultural background who may not speak the same language as me. Before I may have shied away but with this trip I got stronger in how I communicate with them. The parents are whom I struggle with the most. I understand that children can communicate through play; no matter what language you speak. But how do I communicate with the parents and engage them in the activity? I was able to use hand gestures and facial expressions to help communicate what I wanted to say. Or I got someone else who could guide him or her where they needed to be.
One amazing thing we got to do on this trip was being on Seacrest Radio in Children’s Colorado. We had a lip sync battle with other participants and I felt somewhat out of my comfort zone but the people around me made it fun. The group is so positive and has a great outlook, because someone always has it harder than you. This trip has been filled with laughter and jokes, along with meaningful conversations that move us closer to being active citizens.
Denver is gorgeous and I have loved being able to explore everything. So far we have been to nature and science museum, Lookout Mountain, red rocks, and union station! We have literally been going all day every day. Tonight was our night out and we ate at Rosie’s Diner. It’s local and has the best food; we even got to pick out some music! I feel like I am talking very sporadically but there is so much that we have seen and done that I know I am missing a lot. I am so grateful for this opportunity and the people on this journey with me.