I was very fortunate to be one of the first people to access the San Pedro College Community Integration Internship in Mindanao, Philippines through the support of Lunas Global Health Network.
 
During the 3-week internship, I stayed in the homes of six different families who graciously hosted and fed me. I learned about the potential displacement of decades-old urban communities, the services offered by the Barangay health clinics, and the difference in scale and considerations between governance in the urban space and suburban regions further from the city center. There is no better way to understand the factors that impact health and well-being in the Philippines than to do an internship like this one facilitated by Lunas and SPC. 
 
Upon returning to the United States, I was struck by the huge difference in resources and factors that impact physical and mental health. The development of public infrastructure, access to water, availability of sufficient job opportunity, and typical foods that were accessible for families I lived with, who were also relatively more stable than others in their communities, were far below the expectation of “basic needs” as I learned them in California. 

Now that I have returned to the United States, I feel part of my responsibility to the generous families that hosted me is to encourage others to visit. I encourage anyone offered the opportunity to learn about the Philippines in the truest way by living with the people.