Hi y'all!
It feels like a recurring pattern that every time I go to begin a blog post, I want to start by writing "I can't believe its already ___". But hey, its true. I can't believe that it is already February, that it's 2015, or that the program is going to be over so soon. Christmas break feels like ages ago. This semester started off like last semester- jammed pack with tons of classes! Between the program, preparing for the shelf, and studying for the MCAT, fitting in volunteering has been a bit of a challenge.
Volunteering at Touro has been fun. Andrew and I continue to assist the ER staff and have also had a few opportunities to interact with some patients. Whether it is giving them an extra blanket or heating up their meals or simply just lending an ear, it is a nice way to end our busy weeks.
At ESY, Aubrey and I switched from working with the future culinary experts of 7th grade to kindergarteners! At first volunteering at 8:30am seemed daunting, but now I absolutely love starting my days with cheerful smiles from them. Each class is designated a letter, where the kids sample foods beginning with the letter, learn vocabulary, and work on writing those letters neatly! Last week was Kale and Kiwi in the Kitchen (K) and this week was M for mango, melons, and mint tea.
Over at St. Anna's, there have been some very exciting changes. The medical mission and the art's program for kids have fused into one new program called Anna's place. They are hoping to a develop a more holistic approach at the church centered around health and wellness. With the departure of the nutrition teacher, Aubrey and I were offered the opportunity to step in and become the nutrition leaders. We are both very excited to be able to revamp the class and place a bigger focus on the nutrition aspect in addition to cooking with the kids. Our first class was yesterday and we made french bread pizzas! We focused on discussing the main food groups and discussing portion sizes based on the national MyPlate recommendations. I am excited for our future classes so stay tuned to see some pictures!
The medical unit was really fun as well. One of our patients came to the unit due to their diabetes. It was really interesting to discuss with the patient about his condition and his medications (Metformin and others) since we were currently in our endocrine block. I really enjoy being able to put a real world perspective to the things we learn in class. I am excited to see the changes that will happen with the merge and hope that the clinic will continue to grow and see more patients.
That's all for now!
January Hours:
Touro - 10.5 hours
Anna's place - 2 hours (nutrition) + 4.5 hours (med unit)
ESY: 2 hours
Total: 19 hours
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