I recently was accepted to travel to Ometepe, Nicaragua in December 2007 on a Natural Doctors International medical brigade to participate in naturopathic medical outreach clinics and learn about how global economic policies impact healthcare in developing countries. Naturopathic Doctors practice in the U.S. as well; they can prescribe medication and perform minor surgeries, but try to resort to changes in nutrition, supplements, or herbal remedies as much as possible.I was able to join three naturopathic doctors, an herbalist, and two naturopathic students as we took classes, treated the farmers on Ometepe, and experienced what life is like on the island. We were on a serious mission to build bridges of solidarity and community; to pro-actively engage in activism for access to naturopathic medicine worldwide; to work alongside our brothers and sisters in Central America for a more just world, to provide healthcare to a community that is in dire need of it and provide support to healthcare systems that would make most North Americans cringe, and to envision and enact a brighter future. I truly had the best experience of my life combining my love of traveling, Spanish, and naturopathic medicine.
