Ciao dall'Italia! 🇮🇹
I am here in Italy - living a dream and learning about medicine from some incredible physicians, nurses, and public health officials in Calabria, Italy.
I am here on a four-week global health rotation coordinated by the West Virginia School of Medicine. This a medical education exchange that has existed for almost twenty years and is sponsored by the Audia Caring Heritage Association and WVU SOM's Global Health Program.
This experience is a true cultural immersion, hosted by the most wonderful people in a small town in the mountains of southern Italy. I have been welcomed into so many offices, clinics, hospital rooms, and schools as an American student eager to learn and appreciate the Italian way of medicine and education.
The town in which I am staying is called San Giovanni en Fiore which is the root of many Italian families living in Clarksburg, Fairmont, and Morgantown. The town has mountain views like West Virginia with people compassionate about caring for each other and their town amongst the rolling hills. Few speak English here, which is forcing me to learn Italian quickly. I rely heavily on Google Translate and Babble to help me with the words I do not know.
My first week here has been incredible. I traveled with a WVU SOM faculty member and a fourth-year classmate of mine. We flew from Pittsburgh to Boston, Boston to Rome, and Rome to Lamezia Terme. From the coast of Lamezia, we drove 1.5 hours into the mountains to find dear San Giovanni en Fiore. Here we are accommodated by a hotel that serves our meals and is located in fair proximity to the shops, restaurants, and grocery stores of the town.
Medicine here in southern Italy has very similar principles and guidelines as medicine in the USA. We had the opportunity to learn about childhood vaccines and infectious diseases at the health department. We visited with a variety of specialists including orthopedics, sports medicine, dermatology, urology, and nephrology. The physical therapists and speech therapists were delighted to show us around their office space and therapy rooms.
It amazes me the breadth of work that many physicians do to keep their community well and advocate for their patients. The physicians are integrated into the schools, food services, and water treatment plants to keep their community healthy.
My favorite experience of Week 1 was visiting the elementary school for lunch in the cafeteria. One of the physician leaders here is very passionate about preventative medicine - which is also an incredible passion of mine. He has been working with the school lunch program to provide sustainable, well-balanced, and nutritious meals for students. And let me tell you, it was incredible! The cafeteria is surrounded by large panel windows which provide the most beautiful natural lighting and panoramic views of the hills. Students are served water to drink and allowed one hour for their meal and conversation. The meal is served in courses on a deep three-compartment melamine plate, ideal for portion sizes and containment of foods.
We were first served ditalini pasta with peas and oil and two pieces of bread. Delicoso! Then we were served veal which was cut into small portions and lightly breaded. Yes - veal for school lunch! Finally, we were served a bit of romaine lettuce tossed with corn and olive oil. All so simple, and all so filling! Students are not permitted to request second portions as their meals are calculated by weight and nutritional value according to their metabolic needs. An apple is provided for dessert which many teachers peel and cut for their students to munch on.
This school lunch program is just one of the many beautiful cultural experiences I am having here in Italy. It is sparking my passion for lifestyle changes for my patients in the USA. People here eat well, physically move a lot through the hills of their town, and savor quality time with others.
During the times we are away from the medical clinic, we are invited to explore the history and culture of San Giovanni en Fiore. There is a beautiful abbey in the Old Towne which is where the remains of Joachim of Fiore lie. Joachim was an Italian Christian theologian whose works are thought to have inspired Dante's and his works such as The Divine Comedy. The huge abbey is surrounded by cobblestone streets, taverns, and adorable restaurants. The Old Towne had lights hung to symbolize their culture and prepare for the upcoming Paschal celebration. A new pedestrian walkway also opened on April 1 to feature shops, bars, and restaurants. We attended the celebration for the opening of the walkway amongst so many others out to appreciate the new part of town, street artists, and musical guests.
We had the privilege of dining at a few adorable restaurants in this town. I will create another blog post about my favorite foods and restaurants in southern Italy! Other meals are hosted by the physicians and families involved in the exchange. There is a lot of cheese to be sampled, prosciutto to be enjoyed, and wine to be drunk here. I had the opportunity to visit a family vineyard and enjoy homemade pasta, meatballs (AKA polpette di carne), roasted pork, and red wine. I also helped some of the ladies make easter bread, which was such a welcoming experience. The Easter bread was cooked in the outdoor wood-fired oven, which made for the most heavenly smells of lemon, sugar, and flour!
I cannot say enough about how grateful I am to be here in Italy. Studying medicine and immersing myself in the culture of my ancestors is turning out to be more than I could have even imagined. I even celebrated my birthday here - VENTISEI - and our exchange hosts so thoughtfully brought me the most beautiful pistachio cake. It was the sweetest thing! Plus Jasmine (my fourth-year classmate and sweet friend of 8 years), treated me to a little cannoli from the gelateria down the street. Thanks so much to everyone at home for the birthday wishes and posts. You all fill up my life!
There is so much more to write and appreciate here in San Giovanni. But here is my update for now! Thanks so much more to see, do, and learn before I return!
Buona Pasqua! 🌷
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