I tilted my head up, shut my eyes for a quick second and sniffed in the rich summer air that had a hint of freshly cut grass in it. I opened my eyes again and caught a quick glance of Penn’s campus sprinkled with crowds of people on Locust Walk. I smiled and thought to […]
Now that my internship at Aravind Eye Hospital and the Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology (LAICO) has come to an end, I continue to reflect on the experiences I had this summer and the many wonderful lessons I learned. I undoubtedly shed a few tears on our last day as we picked up our […]
“Pongase las pilas.” If directly translated from Spanish to English, this phrase means “put on your batteries.” When placed into context (and appropriately translated by a Colombian), it becomes an idiomatic phrase which means “get your act together.” Growing up, I was often commanded by my parents to “put on my batteries” as they consistently […]
I was one of the first to step out of the bus that had “Aravind Eye Hospital” written across the windshield. I stood to the side and watched what the others did, hoping to catch on to what I was supposed to do next. “Ma’am? Come, come,” a young nurse said as she motioned for […]
Why India? The more I am asked this question (specifically by my worried parents) the more I understand my decision. There were key moments in my life that brought me to where I am now, so allow me to offer some background information. My name is Lizette Grajales and I am a rising Senior at […]
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