Heading to Haiti?!

Fantastic news! I might be going to Haiti with my dad this summer to help out in a clinic there! He's a doctor who has always been interested in giving medical aid overseas, and that desire increased after the earthquake devastated Haiti last year. At first, when my dad mentioned it to me, I was unexpectedly uneasy. After all, I am so interested in human rights and international studies. I guess I knew that experiencing Haiti in the way that real, sick, impoverished Haitians experience it would be...uncomfortable. And honestly, I like my comfortable life in the United States. I guess I was scared by the thought of breaking the boundaries between my sheltered little world and the huge, poverty-stricken, world that lies beyond. Upon a lot of reflection, however, I realized that a little bit of discomfort might be exactly what I need to truly become a student of global studies. So my dad has bargained that if I act as translator (I've studied French for four years), I can accompany him to a clinic near Port-au-Prince. My reactions span from giddy excitement to jittery apprehension; most of all though, I feel so gifted to be able to explore all corners of the world and see it as it really is for millions of people living in agonizing poverty. I know that (if it happens) it will be a life-changing experience.