Cross Continental Experience Blog: Finding Our Own Groove

July 9, 2019
house fronts in georgetown

The Cross Continental Experience Blog by Anaëlle Séïde, CCMPH Student

Now that the group is settled into the new state and environment, it has been nice to see everyone branch out and find their own groove in D.C. From finding small cafes to do homework to using the Library of Congress as a study spot; D.C.’s vast range of options provides something for everyone and every taste. As we discover new gems in the city, we are constantly amazed by everything accessible to us near the NYU Washington campus and everything we have free access to.

Bookstore in Georgetown

In the classroom, midterms are well under way. The summer semester is flying by and plans for our next semester in Buenos Aires are at the top of everyone’s to-do list. The conversations in the group have shifted from “where is the closest Trader Joe’s to campus?” to “what area of Buenos Aires is your apartment for the fall semester in?” and “what internships are you most interested in?” Earlier this semester, Dr. LeConté J. Dill, director of the public health practice office came in and did a workshop with us on cultural humility and leadership in public health. Part one of the workshop focused on cultural humility and provided us with great insight as we prepare for our next semester abroad. The concept of cultural humility highlights lifelong learning as a key component of growth and as a crucial skill for immersion in another culture. We also discussed public health leadership before reflecting and writing our personal goals. This part of the session provided a great framework for mapping out our expectations for our semesters abroad and for our year as cross-continental MPH students. In addition to these topics, we discussed possible sites for our applied practice experience otherwise known as a practicum or an internship. There is a wide range of sites that NYU Buenos Aires already has a partnership with. These organizations cover public health concentrations like advocacy and policy, environmental health, social determinants of health, nutrition, data collection and analysis, just to name a few. All of these options assure that students can hone in on their public health interests and optimize their applied practice experience.