Hi Everyone! My name is Nicole Hamel and I just graduated with my B.S. from the Nursing program. It is crazy to think that the start to our trip is just two days away! There is still so much to do before we embark, including packing, which knowing me I will do Monday night before we leave. Even though I just graduated, I am what you would call an experienced world traveler. I have been to probably 15 plus countries in my lifetime; it’s hard to keep track of them all. I truly have wanderlust. Before deciding to go to school for nursing, I traveled the world for a year doing community service and performing with a group called Up with People. My travels did take me to Asia, The Philippines to be exact, but I have only ever had a layover in China for a mere 45 minutes. So as you can tell I am extremely excited to go back to Asia and finally experience China and its culture.

I am someone who enjoys culture and learning about the different ways people live their lives. What excites me most about this trip is the fact that not only do I get to learn about Chinese culture, but I get to learn about Chinese healthcare. We have always been taught in school “You must always be mindful of cultural differences.” The problem is even though we are taught about them, we never truly understand them because unless we have had a patient experience, we never see the differences. This trip is exactly that. It is allowing each and everyone of us to experience the differences. It is going to allow us all to become more culturally aware and it is going to make us better nurses in the long run. I am always looking for new ways to expand my knowledge and become more of a global citizen and the only way to truly do that is to visit other countries and spend time in their communities.

From looking at the itinerary, this is going to be a jam packed trip. I will be experiencing China, celebrating my 23rd birthday, and also studying to take my NCLEX. I have a plan to do 100+ questions a day while I am there on top of everything else we will be doing. But I am READY. Two more days!