Over spring break, 31 Des Moines University students embarked on a weeklong journey to provide health care, education and supplies to hundreds of underserved individuals in Honduras. Over the coming week, Dose of DMU will feature Kelsey’s daily accounts and photos of the group’s experiences.
Saturday, March 15, 2014: TRAVEL DAY
Today felt like the day that never ends. It started at midnight, when we arrived by bus at Chicago International Airport. Since our flight was not until 5:15 a.m., we had a couple of hours before we could check in. So what did we do? We did exactly what any tired medical students who just survived some tough exams earlier that morning would do. We laid out our 30 duffel bags full of medical supplies on the airport floor and set up camp. Many of us took a much needed nap on the cold airport floor, using the duffel bags as pillows. It was quite a sight – many people passing by gave us a little smile and chuckle.
After our airport floor naps, we boarded our flight to Houston. In Houston, we barely made our connecting flight to our final destination, Tegucigalpa. Upon arrival in Honduras, we went through border patrol and then cleared customs.
We were greeted by the Global Brigades staff who helped us load our gear on some trucks, and we all hopped on a big school bus.
Next, we drove about two hours to the Global Brigades compound. The rest of the day was filled with delicious homemade Honduran food, making new friends, hanging out, playing games and laughing. A fun and relaxing end to a long day of traveling. We will be well-rested for the hard work that begins tomorrow!
