CULTURE SHOCK

     During our first full day in Grenada, we held a health fair in Gouyave. It was the first real interaction I had with Grenadians. Automatically, I was intrigued by them. We had people from all different walks of life come to have their health evaluated. There was an aspect, however, that they almost all had in common: their attitudes. They were so laidback, happy, and carefree. Enjoying life and not taking it too seriously was a common theme I found from having conversations with them throughout the day. We had an entire group come in after their church service finished and from seeing them interact with each other, it was obvious how much they look out and want to protect one another. They were checking each other’s blood pressure readings and became very concerned about those that were too high.

     The other realization I experienced was how similar the people of Grenada are to those in the United States, regardless of it being a Low Resource Country. When we went to the store to pick up some water and other snacks, they carried a lot of the same foods found in Publix or Walmart. Additionally, people where wearing a lot of the same brands such as Nike and Ray Bans. Because I had never been to a country like Grenada, recognizing the similarities such as those and ones in the desires and hopes of individuals, I was more at ease and comfortable interacting with them.