I know that many medical schools try to look for applicants who have had cross-cultural experiences, such as going abroad (eg. Peru) and doing volunteer work there. I was wondering what types of cross-cultural work can be done in your local city?
You don't have to go overseas to get a cultural experience, especially if you live in a city. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, or a shelter for battered wives. Tutor kids from an inner city school, or volunteer as a coach for their sports teams. All of these activities will put you into contact with people of diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
You don't have to go overseas to get a cultural experience, especially if you live in a city. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, or a shelter for battered wives. Tutor kids from an inner city school, or volunteer as a coach for their sports teams. All of these activities will put you into contact with people of diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
I agree. I volunteered at a nursing home run by the county and the patients there were very diverse. Many of them were young and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. It was very eye-opening for me.
There is a significant difference between in-depth cross-cultural experience (being immersed in a different culture and language for say a month to a couple years) and cross-cultural exposure (a week-long trip or volunteering in various local programs), although both are beneficial. The closest way to approximate an in-depth experience without traveling abroad is to spend a summer living with a host family and working/volunteering in an ethnic neighborhood in a major city. There are programs out there that facilitate this. If that's not possible then volunteering at local programs serving people from other cultures is another option.
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