The most

InteRDom Correspondent, Ikenna, has recently completed his undergraduate studies in

By: Ikenna Okoro

Biology at the University of Miami, Florida and is participating in the 2013 10-week Graduate and Gap Year Program. You can read more about Ikenna and his participation in the Correspondent Program here.

My second internship is with Aprendiendo a Vivir (AAV), an organization dedicated to teaching kids with diabetes how to manage their condition. In order to achieve this goal, AAV leads camps for these children with the help of an organization called Ayuda. Ayuda is composed of students from the United States and Canada and has the same goals as AAV.

During two weekends we conducted classes and activities for the kids. I worked with the teenage group of kids. It was fun working with the students of Ayuda to plan events. We incorporated nutrition, exercise, how to use insulin, and other advice into all of our activities. I have never worked with kids like this before and I had an amazing time. Not only did I get an opportunity to practice working with patients, but I also believe the kids learned lessons and had fun experiences that they will never forget.

Saying bye to the kids at the end of each weekend was difficult because I will have to wait a year before I could possibly see them again. Despite this difficulty, the experience was powerful for me because I witnessed all of these strong children managing their condition with a smile. It shows me that I have to be proud of the opportunities and difficulties that I have, and that with a positive attitude, no problem is too difficult to overcome.