New York City Trip ~ 2024
Doctors Without Boarders & Suffs the Musical
April 17th, 2024 marks my first New York City combined Global Studies and Creative Arts trip. I have been excited about this trip due to hearing all the positive things since I was a little sixth grader just starting to understand what the Global Studies program and opportunity entails. It was now my time! We boarded the Dattco bus early in the morning and were on route, once getting through incoming city traffic we dropped CAP off and then headed to Doctors without Borders where we were able to go on a tour and have a briefing discussion.
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We entered the lobby and I was astonished to see how the variety of different teams and how they collaborated to create a cohesive and productive work environment. From our tour guide Bridget Fleischer we got the inside scoop especially on her knowledge of communications within the international relations department which is her specialty. We also were able to meet many employees and heads of departments who were so excited and grateful to see young minds, and people intrigued by the work that they produce. Two of my favorite spots to see were the international section that had real patients and doctors “on assignment” filling the room with photos covering the walls, and the baby yoda that they worship, like a good luck charm. We got the full circle view and ended up back in the same lobby, connected to a library where we had a discussion with Faith Toran (Climate adaptation & Mitigation) and Alaina Deans (Fundraising). These two women were priorly a part of the peace corps and then became a part of MSF/ DWB. One of my favorite parts or opportunities of MSF to learn about is their “field projects” or “on assignment” jobs; these are times where they are out of the country helping in-need countries and locations directly. They help with providing water access, healthcare etc. They mutually agreed that one of the hardest parts of their job is dealing with the hardship and grief that comes with trying to help those in need, especially when they are on, and after their “field projects”. An interesting fact I learned was that “90% of workers are from the country/region 10% aren’t”. This was interesting to me because it showed that people in the region or country wanted to help with the issues within their place of origin, by collaborating with MSF to try and solve the problems. Reflecting on the time spent at Doctors without Borders makes me excited for my future, and what I can do as an individual who loves helping people, and wants to go into the medical field as a nurse.
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We met up with CAP again and headed to Times Square to get a quick bite to eat before the musical Suffs. When the group split up I went with my friends Gaby, Sofia and Maryam to this corner Mexican restaurant filled with species, yummy flavors and smiling faces. We then walked back towards Broadway to be in time for the musical. We went through long lines, and finally made it to our seats. Suffs opened with a powerful and loud musical number that excited me for what was to come. The play was very inspiring for women and people of all ages, because it included real history, and some director’s artistic choice to convey a beautiful message that brought laughter and some tears. My favorite scene was when they sang “Great American B*tch” which we previously listened to in one of our Global Studies seminars. My friends and I sang along, and laughed with other audience members at this crowd favorite. This musical left me thinking and inspired, so much so that at intermission I looked up how Inez Milholland actually died, and if she really rode a white horse during their marches and if she was ever able to conceive. I found out that she did die of “pernicious anemia”, yet not as dramatically or as suddenly as they made it out to be; she died weeks after initially being hospitalized and not suddenly at a protest. She was actually able to conceive, allowing her to have two daughters with her husband Eugen Jan Boissevain. Lastly she iconically rode a white horse in the musical during the walks and protests and she really did that, in real life! This learning and fun filled first NYC experience leaves me grateful, and so excited and ready for my senior year NYC trip!