Karlijn Zwiers

After completing my Bachelor’s in Medicine at the University of Amsterdam, I wanted to travel and experience more of the world.

As I got further into my degree, I realised we only learn about our healthcare system in the Netherlands and nothing about countries that don’t have the same facilities but still manage. That’s when I knew I wanted to combine travelling and learning more about medicine.

Even though I was very excited to travel, I was scared to go alone. But Work the World gave me the confidence to go for it. It was reassuring to know I would meet other healthcare students and not have to stress about where to stay or what to eat. 

From the second I arrived at the airport in Sri Lanka, the team looked after me while still giving me the freedom to do what I wanted. It was the perfect balance between getting the best possible experience from the hospital and the opportunity to see beautiful things in Sri Lanka. 

The Work the World house was big, bright, and clean but still very cosy. It had a big kitchen and dining area, where we were served the best food! The living room was comfortable, with lots of games, music, and a TV—the perfect spot to relax with housemates. Upstairs, the spacious bedrooms had their own bathrooms and balconies to sit and take in the view. 

Living with other healthcare students made the trip so much fun. It was fun to meet people from all over the world, and everyone was enthusiastic about travelling and learning from the hospital.

The time I had after placement was the perfect opportunity to get to know my housemates, and we had a lot of fun. Everyone was so excited to share stories about their experiences back home. It felt so natural to do everything together, even though we’d only just met.

The Work the World team were the nicest people to have around. They made sure everything was taken care of. It was lovely to come back from placement and have the team check in and ask how my day had gone. 

The language lessons helped so much, and the food was everything I could wish for!

The biggest difference between the local healthcare system in Sri Lanka and the Netherlands was how the staff interacted with patients. It was evident they tried to provide the best medical treatments they could with the facilities they had while treating as many patients as possible. 

In Sri Lanka, the hospital staff didn’t have much room to focus on the patient's pain, comfort, or time. They didn’t explain what was going on to the patient, even before a procedure, whereas in the Netherlands, this is a key part of treatment.

My housemates and I loved getting together after we finished placement for the day to explore Kandy. We enjoyed going out for drinks and exploring the local area. We also loved playing games or watching our favourite TV series together. 

The weekends were the best. We visited the south to surf, tan, and party on the beach. Then we went to Ella to hike and go on a safari! 

I will never forget how I got in the car with two surgeons for a kidney receivement. On the way, we stopped by a doctor’s house and were welcomed by the family with an enormous lunch. Everyone in Sri Lanka was so nice and welcoming.  

The friends I made and the beautiful things I saw in Sri Lanka will stay with me forever.

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