Jitske De Neve

Initially, I thought about this decision for quite a while because I wasn’t sure if it was the right experience kind of experience for me. But I have always been very curious about the medical world in other countries. When my university presented me with the opportunity, I couldn’t let it pass.

I did it for both professional and personal growth. By undertaking a placement in another country, I knew I would get exposure to a new culture and broaden my perspective.

Work the World made this a perfect experience. The levels of support and organisation were brilliant. The Work the World team guided me through the process, which meant I could focus on the experience without worrying about the details.

They offered me guidance before, during, and after the placement itself. They helped me adapt to the new culture and the hospital environment. They were always there to tell me what to expect, introduced us to new hospital departments, and regularly visited me on placement to make sure I was getting the most from the experience.

I felt safe and secure in and out of the hospital, which was especially reassuring in this new environment.

The Work the World house was beautiful and spacious. I shared a single-sex room with other healthcare students, and there were lots of communal spaces, like the big dining room, where my housemates and I had the best time eating and chatting in the evenings after placement.

The garden was perfect for relaxing, and every Thursday, we had BBQ night with the staff. The Work the World house has everything you need.

The Work the World staff were so friendly and attentive — I always felt looked after during my stay. There were a couple of days when I wasn’t feeling well, and the house staff checked in on me and even went to the trouble of preparing light meals for me. We felt like family by the end.

There were many differences between the healthcare systems in Belgium and Kathmandu. It wasn’t about a lack of knowledge because I saw how skilled and well-trained the staff were. The problems seemed more about organisation, government funding, and a lack of equipment and supplies.

Some things really stood out to me. The hospital's rooms were huge, with so many patients in them. They had their families with them, too, and the families themselves were heavily involved in their care. These big open rooms limited patients' privacy, and the environment was very noisy.

Another big difference was the patients had to go and buy all their own medical supplies, even if they needed urgent care. Finally, there was a lot of bedside teaching about patients without actually talking to the patients themselves, which was clearly a cultural difference.

When we arrived in Nepal, we made a list of everything we wanted to see and do there. I recommend doing this because time really flies by without you even noticing it.

We tried to make the most of our time there by visiting some of the most beautiful and peaceful temples I’ve ever seen, like Swayambunath (Monkey Temple) and Boudanath Stupa. After placement, we also visited the busy streets of Thamel.

During the weekends, we planned multi-day trips. We saw wildlife on safari at Chitwan National Park, went paragliding and spent the evening by the lake up in Pokhara, and travelled to Bandipur where we went on a great jungle hike to a cave. There was more than enough to do to fill our time in Nepal.

One thing I will always remember is the people I got to know here. It was not just the kindness of the local people but also the other international healthcare students I met. We will be friends for the rest of our lives.

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