A Week in San Antonio: Challenges , Triumphs, and Lessons Learned
Chandra Behr
1st Year Master of Health Informatics Student
Wow, what a week it has been! Before leaving for San Antonio, I was overwhelmed thinking about the work ahead. Our schedule was packed with tasks like collecting surveys, conducting focus groups, doing a neighborhood scan, facilitating a nutrition activity for community members, and volunteering at a local church. With such a packed schedule, it seemed near impossible to analyze all the data we needed to for the final presentation at the end of the week. Despite my initial worries, our team was able to not only complete what we set out to do, but do it well!
There were many challenges along the way, but one of the most memorable challenges my team and I overcame happened while collecting surveys. Two other group members and I went to SA Youth to ask community members to fill out the surveys we created. Initially, we were concerned about finding enough participants, but we were pleasantly surprised by the number of people willing to take part. The team at SA Youth was incredibly warm and welcoming. However, due to the high turnout, it became challenging for the three of us to keep track of the number of surveys distributed. We accidentally handed out more surveys than we had gift cards. As soon as we realized the situation, we immediately notified the leads. We then asked the final participant if they would be willing to wait. Fortunately, another team had extra gift cards that they could drive over to us! Despite the initial chaos, our swift response helped minimize the impact. What I learned from this experience is the importance of planning for unexpected challenges, even if they seem unlikely.
I could share many more experiences, but ultimately, I am grateful for my time in San Antonio this past week. I improved my skills of leadership, team collaboration, qualitative analysis, and even learned a bit of salsa dancing! What struck me most was the community's passion for improving health, and their eagerness to contribute to a brighter future. I am inspired by their dedication and look forward to seeing how this city will grow! Now back home, I plan to apply the lessons I’ve learned to future health initiatives.