Hannah Rayel

Hannah Rayel traveled to Tacloban in the Philippines to conduct research in collaboration with International Care Ministries, a non-profit organization. Aided by an International Experience Award, Hannah was able to research how low-income adults within this area manage their non-communicable disease (NCD) and extreme weather events (EWEs). 

Hannah chose Tacloban as the location for this research given that it's the capital of the province, Leyte, which experiences a high number of extreme weather events each year. This location also made it easy to collaborate with the ICM Tacloban base on a weekly basis to discuss research plans and build relationships. 

“During my time in the Philippines, I was able to gain valuable experience in qualitative research, collaborating with an organization, and cross cultural partnership. As a Filipina, I was also able to learn so much more about my culture and language after not visiting the Philippines for almost a decade.” 

Hannah highlights the connections she made as her favourite part of the experience: “My favourite part of this trip was going to each community and hearing the participant's stories. Being able to talk to people about their experiences first-hand gave me a new perspective regarding the impacts of inaccessible healthcare and non-communicable diseases. This opportunity made me even more passionate about my work and I will forever be grateful for their willingness to share their experiences with me.” 

Hannah offers advice for students looking into an international experience: “I would encourage any student considering an international experience to take advantage of the opportunity! Not only will you be able to apply what you've learned academically, but you will also gain more knowledge in your field, all while broadening your worldview in the process.”