Overflow: Part 1- WFOT Congressional Meetings Medellin, Columbia DAY 1-2

As I sit here writing this I still can’t believe I am in Columbia…that Consuelo and myself have the honor and privilege to represent Haiti and Occupational Therapy (OT) at the world table. We are only here because of an incredible amount of work by so many colleagues including Janet O’Flynn, Kate Barett, and Jami Flick specifically working on the curriculum and opening of the first bachelors level OT program at Haiti Episcopal University of Haiti. Also we had a lot of help in opening the HAOT/AHE national Association from Janet, Ashley Kahila, Consuelo, Ivens, and Dr. Dorsiville. Along with countless other not mentioned above. I don’t think anyone at WFOT or really any of us really thought it was possible a year ago to be where we are today…

I decided to take time each evening to highlight each days experience from my view as a way to share this amazing experience with all those involved.

My first day in Columbia was very enjoyable. Consuelo and I slept in after a few long days of travel. Around 12 we adventured out and took the metro across town to meet up with a friend of hers. We spent all afternoon and evening visiting with her friend and her family/friends. I got to try a lot of different food today and it was all good. I got to experience public transit with the Metro and various taxi’s and it was really good taste of the culture. We ended the evening finding their equivalent to Walmart in the states. We explored and decided that the next day after WFOT meetings that we would go on a shopping spree for supplies to take back to Haiti as everything is so cheap here compared to Haiti!! We also grocery shopped and got yogurt, apples, and whole grain bread!!! We may be a little too excited about these luxuries

Day 1-Focus Day

I had no idea what to expect walking into the first day of WFOT congressional meetings. The first day was entitled Focus Day but what were we going to Focus on? As I walked in and started meeting delegates from countries all over the world…I had 2 conflicting emotions going on…1 I was completely overwhelmed and second I was thinking how incredible it was to be in a room with OTs from countries all over the world. I started the morning off sitting beside The delegate from South Africa and Mexico.

Most of the day was spent in focus groups with our region of the world. Haiti fell into the Latin American Region. Their were 4 regional groups Asian Pacific, America/Europe, Latin America, and African. In The morning We discussed the new education document on minimum standards for the education of OT document looking at the strengths of the paper, the challenges that were foreseen, implementing plan ideas, and our role as delegates to promote the paper.

For lunch Consuelo and I were invited to go out to eat with some members of the Latin American Association including Mexico, Peru, Panama, Brazil and Haiti.

After lunch we were back in our groups and discussed planning for the future and OT in our regions and country. Unfortunately all of the focus group discussion was in Spanish so can't understand anything…but thankfully at the end each group Asia, Africa, Europe/America and Latin America all shared the highlights of their discussion in English.

At the very end of the day all the new delegates met and were given mentors of other countries. We are blessed to have Columbia mentoring us. This is special because their delegate Liliana is the person who encouraged me to open the national OT society for Haiti at the AOTA national convention in nashville last year.

After the meetings Consuelo and I went back to the store Exit to supply shop. I was totally overwhelmed by this store called "Exit" here in Columbia. It is the super version of super Walmart. 2 stories and has everything and anything you could think of. Well we found out yesterday that had huge sales going on till today. So Consuelo Alzamora Muñoz and I adventures out after council today and supply shopped. So wish I would ah e brought 2 bags instead of 1 with me to fill. Anyway I spent $325 and got

~40 boys shirts

~33 pairs of knee high socks for braces
~13 boys boxer underwear
~4 pairs boys shorts
~laptop bag
~Clorox wipes
~3 pairs ankle and wrist weights
~a few therapy toys
~chocolate and cereal
Plus some other random things

DAY 2- Official First Day of Congress

Unlike the focus day where everything was laid back and you could sit anywhere when we walked in today each country who was a full-member or Associate member had a flag and a name tag of their country with a microphone at the World Table. All the countries who were there as observers sat in a second row behind the council at the world table. There are 40 countries present at the meeting.

Haiti started out in the second row for the first hour of the meeting until the moment when Haiti was up to be voted in as a full-member. It was decided that Haiti met the standards for full-membership. These standards include a national association with a constitution that met world standards as well as a university that met the minimal standards for education by the world federation. It was passed by a unanimous vote…Haiti is officially a full-member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapy!!! YAY!!! This means that Haiti will now have a voice and vote at the table for the rest of the meetings this week. Consuelo is Haiti delegate and I am the first alternate delegate.

It was not only a big day for Haiti but a big day for the Carribean as a whole. Trinidad & Tobago were accepted as full-members of World Federation of Occupational Therapy (previously they were associate members and have been working hard for years to create a university program that met the WFOT minimal standards. Also the Dominican Republic was accepted as Associate Members. What a huge leaps forward for OT in the Carribean. After all the induction of new members the world federation admitted 11 new members today…bringing the total number of countries that are apart of the WFOT on either the Associate or Full-membership level to be 95.

So for the rest of the day of Agenda items Consuelo was able to have a voice and a vote at the table for Haiti. Some of the more interesting topics discussed were….

~WHO (World Health Organization) Collaboration with WFOT

~Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE)

~Global Coordination Mechanism on the Prevention and control of non communicable Diseases (WHO GCM/NCD)

~Indigenous cultural Integrity project

~Disaster Preparedness and Response (DP&R) Master Project Report

~UN Global Compact

~Moving from millennium development Goals (MDGs to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s)

I had the privilege of having lunch with ACOT (Association Caribbean Occupational Therapy). The countries present were 2 delegates from the DR, The delegate from Bermuda, The delegate from Trinidad & Tobago and myself representing Haiti. Samantha the vice president from the WFOT was also present. It was a wonderful time of conversation and time to share and learn about each others countries. Tomorrow we are planning on meeting again to go even deeper in conversation and planning.

We ended the day with a cocktail opening ceremony. It was absolutely beautiful and amazing and just a great introduction to the culture of OT. The ceremony started with a group of children from Batata national foundation. These were all students who came from vulnerable situations. This program is run by Occupational Therapists. It was 1 example to show the uniqueness of OT in Columbia. This group promotes building community, overcoming obstacles, gaining skills, and building hope. Before each song they gave a fact or story or explained what part of the culture or tradition it represented. Then the 4 representatives from Columbia who have coordinated hosting the WFOT congress meetings dressed in traditional Columbia dresses from different regions of the country and share the history of Columbia and some facts. What a great way to learn about the history and culture of Haiti. It was Just so beautiful in so many ways. The rest of the evening was spent mingling. I spent a lot of time talking with the Delegates from Germany, The Netherlands, and Madagascar. Earlier in the day I spent time talking to the Delegate from Indonesia and New Zealand…And so many others. Such a full…rich…amazing…overwhelming…day!