June 4

This is going to be a very exciting journey. I look forward to learning new things about where we are at and more about the culture we are going to be having encounters with. I know of the Eastern Band of Cherokees but not much so I look forward to learning a lot. I am eager to learn about their history and how their healthcare compares to ours. I am nervous about this trip. Cherokee culture is very different from mine but I am sure are a lot alike in many ways as well. I am eager to help and learn from this culture but also don’t want to disrespect in any way.

Children have many influences in their life. In the Cherokee culture, children are to be taught and respect their elders. In this tribe, they have healthcare screenings like other cultures do. They have checkup, vaccines, dental checks, and physicals for schooling. This tribe is about putting health first and promoting ways to improve their health. For families not as fortunate, there are many programs in the community to help the family with their needs. Some include family support, domestic violence awareness and help, home health, juvenile services, and nurse-family partnerships just to name a few. I thought it was interesting that since the tribe focuses on family being a united front that a specific focus is on family preservation, reunification efforts, parenting skills education, staff training, and case management for need cases.

My thoughts about Native American culture is I feel very interested it. I like learning about our history and their history and although it has been a sad history for the Native Americans, it’s still really intriguing. My favorite emotional history part I love/very dislike is about the Trail of Tears. It was horrible to read about, it was emotional, and the picture you get in your mind of it is very sad. I can’t believe it happened and I hope history doesn’t repeat itself.  I don’t feel I have any biases, prejudices, pride or stereotyping toward their culture. I feel it’s very interesting and I want to learn more about their culture. This whole journey will be both a learning and eye opening experience.