For the last six years, third year nursing students at Griffith University have completed an immersion community development project in northern Laos, working alongside local health workers and translators to provide primary health care to remote villages in the Seuang Valley. Little English is spoken in this district, so groups work with Lao translators to run health promotion sessions, complete health assessments and provide treatment for minor illnesses and injuries. As an immersion placement, students and staff live in very basic homestays in the villages where they are working. This provides additional insight for students into the impact of social determinants of health, as they observe first-hand the local living conditions and limited resources. Students completing the placement gain an understanding of global health issues as their own cultural and ethical values are challenged. Students are encouraged to write self-reflection journals during the placement and reflect on personal changes. This helps them work through the challenges of the placement and develop into a student ready for graduation. One student has reflected on her personal journey during the placement and her development as a nurse.