I´ve been eaten alive by the zancunos y insectos! Muy iritable!
Today is Saint San Juan´s Day. In celebration of the patron´s saint, they´ve been setting off bombas and partying all night in different parts of the barrio. They were setting off fireworks right in front of our house! Needless to say, I didn´t get much sleep.
This past Sunday, I rode the caballo and had an exhilirating time! Only my second time riding the horse I got the loco caballo and we fought our way through the journey. Once she bucked and kicked all the other horses, then she took off while the others were waiting and refused to stop until I yanked her reins with all my might. But I have to confess it was fun!
Anyway, for the past week and a half I´ve been shadowing nurses in different areas. I´m mostly trying to follow the vectorial infection disease technician into the different barrios where he´s been teaching the malaria health volunteers how to test for malaria. What baffles me is that malaria is hardly prevalent here and everyone has been crying out to me for dengue prevention and resolutions. Because unlike malaria, dengue doesn´t have any vaccination or cure. Currently we have had two deaths and about 36 suspicious cases. As I follow the technician around, he has barely educated these health volunteers about dengue except with miniscule pictures from a calendar.
I´m currently working on a project to develop dengue fever materials for the schools and health center. Unfortunately I lack certain artistic skills to make them more appealing. And I´m considering educational campaigns in schools to promote discussions about dengue fever. Kinda wishing my espanol was mas bien.
It´s been a little frustrating. I can´t believe I wasted five years of Spanish in high school and lived eight years without speaking a word of it. And now everything that wants to come out of my mouth is in Chichewa. At least now I know that I´m fluent in Chichewa!
Oh yeah, a hilarious story. I was sitting with my host family and my host mother asks me how to prepare a certain dish. She runs into the kitchen and she brings out rice noodles from China! (Which she received from her cousin in Canada of all places!) Then she asked me if it´s ok to prepare it with ¨salsa¨. After choking for a bit, I told her that no, we don´t eat it with salsa or tomatoes. Then she asked ¨But no salsa¨ and she runs into her kitchen again and brings out ¨Salsa China¨! After I stopped laughing, I told her that yes, we use salsa china with the Chao Ching spaghetti.
Adios amigos! The tortillas are calling my name now!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Week One in Nicaragua
Week uno in Nicaragua is officially over!
I'm currently staying with a program called La Mariposa where I'm taking Spanish classes and volunteering at a new health clinic. I moved in with my homestay family on Monday. I've been shadowing nurses in the morning - going into the barrios educating health volunteers about malaria testing, observing the family planning clinic, treating elementary students for lice, etc. My role, however, is supposed to involve dengue fever prevention. Dengue Fever is a major problem which doesn't have any vaccine or real treatments. I'm intrigued to see how the health care system will tackle this problem.
My homestay has been pretty sweet, though I miss having my own place to live in. Malawi was a better place when I could cook and clean for myself. But it has been a good bonding experience for me to get to know my family and practice my Spanish while watching the Capo Mundial avidly.
My experiences here contrast so differently from those in Malawi. How do I describe it? Well, for one thing, I'm having an easier time adjusting here. People don't stare at me as much and actually respect my role here as a volunteer and student. Regardless of whether I can understand them or not, I just love how they'll keep conversing with me. The health clinics here are by far more resourceful and the workers seem much more invested in their health care system, whereas in Malawi their jobs were less of a priority as opposed to their livelihoods (farms). It's strange actually, because I came expecting extreme poverty and my expectations were actually exceeded. I have electricity, a toilet (albeit I have to pour in water to make it flush), infrastructure, a working health system, and efficient transportation. I'm amazed and really grateful.
Anyway, I'll update again in a week's time and share more about mi Centro de Salud y educacion en Nicaragua!
Hasta luego mis amigos y familia!
I'm currently staying with a program called La Mariposa where I'm taking Spanish classes and volunteering at a new health clinic. I moved in with my homestay family on Monday. I've been shadowing nurses in the morning - going into the barrios educating health volunteers about malaria testing, observing the family planning clinic, treating elementary students for lice, etc. My role, however, is supposed to involve dengue fever prevention. Dengue Fever is a major problem which doesn't have any vaccine or real treatments. I'm intrigued to see how the health care system will tackle this problem.
My homestay has been pretty sweet, though I miss having my own place to live in. Malawi was a better place when I could cook and clean for myself. But it has been a good bonding experience for me to get to know my family and practice my Spanish while watching the Capo Mundial avidly.
My experiences here contrast so differently from those in Malawi. How do I describe it? Well, for one thing, I'm having an easier time adjusting here. People don't stare at me as much and actually respect my role here as a volunteer and student. Regardless of whether I can understand them or not, I just love how they'll keep conversing with me. The health clinics here are by far more resourceful and the workers seem much more invested in their health care system, whereas in Malawi their jobs were less of a priority as opposed to their livelihoods (farms). It's strange actually, because I came expecting extreme poverty and my expectations were actually exceeded. I have electricity, a toilet (albeit I have to pour in water to make it flush), infrastructure, a working health system, and efficient transportation. I'm amazed and really grateful.
Anyway, I'll update again in a week's time and share more about mi Centro de Salud y educacion en Nicaragua!
Hasta luego mis amigos y familia!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Yo hablo espanol pero... no
Hola mis amigos y familia!
I am now called "Elena".
My mornings typically consist of shadowing a health professional at the Centro de Salud and taking Spanish lessons por la tarde. I rode on the back of a motorcycle without a helmet absolutely terrified because of the rain and muddy roads but saw the beautiful landscapes deep within the barrios and saw the destitution of the people there. I'm once again reminded that there are people who don't have what we need to survive.
Goal of this month: to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing at this health center!
More to come later!
Adios!
I am now called "Elena".
My mornings typically consist of shadowing a health professional at the Centro de Salud and taking Spanish lessons por la tarde. I rode on the back of a motorcycle without a helmet absolutely terrified because of the rain and muddy roads but saw the beautiful landscapes deep within the barrios and saw the destitution of the people there. I'm once again reminded that there are people who don't have what we need to survive.
Goal of this month: to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing at this health center!
More to come later!
Adios!
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