Thursday, December 30, 2010
Ian's Typical Day
Our day began as normal seeing patients and diagnosing pharyngitis and lumbargia as well as giving injections. We then rode the ambulance from Otuzco to Motil, a little town about an hour up the Andes Mountains. Along the way we picked up four hitchhikers and packed them into the back of the ambulance. We dropped them off in a town along the way. Myself and Andy took blood pressures of the local people. We then went fishing at the fishery and the fish we got we had for dinner. In the afternoon we learned how to do stitches. At night, we played basketball and soccer with some of the local boys.
Chan Chan and the Start of the Medical Campaign
On Wednesday morning, the group got up early to attend a class dedicated to training and practicing for our medical campaign in El Progreso, a community full of underprivileged children and adults that have a lack of health care. We have been writing questions, and taking mock exams to solidify our Spanish speaking skills and expertise at taking blood pressures, heart rates, and respiration rates. Later, some of us from the group were fortunate enough to take advantage of the afternoon off and visit the historical Chan Chan. It was a very hot day so we made sure we brought tons of water and sunblock for the adventure. To start off, we watched a 15 minute video explaining the significance and authenticity of Chan Chan. The site, consisting of sand carvings and humongous walls, was built thousands of years ago in the Chimu Kingdom. We were advised to be careful as many thieves hide out in the area. Nonetheless, we had an amazing time and took tons of pictures of the fish, pelican, and warrior carvings.
On Thursday, the group headed out to El Progreso to spread the word of the medical campaign. We split off into groups of 4, passing out one thousand flyers to inform them of the date, time and place of our campaign on January 6th. We are all very nervous but excited to have an opportunity to help this community and educate them on the importance of health.
Ciao!
Eric Silverman
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
"Authentic Peruvian Recap"
Why hello, and welcome to my first (and quite possibly last given this is simply a direct result of insomnia) "Authentic Peruvian Recap". If you find yourself wondering about the title, just know that my lovely roommates, Rachel and Stephanie, and I are a tad on the strange side, and that "Authentic Peruvian ______" has become a thing. Authentic Peruvian Pirated DVD, for example. Better yet, Authentic Peruvian Turkey Foot. One of my favorite APT's (Authentic Peruvian Things) thus far. Just embrace it for enjoyment purposes. Trust.
Moving along. Here I am, typing in the dark, while Rachel attempts to go to sleep. I would feel bad about typing at midnight, but since she has done it to me I think it is fair. (Hey, Rachel!) I was writing in my journal after dinner--Yes, I am cool and have a journal. No, it does not have a lock. Yes, I do wish it had a lock because I am super awesome like that.--and thought, "Golly gee, Brigette. You sure have done a fair amount of swell things in just a week!" I decided to share them with you. So, buckle up. Here comes a list of Authentic Peruvian Happenings during week one of my trip. Yeehaw.
Authentic Peruvian Happenings: Week 1
In no particular order, I have...
...taken pictures with alpacas. (!)
...been cat called at least ten times a day, everyday.
...met a borderline-creepy taxi driver named Michel Angel.
...been given said taxi driver's number. ("You call. Say, 'Hey, Michel Angel. It isbMaria here. Lez go and show me Trujillo'. And I be there :: snaps fingers :: like that. OK?")
...taken a day trip to visit the beautiful town of Otuzco.
...been served turkey foot soup.
...eaten enough rice and potatoes to feed a small village.
...witnessed a girl throw a rock the size of her head at another girl at work. (It landed in the nativity scene. Bethlehem was never the same again. Is that even the right town?)
...been lucky enough to have the best.host.family.EVER.
...seen the sun set in Huanchaco.
...took a mini road trip with my host family to Malabrigo, Paijan and Chiclin.
...drove at outrageous speeds down the Pan American Highway.
...become obsessed with lomos saltados.
...been working at Hogar de la Nina, which houses 12-18 year olds who were abandoned by their parents, lived on the streete, had children at a very young age (e.g. 12), and/or have mental health issues.
...almost been killed multiple times in a taxi/micro/bus/etc. due to crazy Peruvian driving (minimal stop lights, the creation and use of invisible lanes, rare use of turn signals, and more).
...gotten so used to Peruvian driving that I can now sleep through an hour long taxi down a mountain road with no lanes in the midst of a rainstorm and crazy amounts of neblina.
...learned that simpatico/a does not mean the same thing here.
...eaten the best Christmas turkey of my life (SLATHERED IN TABASCO SAUCE).
...befriended the old man who owns the bodega across the street.
...swam in the Pacific Ocean at the beach with the longest waves in the world.
...built a sand castle--well, little towers shaped from cups--on the Peruvian coast.
...seen too many street dogs to count.
...helped give out Christmas gifts to eighty less fortunate kids in Trujillo.
...learned that hot chocolate in Peru is simply better.
...conceived several food babies.
...woken up to sore to move after giving kids apaches (piggy back rides) and spinning them through the air.
...remembered that the soreness was definitely a fair exchange for making kids happy on Christmas.
...eaten too much paneton.
...walked by a Pizza Hut that has sit-down, fancy restaurant style service.
...been taught by the girls I work with that there are multiple levels to Jacks in Peru.
...bought my own set of Jacks in attempt to master the levels.
...played volleyball with the girls at the Hogar.
...been asked to sing Justin Bieber too.many.TIMES.
...sung Justin Bieber too.many.TIMES. in order to make them kids HAPPPPPPY.
...learned that just being there is enough.
...sandboarded down dunes outside of Trujillo.
...found out the my host dad speaks some Portuguese.
...wandered around Lima.
...fell in the mud.
...bought (along with Stephanie and Rachel) the girls at Hogar a new volleyball for Christmas.
...spent a whole day drawing pictures and making snowflakes at work.
...watched how excited the girls get every time we take out the paper and colored pencils.
...watched "El Encantador de Perros" with the host family.
...squeed at least once a day because Peru is just that awesome.
...ran out of things to write.
Welp, that is all I can think of folks. I know for a fact I missed some Authentic Peruvian Happenings, but hopefully that was at least mildly entertaining anyway.
Moving along. Here I am, typing in the dark, while Rachel attempts to go to sleep. I would feel bad about typing at midnight, but since she has done it to me I think it is fair. (Hey, Rachel!) I was writing in my journal after dinner--Yes, I am cool and have a journal. No, it does not have a lock. Yes, I do wish it had a lock because I am super awesome like that.--and thought, "Golly gee, Brigette. You sure have done a fair amount of swell things in just a week!" I decided to share them with you. So, buckle up. Here comes a list of Authentic Peruvian Happenings during week one of my trip. Yeehaw.
Authentic Peruvian Happenings: Week 1
In no particular order, I have...
...taken pictures with alpacas. (!)
...been cat called at least ten times a day, everyday.
...met a borderline-creepy taxi driver named Michel Angel.
...been given said taxi driver's number. ("You call. Say, 'Hey, Michel Angel. It isbMaria here. Lez go and show me Trujillo'. And I be there :: snaps fingers :: like that. OK?")
...taken a day trip to visit the beautiful town of Otuzco.
...been served turkey foot soup.
...eaten enough rice and potatoes to feed a small village.
...witnessed a girl throw a rock the size of her head at another girl at work. (It landed in the nativity scene. Bethlehem was never the same again. Is that even the right town?)
...been lucky enough to have the best.host.family.EVER.
...seen the sun set in Huanchaco.
...took a mini road trip with my host family to Malabrigo, Paijan and Chiclin.
...drove at outrageous speeds down the Pan American Highway.
...become obsessed with lomos saltados.
...been working at Hogar de la Nina, which houses 12-18 year olds who were abandoned by their parents, lived on the streete, had children at a very young age (e.g. 12), and/or have mental health issues.
...almost been killed multiple times in a taxi/micro/bus/etc. due to crazy Peruvian driving (minimal stop lights, the creation and use of invisible lanes, rare use of turn signals, and more).
...gotten so used to Peruvian driving that I can now sleep through an hour long taxi down a mountain road with no lanes in the midst of a rainstorm and crazy amounts of neblina.
...learned that simpatico/a does not mean the same thing here.
...eaten the best Christmas turkey of my life (SLATHERED IN TABASCO SAUCE).
...befriended the old man who owns the bodega across the street.
...swam in the Pacific Ocean at the beach with the longest waves in the world.
...built a sand castle--well, little towers shaped from cups--on the Peruvian coast.
...seen too many street dogs to count.
...helped give out Christmas gifts to eighty less fortunate kids in Trujillo.
...learned that hot chocolate in Peru is simply better.
...conceived several food babies.
...woken up to sore to move after giving kids apaches (piggy back rides) and spinning them through the air.
...remembered that the soreness was definitely a fair exchange for making kids happy on Christmas.
...eaten too much paneton.
...walked by a Pizza Hut that has sit-down, fancy restaurant style service.
...been taught by the girls I work with that there are multiple levels to Jacks in Peru.
...bought my own set of Jacks in attempt to master the levels.
...played volleyball with the girls at the Hogar.
...been asked to sing Justin Bieber too.many.TIMES.
...sung Justin Bieber too.many.TIMES. in order to make them kids HAPPPPPPY.
...learned that just being there is enough.
...sandboarded down dunes outside of Trujillo.
...found out the my host dad speaks some Portuguese.
...wandered around Lima.
...fell in the mud.
...bought (along with Stephanie and Rachel) the girls at Hogar a new volleyball for Christmas.
...spent a whole day drawing pictures and making snowflakes at work.
...watched how excited the girls get every time we take out the paper and colored pencils.
...watched "El Encantador de Perros" with the host family.
...squeed at least once a day because Peru is just that awesome.
...ran out of things to write.
Welp, that is all I can think of folks. I know for a fact I missed some Authentic Peruvian Happenings, but hopefully that was at least mildly entertaining anyway.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Christmas Eve in Peru
Today was Christmas Eve, which means a lot of us including myself had the day off work! Like most of you already know I grew up in Lima so I've definitely had plenty of Christmas days in the summer. In fact I always thought a cold Christmas was weird. The day started of with a much needed sleeping in session until about 11am. I'm a very lucky person on this trip because besides having an amazing host family here, I also have an aunt, an uncle and two really close cousins that live in Trujillo, plus another cousin from Lima who flew in tonight for Christmas. I actually got to go and eat lunch with my family today, which was amazing because I hadn't spent time with them in so many years. After lunch (normally siesta time) we had a very interesting class from 3pm-5pm where we got to practice some techniques to get medical histories that we will be doing during our health campaign. We also practiced taking vitals, so that during our campaign, the volunteers will be the ones doing the initial interview of the patient, taking vitals, and presenting the patient to the doctors, which will really help them and save them time. After that, we all went back to our families. In my case, we went to a Christmas mass at a park nearby, then went back to the house for la cena! Here in Peru, it's tradition to have the Christmas dinner at midnight, but since Ronald, Bertha and Laurita (my host family) are so amazing, they had it for us at 10pm so that I could after go to my other family and have Christmas dinner with them as well... yeah that's right, two dinners :-). After that it was definitely time to sleep off all the food. The experience here in Peru has definitely been amazing in every aspect. I will miss everything about it when we leave, but I'm sure it won't be long until I come back!!
Valeria
Valeria
Saturday, December 25, 2010
A note from Efren
“Hey, it’s 6:45!” exclaims Blake. Great. My first day of work and I’m already up to my usual shenanigans. The night prior it was agreed upon meeting around 7 A.M. T-minus 15 minutes. This was totally possible and absolutely unnecessary. Attempting to remain on my absurd workout regimen of 5k runs and unorthodox bodyweight exercises, I asked Blake if he could wake me up around 5 am in order to have enough time. Right…sleep always prevails and this encounter was no different. Two minutes of extra shuteye became nearly two hours. Not the unit conversion I’d favor at this moment.
6:47 – Cold shower underway. Tepid water never seemed so desirable.
6:50 – Breakfast or “desayuno” consisted of papaya/apple/banana pieces bathing in strawberry yogurt. A couple bread rolls later and my blood sugar is high enough to fight a mother grizzly bear. Roar!
7:05 – Miraculously I’m not late. Actually, no one is here yet.
7:05:27 – About that bear…naptime?
7:10 – We’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of…?
Across a nondescript red brick building lays the clinic I was assigned. “Curva de Sun” was written in my orientation packet, yet the sign was missing. Truth is that Rachel (program coordinator) mentioned that although this site has received a sign from Imaginations, they don’t have the resources available to hang it. Outside the clinic seems like a perfect place to nail, but there is also the small dilemma of having a graffiti-plagued wall that has an undertone akin to deathly grey. Seeing the condition of the entrance, I immediately begin planning with the nurse to paint the outside a pale yellow and then be responsible for mounting the donated “Letrero”. Once inside I’m instantly flooded with information and questions alike. Although nursing school has provided me a substantial amount of clinical practice, incorporating Spanish with Peruvian culture and healthcare was a bit daunting and overwhelming. Luckily, I had a great preceptor who took off the edge of some of my first day jitters.
Similar to my pediatric experience, I measured children for height and weight along with head and arm circumference. Nurse Carmen and I also checked for fontanels if appropriate, spinal column abnormalities, performed Ortolani’s maneuver to assess hip subluxation, abdomen palpation, and a general skin scan. Next, we would make sure children were up to date ‘al dia’ with their shots. If they were ‘al dia’ then the family would get a ticket for that child in order to participate in a ‘chocolatada’, which is a local gathering with hot chocolate and a fruitcake-esque dessert. After delicious food the kiddos receive a free gift. Not only does Papa Noel provide gifts, he also provides the staples of a nutritious diet. Besides the physical exam, I also gave a few shots (Hepatitis B and pneumococcal) and witnessed tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Although completely treatable with an aggressive course of nauseating antibiotics, I’m still wary of being near TB patients. Possibly it’s the horrid images flashed in my earlier health classes, or the stigma that seems to underline the whole disease, or even it’s an irrational fear, but I really don’t want contract TB. On the other hand, I’ll definitely sound like a biological champion when mentioning to people “Yeah, I had TB and my body eliminated it. No problem”. My macrophages would make a fortune!
Having an amazing day at my work site, it is rather unfair if I don’t mention the lack of resources and how ingenious these nurses are in order to provide healthcare to a difficult population. One example is how the scarcity cotton balls. Another is having only one container of alcohol in the whole facility that is nearing completion. Perhaps it’s the absence of gloves from the site. Before beginning my work with patients, I asked the nurse where gloves were found. Immediately she frowned, displaying a mixture of suppressed anguish and melancholy. According to her, the government (healthcare politics and structure is part of another entry) does not deem gloves necessary for the care of its populace. What?! If nursing school has taught me one thing, it is that hand washing and gloves are crucial to breaking the transmission cycle of diseases. Clearly I’m learning the incorrect method of providing care. Gloves were always a hassle…It’s tempting to judge a facility and take on the mindset of “You’re doing it wrong”, but one has to keep in mind the social and political conditions these healthcare workers are in. U.S. citizens take for granted that bandage given to hold an alcohol swab, or that disinfected examination bed, or even the privacy bestowed upon them by pull curtains. Yes, these conditions should not be acceptable, but there has to be a distinction between tolerance and working within a structure. We’ll see how this affects my care later down the figurative road.
Some notes before I end this note:
• Pizza Hut service is amazing here. Get a hint U.S.
• Pharmacies here don’t seem really care about prescriptions. Sure, they still ask for one but it’s all a formality. Care for some Schedule I controlled substances, anyone?
• Where can I get some coca tea?
• Today I had world class ceviche along the beachfront with a liter of Inca Kola for less than $1.30
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The first few days in Peru...
Peru so far has been amazing, and my experience so far has been incredible. A reason, for me, for doing this trip is because of all the Spanish-speaking patients I have encountered, and will encounter, in the health care field. I’ve also always wanted to travel to South America, and expose myself to an entirely different culture and learn and grow from the experience. My host family is incredible. Else and Douglas are wonderful home away from home parents, and keep me well fed.
Yesterday the highlight of the day was sandboarding, which basically is snowboarding on sand. No tow ropes were involved, so we had to climb up the mountain. We were all drenched in sweat by the end of the day, and I keep finding sand everywhere. The guys really took advantage of the experience, while the girls (mainly me) kept getting stuck in the sand as we were going down. It did make for a great opportunity for a new profile picture because the pictures made it seem like we were doing extreme sports.
This morning we went to a cooking class. The first thing made was Papa a la Huancaina, which is a potato dish with a creamy, spicy sauce. Next we made Lomo Saltado, a stir fry beef. The chef let some of the students make it, and I swear I thought the kitchen was going to burn down. Last we made a cocktail that Peru is famous for, called Pisco Sour. Muy delicioso!
Today we celebrated “chocolatada,” the Peruvian celebration of Christmas approaching. We went to a local village called “El Progreso.” The children are very poor and do not have much, and they really appreciate us being there, even if it’s just to play. They loved when we gave them piggy back rides and played tag. One of the volunteers, Efren, dressed up as Papa Noel and surprised the children with gifts and hot chocolate. We are very thankful to Efren, because his costume prevented him from seeing, and the children took advantage of this and attacked and jumped on him for two hours straight. Overall, the experience was eye-opening, and gave us the opportunity to see children who grew up in completely different environments that we grew up in. The children do not have much, but appreciate the things that they do have and are so thankful for the little things in life.
Most volunteers on this trip can speak Spanish very well, however, I am the exception. I took a year of Spanish, approximately 10 years ago and all I remember is how to say “Me llamo Carolyn.” It is incredible how much I have learned over the past couple of days. Everyone is so helpful in MAKING me learn Spanish, which is what I need! My host family has been wonderful with explaining to me what they are talking about, as well as the other volunteers I live with. So far, I have learned many animals, the meals, many foods, basic speaking skills, and I am starting to learn some basic verbs (“to go” is mucho complicated!). Another mistake I keep making is saying “tengo hombre” instead of “tengo hambre.” That leads to confusion.
Overall my Peru experience has been one of a kind. I never expected to meet so many welcoming people, from Lima to Trujillo. Everyone is so willing to teach and very patient. I have also never seen such crazy drivers, Chicago is nothing compared to the streets of Trujillo. I cannot wait to see what my volunteer work has in store for me, this week and the rest of the weeks to come (if I can survive the Peruvian drivers of course). I’m nervous to figure out the Micro taxis, and how to get to work everyday. But I am honestly shocked how much I have learned so far, and I could go on for hours talking about everything that has happened in the past couple of days. In the next two and a half weeks I know I will learn so much and come home with many stories!
Ciao,
Carolyn
Yesterday the highlight of the day was sandboarding, which basically is snowboarding on sand. No tow ropes were involved, so we had to climb up the mountain. We were all drenched in sweat by the end of the day, and I keep finding sand everywhere. The guys really took advantage of the experience, while the girls (mainly me) kept getting stuck in the sand as we were going down. It did make for a great opportunity for a new profile picture because the pictures made it seem like we were doing extreme sports.
This morning we went to a cooking class. The first thing made was Papa a la Huancaina, which is a potato dish with a creamy, spicy sauce. Next we made Lomo Saltado, a stir fry beef. The chef let some of the students make it, and I swear I thought the kitchen was going to burn down. Last we made a cocktail that Peru is famous for, called Pisco Sour. Muy delicioso!
Today we celebrated “chocolatada,” the Peruvian celebration of Christmas approaching. We went to a local village called “El Progreso.” The children are very poor and do not have much, and they really appreciate us being there, even if it’s just to play. They loved when we gave them piggy back rides and played tag. One of the volunteers, Efren, dressed up as Papa Noel and surprised the children with gifts and hot chocolate. We are very thankful to Efren, because his costume prevented him from seeing, and the children took advantage of this and attacked and jumped on him for two hours straight. Overall, the experience was eye-opening, and gave us the opportunity to see children who grew up in completely different environments that we grew up in. The children do not have much, but appreciate the things that they do have and are so thankful for the little things in life.
Most volunteers on this trip can speak Spanish very well, however, I am the exception. I took a year of Spanish, approximately 10 years ago and all I remember is how to say “Me llamo Carolyn.” It is incredible how much I have learned over the past couple of days. Everyone is so helpful in MAKING me learn Spanish, which is what I need! My host family has been wonderful with explaining to me what they are talking about, as well as the other volunteers I live with. So far, I have learned many animals, the meals, many foods, basic speaking skills, and I am starting to learn some basic verbs (“to go” is mucho complicated!). Another mistake I keep making is saying “tengo hombre” instead of “tengo hambre.” That leads to confusion.
Overall my Peru experience has been one of a kind. I never expected to meet so many welcoming people, from Lima to Trujillo. Everyone is so willing to teach and very patient. I have also never seen such crazy drivers, Chicago is nothing compared to the streets of Trujillo. I cannot wait to see what my volunteer work has in store for me, this week and the rest of the weeks to come (if I can survive the Peruvian drivers of course). I’m nervous to figure out the Micro taxis, and how to get to work everyday. But I am honestly shocked how much I have learned so far, and I could go on for hours talking about everything that has happened in the past couple of days. In the next two and a half weeks I know I will learn so much and come home with many stories!
Ciao,
Carolyn
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