Monday, October 20, 2008

Just chillin in Quito

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Well hello there all. Sorry it’s been awhile since the last entry, it just seems like there hasn’t been time to sit down and write. Don’t know why, cause now that I think about it I haven’t really done that much this last week, but that’s the way it goes I guess. This last week I was at a public health center called Carcelen Bajo (not to be confused with Carcelen Alto which I visited a while back). It’s a tiny little center; 2 doctors, a dentist, and obstetriz and a nurse. The doc I was with was very nice, gave me a stethoscope to use and taught me how to listen to heart and lung sounds. She was a family practitioner, so we mainly saw coughing little kids. There were a few exceptions, including a few people who needed health certificates signed for school and work, and an older woman with really awful looking varicose veins. The doctor was pretty efficient, and washed her hands between sick babies, which was something I’d yet to see. One morning while I was there I got to see a TB lecture that one of the staff was putting on in the waiting room. Pretty cool. The clinic is really crowded around 8 and 11, because those are the sign up times for morning and afternoon appointments. It’s definitely first come first serve, and there were always a lot of people, especially for the morning appointments. Then the center would gradually clear until about 11, when they’d start lining up again. It was really interesting to see.

One day after clinic I stopped at a big mall that my bus passed. It was pretty schnazzy inside, and things were about the same price as in the US. I was a little disappointed. It was nice to just relax and do something not medical or Spanish though. Although I think I must have just screamed “American with money” because the clerks were annoyingly attentive, following me around the entire store asking if they could help me find what I was looking for.

Tuesday was our medical meeting with Dra. Alvear. We had presentations from two of the students on Leichomiasis (honestly, I don’t know if that’s spelled right, and I have no dictionary) and hospital caused infections. They were really interesting presentations. Leichomiasis is a mosquito born parasitic infection that causes these big gaping sores, especially on extremities and faces (places that mosquitoes can bite you). The pics of it are really pretty gruesome, sometimes it can eat away a person’s whole ear or nose. It’s another one of those lovely things to worry about when you live in a tropical climate, although here in Quito (and elsewhere in the mountains) the altitude is too high for mosquitoes.

On Wednesday our group went to Crepes and Waffles and then to a movie. I love Crepes and Waffles. The movie we saw was “Control Total” (Eagle Eye in English, don’t know why they didn’t translate it directly. Maybe Eagle Eye doesn’t mean anything in Spanish). It was funny to watch the subtitles. Things like, “see you later bonehead” were simply translated to “adios”. Good stuff. Oh, before the movie we had some extra time, so we chilled at a sports bar in the same mall. There was a world cup game going on, though I don’t remember who Ecuador was playing. I had a blackberry screwdriver, which was wonderful. And so pretty. That’s definitely a drink idea to bring home.

What else…Thursday we had a cultural meeting at the language school, and planned out a lot of activities for the coming week. We’re going to a town near here called Papallacta on Friday, it’s supposed to have amazing hot springs. And massages. I think it’ll be a good time. And then there are all the activities I’ve already done here, like the mitad del mundo and the basilica. I’m going to skip out on a bunch of those, no need to do all the touristy cheesy things twice.

Friday I went back to Cochapamba to finish up my interviews there. Since I was only there for a day that week, I only got 5 interviews in. It was quite the adventure finding the place. None of the information from the program had an address for the center. The doctor normally picks students up at a corner near where we all live. So I had to just ask a taxi driver if he knew where it was. He said he did, which was a bold faced lie. We got to the general neighborhood, then he had to pull up and ask random people on the street if they knew where it was. The meter running the whole time. After about 30 minutes we finally found it, and luckily I had just enough money to pay the man and have a quarter left over for the bus home. (I know how to get home on the buses from just about anywhere, just not the other way around!) It ended up all right, and I got all the interviews done. Some of the women were very uninterested though and didn’t want to do more than give a “yes” or “no”, more than I’ve encountered before. Don’t know why that was.

This weekend I’ve been chilling here in Quito. It was a great decision on my part, because on Friday night I got sick. Seriously, I think I’ve been sick for most of this trip with one thing or the other. This time (luckily?) it wasn’t gastrointestinal issues, but a pretty good cold. I think all the little kids with “el gripe” I’ve been seeing over the last few weeks are to blame. So I’ve been relaxing here in bed all weekend. Read some books, watched some movies, drank some tea…it was a pretty good weekend considering. This morning I braved the outside world to go to an artisan market in a nearby park. Bought some fun stuff for presents, but then had to come back and take a nap. How pathetic is that? The prices there definitely weren’t as good as in Otavalo, I think I got swindled a few times. But then I always feel bad arguing with some kid over a dollar. Being here has definitely given me more appreciation for my life.

Well, that’s all I have to report for now. For not having done much I sure had a lot to say. I would post this blog today, but the internet is down at the café near my house. And I didn’t feel like braving the rain (we’re definitely moving into the rainy season here; every afternoon and evening without fail) to seek out another place. It is now exactly one month until I return to the States, time really has flown. Hope everyone is having an awesome time up north!

New Word of the Day: rondador (Ecuadorian version of the pan pipe)

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Yummy!

Yummy!
Here´s the larva I ate. These were the steamed version, which wasn´t my favorite. The bear is just there for style.

My piranha.

My piranha.
This is the flesh eating fish I caught and ate. It´s a vicious circle all right.

I just really like this picture.

I just really like this picture.
There was just this one random red lead in this plant, and it looked so cool!

El Pene del Diablo

El Pene del Diablo
Here it is (I know you were all curious), the Devil´s Penis root. Enough said.

My Jungle Pants.

My Jungle Pants.
This is my super awesome jungle hiking outfit. Rubber boots, striped blue hippy pants, and yellow floral tshirt. I felt kind of at home trudging around in those boots.

The Cocodilo!

The Cocodilo!
This is one of the crocodiles/alligators (we´re not quite sure which one it is, there is some confusion...) we saw from our canoe.

Our Cabin.

Our Cabin.
Here´s our cabana in the jungle. It was all divided up into little rooms, kind of cute. In a bug infested way.

The jungle.

The jungle.
Here´s the view from our canoe on the ride across the lake to our camp. It was so gorgeous!!

I have an arrow on my head.

I have an arrow on my head.
This is me being painted by the shaman before our jungle hike. The ¨paint¨ was from the little green fruits in his hand.

Interviewing!

Interviewing!
Here´s me doing my thing at Cochapamba. It´s pretty exciting, I know...

Me and my sweet helmet.

Me and my sweet helmet.
I felt so sexy in this bike helmet. Seriously.

In Baños

In Baños
This is the view from my bikeride in Baños this weekend. Isn´t it just gorgeous? Best bike ride ever.

Hip Dysplasia Check

Hip Dysplasia Check
This is Olguita doing a hip dysplasia check on a little boy.

Cutey Pie!

Cutey Pie!
This is my little amigo at CEMOPLAF. We played with blocks. It was a good time. In this pic he´s being weighed.

Chivas!

Chivas!
Here is some of the girl on the Chivas Bus. The drink Melissa is holding in the front is an alcoholic beverage that tastes like cinnamon. Yummy.

Rickety ladder of death.

Rickety ladder of death.
This in mi amiga Anu climbing the rickety ladder of death to the top of the Basilica.

Oh. My. Gosh.

Oh. My. Gosh.
These are the deserts we had at Crepes and Waffles. SOOOOOO delicious. Mine was the carmally one right in the front. That´s right, I know you´re jealous.

On the Ecuator

On the Ecuator
Here I am on the ecuator, the mitad del mundo. Woohoo!

Ahoy maties!

Ahoy maties!
These are the whales we saw from the boat to Isla de la Plata! I have no idea what kind they are! I must do more research and get back to you! But they were so cool!

Yes, I know I have crazy hair...

Yes, I know I have crazy hair...
This is me on the island. It was windy, okay? Geesh, some people. By the way, there´s a legend that the island has buried treasure somewhere. I didn´t find it. Sad day.

Boobies!

Boobies!
These are the famous blue footed boobies. They were pretty funny to watch, they really waddle! So many boobies in such a short time...

More boobies!

More boobies!
This is a different species of boobie. No blue feet. I think it´s called that Nazka Boobie in English, which so isn´t as fun as blue footed boobie. Maybe orange pointed boobie? Just a suggestion.

The Shaman

The Shaman
Here is the shaman doing her thing with the cuy. Sorry I´m in my bra for you all to see, couldn´t be helped. And its a nice bra.

Shaman Take 2

Shaman Take 2
Same idea, just from the back. She was really shaking the cuy all over! And doesn´t she have a really cool bracelet?

The Diagnosis

The Diagnosis
This is the shaman cutting open the dead cuy to read its body. I was kind of amazed that she just squatted down on the floor, didn´t even use a table. She´s got mad skills. Oh, and since it was a health center, she put everything into little red biohazard bags.

Pouring the Antiseptic

Pouring the Antiseptic
Oh yeah, me in my prime. This was for one of those ladies with a leg ulcer. She was very cute. I know you can´t tell from that part of her foot in the picture, but you´ll have to take my word for it.

Meeting the Minister

Meeting the Minister
This is me and my fellow student Carrie with the Minister of Health at a public health center. How cool is that? We´re practically celebrities.

The Hat!

The Hat!
This is my sweet new indigenous style hat, bought it in the Otavalo market. Also bought the scarf and filled up that bag...it was a good shopping day!

The Market

The Market
This doesn't do the market justice, there are so many people and colors!

El Grupo

El Grupo
All the students at a hill overlooking the city

My Artistic Endeavor

My Artistic Endeavor
Took this from the window while the taxi driver was stuck but still trying. Oh taxi drivers....

View of the City

View of the City
This place is huge! Seriously. And very long. With pretty mountains.

La Virgen

La Virgen
She´s supposed to protect Quito from the apocalypse. Quite the lady.