This will probably be my last entry from Quito. I leave on Saturday for a whirlwind three week tour of Peru, Chili and Argentina. Here´s our tentative itinerary:
Saturday: Head to Riobamba.
Sunday: Devil´s Nose train ride, then bus to Cuenca
Monday: Day in Cuenca
Tuesay: Bus to Loja, then from Loja across the border to Piura, Peru
Wednesday: Bus to Mankora
Thursday: Day in Mankora
Friday-Monday: Slowly making our way south to Lima
Tuesday: Flight from Lima to Cusco
And after that who knows!
We´re hoping to do a 3 or 4 day trek of Machu Picchu, then Lake Titicaca, then Chili. No idea what to do in Chili, but I´m sure we´ll find something. Our last stop will be Mendoza, Argentina, for some time in the vineyards. Then I fly back to Quito from Santiago on the 17th, and back to the States on the 19th. Woo, lots of things to do in not very much time!
Last night I went to a futbol game. La Liga vs. El Nacional. Both Ecuaodor teams, and I´m not really sure what league or if they were professional or what. It was really fun, people are pretty crazy at those games! People were climbing the fences, throwing toilet paper on the field, lighting fireworks in the stands...it was pretty cool to watch the crowd, not even the game! And the game got a little out of hand at times too, one goalie was thrown out for sucker punching a player. Good stuff. After the game one drunken man asked to have his picture taken with me. I think cause I was blond.
My time in the clinic this week has been really good. I´ve been following Dra. Alvear, and she´s just wonderful. Very helpful and explains things really well. Saw a woman with really crazy sores all over her body (doctors had no idea what it was), a man with bad heart stuff going on who she sent to the emergency room, a really cute little old man who wanted to be checked out before travelling to Israel, and some middle aged women who needed breast and uterine ultrasounds. I got to be a translater for one woman from Canada, which was fun. And I got to see all the ultrasounds done, which I´d never seen before. I think I may have insulted the radiologist doing the tests, because I didn´t know that she was a doctor and at one point the translation patient asked me what the woman´s job title was, and when I said I wasn´t really sure, the doctor stuttered in English "I am Doctor", and didn´t look too happy. Whoops. Today is my last day of clinic. Ever. Well, hopefully not ever ever, but ever for awhile.
Overall my clinic experience has been great in Ecuador. I´ve gotten to see a lot of things that I don´t think I would have been allowed to see in the States, and I even got to give that shot once, which I sure wouldn´t have been allowed to do. Most of the doctors have been really helpful and wanted me to learn something. I´ve been pretty amazed at how easy it has been to do my interviews. A lot of the doctors didn´t even care about my questions, just said yeah, yeah, sure.
Thanks everyone who´s been reading this for the last two months, I really appreciate it. I´ll definitely keep you all up on what I´m up to for the next few weeks, hopefully I´ll be able to stop into internet cafes periodically. Chao amigos, hasta luego!
New Word of the Day: muestra (sample, as in urine)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
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.
This is the flesh eating fish I caught and ate. It´s a vicious circle all right.
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
Here it is (I know you were all curious), the Devil´s Penis root. Enough said.
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!
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.
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.
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.
This is me being painted by the shaman before our jungle hike. The ¨paint¨ was from the little green fruits in his hand.
Interviewing!
Here´s me doing my thing at Cochapamba. It´s pretty exciting, I know...
Me and my sweet helmet.
I felt so sexy in this bike helmet. Seriously.
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
This is Olguita doing a hip dysplasia check on a little boy.
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!
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.
This in mi amiga Anu climbing the rickety ladder of death to the top of the Basilica.
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
Here I am on the ecuator, the mitad del mundo. Woohoo!
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...
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!
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!
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
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
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
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
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
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!
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
This doesn't do the market justice, there are so many people and colors!
El Grupo
All the students at a hill overlooking the city
My Artistic Endeavor
Took this from the window while the taxi driver was stuck but still trying. Oh taxi drivers....
View of the City
This place is huge! Seriously. And very long. With pretty mountains.
La Virgen
She´s supposed to protect Quito from the apocalypse. Quite the lady.
1 comment:
You're coming home soon!
Post a Comment