Since the last post, about 60 more "gringos" have joined Stella and I here in Santo Domingo. The people at the clinic spent all day Friday preparing the grounds for the Shoulder to Shoulder brigade. We were also served a big lunch of chicken with rice (of course) for helping out. Saturday we FINALLY got to sleep in!! We met up with the brigade Saturday at Santa Rosa (the place the volunteers are staying) and went with them to visit the community around Centro Medico. It was really great to get to see everyone; I felt like I was surrounded by English again ;) It was also a little strange being considered one of the "experienced" ones, even though I've only been here 2 weeks.
Today was the first day of the actual brigade and everyone was in the same location at a local church and school. It was fascinating to be working so closely with several different professions. It is very interesting to actually see the other disciplines interact with patients and know exactly why we are dispensing the medications to patients. Even though the brigade is a nice change of pace with a lot more pharmacy activity compared to the clinic, brigade days sure do make for very long days. We get to Santa Rosa at 7 am and so far have not left before 9pm. Tomorrow, half of the volunteers, including Stella and myself, will be going to a Stachilla village and the other half to Centro Medico. I'm looking forward to the different cultural experience we will have in Los Naranjos
Let me know how you found Los Naranjos. Did you do the cultural experience afterward?
ReplyDelete-Melody Ryan