Poquito a Poquito

Little by little things are getting better here in Ecuador. 

Yesterday we were able to get a much better feel for the flow of the clinic.  Before we see each patient, Dr. Carrion discusses their history with us and then we go and see the patient and talk with them about their current condition(s).  After we have conversed with the patient, we meet again with Dr. Carrion and he asks us what we think about the patient and gives us his thought process about what is going on with them.  This is a very effective way for me to learn as a healthcare professional, however it would be much better if I could understand the language ;)  I think my Dad put it best, I am still trying to "listen in English".  I know this is a hard concept to understand unless you have tried to learn another language, but it is much more difficult to listen and comprehend to what other people are saying than it is to speak or read the language, especially when they talk very fast.  I am thoroughly enjoying this process and I am doing my best to follow the conversations closely so that I can have some input in the patients' care.

Last night Maggie and Megan had a get together with the people that work at the clinic.  We got to eat a homemade Ecuadorian meal and experience their welcoming hearts on a different level than at work.   Megan did some singing and we did a little bit of dancing.  We really had a great time.  Today we helped Maggie with a party that she had for the children that have been coming to the clinic for different types of after school activities.  Since the children have been reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, they got to watch the movie today and have candy, popcorn and lemonade.  Although it was difficult to figure out what the sweet children were saying to me, I knew they were having a good time and wanted me to trace more Willy Wonka coloring sheets.  "Debujame," they would say as I traced a coloring sheet for a different child.  (It only took me 3 different kids to figure out what they wanted me to do.)

As for the city of Santo Domingo, Stella and I are becoming much more comfortable with the city and streets each day.  We have gone to a fresh market several days, if not every day, of this week.  I really enjoy going with her because she has a lot of experience with this type of environment since she has traveled to several different countries.  It is a joy to watch her interact with the people of Santo Domingo.  Tomorrow we get to take the bus by ourselves...just the two of us plus the medical student from France, Chloe, that has been here the same amount of time that we have.  Although a little nervous, we are very ready for this big adventure.

The First Days in Santo Domingo

The first two days in Santo Domingo have been very busy and overwhelming for me.  The ride from Quito to Santo Domingo was extremely crowded and curvy.  Our cab driver unfortunately wasn't aware that we would have luggage.  After 3 hours or so, we arrived at our apartment in Santo Domingo where we met one of our neighbors, Megan.  She was very helpful in making us feel welcome and taking us to the "Shopping", a giant supermarket in a mall and the farm fresh market on the first day.  Although I was very thankful, I was also very overwhelmed.  It had been a very nauseating car ride and long trip to the grocery, so needless to say I was very glad when we had a chance to rest.

After a decent nights sleep, we met Megan and Maggie (the Peace Corp volunteer, also our neighbor), and they showed us how to get from our apartment to the Clinic via bus.  The busses in Ecuador are quite an experience, but much cheaper than a taxi.  Upon arriving at the clinic, the secretary gave us a tour of the clinic and introduced us to all of the people that work there.  The clinic is very interesting.  There are 2 doctors (but one is not there for very long), 2 nurses, one dentist and someone in the pharmacy.  We also met a medical student from France who will be with us for a week at the clinic.  From what I can tell, everyone seems to operate like family.  After the tour, we went on some home visits with one of the nurses and visited 3-4 patients.  We also met with a patient that had uncontrolled diabetes and was very upset when Dr. Carrion told her that she needed to go to the hospital.  We should find out more tomorrow about what we will be doing on the rotation. 

The temperature today was fabulous.  It is very cloudy and misty in the mornings and then in the afternoon when the sun comes out from behind the clouds, it was a little warm, but not near as hot as I expected. 

I knew that it was going to be difficult t adjust to being here, however I was hoping I would have a more positive attitude.  The most difficult thing for me to adjust to is the language.  I unfortunately have realized that I do not know near enough Spanish to be here.  While we were doing home visits this morning, I was astonished at how people in horrible situation were still putting a smile on their faces and enjoying life, while I was having a pity party about not being able to understand anything that was going on.  I know that I can change my situation, and these poor people cannot do much about theirs, yet they are more content and positive than I.  I am going to do my best to take my husband's advice and change my attitude about being deficient in Spanish, and use this rotation just as it is, a learning experience. 

¡Estamos Aqui!

Stella and I have arrived at our hostel in Quito.  Since it was late when we arrived at the airport, we didn't get to see a lot on our way in...but what we could see was absolutely beautiful!  It has been more than twenty years since my very first and last plane ride, so I was relieved to have enjoyed the two flights to Ecuador.  Although we ran into a little bit of rough weather, there wasn't much turbulence and the pilots did a fantastic job landing.  I can't wait to return to Quito when it is daylight outside so we can see the beauty of the city.  Our cab driver, Polibio, told us that August is a great time to visit Quito because they have an art festival.  Day 1 has come and gone...only 42 to go, and so much to do!

"I'm leaving on a jet plane..."

Well, the day is finally here!  I am very excited about what the next six weeks are going to entail. I pray that God watches over us and allows us to be humbled and rocked like never before!  I'm going to miss my family and friends in the states dearly, but I will see them again soon. Please keep Stella and I in your prayers. ¡Hasta luego!

Less Than a Week Away

A week from today I will be beginning my rotation in Ecuador. At the moment, I am extremely nervous but I know that this will be an experience of a lifetime. I am looking forward to spending six weeks with Stella in a culture that is new to both of us. I don't really know what i should expect to gain from this experience as a future pharmacist, but I am ready to be humbled as an individual.  I'm prepared to realize all that I take for granted here in my comfortable home, and I am excited to see what God has in mind for this "small town girl" on a "big time adventure".