La Ciudad

Last night was a blast at the Iguana. We had an incredible dinner as usual and then played that game where you pass the thing around and you try to get your team to say the word but you can't say the word. Tons of fun. There was an Irish couple playing with us and every time our team did something good the guy, Ian, would yell out, "Brilliant!" Typical.

We got up this morning and did our usual exercise. We usually exercise every morning, alternating between lifting weights (really, it's more calisthenics b/c we don't have weights to lift other than Peyton's stretch bands) and running. This morning was a running morning. We run from the house to the docks (~6 min) then run up the hill from the docks to the center of town (~6-7 min). Then back down on a foot path that takes you back to the docks (a gagillion steps down), and then back up the hill a second time and down again and then back to the house. Now, the run up from the docks is INSANE. It's the hardest hill I've ever tried to run up in my life. The grade is probably 25% in some places - just ridiculous - and it never lets up the whole way. It took me several times before I could make it in good form, and even now with "good form" it's like I'm running in place. But still, a few days ago I had my best time. I think adjusting to the altitude here has helped a lot. The lake is somewhere around 6,000 feet I think.

Anyhow, we did our exercise and then packed. I was determined to get all the stuff I brought down in my three bags into two for the return trip, and I succeeded. It made getting around today way easier. After a quick breakfast we cleaned up the house and headed to the docks to catch a lancha to Pana. From there we hopped on a chicken bus to Solola, then changed buses and headed to Los Encuentros. At Los Encuentros we got on a bus to the City.

The ride from Los Encuentros to the City is about 2 hours. During that 2 hours, this charismatic Guatemalan gentleman spent probably an hour or more going on and on about this natural "cure all" herbal supplement he was selling and how if you add it to all these specific juice blend recipes you could cure any ailment - aches, pains, diabetes, heart disease, etc. One thing I learned from him is that if you are going to pick herbs or other plants for the purpose of healing or to extract medicine, you musn't do so unless there is a full moon, otherwise the cure will not work. Similarly, if the plant is wet when you pick it, that won't do. Good to know.

After he was finished a man with a guitar got up and started playing and singing religious songs. He was followed immediately by a pastor-like fellow who gave a brief sermon and then prayed for all of us.

So it was an interesting trip, but it was super cheap and by far the way to go as far as traveling from the lake to the city goes.

Now we're at the hotel dos lunas right by the airport. Super nice place. You gotta be careful in Guatemala City, but this place is in a gated community and is pretty legit. But cheap, too. They have free wi fi and free water, and they feed you a free breakfast in the morning before transporting you for free to the airport. Quite the place!

So this is my last night in Guatemala, at least for this go 'round. I imagine I'll be back. I thought a lot of Craig's program and I'd very much like to stay involved in the years to come. But for now, I'm ready for home. It's been a great month, a great rotation, awesome to spend so much time with Pman, but a long month without Allie. I'm ready for some Allie time.

Última noche

Tonight is our last night in Santa Cruz. This week has been a good one, as usual. Monday Peyton and I did a few presentations for class that took most of the morning. I can't remember what we did Monday afternoon - probably just some studying and such. Tuesday Peyton and I both went to San Pablo for outreach clinic. It was a full day and a good day - a little sad that it was our last outreach clinic of the summer. Today Peyton and I saw patients at the clinic in Santa Cruz until midday, then we sat in on a presentation by one of the other students. We finished up around 2pm, said our goodbyes and headed down to the house to study and relax for the rest of the afternoon.

I have mixed emotions at this point. I am very excited to be going home. I can't wait to see Allie on Friday night, and of course I miss everyone else, too. At the same time, this has been a really fun rotation. I've learned a ton and it's been great living and working with Peyton this month.

Tonight we're eating at the Iguana. They always put out a great dinner. Tonight it's pizza. Craig - the manager here - bought us beers to celebrate, so that's good.

I'll have more to say in summary of the summer, but for now it's almost dinner time.

Recientamente

This past week has been good. After my huge post-fest last Monday, I haven't been back to Pana until today so I haven't been able to update the blog at all this week. And I lost my cord that connects my camera to the computer, so I'm going to have to wait to upload more pictures until I get back to the US and can get a new one.

On Tuesday last week I went with the group to Jaibalito, a little town right on the lake. We saw about 25 patients in 3 or 4 hours. There had been some issues with Jaibalito in the recent past. There was a woman there who was neglecting her child and the resulting malnourishment was enough to cause the medical folks to suggest if she didn't shape up her baby might be taken away. Well, she took this as a direct threat and retaliated by spreading rumors that we were all baby stealers. Two weeks ago hardly any patients came. But, thank goodness, the uproar seems to have subsided and we did see a fair number of folks this past week. The thing is, you just have to approach interventions and such in a different way in this culture.

Wednesday is normally a class/lecture day, but this past Wednesday the clinic in Santa Cruz was so busy that Craig had us seeing patients instead. It was good. We each saw several during the morning. I even got to diagnose pregnancy in one nice lady. She was excited I think.

Thursday I went to Tzununa. So it was two new outreach clinics for me in one week - pretty cool. The clinic in Tzununa is held (while the centro de salud is under construction) in a school house up the hill from the lake. We were seeing patients while the kids were reciting Spanish textbooks in unison. It was kindof neat. The kids are adorable.

Friday was a little different this week. Every year a group of dentists from California comes down for 3 days of free dental clinic in Tzununa. Craig organizes the whole thing from the Guatemalan end. A group of the students (myself included) got up early and transported a ton of gear from Santa Cruz over to Tzununa and set up the school house for dentistry work. There were two dental exam chairs, and a bunch of kinks to work out - their "unidades" (the things that hold the handheld water/air guns, etc) were a bit of a challenge to get working, but we managed eventually and all told saw 31 patients on Friday. It was a lot of cavity removal and filling, tooth extractions, and prevention education. By the afternoon, Dr. Ed taught Peyton and I how to do dental cleanings with the little buzzy machine you've all probably experienced at your dentists office. It's really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. We cleaned 4 patients' teeth.

Saturday morning, Pman and I went over to San Marcos to climb. It was an incredibly beautiful morning and we got in a bunch of laps on the two routes they have there. One of them is supposedly 5.9 and the other 5.10. Both are pretty short, but reasonably fun for crumbly limestone climbing. I was able to lead both this go 'round, which I was very pleased with. After climbing we headed home, said goodbye to Riley who had to leave suddenly due to a family issue, and made our way to Santiago.

Santiago is having their Fiesta this week. It's basically like the state fair on a smaller and more rickety scale. But the same idea: people wandering around aimlessley, some drunks, lots of street food, and a few rides, the most prominent of which is the large ferris wheel. We rode it once. It goes pretty fast and the chairs are a little sketch (you can lean forward and almost make them tip over!). Probably the highlight of last night was dinner at the Posada de Santiago. Man, their food is incredible. P and I of course both got the lomito de res (tenderloin) con queso azul (blue cheese), which is amazing. We had dinner with one of Peyton's friends from the Hospitalito, Kent. He is a family doc from U Penn. It was an interesting dinner.

We stayed the night at a cheap hotel in town - most everywhere was price gouging for the fiesta, so it took some looking to find a decently priced place. But it was fine. This morning we went for a run out on the road to the Hospitalito and beyond. Now we're in Panajachel doing some internet work and working on a few presentations we're giving tomorrow morning at clinic. Then it's off to eat some Empanadas - you cannot come to Pana without getting some! - and then grab some vegetables from the market before heading back to Santa Cruz.

I have quite a few decent photos of the dental clinic, climbing in San Marcos, etc that I'll upload when I get back to the US and get a new cord for my camera.

Just three days to go and then we're headed back to the US. We are going to travel Thursday to Guatemala City and then get up Friday morning to catch our respective flights. We had considered leaving Wednesday afternoon for Antigua so we could spend Thursday hanging out there, but that would cost more money and there's not too terribly much to do there other than look at stuff and eat/drink, so I think I'm going to save Antigua for another trip.

Scorpion

Yes, there are scorpions here. And yes, they do come in the house from time to time. You have to check your sheets before bed, and your clothes before you put them on.

Here's the most recent little guy who ventured inside.

Commute

Here are some shots of our commute to the clinic in Santa Cruz. It sure beats the commute I've been doing for the past three years.

This is right close to our house. On the left is the stone wall that Peyton and I traverse when we get a dry afternoon.

There are a lot of stairs on the commute - A LOT.

I don't know whether you can appreciate it from this picture, but the commute is STEEP.

Looking back downhill at the lake.

On the right is the local school in Santa Cruz.

The building with the green bottom and yellow top is the clinic building. Our clinic is the second floor. The area just outside in front of the clinic is the soccer field for the school kids.

Casa del Mundo

On Friday afternoon, Peyton and I met a bunch of the students at Casa del Mundo. It's a beautiful 25 minute hike from Santa Cruz, and a wonderful place to eat lunch and swim. It was a bit cloudy and rainy last Friday, but we still had a great time. We hiked back in the pouring rain.

This is a view of Casa del Mundo from the trail.

Hammocks at Casa del Mundo with our fellow students asleep.

Casa del Mundo has a ton of terraces right down on the water. You can swim off of any of them, which we of course did, despite the cloudy and rainy weather.

Pahomel

This past Tuesday and Thursday we went to San Pablo and Pahomel for outreach clinic. San Pablo is right on the lake and Pahomel is a village way up the mountainside from Tzununa, about an hour's hike straight up. It's a great workout. This time, because the road was complete washed out from a mudslide, we had to hike up with all the medicine loaded into our packs. Normally someone drives the truck up with the meds.

Here's some of us on the lancha on our way to the docks at San Pablo.

This is the view of the docks in Santa Cruz. The Iguana (where we hang out from time to time and sometimes eat incredible dinners) is just to the right of the picture, out of view.

This is the spot where you can wait for lanchas in Santa Cruz. We're all dressed for hiking with our packs loaded down with medicines and equipment for the clinic in Pahomel.

This is the group waiting on a van to take us from the docks to San Pablo. We had to wait a while that day. We pack all our supplies in roller suitcases, duffel bags, and tool boxes.

This is the dock we use to access San Pablo. We're loading up to head home after a full clinic day.

This is the building we use for clinic in Pahomel. It's basically a general purpose municipal building with a few rooms that serve as exam rooms.

Once we get there we have to construct a pharmacy from the piles of meds we brought in our packs - completely unorganized. Lauren and Amanda led the organization project last Thursday and did a magnificent job. One of the makeshift exam rooms is behind the pharmacy table.

The hike up is gorgeous. This is looking down from the edge of Pahomel before beginning the descent. You can see way down by the lake in the notch the village of Tzununa where we catch the lancha back to Santa Cruz.

This is the spot to wait for the lanchas in Tzununa.