Sarahbeth

Heading back from Jarabocoa to ILAC for the third week in the DR brought a sense of home and comfort. We had all settled in quite nicely to our own double bunk beds, a workout routine of running around the sand track in the evenings, and our consistent 730AM, noon, and 6PM meals followed by reading and dominos. The weather was a tropical breeze with warm sunny days, cool evenings, and even chilly nights. Everyone found a routine at their clinic sites and shared their patient stories daily at meal times. Conveniences that are more often than not a necesity in the United States don't exist in developing countries. Most people have cell phones and some sort of motor vehicle usually a motorcycle. Never do people have machines to wash dishes and clothes. The social system ... read more

Week 2 proved to be the light at the end of the tunnel. We all were battling upset stomachs, struggling to learn the language, and learning about all of the bugs and the type of bites that left you looking as if you had contracted some sort of disease. This week was a shortened week as we only had 3 days in the clinic and then we would be off to an outdoor adventure resort called Rancho Baugiate in Jarabacoa where Jurassic Park was filmed. Hallelujah! We had all become familiar with the transportation by now and had ventured out a few times to try out the restaurants and enjoy the culture. The downtown area of Santiago was very nice and the food was delicious. It felt good to shower thoroughly and put on something other ... read more