The Best baleadas in the world (Noticias de Roatan - Semana Semana 4 (Update from Roatan week 4) )

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So I am getting unfortunately used to the daily cockroach visitors in my house which is kind of disgusting. Wayne is going to bring roach motels from the US which I can not find here. They have sprayed the place down but apparently that did not kill them all. In any event, here's an update of what I've been doing:

The vision checks have wound down for the time being as the three other students who were going to the schools with me leave Monday. But hopefully if any of the other volunteers are willing I'll be able to carry out their work once they are gone. I have started to work with the nurse here to do HIV testing. We went to El Suampo (an area of the island) last Wednesday and went to Lost Fuertes (another area with its own health clinic where we worked) Friday. We were able to do about 14 tests. With the testing I also do blood pressure and sugar screenings, and refer patients to the clinic who have high blood pressure of sugar. I am unable to unfortunately do the actual testing because in Honduras you have to be certified by the government to do pre and post test counseling, and only one nurse at our clinic is, so she is the only one that is able to physically do the actual testing. But I was able to secure and additional 250 tests for the clinic before I left which Miss Peggy was happy about. I have continued to translate, shadow, triage and work in the pharmacy at the clinic. The pharmacy is a little daunting since we unfortunately don't study pharmacology until year two (some schools have an integrated curriculum so some of the other students know a little bit about basic pharm), but I am am learning nonetheless.

I continue to dive (I went for a great dive today) at Coconut Tree Divers as its impossible to pass up for the Ms. Peggy volunteer $10 rate. I also continue to eat the "World's Best Baleadas" (note: a baleada is a Honduran tortilla usually filled with beans, cheese and perhaps meat (in the case of the picture hot dog). The shop right by my house in Sandy Bay has as a sign declaring this and I think I agree. In addition to playing exterminator, I have also been running along the beach at sunset which has been nice.

Note: My stint in the working world has paid off. This travel blog only allows input in html format. The link to Coconut Tree above is in html format. I learned some basic html when I was at CCP making websites on things like condoms. Good to know that this has paid off!

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Photos

Playing Doctor
Taking Blood pressure at the Community Health screening/HIV testing in El Suampo

Boy at school on World Food Program Grain
Every school seems to have donations of grain from Honduran govt., US govt., or World Food Program in the classroom

Small School
One of the schools we visited in Punta Gorda

School in Punta Gorda
A school that we visited for vision screenings

World's Best Baleada!
Look how big the baleada is!

Shrimp Festival
View at the Parrot Bay Plantation Resort for the Shrimp Festival