Mi Corazon

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I went back to the Centro de Salud las Nazarenas today, even though it was the holiday honoring the Pope (which in Spanish is something like Pape or something like that). Word must have got out that there was someone from the States working at the clinic because people I didn't even know would shout from the windows on the second floor of the clinic, "Daniella, Daniella!" It definitely made me smile. It was an interesting day at the clinic. A woman came in with her baby today and remembered me becaue I had given her baby the nebulacion the last time, so she asked me to do it again. Her baby has asma (athsma) and has to come to the clinic two times everyday. It is quite a walk for the mother!
The interesting part of my day was when an elderly woman was carried into the clinic by her grandson. She was bit on her ankle and foot by a perro (dog). The wound was really deep and there was blood everywhere. They did not administer any pain killers, so while they were washing out the wound (thankfully la doctora ordered la enfermera to use aqua esteril this time) she would sing to herself. The elderly woman shouted at me, "Mama, ayudame!" but I wanted wantes (gloves) first before I would touch the wound. They could not find the box that I had brought to the clinic. The nurses also wanted me to help and didn't understand this strange request, and I think they were almost dissapointed in me. I felt kind of ashamed afterward, but they just don't understand the dangers of not protecting yourself against the blood. I gently stroked the old woman's head with a cool cloth and told her that it would be okay. I asked if the dog was loco (crazy), because I wasn't sure how to say rabies in Spanish. They brought in the dog's owner and questioned him, and the doctor did think that the dog was crazy, or had rabies. I wondered why they didn't give the woman a shot, but rather just bandaged her wound and sent her home. I found out later that there is only one place in Ayacucho to get the rabies shot. I hope that the doctor sent her there. It was a really crazy thing to witness.
Now for some comic relief. A nurse asked me today what corazon is in English. I said, "Corazon es 'heart' en Ingles." She said, "Si, 'fart.'" I started laughing. I wrote it down for her so that she knew it was heart not fart!
I showed the nurses and the doctor a picture of my family. They said that my sister was bonita (beautiful) and my brothers guapo (handsome). They all wanted to know how old Nathan was because they wanted to date him. They were dissapointed when I said that he was only 18. They also said that my parents were too joven (young) to have five children! I was proud to show off mi familia!
I guess that there is a song about my name in Spanish because a new nurse I met today sang it over and over and over again as soon as she found out my name was Daniella.
I made a friend in Ayacucho whose name is surprisenly, Daniella! She works at Aerocondor, the place where I bought my ticket for Machu Piccho. She told me that I am not like the other people she knows from the United States, I am much happier, smiling all the time. I took it as a great compliment. She is coming over to the Cross Cultural Solutions house tomorrow to teach the other girls and me salsa!
Albertina, a nurse at the clinic, wrote a note to me today:

Daniela no te olvides por mi te quiero mucho amiga
Albertina Garcia Rojos
Chaooooooooo! (which is supposed to be said very sad)

I know that I have only known them for a little over a week, but I am going to miss them a lot!
I wanted to end this journal with a special section on food. A lot of people have been asking me if there are any more crazy Peruvian dishes, and of course, there are! We have barley water and corn water to drink. It is actually pretty good. We also have quinua (the city I visited yesterday is named after this) which is a soupy barly wheaty thing. It is not very good at all. Ahi is a spice that Peruvians put on EVERYTHING! It is made with all of the local peppers. I also got to try some Peruvian chocolate, which is extremely sweet. But, everything has been simply amazing. I hope that you all had a great weekend! Chao!

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