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Published: April 23rd 2009
This week I have started my volunteer project. Im volunteering in a small walk in clinic. It has a dentist office, general medicine, and topico area, which is were I am working. I am giving injections, cleaning and dressing wounds and removing sutures mostly. The language barrier is pretty hard to work with, but I am with several other volunteers that speak better spanish than me. The clinic here is very different from anything in the US. Gloves are barely ever worn (too expensive), the nurse never washes her hands, the patients bed and chairs are never wiped down, the sterile field is constantly broken, etc. Also each patient purchases all of the items needed to be seen (meds, needles, syringe, sterile gloves..) and brings them with them, they use all of the materials very sparingly. Its interesting to see a different side of medicine.
After volunteering each morning I take a two hour spanish lesson, which has been really helpful so far. Americo (my host "dad") is great with teaching me as well. I think I really lucked out in my host family. He is really caring and worries if we dont come home for a meal, he also packs me lunch each day and we all sit and eat dinner together. He is pretty funny, and is always making jokes and trying to learn english so its pretty entertaining. I found out he doesnt cook our meals, but goes and picks them up each day or week, they are prepared for several of the volunteer houses. There is always 2 or 3 courses and usually soup. Lots and lots of carbs and white bread and rice, so Im already getting a little sick of that. But we have been buying more vegies and fruit, lots of avacado and tomatoes and bananas.
Each day this week after spanish me and another volunteer have gone to a different market in the city. We went to El Molino, which is this huge market that sells everything from prirated DVDs (sooo cheap), shoes, clothes, electronics, and food. All of the food (including all of the meat and eggs and dairy) just sits out in the heat, with flies and dogs running around, it was pretty interesting. We also walked around some of the smaller markets that sell mostly knit things and jewlery, as well as Mega which is a big supermarket that has just about everything. I have been trying to take more pictures and Ill put some up tonight.
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Dad
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Hi Bug!
Great to read your journal - keep it coming. Sounds like you are settling in very well. Please buy some rubber gloves and keep yourself safe in the clinic....yikes. can't wait to see some pics! Have Fun! stay in touch and stay safe - we love you and are sooo proud D