Poco a Poco

Day Two in Summary:

1.) I did not work in obstetrics as planned. (Anyone surprised?)

2.) I did not work this afternoon as planned. (Sigh...)

3.) I talked to the airlines and it seems my bag mysteriously left this world but they are "still looking." (Deep breath...)

4.) Given the above, I decided to buy a change of clothes so I took a taxi to the mall. After finding a shirt and shorts, I was told at checkout they will not accept credit cards without ID. (Where was my ID you ask? Of course I left it at the hotel!)

Peruvians frequently use the saying, "Poco a poco," meaning, little by little.  Although my day presented challenges, I am learning poco a poco that they are nothing compared to what Peruvians face on a daily basis.

This morning I went with a nurse to various neighborhoods near the clinic. The nurses go out every week to do house visits with patients that miss appointments or haven't been seen in a while. Most of the patients lived in areas called quintas, which are living spaces with a communal kitchen, toilet, and washroom for laundry. If they are lucky, there may be a shower to share among 20+ families.

The quintas are located in the space between buildings; a cobblestone pathway no more than 3-feet wide surrounded by disinigrating brick walls reaching high into the sky above. Hoses bring water to the homes and trash is scattered throughout the walkway. Stray dogs are curled in the doorways, their legs scratching away ticks and fleas. Doors are no more than 3 wooden planks nailed together or even a tarp hanging from the rotting wooden doorframe. House numbers were traced onto the cement with a pencil, as were multiple initials, drawings, and inappropriate comments. It was better to breathe from my mouth only, as the stench of urine lingered in the air. Inside the homes was a dark room filled with multiple bunkbeds, a handful of dishes, a small rickety table, and a clothesline hanging from the blue-tarp celing above.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." The people I met today have insurmountable strength and it truly puts my challenges into perspective. I aspire to live as they do, especially in every day-to-day obstacle that happens to come my way.

First Day of Volunteering!

If it hasn't been made clear enough in my blog thus far, I am definitely learning that things usually do not go as planned. In fact, I think it's better to eliminate the word "plan" completely from my Spanish vocabulary and change it to "possibility." I started volunteering today, not my possible start date of yesterday.  This was actually was a huge relief because I was so exhausted from traveling. Instead of the possibility to volunteer at the hospital in labor and delivery, I will be working in many clinics throughout Trujillo.  So... no baby catching for me!  There is a slight possibility that I am going to work tomorrow night 7PM-8AM in the delivery room which would be amazing!  But... I am not going to get my hold my breath! :)

This morning I ventured into a poorer neighborhood of Trujillo, where I'll be helping in multiple specialties. Today, I worked in family medicine and in just 3.5 hours we saw 25 patients and three pharmaceutical reps! Whew! Literally no sooner had the patient walked out of the door and the next patient was being called into the room. Charts are no more than a stack of papers stapled together, examinations are sporadic, and some sort of medication was given to every patient. Antibiotics were prescribed for most symptoms: from stomachaches to sore throats to coughs.

Also advised by the doctor was drinking lots of LUKEWARM beverages. Never, ever, are the patients to drink cold beverages. If they do happen to drink something cold, the doctor told the patients that it will aggrevate their symptoms and they will only get more sick. One patient had a fever and a slightly redder-than-normal throat and the doctor said that it was caused by the ice cream she had eaten the previous day. It is no joke that Peruvians truly believe cold drinks, foods, showers, etc. can cause sore throats and flu-like symptoms. Definitely a difference from what I am used to. I get many stares at the gym when I drink my refrigerated water. Although it is probably becuase I am a gringa and not as much the water. :) All in all, it was a fabulous first day and a true learning experience! The majority of the patients were children and infants which was exactly what I wanted to see!

One of the funniest parts of the day was meeting with the pharmaceutical reps. For all my fellow OPA'ers, it was quite the change from what we're used to! The rep handed a drug sample to the doctor and gives a 15 second speech on how it will help the patients (most saying, "it will solve all of the patients' problems, it is the most effective on the market, and you will be very pleased!"). Out of the bag comes another box if medicine, and the same speech is given. This goes on for approximately 3 minutes and they shake hands and in comes the next patient without skipping a beat. I was given approximately 20 samples today from arthritis drugs to iron-fortified pain medications. Very interesting!

Tomorrow I get to work in obstetrics and help with pregnancy exams. The doctor informed me today that the average first-time mother they see in their clinic is around 17 years old. By the time they are 30, most mothers have 4 children. I asked about contraceptives and she said that many do not take it for one of two reasons: either they are not well educated and don't know how to take the prescriptions correctly, or that their significant other believes taking the pills will increase the likelihood of her infidelity, so they do not allow it. Most of the mothers are just children themselves and it is not uncommon to see 12-year-old mothers in the clinic. My experiences are definitely humbling and put my superficial complaints into perspective. It makes me ask myself what is truly important and how incredibly much I have to be thankful for. I challenge you to live vicariously through me and remember how blessed we are to be Americans!

Trujillo, Peru: Combi rides and one sweaty Gringa!

After 10 long days of unforgettable adventures, we ventured to the Northern coast of Peru. It is here, in Trujillo, that my sister lives and volunteers as a physical therapist. We all felt immediate relief to be staying somewhere for more than a couple of days! Traveling is exhausting, and living out of a suitcase can get very smelly :) We are staying at a hotel two blocks away from the beautiful Cathedral and Plaza de Armas, which has been the perpetual host to parades and celebrations since it is Semana Santa, or Holy Week.

Combi in Peru

On our second day in Trujillo, my gringo family and I got on a Combi and took the journey to Amber's house in La Esparanza, a suburb 20 minutes outside of Trujillo. A Combi is a privately-owned "mini-bus" (think old VW van) that transports passengers along specific routes. They are generally filled past capacity and it is not uncommon to see roosters, infants, and bags of produce overflowing from within. They are also more affordable than taxis and buses, generally costing less than 1 sole ($0.33) and a safer alternative to a taxi. Safer in the in sense that robberies are less common... the ride, on the other hand, is a whole other story. The Combis race from one street corner to the next, swerving in and out of "lanes" with passengers holding on for dear life (forget the concept of seatbelts or carseats here!). Sudden stops are to be expected as is speeding off before new passengers have got both feet into the vehicle!

After a safe arrival to La Esparanza, we met Amber's host family, who is absolutely wonderful! They take such good care of my sister. We met many aunts and cousins and enjoyed a huge lunch consisting of roasted chicken, rice, carrot & beet salad, choclo (huge corn = my favorite thing in Peru!), and Chicha Morada, a delcious juice made from Purple corn. It was truly one of my favorite meals I have had here. After hours of visiting, my Spanish skills were officially exhausted and we headed back to our hotel.

Trujillo is close to two major archaeological sites of pre-Columbian monuments: Chan Chan, the Chimu city considered to be the largest adobe city in the ancient world, and the temples of the Sun (the largest adobe pyramid in Peru) and Moon. We took a tour to Chan Chan which turned out to be a great photography experience, but not the best edcuational one. Unfortunately, our guide did not speak English very well and what he did speak, we could not understand. Therefore, I found myself standing close to the nearby children's fieldtrip which was conducted in Spanish and precisely at my Spanish level! :). From my fieldtrip, I learned that the city of Chan Chan covers an area of approximately 12.5 square miles and it is estimated that over 30,000 people lived in the city. The adobe city was built by the Chimor (the kingdom of the Chimú), a civilization which grew out of the earlier Moche civilization. The adobe city was such a drastic contrast from the bustling city of Trujillo, a mere 20 minutes away.

A favorite part to my arrival in Trujillo is being able to run again! You all know how much I love a good run. :) Given the knowledge from my prior blogs about Peruvian drivers, it's safe to say running on the streets is not the wisest idea. I did it my first day here, but after a few too many close encounters with taxis, I decided to look at Amber's gym. They offer spin classes, weights (thinking of you, Riley!) and have treadmills, so I decided to sign up for the remaining month I'm here.

First lesson learned at the gym: Bring a towel. There is a belief here that any sort of cold draft can cause a cold, so all the windows are closed and there is not a fan to be found. So, after 7 miles on the treadmill in 85+ degrees I'm pretty sure I looked like a wet dog, dripping profusely out of every pore. The same belief goes for cold beverages, therefore most bottled water is served at room temperature.

Second lesson learned while at the gym: Do not run on the treadmill during rush hour traffic. The treadmills are lined up against the front of the building with floor to ceiling glass directly in front of the machines. It literally feels like a museum display case with me, the sweaty Gringa, on exhibit for every passerby's pleasure. Three lanes of traffic were stopped for an average of 2 minutes per car directly in front of my treadmill. This meant 2 painfully long minutes of "running-man" imitations, blatant pointing, hysterical laughing, and many baffled stares. Needless to say, that was the longest run of my life. :)

Our week has been filled with more fun and there are many more stories to come... Thinking of you all!!