Welcome to the Oriente

Hello friends!

I hope that you are all doing well! I am doing well also. I have had some technical difficulties...like last night I was going to update but all the power in the city went out! So, where I left off:
Monday: Orientation to Puyo and my next few weeks in the Oriente or Pastaza province. We are headed all over the province in small groups. Then we went to Parque Omaere right here in Puyo! Visit their website: http://www.fundacionomaere.org/ It was awesome where we learned about the traditions of the different indigenous people to the area and their medical knowledge of plants. It was all in English by this botanist Chris who is married to a Shaur woman. She makes traditional remedies with the plants. It was awesome to hear about the culture before I went tramping up to it. They had plant mixtures for everything from contraception, sinusitis, liver disease and GI problems. They even have awesome traditional houses. It was like Cherokee but less cheesy and more awesome because they live in the jungle. Chris was saying that the reason there are more plant remedies here is because they are more bioactive because of the temperature and the moisture of air in the rainforest.

Then we headed off to our first rotation as soon as we got home. Arajuno, a metropolis with one paved street. Luckily two of us went so we made it to our hotel after giving some locals quite a fright in their homes asking where to go. The hotel was...far from luxurious...but who needs hot water? We were at the Subcentro de Salud or kind of like a Health department for the area. It was disorienting because the doc we were supposed to be with was on vacation and no one else really seemed to want us. But I did a lot of height, weight, bp and temperatures (with a real thermometer, that I had to be taught how to read). Also the doctors dressed like teenagers in the US. Seriously. Abercrombie, American Eagle and Aeropostale t-shirts with jeans was the dress code for the young docs. I was so confused and thought they were patients! No one wears white coats..except us. We ate at the same restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They were a little different each time and each time pretty good at the bargain of $2 for soup (potato and mystery piece of meat) and plate with beans (or egg) and meat (chicken, beef or tuna salad). We walked around in the evening...and apparently there aren't that many white people that walk around in full scrubs because everyone stared at us. But the kids were great and really wanted to have their picture taken. Oh and on the two hour bus ride out (1 and 1/2 of which was unpaved) I heard Britney Spears, "Hit Me Baby One More Time" and laughed out loud.

Wednesday (Tuesday was mixed in above): We went out in the ambulance even farther into the jungle. It was quite bumpy but we did check ups on kids..everyone got Amoxicillin and I gave a penicillin shot in the butt to a very unhappy camper. Most of the time the docs ignored us but I am not quite sure why...a lot of people spoke Quichua. The local language so sometimes it wasnt just my Spanish being bad. Oh and the docs spent a lot of time making a "Boa" or like a chinese dragon for Chinese New Year. That took most of both afternoons.

Thursday: I went to Hospital Voz Andes where Dr. Teater was 22 years ago! It is a hospital run by American missionaries. It was comforting to be in a place where I understood the medicine a little more. I followed a family med doc who was "on call" and did endoscopies all morning. Much like in the US did not eat lunch until 3. (Way before the doc did though). I saw 2 and 1/2 endoscopies and got to peek at the esophageal/stomach line and small intestine. (there isn't a teaching screen, just one eyepiece.) I also heard rales and wheezing in a lung exam! Which I had never actually heard before! And I saw a positive costo-vertebral angle test where she just had pain over her kidney. I only had to ask a few questions in English and followed a good amount of the Spanish that the doctor spoke to the nurses, residents (from Ecuador on rotation there) and patients. Overall a great day and a place I could see myself if I were to do medicine abroad but I have trouble reconciling the hospital's place in Ecuador's medical system. It operates outside and patients have to pay when all of the other health care at the subcentros and public health hospitals are free. Of course there is already tiered health in that you can buy "insurance" each month to go to the state "Social Security" hospital. Which is a little better than the others but still only serves 18% of the population. And if you try breaking a $20 here you realize that there is not a whole lot of money even in the hands of those who are working.

Sorry no pics, having some mac/pc issues. This weekend to Tena for some jungle whitewater rafting!

Quito and Banos

Hey Team!

So quick update for those that like to just read the headlines. I am alive, left Quito, went to tourism capital Banos and am now in my home for 3 weeks Puyo. Gateway to the Amazon.

So now for the stories. Banos is known for its thermal baths that are superheated by the volcano. It is a vacation destination for Ecuadorians and gringos alike. But mostly I saw Ecuadorians.

We went on a hike to Devil's Cauldron! It was amazing and powerful! It falls like 150 ft into a rock hole. The spray comes up 50 feet and the whole area is one huge mist from the rebounding water. Then we went on a long hike to up above Banos, to Bellavista. It was beautiful and a pretty tough hike. It made me miss living in the woods all summer a la Wilderness Trail. Then we went to the banos. Or las Piscinas de la Virgen. It was at night and we watched the sunset with all the Ecuatorians over the mountains in the superhot mineral baths. (when we went back to the banos during the day today there were no gringos so I got a few stares). Heyre is a picture with me and all the locals...the water is that color because of the minerals. There is actually a very strict showering policy. There were warm showers and some spouts coming from the water of the waterfall above. (That fill the pools of the virgen beside the banos...where you can fill up your very own Virgen water jug.)

I have only two good traveling stories.
1. So we have been traveling in these big charter buses from Banos to the Cauldron and to Puyo. But they don't stop filling the bus when the seats are full. So I have been in the aisle for 2 out of three bus rides. The second is funny because I was in the very front of the aisle basically looking down and out the big front window. (They were also playing Fifty First Dates with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler.) I was looking down watching the double yellow line swerve back and forth sometimes on the left like it should be and then it would drift and I would be thinking "Do we really need to pass that truck around this blind curve?" But I made it ok. But think about standing in a charter bus going through the Gorge to Knoxville and you have some idea. The third ride was much worse all the way to Puyo...not for the car sick or those with weak vestibular systems.

2. My second traveling story involves a tourist trap. So banos is beside a volcano that has been "erupting" lately. And there are supposed to be a way to go see the lava and stuff from another mountain. At night it was supposed to be really cool. So we got on a night volcano cruise. Paid our $3 and got on the "chiva" which was a double decker bus. We went up the mountain leaving Banos behind...and ended up exactly where we had worked so hard to hike earlier that day. With no view whatsoever of the volcano. Not even close even. And ALL of the "night chivas" were there. Everyone is handed a "Canalazo" which is a sugar cane drink spiked with what they call "WHisky" but I think was actually rum someone said? It was terrible and couldn't even sip mine even though it was warm. And with no view of the volcano they instead do a "fire show" basically some guys juggling fire and stuff. And then a stand up comedian which from the laughs from those that understand Spanish was very funny...for me it was a listening exercise that a failed.

Summary: Made it to Puyo!

Electric Shower and the Mariscal

Hey team this is the view looking up the hill to my house. The clouds were just barely ringing the tops of the mountains. You can also see the giant street that I scurry across to school every day. Yes I climb that hill, every day...ok ok not to the top but you can see the tiny apartment buildings in the distance. They are far enough.



Ok and so this is the electric showerhead. Ok so it is sideways in the picture but you get the idea. I can´t figure out how to turn it because all the instructions are in spanish.


So this has been the best cultural adjustment so far. There isn´t like a central hot water heater. Basically the water for each shower is heated up at the shower head. With electricity, which doesn´t sound all that safe but apparently it is. Anyway so you have to just barely turn it on because if it is strong water pressure it can´t heat up the water fast enough. So this is how my shower goes...ease the water on, then wait until it starts to get lukewarm, jump in because you only have so much time. Try to get as wet as possible while it is warm, then it turns burning hot so I try and turn up the pressure a little bit. Then I hear the dreaded noise of like a sputtering. And the water slows to a trickle. While it is dripping freezing cold water. I soap up everywhere I can. I squint through the soap running down my face and ease the water back on. Then I jump in and try to rinse as fast as possible. Then I try and change it...sputters back to a drip. Conditioner...sometimes but sometimes it is just to cold and soft shiny hair isn´t quite worth it.

This is the cafe where we ate in the Mariscal after we got out early yesterday from the hospital. The Mariscal is ¨gringolandia¨ but I thought it was great and wherever we go there are never very many. Even last night after the salsa class some of us went out to try our moves. There are tons of people on the street trying to get you to come into their bar. And at the bar that herded us in with a very catchy chant of ¨gratis! gratis! gratis!¨ they were obviously specifically targeting groups of gringos and still there were probably 70% locals in the bar. It was an interesting mix of Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas and latin flavor. Salsa I think, it wasnt really reggaeton but it definitely made people move. Everyone in club ¨Yes¨was moving.

Today was my last spanish class and tomorrow I go on a tour of the old town and head to Baños. I am pretty excited. I was the one that made reservations for our group so I hope my spanish was good enough. There was a moment when she said ¨Confumadas¨and I thought she was asking about smoking so I said "oh no nunca fumar¨or we never smoke and she burst out laughing. Apparently all she was saying that our reservation was confirmed. Not the last time I will misunderstand.

Last note: the hospital is pretty much the same as the US but with less tests and scans. They say they spend more time examining and talking to the patient. Which is true...without gloves. And so far the only time so far I have been stranded without toilet paper was at the hospital of all places! Actually I have been pretty impressed with the time and care they take with patients. We havent had that much time at the hospital but so far I have enjoyed my time.

On to the jungle!

Old Town and Rules of the Road

So yesterday I went to Old Town with some of my companeros to just walk around and see what it was about. And it was amazingly beautiful with narrow streets and colorful buildings with these big old churches. You could look up to the mountains ringed with clouds and look out and across to the other side of the mountain where the colorful buildings kind of stretch up the side of the mountain. It is like houses lapping the sides of the mountains. But never any houses on top. It looks beautiful. Unfortunately I didn´t bring my camera.
The craziest part was the taxi ride there! I have been on roller coasters with less of a grade than these hills. And made out of cobblestones so the taxi is jerking down the hill in absolutely bumber to bumber traffic. Not because there are a lot of cars but that is just how they drive all the time.
My next fun fact: rules of the road are about who has the biggest cajones. If you want to walk out in front of a taxi that just cut off a truck and a bus then you have the right away. If you are merging and just put your car as close as possible to the others then you can get in. They also drive as fast as possible at all times. They also use the horn to kind of let people know they are there. Like when running red lights...
I´m still alive and even survived a Salsa class!

Pictures of Quito

Picture of Quito from my host mother´s daughters house. It stretches forever it seems like this one photo can´t do it justice.

The view out my window of the tallest peak and volcano: Cotopaxi this morning. How beautiful huh?

My host mom with so much patience and Bruno.

Fun fact: all of the restaurants that I have seen play simpsons episodes on the tvs. or maybe that is all that is on.

Fun fact: Who wants to be a millionaire only goes to $50,000. What a rip off. I keep talking to people about it and they are amused that in the united states it goes to a million. But come on it is who wants to be a millionaire. Of course 1,000 is ¨mille¨ so maybe it isnt a rip off.

In Quito

hello friends!

I made it to Ecuador all in one piece. In fact on my flight down I was bumped up to first class! I have no idea why or how but I must have had some good karma stored up. I have never been in first class before and do you know you get a tablecloth! A tablecloth and real glass and a cloth napkin. I felt a little embarressed about my windfall and did not take full advantage I think. Then I arrived in Ecuador. There was a little mix up trying to get to my host family (the director of the program took me instead) but I eventually made it. My host family is just one awesome lady and her dachsund, Bruno. I will post pictures very soon. I had orientation and got my schedule of intense spanish class and time in the hospital. Then I go for a weekend in Banos and on to Puyo. My very first week I stay overnight in an indigenous rainforest village. I am very excited. My spanish is a lot worse than I thought. So, I am in the very most basic level of class. My host mom, Gina, is very good about talking to me and trying to ask questions. Sometimes she launches into a long story that I cannot understand but I nod and smile and pet Bruno. I took some pictures of Quito from Gina´s daughter´s apartment roof. She also talked to me for a long time. Basically my family is amazingly accomodating of my poor Spanish.

All the students and teachers at the school so far have been really great. Today I braved my fear and went to a seafood resturaunt and tried Ceviche. Ecuador is famous for ceviche on the coast. It is basically seafood gently cooked with acid as I understand it. I tried shrimp and conch. I paid kind of a lot by Quito standards like $7 but I figured it was worth it to pay high dollar for barely cooked seafood in a very clean, nice place. I want to say I loved it but I didn´t it was a little weird because it is served cold. It was an intense flavor too. I liked the shrimp but not so much the conch because I kept biting into hard stuff (sand?). Anyway I hope to post pictures tonight. Yesterday was Sunday and everything was closed including the internet cafes so I couldn´t tell everyone I was alive. Luckily too the traffic was a little slower. But today it was a lot of scurrying.

Tomorrow

Hello

I head off to the airport tomorrow! I have everything packed so now I don't have to make any more decisions just get on the airplane and try and cram a little more spanish in my noggin. I packed in my hiking pack and a smaller bookbag. Maxed out my cubic inches but I still don't feel like I have enough stuff. My host family is going to pick me up at the airport. Not only am I important enough to blog but also important enough to have a person with a sign at the airport. I have always been jealous of those people.

Wish me luck!