I just got my fortune read by way of coca leaves... apparently I will be making a trip from New Mexico to Washington state soon and to California (Jacob and I have talked about going to Disneyland for our last spring break). I have a weak point in my health/body which was surprisingly not my hip but rather my lungs so I was told to drink hot drinks and stay away from dusty places. Oh, and I am supposed to eat yellow prickly pears. I will be neither rich nor poor, I'm not supposed to buy lottery tickets, and I won't travel anywhere out of the US ever again unless its Mexico or Nicaragua. I think that's all... it was really interesting to see this ancient tradition of coca leave readings and the man was doing the ceremony in Quechua. Have a nice night all! I am going to go make myself some mate de coca! Yay for warm liquids!
-Caity
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Machu Picchu
Oh man! There is so much to say because I have done so much this weekend and I don’t even know where to begin. I spent over 50 hours in a small van, round trip and I would have to say that seeing that sunrise at Machu Picchu was well worth the sore butt. When I decided to go in this trip, I knew that I was not going to be able to go because of how long the trip takes and from the mere fact that we only had two days off for travel and the trip would have taken five to six days, but it was Independence Day this week so all the placements were closed Monday thru Wednesday so I jumped on the opportunity.
We left on Friday and stayed for a night in Nasca before heading out to Cusco the next morning. Cusco is a huge tourist city, with lots of small side streets and when you think you see a small shop on the street it ends up being a tunnel leading to rather large markets. It was like a never ending maze of treasures and just plain fun, mostly because all of us enjoyed the guilty pleasure of being a tourist. We also spent an hour in this HUGE market in the Sacred Valley. It was so big I think that I maybe went through ¼ of the place and I just walked around without much stopping. The jewelry was so beautiful at this market because it was all made of silver and precious stones, and I have to say I am the bargainer of all bargainers. It is almost not fun shopping here sometimes because the women follow you around calling you madam and trying t guilt you into buying just anything from their stand.
After the market we went to feed and pet llamas! My roommate Alice ended up naming most of them and we learned that they are more than willing to get in your face so that they can take the food from your hands haha. I also tried Alpaca that day, it tastes a lot like a really rough gamey steak and some people were comparing it to venison. They gave us free Pisco Sours at the restaurant and they are really good, its really hard to describe how they taste I will have to make them for you all when I get home. I even tried chicha, which is a fermented corn beer that is traditional to Peru. It was very sweet, which is common to a lot of the food and drink here. Ketchup is sweet here and even pizzas taste a little on the sweet side.
We spent one night in Cusco before heading up to Agua Caliente (get it? I stayed in Hot Water hahaha), which is the small town were you can take a bus to get to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is absolutely amazing! We woke up at 5:30 in the morning so we could beat the crowds (even though it is always kind of crowded) and we were hoping that we would get to climb up the giant peak that lies behind the ruins but there was already a line of about 400 people waiting so we had to scratch that off the list. Instead, we decided to walk part of the Inca trail so that we could still see an aerial view. The rocks were so slippery from three days of rain before so the hike was a little tricky, but I can’t begin to describe how beautiful it was. Machu Picchu lies just above the mist in the mountains, everything is so green, and the colors of the ruins shine almost gold when the sun first hits these massive rocks that are carved to fit so tightly together that a piece of paper couldn’t fit through the cracks. The ruins are so extensive that you don’t feel crowded or cramped by the other tourists if you go early and there are all kinds of interesting rooms, each with their own special significance to the Incans that lived there.
I also wanted to tell you guys this funny story from last week, I felt bad I only wrote really sad stuff last week that I completely forgot to tell you guys. Anyways, this woman in the obstetricians office hands me this half blown up yellow (the second smallest) exercise ball and this box with this Oliva Newton John looking lady on it with exercises and signaled for me to go upstairs to teach these two really pregnant girls some exercises. People that pregnant really shouldn’t be rolling around on a flat exercise balls but I did what I could because it’s their custom and I didn’t want to offend. So, I get up there and one girl speaks only Spanish and the other only speaks Quetuchan (I know I bombed the spelling on that) which is the language of the Peruvians ancestors. Needless to say we were quite the group, me rolling around on this flat ball showing them exercises, and all of us trying to use these hand gestures to communicate! I think it was the most fun time I have had at the clinic so far! Haha! Well I wrote a lot… sorry… I will let you all go! Miss you and talk to you soon!
-Caity
We left on Friday and stayed for a night in Nasca before heading out to Cusco the next morning. Cusco is a huge tourist city, with lots of small side streets and when you think you see a small shop on the street it ends up being a tunnel leading to rather large markets. It was like a never ending maze of treasures and just plain fun, mostly because all of us enjoyed the guilty pleasure of being a tourist. We also spent an hour in this HUGE market in the Sacred Valley. It was so big I think that I maybe went through ¼ of the place and I just walked around without much stopping. The jewelry was so beautiful at this market because it was all made of silver and precious stones, and I have to say I am the bargainer of all bargainers. It is almost not fun shopping here sometimes because the women follow you around calling you madam and trying t guilt you into buying just anything from their stand.
After the market we went to feed and pet llamas! My roommate Alice ended up naming most of them and we learned that they are more than willing to get in your face so that they can take the food from your hands haha. I also tried Alpaca that day, it tastes a lot like a really rough gamey steak and some people were comparing it to venison. They gave us free Pisco Sours at the restaurant and they are really good, its really hard to describe how they taste I will have to make them for you all when I get home. I even tried chicha, which is a fermented corn beer that is traditional to Peru. It was very sweet, which is common to a lot of the food and drink here. Ketchup is sweet here and even pizzas taste a little on the sweet side.
We spent one night in Cusco before heading up to Agua Caliente (get it? I stayed in Hot Water hahaha), which is the small town were you can take a bus to get to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is absolutely amazing! We woke up at 5:30 in the morning so we could beat the crowds (even though it is always kind of crowded) and we were hoping that we would get to climb up the giant peak that lies behind the ruins but there was already a line of about 400 people waiting so we had to scratch that off the list. Instead, we decided to walk part of the Inca trail so that we could still see an aerial view. The rocks were so slippery from three days of rain before so the hike was a little tricky, but I can’t begin to describe how beautiful it was. Machu Picchu lies just above the mist in the mountains, everything is so green, and the colors of the ruins shine almost gold when the sun first hits these massive rocks that are carved to fit so tightly together that a piece of paper couldn’t fit through the cracks. The ruins are so extensive that you don’t feel crowded or cramped by the other tourists if you go early and there are all kinds of interesting rooms, each with their own special significance to the Incans that lived there.
I also wanted to tell you guys this funny story from last week, I felt bad I only wrote really sad stuff last week that I completely forgot to tell you guys. Anyways, this woman in the obstetricians office hands me this half blown up yellow (the second smallest) exercise ball and this box with this Oliva Newton John looking lady on it with exercises and signaled for me to go upstairs to teach these two really pregnant girls some exercises. People that pregnant really shouldn’t be rolling around on a flat exercise balls but I did what I could because it’s their custom and I didn’t want to offend. So, I get up there and one girl speaks only Spanish and the other only speaks Quetuchan (I know I bombed the spelling on that) which is the language of the Peruvians ancestors. Needless to say we were quite the group, me rolling around on this flat ball showing them exercises, and all of us trying to use these hand gestures to communicate! I think it was the most fun time I have had at the clinic so far! Haha! Well I wrote a lot… sorry… I will let you all go! Miss you and talk to you soon!
-Caity
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Ok, Let's do this...
Sorry about earlier, it was an extremely emotional night and I needed to find a good way to put it. I have been working in the clinic for two weeks now, which doesn't seem like a lot becuase its gone by so fast, and it has been an unreal experience. The hospitals here are nothing like North American hospitals. The hospitals are filty, crowded, have stray dogs walking through the halls, and supplies are limited. Earlier this week I saw a man who had almost lost his thumb because a rock had fallen on it. The only thing that they could do for the poor man was rinse the wound off with alcohol and wrap it with gauze. There were no shots to dull the pain, just pure alcohol and hopefully they were able to prescribe him some antibiotics (and hopefully he could afford them).
The doctor I shadowed last night and I got into a deep talk about the status of heathcare in Peru and how things work around here. The most shocking thing for me was that they have no blood stores. None. Peruvians are scared of giving blood and many of them don't donate for religious reasons. While working last night, I witnessed a few women who had come in due to severe pain and were profusely bleeding because of miscarriages. They had the women hooked up to saline but were not given any blood to refresh their bodies from how much they had lost. If blood is in dire need only family members will offer to donate as much as 1 liter, which is not nearly as much as most women lose. Blood transfusions are not an option here. Most of the Ayacucho is O positive in blood type so it would be easy to store blood because everyones is the same.
Dr. Paul, the head gyno, also told me that he wants to get his Masters in America, particularly Florida ( he wants to take his three kids to see Mickey and Minne at Disneyworld :p ). Med school in Peru is about five years at the University from what I could understand when we were talking, which doesn't seem like much by North American standards. He was asking about the kind of technology that they have in the US, and he said that it must be easier to be a doctor in the US which I would have to agree. They have to work with what they got which isn't much and the poor condition of the clinics is really taking a toll on me.
Right now its a good month in Ayacucho because there are some American doctors here offering free check ups, surguries, and mental health evaluations to any one that needs/wants it. There are long lines waiting as early as five in the morning for the help of these professionals. Well, thats all I have for now. Hopefully I will give you guys a happier story after this weekend! I am headed to Macchu Picchu and we are leaving early so that we will get to see the sunrise at the ruins. It will be a nice mental break. I love you all and miss you! Please write your names on the end your comments! I love getting them and I am curious as to who is following me! Ciao!
-Caity
The doctor I shadowed last night and I got into a deep talk about the status of heathcare in Peru and how things work around here. The most shocking thing for me was that they have no blood stores. None. Peruvians are scared of giving blood and many of them don't donate for religious reasons. While working last night, I witnessed a few women who had come in due to severe pain and were profusely bleeding because of miscarriages. They had the women hooked up to saline but were not given any blood to refresh their bodies from how much they had lost. If blood is in dire need only family members will offer to donate as much as 1 liter, which is not nearly as much as most women lose. Blood transfusions are not an option here. Most of the Ayacucho is O positive in blood type so it would be easy to store blood because everyones is the same.
Dr. Paul, the head gyno, also told me that he wants to get his Masters in America, particularly Florida ( he wants to take his three kids to see Mickey and Minne at Disneyworld :p ). Med school in Peru is about five years at the University from what I could understand when we were talking, which doesn't seem like much by North American standards. He was asking about the kind of technology that they have in the US, and he said that it must be easier to be a doctor in the US which I would have to agree. They have to work with what they got which isn't much and the poor condition of the clinics is really taking a toll on me.
Right now its a good month in Ayacucho because there are some American doctors here offering free check ups, surguries, and mental health evaluations to any one that needs/wants it. There are long lines waiting as early as five in the morning for the help of these professionals. Well, thats all I have for now. Hopefully I will give you guys a happier story after this weekend! I am headed to Macchu Picchu and we are leaving early so that we will get to see the sunrise at the ruins. It will be a nice mental break. I love you all and miss you! Please write your names on the end your comments! I love getting them and I am curious as to who is following me! Ciao!
-Caity
My First Night Shift
Well I just got back from my first double shift day, I went for four hours in the morning and 10 hours last night at the emergency obstetricians office (from 8 pm to 630 this morning). I am extremely tired and a little queasy. I saw my first emergency medical procedure last night and it has to be the most, I don't even know how to describe it, I thought most of the night how I would put it and I still have nothing. I think all I can say now is that it was very upsetting for me and it was not what I had thought and what it would be like or look like. I think I might feel better talking about it later, I just dunno. I am going to try and get some sleep now... I love you all and I miss you.
-Caity
-Caity
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
