Dia Numero Uno

Guatemala: Dia numero Uno

To say I’m one tired chica would be an understatement.  Not the understatement of the century, but an understatement none-the-less.

Today was of course a day of travel.  Which of course started last night, Friday night. Now I’m no stranger to being awake for 24-48 hours and therefore no stranger to willing my tired body and mind to continue moving.  Either because I simply can’t sleep but more so when I work a night shift.  There is just something about traveling though that simply exhausts you. Here’s what the hours looked like….

9:45 pm Friday June 14^th:  Flight leaves SLC

12:45 am (PST) June 15^th: Flight leaves Los Angeles

6:30 am (back to MST) June 15^th: Land in Guatemala City, Guatemala. 

Well if that isn’t enough it is now time to hop on the van and drive 2 ½ to 3 hours to Casa de Sion in Los Robles.  By the time we arrive and unload it’s about 10 or 10:30 am.  It might as well be midnight I’m so exhausted.

I’ve done enough of these trips by now to know a few tricks for traveling long distances and over long periods of time.  So without further ado I give you “Tristyn’s Do’s and Don’ts of Traveling”

DO wear pajama-esch clothing.  There’s nothing worse that traveling for 9+ hours in constrictive clothing.  Yoga pants; “Did I just get done running or did I just get out of bed?” The world will never know.

DON’T drink an entire bottle of water right before you board a flight that is anywhere over 2 hours.  Especially if you have a window seat.  Drink the H20 early enough so that it goes through you in plenty of time to use the facilities in the airport rather than subjecting yourself to climbing over some giant of a man just to find someone else has beaten you to that bathroom 10,000 feet in the air.

DO bring a book, if you are me, bring three.  Open it immediately upon sitting.  This will hopefully deter that chatty neighbor in the middle seat from wanting to create a lasting bond with you in your 4 hours together.  Earphones work even better. (Can you tell I’m not a talker?)

DON’T buy snacks in the airport.  I believe this is a form of extortion, they are so expensive and they know you have no other option.  Ridiculous.  Bring your own! And bring crystal light for your drinking fountain water! Promise, it's okay.

DO put an extra pair of undies in your carry-on; in whatever form this may take.  May it be a purse, backpack, satchel or your favorite re-usable grocery bag, pack those undies.  I promise, that all-important time you forget to do this is that ever fateful time they accidentally send your luggage to Chicago (because that’s close to Miami) and you’re left without a pair for a day, or even worse, two.  Wearing the same clothes two days in a row, acceptable, wearing the same underwear two days in a row, never pleasant.

And now it's nap time.  Adios.

(I realize these are being "back-blogged" but I did not have internet.  It was glorious.)

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down

False.  Actually I love rainy days and Mondays, today just made me think of this song by The Carpenters.  Which, judge away, I happen to love. "You like rainy days and Mondays?  Are you insane?" you ask.  Why no, of course not.  Allow me to explain. We'll start with Mondays, this one makes more sense. I don't have an everlasting dislike of Mondays as your average person may.  Most likely this stems from the fact that I don't have to work a 5 day work week like many others, and the fact that I work a great deal of weekends, which for me makes Monday a very nice day.  A Saturday of sorts.  Now on to the rain.  I love the rain.  I know I was meant to live in the Northwest. I love those deep gray clouds.  I love the smell. I love the cool, misty air. I love sweaters.  My theory is that I love the rain so much because I love to read so much.  Maybe these two do not correlate in your mind, but they very much do in mine. They go hand-in-hand.  Whenever I picture a rainy day I picture me, with a sweater and good book.  Curled up on the couch with a chai latte.  Right? You can't tell me that doesn't sound absolutely divine.

Now I realize it's not Monday, but essentially with the long weekend it is. And while it did rain, it hasn't lasted all day.  But as I stared out the window at work as the rain drizzled the thought just crossed my mind of how nice it would be to curl up with my book that I'm trying so hard to finish and sip some chai as the rain came down. And maybe one of those brown butter bourbon chocolate chip cookies I've been dying to make and try.  More on that later.

Just a happy thought I had today.

Back To Reality

March 4, 2013 Monday
Place: Evanston, Wyoming
Time: 7:00pm MST
Song: Overjoyed-Matchbox 20

I'm home.  Barely coherent.  After 18+ hours of traveling I'm surprised I'm still functioning.  Allergies and asthma are already kicking in.  My skin is dry.  But I'm glad to be home.  I'm seriously contemplating a hot, steaming bath, it's cold here!  But to wrap some things up, here's a list of random phrases and words that came about during the past 11 days.  There's a great story behind each every one so if interested, ask away.

Phase 10

"What's my objective?"

Same-sex partners

Reading rainbow

No take-backs, no changies

Monopoly Deal

Lactating

Water

Dora, like the explorer

Non-seminal event

Turn left at the cow.

Did you see the size of those things?!

All Good Things Come To An End

Saturday March 2, 2013

Place: Montrouis

Time: 4:35pm EST

Song: Beatles-Can’t Buy Me Love

We spend the morning lounging by the pool and getting one last dip in the ocean.  Breakfast is great with made to order omelets and fresh fruit.  I love coming here because I love all the fresh fruit.  You can’t get mango in the states like the mango here.  That’s pretty much all I eat for breakfast, fresh mango.  Be jealous, be very jealous.  I’m jealous because after Sunday I won’t get it anymore. 

It’s our last official work day.  We head back to the orphanage to do a clinic for the people in this town.  As we drive up we’re met with, well literally a mass of people.  We set up and get down to it.  Over the next 4 hours between 3 nurses, 2 MD’s and a nurse practitioner we see and treat 98 people.  Headaches, backaches, cold’s that have lasted for months, even years according to the patient.  By then end of the day we’re all very exhausted, sweaty, and thirsty.  We say goodbye to everyone at the orphanage and head home to the guesthouse where we have one last team meeting and commence with packing. 

Leaving is always bittersweet.  I’m usually ready to get home.  Be back with my family and friends and return to my normal, everyday life.  And if we’re being quite honest, be back to all of the simple comforts that I so often take for granted.  A warm shower, a continual supply of water, and sadly even, yes my blow dryer and flat iron.  But I hate to leave these people.  They’re an incredible reminder to me of what’s truly important in this life and that to be truly happy doesn’t require the material luxuries so often associated with the concept.  Family, friends, health, faith; these things that can’t be measured in monetary terms make one truly happy in this life.  And let’s be honest, I’m going to miss the sun!

Opposites Attract

March 1, 2013 Friday

Place: Montrious (prounounced Mo-wee)

Time: 11:07 pm

Song: Friends-The Band of Skulls

Today was glorious.  We awoke as usual, had a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs and fresh fruit then loaded a bus, yes bus-there are 24 of us including our interpreters, headed for Montrious (Mo-wee).  We arrived at the Work of Art Orphanage at around 9:30am.  I believe I’ve spoken of this orphanage before.  This is the third year we’ve come to this particular orphanage and done this particular work.  This orphanage houses children and caretakers and to raise funds they paint.  The teachers and instructors teach the children to paint.  They’re paintings are very beautiful and fun.  So we arrive this morning to complete well children checks on the children in the orphanage as well as see the workers and caregivers.  We treat any illnesses we find and leave vitamins and various supplies with them.  Lots of ear infections this year.  Our family medicine doc taught the workers how to clean the ears regularly, especially after swimming.  The children are overall healthy and excited to see us.  In about 2 1/2 hours we saw 34 kids and a few adults.  Pretty impressive.  One woman came with her 3 month old baby girl. The baby only weighed about 10 lbs.  The mother told us that she'd been hexed and that her milk had never come in as a result so all they had been giving the baby was juice.  Voodoo is a a very real religion to these people and they truly believe it.  We gave her about a month to two months worth of formula and taught her some nutritional information for the baby.

Then it was off for some every important mental recuperation.  After working very hard all week, we hit the beach.  We arrive at Club Indigo.  It used to be an old club med back in like the 70’s.  It’s not your average 4-star, but it’s comfortable and the water is actually warm! As I lounge by the pool getting my tan on they play oldies like Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons.  Makes me think of dirty dancing actually haha.   But don’t fret, as my luck would dictate, I did not meet with a Johnny Castle type.  The sun feels magnificent on my skin.  I let myself relax and soak it all in.  We have wonderful afternoon lounging by the pool, playing in the ocean, sipping pina coladas, and teaching our interpreters to swim.  Most of our interpreters grew up in and around Port-Au-Prince and have never had the opportunity to learn to swim.  Some of them are actually a bit scared of the water.  They do well though.  They’re hilarious actually. 

By dinner time we’re all starving, as we haven’t eaten since breakfast.  The food isn’t too shabby.  We eat, joke, and laugh for 3 full hours.  I wish I could recreate the atmosphere and conversation we had that night.  It was incredible.  Hilarious may be the better word for it.  We spent the better part of the 3 hours joking about various things that have happened on the trip, funny things people have said, and just telling stories.  Not only this but one of the other nurses on the trip, Jessica, keeps filling all our water glasses from the picture.  It becomes a game, we keep drinking, and drinking, and drinking, trying to see if someone will break and go to the bathroom.  And they keep refilling our water picture.  We must have drank somewhere between 12 and 15 of them.  Sad part? None of us had to get up and pee, we were all that dehydrated. I’ve loved every trip I’ve been on and the people that I’ve been on them with.  I’ve always tried to have fun.  But I have to say, maybe it’s just because I’ve really needed it and really made the effort, but I have laughed so hard on this trip.  I don’t believe I’ve laughed harder on any other. 

Firsts

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Place: Lamardelle

Time: 5:12pm EST

Song:  Neon-Chris Young

Today was somewhat of an odd day.  I went with a group out to Lamardelle to do…..well truthfully we didn’t know what we’d be doing.  We had been in touch with a group called Enfants de Jesus, or Infants of Jesus.  An orphanage of sorts.  But not really an orphanage.  These children are more like foster kids.  They don’t know where their parents are; whether they’re alive or not.  But it’s a bit more than that.  This organization helps to run a clinic as well as oversee the education of the children in their community.  It’s all very confusing to me and I shall not attempt to explain, I apologize.  What I can tell you is that we ended up teaching a group of 20 individuals on a variety of topics.  Those who were present were teachers from the school and individuals who were connected with the clinic in this area. 

This organization that is funded by a group called….  Is actually one of the more impressive communities I have visited while in Haiti.  They have a doctor who works at the clinic full-time.  They have a functional pharmacy that they can give medications to the patients.  They have nurses and other support type individuals, including those we taught today.  The school is quite impressive, holding approximately 500 students grades K-7.  These children are fed two hot meals a day; breakfast and lunch.  This is very significant because this allows families to be able to feed their children, allowing them to keep them.   Quite often in Haiti children are sent to or dropped off at orphanages because families simply can’t support them.  The children appeared to be healthy and well cared for.  It was definitely a first to see how incredibly self-functioning it was.

This trip has been a bit introspective for me.  This isn't a first.  Not the first time being on a trip like this has caused me to evaluate my life, and not the first time I've had these thoughts or feelings in the past month.  I’ve thought a great deal about many things.  I have not come to any conclusions or decisions about any of those things, but I’ve thought of them nonetheless.  So I suppose that’s good right?  A lot of self-doubt.  About abilities, knowledge, future and the like.  My head is somewhat of a jumble.  How's that for vague? Eh well.

A couple of other firsts…. I have some mosquito bites on my butt and I’m really at a loss as to how they got there.  Also I just washed my underwear in the shower….

Even on the fourth.....a couple of firsts.....

February 25, 2013

Place: Noitre Maisson Orphanage

Time 4:47pm EST

Song: I Need You Tonight-Backstreet boys

Today I went to the Noitre Maisson Orphanage to help teach the caregiver school.  We put together a curriculum and present it to caregivers so that they can teach and care for the children.  This specific orphanage cares for children with mental and physical disabilities.

What did I teach you ask?  You really want to know?  Well my topic today was range of motion.  Many of these children that have physical disabilities need a lot of physical therapy and work.   They end up with contractures and become severely deconditioned.  These children are incredible.  They’re amazingly sweet and loveable.  They want to play with you and want to be held and they’re so excited to see you.  They instantly grab a hold of your heart and they just don’t let go.  Two little girls instantly latched on to me and each time I went to set them down I was met with a lot of crying and clutching.  It’s heartbreaking; there is no other word for it.  This is not to the discredit of the caregivers.  They do the very best that they can, and they do a wonderful job.  I was impressed by their dedication to these children.  They had an eagerness to learn and apply the knowledge that they were receiving.  They asked questions regarding specific children and their specific ailments and what they could do to better care for them.  One thing these trips give me is hope.  In the midst of the poverty and the heartbreak you find people who still genuinely care for and love others.  As exaggerated as this may seem, I often find myself disenfranchised with the world and wondering if there are people out there that do things just because it’s the right thing to do; just because someone needs them.  They do it without a thought of “What’s in it for me?” or “What do I get out of this?”  Here I find these people.  I know they’re out there in my “own world” as well, I just need to be better and searching them out.

This is usually the hardest day for me out of everything that I do.  A couple of reasons make this one of my areas of struggle.  First, I hate teaching.  I’ve been told I’m rather good at it, but I definitely do not feel that way.  It’ is simply something that’s difficult for me.  So I should probably work at it eh?!  I don’t know whether it’s feelings of inadequacy or self-consciousness but I feel ill qualified.  Which I know is ironic because I’m trained and I have a degree so I should feel in some way able to teach something to these people.  Regardless, every time I go, I have bouts of anxiety.  A second reason this is difficult for me is I arrive and I see these children and I see all of the things that they need and require and I want to help them and provide for them all of these things for them, whether these needs be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual.  I can come and provide teaching and foundations but I always leave feeling a little bit empty because I know that there is so much more that needs to be done.  I say it every year but it is always a challenge to reconcile oneself with those feelings of “not doing enough” or of inadequacy.  It is definitely a challenge to convince yourself that you’ve done enough, that you’ve given all you can and that that is okay.  I consistently struggle with those feelings.  I constantly ask myself “What have I really done?” “Did what I do matter?”  “Did it make a difference?” 

P.S. I lose something every time I come here.  My first year is was a pair of shoes, last year I left my stethoscope in one of the vans and this year I’ve already lost my water bottle, I left it on the bus….again.