22.01.2014

There is something special about the early morning light in El Tololar. I have a goal of getting to the Health Post in time to begin the day's activities, but I find my self under the spell of the golden rays of the sun. At the end of rainy season, there are morning glories lining the peanut fields. Golden yellow flowers fill a field with the picturesque San Cristobol volcano smoking gently in the background. On the opposite field, Telica is contributing a burst of clouds to the early morning sky. I have snapped a dozen or so photos of these same frames, but I never get tired of them. I am ten minutes late today due to this enchantment.

San Cristobol

I did survive running the health post yesterday for which Dra. Urrutia was grateful. Luckily, the pharmacists helped me tremendously in finding the medications that the patients needed. Today was another whirlwind of patients with Dra. Urrutia trying to complete consults with a splinted dominant hand due to severe carpal tunnel and we finished just in time to catch the bus to Leon!

Golden flowers

21.01.14

Spanish class yesterday afternoon was fun. It is amazing how much grammar I am missing out on. However, I was able to get the respect of a taxi driver after all of the taxis I asked to take me to the class were trying to charge me double. They even tried to tell me that I was going to a more remote part of Leon. Even the price I got was more than it should be, but I was in a rush and could not argue further.

En route, we compared travels in Nicaragua, culture, history and whatever came up. After getting out of the taxi, I looked at my change to find that he charged me the correct price. It made me feel like less of an outsider for once. After getting up with the roosters, I am off to take over the clinic for a day while Dra. Urrutia is away!

"Stop dilly-dallying - clinic is that way!" 

20.01.2014

Notice, I have written the date in reverse, just trying to emphasize that I still have not gotten used to that!

Today was the first day working at the health post this year. It was a very busy day, just made the bus to Leon. This is where Dra. Urrutia informs me that I am in charge of the consultations tomorrow!!! She has to have her injured hand attended to and she is entrusting her patients to me. This may seem like no major task, but the medications in Nicaragua are completely different. We shall see. I know that the rest of the staff will be there to help, no worries, off to Spanish class!

Departure

I can never seem to sleep the night before a trip. Anxious about so many things, did I pack everything? Will my patients be ok? Will my husband, cat and the rest of the family be ok? Well, probably!!!

It's been a difficult year that moved too fast, now that I think about it. I have felt very inspired being in Nicaragua the past two years and I can sure use some of that inspiration right now and definitely some warmth after the bitter cold of the New England winter.

I am ready and I have a lot planned for these weeks (maybe too much). Nica, are you ready for me?