July 31/2011

So I am blogging on friday through sunday today as we went to san juan del sur this weekend! Friday we left around noon for San Juan, and arrived there around four. We went for a walk on the beach, went out for supper ( I had delicious chips and salsa which I would have more of for supper the following day), found a nice hostel and called it an early night. We went out on the boat the next morning at seven am, for a fishing, snorkling, swimming six hour adventure. Good things: The water and sand was beautiful where we went swimming, we saw probably ten turtles (looked like they were mating), caught a huge white tuna, and had great weather. We went pretty close to Costa Rica so it was quite the trip. Bad things: I apparantly get really sea sick when trauling on the wavy ocean, I must have eaten something bad the night prior, got a funky sun burn, Steph somehow lost fifty dollars, and the owners of our hostel glare at us whenever we move a chair and it squeeks. Went back to the hostel for a quick rest and attempted to save the evening. Went for those chips again, had rum and raisin ice cream, visited a reggae concert, went to ladies night (which is every night and is free drinks for girls from nine till midnight), and Steph and I spent majority of the evening searching for the boys that somehow managed to dissapear. We did meet some new people though, and had a fun time dancing. Sunday morning had a gigantic plate of french toast at big wave dave's, and came back home to help Jason correct his firefighter exams for the evening.

July 28/2011

This morning John and I went to the clinic. There we got to watch a lot of exams on children today for some reason, I gave a woman her birth control shot in her butt, and assisted with blood pressure etc. as always. It was very busy in the clinic this morning. This afternoon, I ran errands and did some money exchanging prior to San Juan del Sur this weekend. Jenny had her going away supper at a really cute restaurant called Lehya (I had what was kind of like spring rolls, fresh lemonaide, and curly fries), and this evening we taught CPR to 25 different representatives from 25 different soccer teams from Managua. It was fun but I am definitely ready for bed!

July 27/2011

This morning spanish class was a lot better. Our teacher took  us to the university, and got us to have conversations in spanish with random students. It was exactly what we needed. This afternoon when John and I went to the clinic, we went around diriamba to a few houses educating parents on health of their children. It was neat going into the different family houses. This evening we rested, I was really burnt out after yesterday.

July 26/2011

Today was awesome! This morning John, Steph, Jason, Jose and I taught CPR at a university here in jinotepe, and then again at a highschool. While at the highschool Steph and I (with the assistance of Jose for translating) talked to the school director about coming in for health classes. She seemed in, and so we are trying to make different lesson plans according to age. This afternoon at the clinic, Chema (the nurse who has been looking after us) sat me down in his chair, said "doctora Brianne", gave me the file of a patient, and left. She was pregnant, so I asked her questions about the pregnancy, told her about healthy eating and minerals she needs, took her blood pressure, heart rate, and weight. Chema came back in time to tell me to continue, so I measured her stomach, found the baby's head but etc. so as to know which way it was situated, and found the baby's pulse. The mother also had an infection, so Chema told me to feel around inside her, and I don't really know what I was feeling for. I watched when it hurt her and felt for inflammation but thats about all I could do. Doctora Brianne then made suggestions as to what prescriptions we should give her and she was on her way! We had a delicious dinner tonight of a ground beef dish, followed by my now infamous banana flambay. This evening we are on our way to teach the firefighters how to use spinal boards, and those firefighters not participating at the time, have to spend their evening teaching us spanish. This will be awesome, as it has taken us this long to realize how poor the basecamp spanish teacher really is...

July 25/2011

So today was another holiday so the clinic, the hospital and the spanish lessons were off. We started the day with a pancake breakfast at terry's (a local diner run by an american who has to leave tomorrow for cancer treatment in the states), followed by a little bit of shopping. We had a delicious lunch of little hamburger patties, and steph and I spent the afternoon planning an upcoming education project in schools here. For dinner we made fried bananas, fried cheese, pasta with spagetti sauce, and garlic bread! This evening we did spanish, and went for a run. On the run a few nicaraguan kids decided they would join is just for kicks, and the rest cheered us on like we were running a marathon!

July 24/2011

We got home from Leon around 12:30, and afterwards showered, had naps, and a snack. We then went to a gigantic parade in commemoration of the saints in Leon, Diriamba, Jinotepe, and San Marcos. It had been going on all day as a group went to each of those places picking up a saint, and with it doubling the mob's size. Jinotepe was the last stop and it was absolutely nuts. Skeletons dancing with scissors (death ready to cut the string of life), people in peacock feathers (making fun of the spanish conquistedors), and people in masks (the nicaraguans wore masks to look like the spanish so they could dance in the streets). There were sooo many people! That evening we had a delicious dinner of korean rice cakes with chili sauce, and korean curry thanks to Jenny!

July 23/2011

I will write about my day yesterday today as we did an overnight trip to Leon and I had no computer access there. In the morning we left bright and early to Leon, having to go through Managua to get there. First thing we did upon our arrival, was to find a cool hostel. I had google searched for good hostels in Leon the night before and the one we found was awesome! It was for environmental preservation volunteers/ a general hostel. It had hammocks, a central garden area with hummingbirds and flowers, and a great atmosphere for only five bucks a night! We went shopping for jewelry in the market, practiced our bargaining and spanish, visited a few churches (with the occasional ice cream break on the way), and went out for a fresh smoothie. We met two guys from Israel, and one from the states, in Nicaragua for the surfing. Two of which are surf instructors so may be able to get a deal!!! Anyway, we went out with them last night to a club called camaleon, and danced the night away to the most amazingly fresh mojito I have ever had in my entire life. The club was very neat, and there were so many different people from different countries (Australia, France, Honduras, Nicaragua, the States, Israel...). By the way their drinks here are doubles(two shots), and were only a dollar fifty each! Slept very little in the hospital because it was so hot, and came home this morning. I will write about today this evening! Leon so far is my favorite city in Nicaragua.

July 22/2011

Today instead of having spanish in the morning, john and I went to the clinic. There we gave a presentation on the importance of pap smears, I did another pap smear, put acid on a woman's ulcer (ouch!), took blood pressures, and talked with patients. We came back to basecamp for lunch, and then this afternoon went with Jason to the hospital here in Jinotepe. We got to help set up IVs, took vital signs in the "shock" room, and spent some time in the emergency room. The emergency was very busy today so we had lots of helping out we could do. This evening, Jenny, Steph and I fried up plantain's for a snack, I finished my "water for elephants" book, and did a facial. Preparing to go to Leon tomorrow!

July 21/2011

Today was a pretty standard day. Spanish in the morning, clinic in the afternoon, and didn't do much this evening. It was nice to relax a bit as we have had a pretty hectic past couple of days!

July 20/2011

A super jam packed day! This morning, we were up at four in the morning to get to the fire station in jinotepe. We then proceeded to go to the firestation in Masaya, where a mock rescue of two victims from the lava caves would be staged. I was one of those said victims. For around two hours, I had to pretend to be unconscious and have both a broken femor and arm. It was quite the procedure getting us out of the caves, using pulley systems, cages, spinal boards, the works! We met some very kind firefighters today, and it was amazing how we could all get along despite the language barrier. The masaya volcano tour groups for our volunteer time, gave us a free tour of the volcano and caves created from magma. It was unreal! After we left the masaya volcano, we went to masaya market for some shopping, followed by papa johns pizza! This afternoon Jenny and I went shopping for second hand clothing with Eve, also a success, and we hung out at the house for the rest of the evening.

July 19/2011

Today was Nicaragua's version of independance day so everyone in jinotepe left to celebrate in the capital, managua. We took the day to go for a run, cut up fresh fruit, and go swimming at apoyo lagoon. We had lots of fun playing volleyball with the locals at apoyo lagoon after a very difficult time finding the place. We went out for supper at "friends" again, and I had the oh so delicious fajita. It is an early night tonight because tomorrow we go to masaya volcano. Yaaay!

July 18/2011

After a very rough sleep last night, I had a hard time picking things up in spanish class. That was until, steph and I went and got oreoccinos! AMAZING. Totally pepped us right up. After spanish we went to the clinic, but with only one patient it was an early day. I went to a dance class/aerobics class this evening that was also very fun, and the dancing was definitely tricky. I would like to learn more, and it is only a dollar a class so I will have to drop in sometimes!

July 17/2011

What an adventure today! Woke up early this morning for an "all american pancake breakfast" at Terry's diner. I got the short stack, and was just able to finish half. Afterwards we took a minibus to mombacho volcano where we went ziplining! So much fun. We were told that there was an organic coffee farm with free coffee samples just two kilometers from the ziplining place. This was a lie. A half hour later climbing up steep volcano terrain in torrential rain downpour we managed to hitch hike the rest of the way up to the coffee farm. The hot fresh coffee felt amazing (and I am not even a coffee drinker). We hitch hiked down the volcano, and flagged down a bus headed to granada. There we walked around amazed at all the amazingly colored buildings, had a snack (nakatamala), and had a horse drawn carriage through the historically rich city. Took a minibus home to Jinotepe, and made korean food for dinner. Awesome.

July 16/2011

A very lazy day today! Slept in until noon, stopped by the firestation to take some pics from the tower, went for a mango smoothie and fresh rum cake(amazing), ramen noodles for dinner, and lazed for the rest of the day. Much needed rest as yesterday was such a long day, we actually spent eleven hours in heels!

July 15/2011

A jam packed day! This morning when I was at the clinic I gave my first vaccine to a baby. I was really nervous about it, but my nerves were dwarfed in an hour when the doctor got me to do a pap smear all by myself. What an experience! I had spanish in the afternoon, and we spent three hours getting ready for the evening. We went to managua(an hour trip), went to harry potter and got popcorn and pop, went to a fancy bar where entrance and all you can drink beverages (rum, coke and whiskey) were under ten dollars, and took a cab back. Total expense for the evening? Twenty dollars. Amazing

July 14/2011

This morning Jason, John, and myself went to watch surgeries in the nearby hospital. The first surgery was insane! They put this girl under who had a broken arm. While she was under, they tugged, bent, and pretty well were karate chopping at her arm to break it. It was quite the sight. I went on an empty stomach so needless to say I was feeling a little faint in our hot surgery outfits. Then got to watch a throat surgery(not sure what they were actually doing), and a surgery on the back of a childs knee(again, not too sure what they were doing!). We had spanish class, and then went swimming, shopping, and to a friends house to pick out clothes for tomorrow! A jam packed day!

July 13/2011

Went for a run this morning with Jason and Steph, followed by a yummy breakfast and spanish lessons. This afternoon when we went to the clinic, we practiced our spanish by being thrown into a room full of patients, nurses, and doctors, and had to talk about the prevention of diarrhea in spanish. It was quite the experience! We got a few laughs on our pronounciation needless to say. While working afterwards, I was able to complete a breast exam for a pregnant woman, witness a pap smear, getting blood taken for HIV tests, as well as take blood pressures. The nurse we work with is really making an effort to help us practice our spanish, as well as teach us techniques used frequently within the clinic. We had homemade enchiladas for dinner, and then went out for drinks at the bar called "friends". All in all it was a great day.

July 12/2011

Today I had spanish lessons in the morning. Come lunch there was a delicious looking spread of rice and meatballs on the table. However, one of the first days I was here I had foolishly mentioned that it would be fun to try cow stomach soup. And of all the things the cooks would understand, that had to be it. So for lunch today, I tried cow stomach soup(just a very little bit). I couldn't get past the fact that it was cow stomach to actually decide whether I liked it or not. This afternoon at the clinic was awesome! The doctor we were with was awesome, spoke very slowly and loud spanish. He taught us how to do a breast exam, administer vaccines(although he wanted us to try it without a demonstration first), and we practiced taking blood pressures. It was very informative. Tomorrow John and myself are giving a presentation to the patients on diarrhea prevention and care. It should be interesting giving this presentation in spanish...

July 11/2011

Today was my first day of volunteering and it was very very stressful. My spanish is not at the level it needs to be at to be working in the hospital as I can't communicate to ask questions or speak about medical tools. The worst was trying to understand them as they speak quick slurred spanish. So that was the morning, and then this afternoon we were at the clinic across the street sitting in on consultations. This was way better as the nurse we were with spoke loud, and slow spanish. He also made the effort to teach us how to take blood pressures, and made a point of teaching us about all the drugs in the pharmacy. I have thus decided, for at least another week, I will be continuing spanish lessons in the morning, and going to the clinic in the afternoon. The occasional morning at seven, I will also be able to observe surgeries at the nearby hospital. So that is the updated plan, and will commence tomorrow morning!

July 10/2011

Today we slept in a bit, and then decided to go to apoyo lagoon. When we arrived there by taxi however, we overlooked the beautiful lagoon and had a great view, while not being able to actually go swimming in the lagoon because it was too far away. We had fun though, rode horseback (which turned into a gallop until my horse fell down) and looked around the little town. We had a delicious lunch there and I got an avocado salad. We came back to basecamp, went out for pizza for supper, stopped by a bakery for snacks, and called it a day.

July 9/2011

Today was quite the adventure. Woke up this morning to be on the road for seven, at which point we took a minibus, taxi, and ferrie to get to our destination "Ometepe island". This island has two volcanos, lagoons, and waterfalls. We began the day by eating breakfast at a diner that was absolutely delicious. I had what seemed like french toast but with honey and cinnamon. We then decided that it would be a good idea to rent dirt bikes and ride around the island on our own without a tour guide. Well first of all, none of us had ever driven dirt bikes, and not one of us had identification on us. They let us take them anyway, and I took a scooter instead of a dirt bike. John crashed his dirt bike just as Jason was giving his "word" instead of a drivers license. John got demoted to a scooter, and we then practiced driving these things (that were really touchy) driving in circles in a gas station. We decided that maybe driving these things around would be a bad idea especially because we really didn't know where we were going. Got our money back, and then hired a driver to take us to ojo de agua. Ojo de agua was a spring made from a stream from the volcano "concepcion". The water was beautiful and we were able to swing on a rope into the crystal clear waters. That concluded our trip to the island, and we headed home to basecamp.

July 8/2011

This morning began with a run, followed by our orientation week spanish lessons yet again for the morning. Afterwhich we had an"amazing race" which involved us running around Jinotepe doing various tasks like buying 6 bananas for twenty cents, mailing a postcard to canada, which was fifty cents, and taking pictures in various areas of Jinotepe. It was very fun, but we did not finish everything in the alloted hour. Afterwards we went to the market and bought a few snacks and drinks, had supper, and now may potentially be going out for an evening beverage. The more time I spend here, the more I grow fond of the people here. Initially I was scared of everyone, but have since come to realize (while you still have to keep your guard up) Nicaraguans are very friendly but very curious people.

July 7/2011

Today was really fun! Had spanish class in the morning, and then this afternoon took a minibus ride to the pacific coast. There we built sand castles, jumped in the four foot waves, and I had a cold beer in a hammock under a tiki net overlooking the ocean. This is the good life. Went for banana splits this evening also. Just so everyone understands this is orientation week and i will actually begin my volunteering next week. This afternoon was a "cultural" experience as we went to a non-tourist beach, where apparantly girls in bikinis are unheard of . Most nicaraguan women go swimming in gigantic t-shirts and shorts.

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Check out this website. It will be where I add all of my pictures

July 6

Today began with a run followed by spanish lessons that involved an overload of vocabulary (vocabulario). After a delicious lunch of drumsticks in a kind of spicy sauce, we went to a fortress near Massaya. This fortress was initially used for military purposes, was then used as a cruel prison for military and political prisoners, and then more recently a satanic cult. This fortress was used as a prison until the eighties at which point they practiced many inhumane torchure methods.

Market

Today we had a tour of Jinotepe, the town we are staying in. It seems like a lovely city despite the fact that they do not take cleanliness and garbage disposal as seriously as we do at home. I exchanged money into the nicaraguan currency (cordova) and then after lunch, went off to the market in Masaya. Masaya is know for having the highest rate of aids, and being a place where people chase you and try to prick you with their aids infected needles. So of course it seemed like a natural place to practice bargaining(of which I am quite talented if you ask me). I bought chocolate, an orange juice, and sunglasses that dye my nose pink. It was really fun but the hour minibus ride there and back in a steel van with twenty people inside was very unpleasant. I felt quite sick by the time we got home. Had supper of fried cheese and fried bananas that while good, had to be supplemented with a couple tablespoons of the peanut butter I brought. The people here are very nice, but very forward towards blonde white girls, yelling things like chalita or gringa!

Day 2

Woke up this morning to eggs and toast for breakfast. Had spanish classes until lunch, and then ate the most delicious salsa ever with meatballs and rice! It was so good! Had orientation this afternoon which involved us going to the hospitals we will be working at. The hospital I am at is apparantly run by nuns. For supper was enchiladas and then we talked about places we are going to go see for the rest of our orientation today. It gets dark here really early, in fact it has been dark here since six. Jam packed day and now I am very tired, will probably read a bit and call it an early night. May go for a run tomorrow morning, we will see!

Day one

I have arrived safe and sound! Not finding my luggage in the nicaraguan airport for half an hour was a bit scary, but found my bag so no harm done. As soon as I arrived in Nicaragua I was picked up by jose (basecamp coordinator) and his friend. Met his friend's wife and her sister (both from georgia and married nicaraguans) and drove back to the house. The house is quite large and has tonnes of room. With a huge walk in closet I think this trip is gonna be better than I thought! I could hear the sound of bands playing while I showered and party rock anthem even played in spanish! Turns out there is a festival going on in Jinotepe right now and is a horse festival. Horses and their riders are dancing up and down the streets to music. And there has got to be more horses here than people! (The horses of course look very abused often bleeding and frothing at the mouth). We are about to go out for spagetti somewhere nearby. There are three others here from canada and one from florida who is an absolute hoot! Ta ta for now!