Long Time No Post!

On The Road to Sipacate ...

On The Road to the Ocean ...

Just some Rest and Relaxation

This mural asks: which way do you want: God, Cigarettes, Love, Death, Prostitution or Alcohol? Any preferences?

After the last post I did end up getting out of bed eventually, and it was a good thing too! That weekend we went to Sipacate which is a beach a few hours away from Santiago. To get there we took a van, a few buses and a boat. The buses here are all retired US school buses (>10 years or 100,000 miles) which are repainted a garish red and somehow accommodate about twice as many people as I remember ever fitting in them in elementary school. (Similarly, often times you will see a family of four precariously balancing on one motor bike or bicycle.) The boat (shown above) takes passengers from a dock so small it almost doesn't exist across a mangrove-inhabited brackish canal to the one motel that sits on the beach. The 6 of us who went stayed in one room, but mostly we were either on the beach or on the porch/bar/restaurant area, which was complete with hammocks. We ate and drank well! Sipacate seems to be more a Guatemalan than a gringo destination. The beach was expansive and the ocean a welcome respite from the incredible heat and humidity. We stayed over on Sunday night and on Monday, which was a holiday, all the people at the hotel lined up on the beach and were each given a baby sea turtle to release. The sea turtles raced/wandered to the ocean.

We took several buses back to Santiago and got a chance to see the transition from the coast to the mountains. We also saw quite a few housing projects (perhaps government-sponsored?) which were not inhabited. It seems that abandoned or not-yet completed buildings are the rule rather than the exception here! I have heard various reasons for the unfinished houses including that until you finish your house (cutting the rebar etc.) you don’t have to pay taxes. I wonder how many people pay taxes anyway … This week back at the hospital was very busy, partly because Monday was a holiday and partly because 2 medical students and 1 resident left. Also, we didn’t have clinic on Friday morning due to a meeting for all the people working at the hospital. I’m not sure if it was because I wasn’t feeling well or because I didn’t understand most of it, but the meeting was interminable. It was half rally cry for the staff to work together and half presentation of statistics about the hospital. I have never seen so many numbers on one slide with such intricate PowerPoint transitions and graphics communicating so little information.

Friday was a sad day as there was a delivery of a fetus that died in utero at 8 months to a 20 year old woman who had already lost one three-month old baby. This couple had to be right across the hall from a huge rejoicing family who just had their third or fourth baby on Thursday. Although we got a few new patients during the day and the evening on Friday, everyone was set to go home today! It was a very quiet night and I spent a few hours talking to the nurse who was on call. I think my Spanish may be improving a bit. Last week I had 3 classes with my Spanish teacher which, while exhausting after work, was quite helpful. Also, a pharmacy technician who is volunteering at the Hospitalito just moved into the Sojuel’s house with me. I’m not sure how long she will end up staying here, but it is wonderful to have her here! When I was sick this week she tended to me and I think that just listening to her talk is soothing, which may be partially due to her being from Ireland.

One other thing before I go: I got my ballot today!!! So, I can get mail here. It takes about 3 weeks. My address is:

Francisco Sojuel (Rebecca Stein)

Canton Xechivoy

Santiago Atitlan 07019

Solola, Guatemala C.A.