Buses, tortillas and of course, water
I have now officially been here one month. The last week helped me feel much more settled and comfortable. I knew it was going to happen eventually, and it finally has. I feel fairly comfortable with my host family and the routine of walking back and forth to work is established. It is a relief to feel like I know a bit now about where I am and what to expect.
This week was quite busy because we had a delegation of doctors, nurses and translators. We worked four days over at the clinic in Nueva Vida. It went well, although having so many doctors provided lots of work for most of us. We were very busy in the pharmacy filling and giving out prescriptions, and it seemed like as soon as one was finished there were three more waiting to be filled. Overall I think it was a positive experience both for the group and for the community. Normally there is one doctor at a time at the clinic, so having so many was an asset. The group saw patients at the clinic Monday through Thursday and then Friday we all went up to the mountains to a town called El Porvenir. There are only about 40 families who live in this remote village way up in the mountains. They have no electricity and the nearest doctor is normally at least an hour and a half away. We were able to get our vehicles, (a small school bus and an ancient Land Rover affectionately known as the Ambulancia), partway up the mountain. This was no small feat. The road is a mountain road that has never been tended to because there is not usually very much traffic on it. People who live in El Porvenir have horses and there is a tractor that goes up and down the road to transport folks. Once we hit the base of the steep part of the mountain some of us switched and rode in the bed of our white pick-up while others were able to go up in the Ambulancia. I had heard about the road before, but it was much much much worse than I had imagined. Most people felt that the ride belonged in an amusement park where people pay to be frightened and a bit banged up. We finally made it up and were welcomed with a breathtaking view over the countryside. The community is home to a coffee growers cooperative that the CDCA supports, so we got to tour the facilties and see the coffee bushes where the coffee is harvested. For the few hours we were up there the doctors saw patients and those of us who were a bit idle entertained the kids. It was a productive but long day as we didn't arrive home until after 9pm.
This week also provided me with a few truly Nicaraguan experiences. Today I got to ride a city bus for the first time. I was telling my friend that it reminded me a bit of a chairlift when you are downhill skiing. In order to successfully navigate the chairlift you have to be ready at the exact moment to jump on and go, and the same for exiting. If you make one misstep you will be flat on your ass. (As I found out four times last winter.) Well, Managua buses are about the same. If you are not ready to jump on then you will either find yourself left in the dust or clinging on for your life as the bus drives away. The buses barely stop, they only slow down long enough for passengers to get on or get off. There is even a man who has this as his sole job on the bus, to facilitate the changing of passengers. It was certainly an experience and one I look forward to repeating again in the future.
I also have also begun to learn about the role of the gringo in this particular Latin American country. I have now been asked at least five times wether I am married, if I have children, when I want to get married, and if I would like to marry a Nicaraguan. The first time I was asked this series of questions I was taken aback. I have since realized two things. One, people in Nicaragua tend to get married much earlier than gringos and they assume that most of us are married, or if we aren't, then we should be. Secondly, many people are looking for a way out of life here, and marrying a gringo is an automatic ticket. I try to answer these questions truthfully, without trying to encourage any unwanted affection.
This week I also got to learn how to make tortillas. There is a Tortillarilla accross the street and last weekend I went over and was shown how to take the dough and make it into perfectly round flat tortillas. The owner, Jasmina, proudly told everyone who came to buy them that they were eating tortillas made by a gringa. She also told me how the last male volunteer who had lived where I do had a difficult time learning to make the tortillas, she said he looked a bit like a gorilla trying to smash the daylights out of the dough.
And my last comment on my past week has to do with water. Much of our work is in an area called Nueva Vida. Many people in Nueva Vida do not have water that comes directly into their home, but there is water available fairly close to them. However, frequently the water to the community is cut off by accident, or on purpose, by the water company. This last week Nueva Vida did not have water all week, and then on Thursday they were told that they would not have water until after the new year. This is a devestating fact to face because this means that people have to walk quite a bit to haul their water. We are also entering the dry season, so it is raining less and less, probably only once a week if we are lucky.
It was a busy week, I think we are all pretty tired, so I'm looking forward to getting back into the regular rountine tommorow.
This week was quite busy because we had a delegation of doctors, nurses and translators. We worked four days over at the clinic in Nueva Vida. It went well, although having so many doctors provided lots of work for most of us. We were very busy in the pharmacy filling and giving out prescriptions, and it seemed like as soon as one was finished there were three more waiting to be filled. Overall I think it was a positive experience both for the group and for the community. Normally there is one doctor at a time at the clinic, so having so many was an asset. The group saw patients at the clinic Monday through Thursday and then Friday we all went up to the mountains to a town called El Porvenir. There are only about 40 families who live in this remote village way up in the mountains. They have no electricity and the nearest doctor is normally at least an hour and a half away. We were able to get our vehicles, (a small school bus and an ancient Land Rover affectionately known as the Ambulancia), partway up the mountain. This was no small feat. The road is a mountain road that has never been tended to because there is not usually very much traffic on it. People who live in El Porvenir have horses and there is a tractor that goes up and down the road to transport folks. Once we hit the base of the steep part of the mountain some of us switched and rode in the bed of our white pick-up while others were able to go up in the Ambulancia. I had heard about the road before, but it was much much much worse than I had imagined. Most people felt that the ride belonged in an amusement park where people pay to be frightened and a bit banged up. We finally made it up and were welcomed with a breathtaking view over the countryside. The community is home to a coffee growers cooperative that the CDCA supports, so we got to tour the facilties and see the coffee bushes where the coffee is harvested. For the few hours we were up there the doctors saw patients and those of us who were a bit idle entertained the kids. It was a productive but long day as we didn't arrive home until after 9pm.
This week also provided me with a few truly Nicaraguan experiences. Today I got to ride a city bus for the first time. I was telling my friend that it reminded me a bit of a chairlift when you are downhill skiing. In order to successfully navigate the chairlift you have to be ready at the exact moment to jump on and go, and the same for exiting. If you make one misstep you will be flat on your ass. (As I found out four times last winter.) Well, Managua buses are about the same. If you are not ready to jump on then you will either find yourself left in the dust or clinging on for your life as the bus drives away. The buses barely stop, they only slow down long enough for passengers to get on or get off. There is even a man who has this as his sole job on the bus, to facilitate the changing of passengers. It was certainly an experience and one I look forward to repeating again in the future.
I also have also begun to learn about the role of the gringo in this particular Latin American country. I have now been asked at least five times wether I am married, if I have children, when I want to get married, and if I would like to marry a Nicaraguan. The first time I was asked this series of questions I was taken aback. I have since realized two things. One, people in Nicaragua tend to get married much earlier than gringos and they assume that most of us are married, or if we aren't, then we should be. Secondly, many people are looking for a way out of life here, and marrying a gringo is an automatic ticket. I try to answer these questions truthfully, without trying to encourage any unwanted affection.
This week I also got to learn how to make tortillas. There is a Tortillarilla accross the street and last weekend I went over and was shown how to take the dough and make it into perfectly round flat tortillas. The owner, Jasmina, proudly told everyone who came to buy them that they were eating tortillas made by a gringa. She also told me how the last male volunteer who had lived where I do had a difficult time learning to make the tortillas, she said he looked a bit like a gorilla trying to smash the daylights out of the dough.
And my last comment on my past week has to do with water. Much of our work is in an area called Nueva Vida. Many people in Nueva Vida do not have water that comes directly into their home, but there is water available fairly close to them. However, frequently the water to the community is cut off by accident, or on purpose, by the water company. This last week Nueva Vida did not have water all week, and then on Thursday they were told that they would not have water until after the new year. This is a devestating fact to face because this means that people have to walk quite a bit to haul their water. We are also entering the dry season, so it is raining less and less, probably only once a week if we are lucky.
It was a busy week, I think we are all pretty tired, so I'm looking forward to getting back into the regular rountine tommorow.
posted by Emily at 11:49 AM
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