My last week in Guatemala

I left Xela today with a heavy heart.  I already miss my host family.  Some moments with them were awkward, especially during our meals when I barely understood their conversations, so I spoke so little I would feel a lump in my throat.  But, they were always kind to me, laughed often, and good natured 1 year old Sofie would always make everyone so happy.

So, now I am in Antigua, and am to leave for the airport in Guatemala City tomorrow morning.  After working with mostly poor-low middle class patients, I feel a little guilty enjoying the pleasures (especially the food!) of Antigua, which caters to tourists and upper middle class Guatamaltecos. 

My desire to come back to Xela is very strong, and I'm brainstorming a way to get myself back here.  Below is my wish list, in random order, for my next trip to Guatemala.  .  . 

• Come back to Guatemala during dry season.  Apparently, this country has only two seasons:  wet which goes from May through October and dry in the other half.  During my time here, the mornings would be sunny and the sky would get progressively darker until it dumped rain around 2 p.m.  Even though I would be sitting in class in the afternoon and had a 30 second walk home, the lack of sun and everything being wet would cause a bit of depression.  Guess I'm not moving to the pacific northwest.
• Work with the comadrona Dona Ana.  In the very brief time that I spent with Dona Ana, I experienced many new things.  Dona Ana loves to work with and teach students, and she has a bright personality.  In my last visit with her, she showed me how to palpate the fetal head in a woman who was 28 weeks, she showed me how she determines weeks pregnancy by measuring the fundal height (something I've learned about only in OB lecture), she palpated for an ovarian cyst and for a urinary tract infection, the latter being quite common for rural women.  One of our students observed her do an inversion on a woman who was 7 months along, something that is unconventional and considered high risk in western medicine.  When I asked Dona Ana about it the next day, she told me that she does inversions often, and her goal is to prevent a mother from having a c-section.  Her practices may be considered unconventional by western standards; however, they should be viewed in the context of what resources are available to her and her patients.  For instance, she does not have a microscope nor an ultrasound machine.  And, she is very aware of her limitations.  She advised the woman with the palpable ovarian cyst to get an ultrasound.  She also saw a 3-5 year old boy whose one testicle failed to fall, and told the mother that he must see a pediatrician.
• Speak less English and more Spanish.  It was difficult to speak only Spanish, especially on the weekends which were spent with other English speaking students.  Nevertheless, my Spanish has improved.  By the last week, I was explaining the mechanisms and treatment of asthma, heart failure, diabetes, and cold versus flu to my maestro.  On the very last day, I practiced doing a head to toe physical exam on him.  I could take histories of patients and repeat back to them what I understood.  All of this was done vvvveeeerrryyy slowly, but I'm confident that with more practice [my new challenge], it will only come easier.  At least, now I've got a solid base on which to improve.
• Hike to the peak of Santa Maria under a full moon.
• Explore the Cuchumatan range some more.  I fit in a 2 hour hike above Todos Santos during this trip and I want to see more!
• Visit a weaving village.  I purchased some textiles in Xela from a store called Trama, a weaving cooperative of 17 women from Solola.  I want to actually see them make it because it gives more meaning to the things I bring home.
• Visit a coffee plantation.
• Go rock climbing and mountain biking. Pack my climbing gear, clipless pedals, biking shoes and helmet.  I checked out a couple outdoor excursion companies; you can hire a guide for less than $50/trip.
• Visit Tikal.
• Go to church with my host mother - at least once.
• Hike El Volcan Pacaya
• Eat at Pollo Campero

I can't end this blog without pictures.  Here they are...

The following album includes photos of folks in the clinic and in the school, my host family, and scenes from downtown Xela.

 

This album has pictures from my short time in Antigua.