So. I've had a lot of unfinished blog and journal entries lately. Mostly because there have been so many changes lately, it's hard to know where to start.
There is another brigade here, again mostly from UC but this time composed of medical students, interns, residents, attendings, and even their kids. Together with the translators, they are almost 40. Like the last brigade, this means... a lot of different things. All of a sudden, there's never any room (though everything has been rearranged to make space), the bathrooms are always occupied, and sometimes we even run out of food. But on top of that, everyone's normal routine is shaken up a bit as we try to accommodate brigade activities, make sure everyone is constantly occupied, entertained, and having a good time, and organize all of the new supplies and medicines that the brigade brought and needs to use.
For instance, I played babysitter last week, walking one of the doctors' kids to and from school every day. It was actually a good experience--I got to interact more with teachers, sit in on a few classes and see what those were like, as well as familiarize myself with the system in general. For instance, I found that Wednesdays are phys ed days. The kids (at least in SL) get half an hour of classroom time, and then jet off to the campo de fútbol to play soccer for the rest of the day. And if children from another community, for instance Magdalena, happen to come to use the soccer field for whatever reason, the kids get to go home. No school!
Plus, since this brigade has a lot of medical students and residents, I have had some incredible learning opportunities--talking to students about med school, to doctors about their experiences with interesting patients, and... teaching stations! Alex, Jess, Ashley, and Beth coordinated some teaching stations to give residents practice on starting IVs, giving IM injections, starting nebulizers, and using blood glucometers. It was... AWESOME. To be in a room full of people interested in both learning from and teaching their fellow peers was absolutely wonderful. Everyone participated, whether by helping teach, offering arms to be pricked/prodded/poked, or trying it out themselves... including the lowly med school applicants, Liz and me! Two hours later, I'd received one IV, 2 IM injections, and had also started an IV and given an IM injection to someone else! Super exciting. On top of that, the brigade leaders have held talks and discussions, so that in essence, the med students are still getting classes while down here.
In other news, I am still learning to live with and adjust my highs and lows concerning life and my work here. Sometimes I will have a wonderful morning, feeling productive, motivated, and inspired. That same day I'll struggle through the afternoon, feeling like no matter how long or hard I work or will work, I still can't ever do enough, and thus can't ever feel accomplished. And I know that the more I work and live here, this feeling is only going to become stronger. Sobering.
About a week ago, Ben and I held a little "This American Life" listening party, specifically for the "Baby College" episode after an animated discussion about education. After hearing about Geoff Canada's successes in Harlem, all of us--Ben, Jess, Liz, Ashley, our new addition Kaitlin, and I--became embroiled in a discussion about how to bring about "sustainable" change, how to assess whether or not we are doing good or are successful, how to distinguish between progress and mere movement toward American ideals and standards, etc. etc. Soon enough, we were descending into existential doubts/questions about what we're doing here, whether there's we're doing more harm than good, what is "progress," or "success," or even health...
But anyway! A couple days ago I moved back to Conce. Jess is also here, and the two of us have moved into our own little room! Since we will be living together, we have been promoted to a slightly bigger room, and even have our own dresser! Needless to say, we were extremely excited to be able to arrange and decorate our little home--my more-or-less permanent stay until June. Yesterday we ventured into town to try to find hangers at the mercado, but to no avail. So instead, we stopped by Delmy's house to say hi to Saraí and Analía (she can walk now!), and met Doña Argentina as well, a storeowner on the other side of the street. Like every other Honduran old woman I've met, Doña Argentina welcomed us with open arms and a kiss on the cheek, happy to meet us and share stories of other gringos who had passed by.
As Jess and I walked (hiked) back up the hill to the clinic and chatted for awhile in our room, I finally started feeling really good about being here. Maybe it was our new room, or Jess, or just the nice conversations we had in town, but for some reason I finally began to feel like Conce is my home, rather than always having a foot (or let's be real, both feet) back in Santa Lucía. Here in Conce, I already feel much different now than when I arrived two months ago to SL, when I was giddy and excited about pretty much everything. Now I feel like I'm really anchoring myself and my work here, and I feel much more settled. I know I will still have my rough days--when I get discouraged about work, or feel lonely--but I also have a more or less permanent safe haven here now.
Anyway, regardless I'll be back in the States in a mere three and a half weeks! Crazy how time flies...
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