Well, I've successfully made it through almost the first two weeks here in Paraguay. I guess that doesn't sound quite right. It's been a blast and full of challenges. There has been plenty of interesting foods, people, and places. The only thing there hasn't been a lot of is sleep! Shastin and I arrived in Asuncion after about 30 hours of travel following my departure from Chicago. I've decided that there is one skill I need to work on, and that is sleeping in planes and buses. When we arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina we had to switch airports. This seems to be one of the joys of flying Aerolineas Argentinas. It turned out fine though, and we were able to get all of our stuff and ourselves into one taxi. We were even able to rest in a little park across from the local airport that we were departing from. All told there were three connections in my flight: Miama, Buenos Aires, and a little tiny airport that was little more than a landing pad named Corrientes Camba Punta. When we arrived, we were greeted warmly and effusively. We arrived mid-day so they showed us around the Sanatorium, which is much larger than I thought it would be. They actually do kidney transplants here. I live in a room above the Adventist health insurance offices (called SAMAP, I can't remember what it stands for) and Shastin lives in the part of the hospital that is used for mental health. A good place for her! Just kidding.
We were only here for a few days before a group of doctors came to do surgeries and roving clinics in Asuncion and the surrounding area. But in those few days I have been amazed by the hospitality of the people that live here. I've never had a spare moment until now because Shastin and I are constantly being invited to peoples homes. I've also been thrown in over my head in Spanish, or as they call it here Castellano. I'm beginning to learn a little bit but I'm still not speaking much. Spending time with English speaking people this last week didn't help very much. But it was amazing to be able to watch surgeries. I saw at least 4 cleft palate repairs, a rhinoplastie, an ear reconstruction and many others. I got to scrub in for a bone graft, cyst removal, polytactyly, and a hernia repair. I also found out that it is a lot easier to get queasy when you are scrubbed in because you have the surgical gown holding all the heat in. After the first time I was fine but had to bow out near the end of the hernia repair (the first surgery I scrubbed in for). The clinics were interesting as well, if not so dramatic. The first one I went on saw over 200 patients. My main job for two of the days that I was there was to help translate for the doctors. Now don't take that the wrong way, it wasn't because my Spanish was in any way spectacular. It was because they didn't have enough translators. I worked with a Paraguayan who spoke a little English and together we usually were able to get the point across.
More than anything in these few weeks, I have learned what it is like to feel helpless. Not being able to understand conversation fully and not being able convey what you are thinking is hard. Shastin says she likes it because I can't make fun of her any more. We're trying not to talk to each other in English so that we learn faster. We should start getting trained in this week to work like nurses in the Sanatorium. We have a lot of learning to do. Please keep both of us in your prayers, that we might have quick minds and be able to learn easily.
We were only here for a few days before a group of doctors came to do surgeries and roving clinics in Asuncion and the surrounding area. But in those few days I have been amazed by the hospitality of the people that live here. I've never had a spare moment until now because Shastin and I are constantly being invited to peoples homes. I've also been thrown in over my head in Spanish, or as they call it here Castellano. I'm beginning to learn a little bit but I'm still not speaking much. Spending time with English speaking people this last week didn't help very much. But it was amazing to be able to watch surgeries. I saw at least 4 cleft palate repairs, a rhinoplastie, an ear reconstruction and many others. I got to scrub in for a bone graft, cyst removal, polytactyly, and a hernia repair. I also found out that it is a lot easier to get queasy when you are scrubbed in because you have the surgical gown holding all the heat in. After the first time I was fine but had to bow out near the end of the hernia repair (the first surgery I scrubbed in for). The clinics were interesting as well, if not so dramatic. The first one I went on saw over 200 patients. My main job for two of the days that I was there was to help translate for the doctors. Now don't take that the wrong way, it wasn't because my Spanish was in any way spectacular. It was because they didn't have enough translators. I worked with a Paraguayan who spoke a little English and together we usually were able to get the point across.
More than anything in these few weeks, I have learned what it is like to feel helpless. Not being able to understand conversation fully and not being able convey what you are thinking is hard. Shastin says she likes it because I can't make fun of her any more. We're trying not to talk to each other in English so that we learn faster. We should start getting trained in this week to work like nurses in the Sanatorium. We have a lot of learning to do. Please keep both of us in your prayers, that we might have quick minds and be able to learn easily.
Estella, she was the a translator for the clinics (she speaks Spanish, English and Guarani)
A program the group from the states put on at the Sanatorium
There was a guy that did this painting during the program at each clinic.
The pastor (Dave) that came with the doctors and one of the doctors that works at the Sanatorium (Guillermo) along with his family. We ate supper with them on Friday night.
The view from my room.
Ditto
Beginning triage for the surgeries.
Shastin already found a boyfriend! lol
Victor, a student from Loma Linda
A picture of my room, it looks bigger than it is but it actually is pretty large, especially compared to Shastin's room.
A park outside the airport in Buenos Aires
Bored in Miami
I don't know who this stranger is.
