Classes and the Hospital: 

I started taking Spanish classes Monday and began working in a local clinic today. What an experience! The clinic I am at is for lower class people and is set up so that they do not have to pay the visit. I believe they do have to pay for some of the medications provided. It is interesting to see how the doctors get by with little funds. A big culture shock, for me, was the lack of gloves used. They just do not have the money to constantly buy new gloves. While I was there today I worked as a scribe for the doctor and helped with vitals. I saw everything from a pregnant 16 year old coming in for a check up to a woman who had chopped off the top of her finger during work (yes Mom, I told them about you). 

The woman cut her finger with a machete and was missing half her nail bed. There was blood everywhere. Despite the anesthesia shot into the finger the woman was not able to endure more than three stitches. I don't blame her, it looked painful. I really wish I had brought my camera with me.

There was also a boy with epilepsy. He was at school and had a tremor inducing vomit all over himself. The teacher brought him in thinking he was very sick. I wanted to go hurl. No one wore gloves when working with him (and only the doctor wore gloves with the woman with a cut finger). When the doctor and I went back to her office to see regular patients (the boy was in an Emergency Room) she went to work at her type writer. After a minute she realized how smelly her hands were and we washed our hands. 

One of the final patients when I was there had a vaginal infection due to an IUD. We looked the door, the woman stripped her pants and lay down on the table and the doctor opened her up. Now I know what an inflamed vagina looks like.  

A graduation party

I have also had time to walk around the city with the others in my group. As we walked to the markets for dinner after class we came across a party that took up a whole street. It turns out it was a graduation party for a local school. Mom, Dad, you have high expectations in December.

Regulas 

Dani was sick early this week so I made her a get well card (Mejurate pronto!). I quickly learned that when you give something in Mexico, it opens the flood gates for more in return. Dani and Vero made me a thank you card each plus another they made together. They also gave me random items they made including: a newspaper boat, some sort of painted bottle they say is for my basura, and a black paper that I can scratch drawings into.

View of the sunset from one of the squares. 

Church where the Organ Concert  was held

Tuesday night some of the others in my group and I went to an Organ Concert held in this church. The organist featured Oaxacan music with a percussion accompaniment and the audience even sang along with one song. The organ looked very old and two people stood by to help the organist work the stops.

La Protesta

Sunday was Mexico's presidential elections. Oaxaca is not pleased with the results and have been holding protests every day. The locals assure me that this is normal and that Oaxacans love holding protests.

ps. See Dad, I am drinking water. See??