Josie picked me up this morning for my first trip to Common Hope. We’re taking a tour tomorrow but I had to see a doctor there today to check my toes. We took a chicken bus which just crams everyone into them sort of like chickens in those trucks. The clinic was in a beautiful compound and staffed by volunteer doctors from the states as well as local doctors. I saw Dr. Ali (or future Dr. Ali) who attends a med school in WA state. I told him about my daring trek up Acatenango and he told me that 2 of his friends did the same hike, and were as traumatized as I am by the experience.
After examining my toes. Dr. Ali said that I’ll get to keep them… Great news! However the nails may fall off at some point but should grow back. So much for cute pedicures! I’m thankful for the reassurance that my toes are safe for now and I don’t appear to have any sort of infection. He told me that when nails get soggy they break easier and it sounds like my toes got really soggy. That is an understatement!
I skipped Spanish to go to the doctor, and then spent much of the afternoon sleeping as I’m still exhausted from the hike. My legs are still not functioning and laying down is the most comfortable position for now.
We met with Tiffany Boggis this afternoon, an OT professor at Pacific University who is trying to start a field school like ours in Nicaragua. She’s interested in the Well-Elderly population (senior citizens who are considered healthy) and what they do with their time in Nicaragua. She said most people there are highly interested and involved in politics and read the newspapers often. The literacy rates are high, despite Nicaragua being one of the poorest countries in the Americas, second only to Haiti. We’ll meet with her tomorrow as well, and I hope to learn more about this Nicaragua school that sounds amazing!
Also, Josie informed my that I’ll be moving again on Friday to a new homestay so I don’t have to share a room when I’m paying to have my own. I’m excited because I feel like I haven’t connected much with this family so on to the next! The people in Guatemala are all so nice, so I’m excited to meet more of them!
