Caught in a Downpour!

Keri and I are sitting here in drenched pants and shoes. We were out on our regular afternoon walk when we got caught in a huge thunder storm. I guess we really can´t say that we got caught as we knowingly went for the walk while the clouds grew darker and darker above us. When the locals started running, we knew we were in trouble! But before the downpour, we were able to walk next to the river where all of the homes that were destroyed by the rains two weeks ago used to stand. Our host father, Celestino, is the president of the homeowner´s association out there (I am calling it that b/c I don´t know how to translate the spanish) so he is out there from 6am every morning trying to help get people organized for rebuilding. There are about 30 families still living in the school in town b/c they have been displaced, but school starts again in March, so they are trying to figure out what to do with everyone. I
think we will go out to the wreckage with Celestino one of these days and see where their house was.

Today was an interesting day in the clinic. We shadowed Dr. Arnaldo for the day and boy is he an awesome doctor! He was so great to work with all day. He would ask us our opinion and explain everything he did so we could keep up. We watched as he did the ultrasound on two pregnant women. One of the women did not want to know the sex of the baby, but he was able to point it out to us without letting her know. (That one was a girl) And the second lady, it was obviously a boy! Her baby was kicking and punching so much. The more I see like that, the more I want to become a midwife!

Keri and I have decided that we want to create a little community health project for the kids once school starts again. We are thinking of doing a hand-washing campaign, a nutrition and exercise campaign and maybe one more. The kids here have stomach problems b/c of hygiene issues so we thought we would start there. We´ll see how it goes!

Our host sister, Shurra, is coming home from here month of summer school/prep in Cusco today. She is going to plan a baby shower for our host mom so I´m having my mom send us some baby things to give as a gift.

The Spanish is getting better every day. After five months, I think I will be back up near fluency.

We are gearing up for a huge hike on Friday. We are going to leave Ollanta around 7:30am and drive to Patacancha (a tiny remote village) and then hike from about 9am to 4pm around tons of ruins and up to a big lake. There will be quite a few of us and a guide so at least we won´t get lost. But we will be up higher than 14,000 feet so we will definitely need the mata te and coca leaves!

I´m sure I will have amazing photos from that hike. Let´s just hope I don´t pass out b/c of the altitude! I have to use one of the other volunteer´s computers to download my photos b/c I can´t do it here at the internet cafe. That is the hold up -- Sorry!

Hope all is well with everyone.