Orientation Comes to a Close

So our two week Ecuador orientation is coming to a close and I´m getting ready to start the real thing. We spent the first week with last year´s volunteers getting to know our neighbors, learning the bus routes, and visiting possible work sites. We gave last year´s volunteers a sad sendoff at the end of the week and made a trip to the beach for some much needed rest and relaxation. We visited a few more worksites at the beginning of this week and also had an all day scavenger hunt all over the city of Guayaquil in order to get to know the city better and practice the bus routes. We were split into groups of four and had to travel to different parts of the city and outlaying areas and take a crazy picture at each of the locations. We definitely provided some entertainment to the Ecuadorians who laughed as a bunch of gringos created a human pyramid on the sidewalk. They were all very eager to help us find where we were going...even when we didn´t ask for help.

We spent yesterday and today deciding on where we would like to work this year. I decided on Damien House for my morning job and Semillas de Mostaza (mustard seeds) for my afternoon job. Damien House http://www.thedamienhouse.org/ is a non-profit clinic for people with Hanson´s disease (formerly known as leprosy) run by Sister Annie, a lively nun from Brooklyn, New York. The clinic serves both live-in patients and outpatients. My main tasks throughout the year will be helping Sister Annie run the foundation, translating for visiting medical staff, giving tours to visiting student groups, and keeping the patients company. Semillas is an after-school program run by our foundation which provides homework help, fun activities, educational talks, a banana, a piece of bread, and a vitamin to the kids in our neighborhood. I will be running it along with 2 other volunteers and an Ecuadorian staff member who is about our same age. Attendance can vary from 40 kids to 115 per day, so it will probably get pretty crazy.

A few other tidbits- I was awoken this morning when my bed was shaken by an earthquake. That was pretty crazy considering it was the first earthquake I´ve ever felt. The epicenter was far away and there was no damage anywhere near where we are, but it was enough to send everyone running out into the kitchen in bewilderment. Also, I will finally be moving into my house this weekend after almost a month of living out of a suitcase. Up to this point we have all been living together in one of the retreat houses, where student groups stay when they are visiting. It will be nice to finally get settled, especially since I will be starting work on Monday. A few days ago we recieved a somber reminder of where we are living, as we were startled by the terrifying screams of a women in a domestic dispute and the loud cries of her children. (we found out later that no one was seriously hurt.) So the first few weeks on the equator have been quite an adventure. I will update you all the next chance I get.

Trembling out of Bed

Trembling out of Bed
I experienced my first earthquake this morning! That goodness Jenn and Marita woke me up, or I would have snored straight through it. We must be pretty far from the epicenter because it was just a minute of minor shaking. What a way to start the day! Aaron and Jeff made us girls (who tend to take advantage of every moment of shut-eye) eggs and toast this morning. We are enjoying our first day off today - the Duran volunteers are discerning their job placements as a group today. We Monte Sinai volunteers got to listen in on the discernment process last night. They have to work out as a group of 11 who will work at each site for the mornings, then divide into three afterschool programs, designating the directors and logistics coordinators. Diffucult task. Needless to say, I am delighted to be sitting in the Cyber right now.

The last few days, we have been exploring the different work sites. My lucky housemates got to accompany me (aka translate for me) two 3 hour long orientations for Hogar de Cristo. Needless to say, we now know a lot about this organization. It looks like I am going to be running the EKG clinic for the time being. (Not nearly as grandiose as it sounds). I had one 5 minute run-through on how to run a test on a machine with make-shift suction cups that are haphazardly taped on. My ´clinic´ is in the back of a classroom, behind an office divider. What have I gotten myself into this time...haha. I am also in charge of organizing a variety of ¨projects¨ throughout the year. The education department sends representatives to schools to identify families and kids who are struggling. If there are medical issues at home, I get to join the team to visit the home and develop a case, explaining the situation, and present it to Hogar de Cristo in hopes of getting free health care in the area, food baskets, etc. This will definitely be the hardest, but BEST part of my job. Most kids who perform poorly in school or stop attending school do so in order to work (often selling water, candy, or newspapers in the streets). Women are often left home to raise kids, while men are either working or out of the picture. Even if the man is working, the money often times does not come home. The situations get even tougher when there are developmental disabilities, infectious and cronic diseases, etc. Lack of sanitation, dirty water, and low nutrition cause many of these problems. The new clinic at my work place will hopefully be finished in two months. (In Ecua time, it could be another 6 months). However, they are interviewing doctors next week - so the situation looks promising! The will have ginecology, emergency room, minor surgury, dentistry, and general medicine services. My supervisor (Veronica) wants to train me in some surrounding clinincs to get a feel for the environment before our clinic starts up. Veronic and Dolores are in charge of me for the year. They are incredibly warm and friendly and super patient with my Spanish. It is going to be a phenomenal experience, no matter what I end up doing.

My four housemmates have sweet placements as well. I think I mentioned that Marita with be working with the San Felipe school right down the street from us. Jenn will be working with the Casa Don Bosco -- a street kids program in Guayquil. She will be organizing after school programs, doing some social work, and possbily teaching a few classes. Jeff will also be working with street kids, similar to Jenn´s placement. He is a phenomenal guitar player, so has much to offer in those respects. Aaron is working at a small medical clinic called Sonrisa Naranja (Orange smiles). Two Dutch doctors started this clinic two years ago. As they bring stories home from their placements, I will be sure to share them with you!

We only have four days left of orientation. Two days ago, we had the big bus quiz. It was a 10 hour scavenger hunt through Guayaquil and Duran. Megan (our in-country coordinator) was waiting in the middle with pizza and cake (Tres Leches!!). We ended at Las Peñas, a lighthouse downtown, which looks over the entire city. The day wore all of us out. But gave us a much needed tour of the city.

This was a short update, but I will have more coming soon.

Thanks for reading