The Adventures of Harmoniousness

Holy House Batman

2007-07-18T08:38:00.000-05:00

Location: Somewhere in Virginia Beach VA
Status: big pimpin

My brother, seeeester in law, and myself are sharing a 3400 sq ft monstrosity of a house with a coon hound and a minature dachshund. Maui gets tired going back and forth down the hall to my room so she wait at the end of the hall and watches me. We look around and say "do we really live here?"

Dream Job

2007-05-31T18:15:00.000-05:00

I found my job!

This position has everything I wanted and more!

It doesn't get any sweeter than this.

Virginia here I come =)

Graduation

2007-05-16T09:25:00.000-05:00

T-minus 6 days and I will officially have a Masters in Medicine......

Ban Hand Guns?

2007-04-17T18:47:00.000-05:00

Ban Hand Guns?
Tonight NBC nightly news broadcasted the World's reaction to the Virginia Tech shootings. England banned hand guns after the killing of 16 school kids. Australia followed in also banning hand guns. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said and I paraphrase that we [Australia] did not want to glamorize guns the way they do in the US. A woman in England said "I'm sad but I'm not surprised, these things happen all the time in America." Another man said "Maybe the U.S. should ban hand guns".....
http://www.banhandgunsnow.org/
But does banning handguns reduce crime? And can something so embeded in our culture disappear just because it is made illegal.The right to bare arms, the second amendment, is American history. Can we change a 200 year old ideal? President Bush said today that he believes in this right. The NRA issued this statement:
"The National Rifle Association joins the entire country in expressing our deepest condolences to the families of Virginia Tech University and everyone else affected by this horrible tragedy.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families.
We will not have further comment until all the facts are known. "
Andrew ArulanandamDirector of Public AffairsNational Rifle Association
Just like marajuna, making handguns illegal doesn't make them unavailable. But maybe they would have been more unavailable to a 23 year old student with a vengence. Think about it. Get educated. Form your opinion. Take Action.

Whirlwind

2007-04-04T20:36:00.000-05:00

Location: Winston Salem, NC USA
Status: I'm a little Tasmanian devil

you don't want to be in my living room right now
Alden keeps looking around and saying "Harmony's home"
Good to be home, good to eat steak and starbucks again.

but I'm Leaving for my brothers wedding tomorrow!
Just arrived two days ago!
Thank God for Alden....... What a blessing he is. Thanks to him my car is legal (yes yes Harmony finally has a rear view mirror two years late!)
Can't wait to see my family and to enjoy this new celebration.

And Maui is coming home......

Oh I need an exit visa?????

2007-04-03T19:06:00.000-05:00

Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Status: freaked out and worn out!

By the way when you enter mexico keep that little slip of yellow paper they give you but don't tell you it is important. It is very important and valuable! Losing mine cost me $500 dollars.

Los Perros

2007-03-30T17:26:00.000-05:00

Location: everywhere!
Status:

At clinic this week (human clinic!) they were vaccinating dogs for rabies. There were dogs everywhere! the yard outside of the clinic was completely filled with dogs and their owners. Dogs were arriving with their people by bicycle, moto, truck loads, tied with rope, string, wire, leashes. One family with 3 kids had 6 dogs. Puppies were toted in bags. Even one cat who poked his head out of the bag and freaked out at the sight of 30 dogs. So many strange looking mixed breed street dogs that these people adore. (they don't have shoes, they live in dirt floor houses, they cherish their children and their animals) Some of the dogs looked like they were dead already.... Is rabies really going to help?

I miss Maui everyday but there is a little saulchicha (weenie dog) just down the street who plays in the street all day and she comes to visit and get some loving everytime she see us. Slice of heaven

There were patients too! The doctor would see 5 patients and vaccinate 20 dogs. (I vaccinated a few dogs myself). Emily and I kept laughing saying "I can't believe it". Well It's Mexico, Only in Mexico.
In Mexico as you may know already there isn't any animal control so there are dogs everywhere in the streets. Some belong to people some don't, some that look like street dogs actually belong to people! The people here love their dogs so much and the animals are very well behaved.

Manzute

2007-03-29T14:07:00.000-05:00

Location: Manzute 1 hr S of Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico

Status: Enchanted!

Playa Manzute is a large quiet cove with many rock formations. It is perfect for snorkeling because the cove is protected by the rocks. We arrived late in the afternoon after clinic and swam first thing in Warm! pacific clear blue water. At sunset we walked to the point, (thats where this pic was taken!) Que Bonita. The wonders of Mexico never cease. I love this place!

La enfermera (The Nurse)

2007-03-27T17:52:00.000-05:00

Location: Chila, Oaxaca Mexico (10 minutes north of Puerto Escondido)
Status: organized

Our fourth and final clinical destination is the Centro de Salud Chila! We arrived via a pickup truck taxi (you ride in the back) called a colectivo, to find a solo doctor managing the clinic. He offered us chairs in his office but he was doing everything, getting the charts, taking blood pressures. So I told him I'd do that if he saw the patients.....
I'm not a nurse but I got to organize!!!
The patients were weighed, blood pressures taken, charts found and ready for the doctor. I showed him how we do efficency in the U.S. of A. lol (kidding he didn't notice)

on our way home the taxis were striking and blocked the road. Adventures never cease here in Mexico!

The DEET line

2007-03-25T11:18:00.000-05:00

Location: my room, at my homestay, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca Mexico.
Status: Murderer!

The closer you get to the equador the more insects there are in the environment. I like the outdoors and bugs are a part of enjoying the wild. However I don't like bugs crawling on me at night or the thought of bugs crawling on me at night. So in my room there were ants, cockroaches, spiders etc. Even a gecko (those I like because they eat bugs). so during the first few nights I felt creepy crawlies and I used my 25% deet spray around my bed and bed posts. This was successful because every bug that crossed the deet line dies quickly! However the cockroaches and ants found their way to me via the ceiling and the walls. So I used the deet to make a line around my bed on the walls too. There is no way to get to me without crossing a deet line (unless you are a flying insect). Every morning I wake up to dead bugs and am so proud of my ingenuinty.

Los Plantinos

2007-03-23T10:28:00.000-05:00

Location: Pacific Ocean, Oaxaca Mexico
Status: full of life

About the food: We've had some great meals....grilled tuna, tuna salad, lentil stew etc. My favorite being the tuna salad: flaked tuna, chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion, lime. Everything is served with salsa and lime. Great dish. Everyday is not a tuna day. We've eaten very little meat at meals. (often the only meat we see is ham slices chopped into eggs or pasta. Overall staples here in Oaxaca are avocado, limes, bananas, papaya, watermelon, eggs, black beans and an Oaxacan cheese. It is very interesting all white cheese that is served on everything. It can be flaky or stringy (like string cheese) and is very dense, much like Mozerella (spelling?). Oxacans also make a "pizza", a tostada with black beans and cheese, possibly carne or chicken on top, drizzled with picante sauce. Another dish is scrambled eggs floating in a red sauce (I forget the name since I don't eat eggs) Its been so nice to have fresh fruit all the time bananas everywhere and lots of smoothies. One of my favorite drinks is milk, strawberries and bananas (plantinos) blended together.

Yesterday we road a giant banana inner tube in the ocean, pulled by a boat. So friggin fun!!!!

La Laguna

2007-03-21T13:55:00.000-05:00

Location: Manialtepec Lagoon, Oaxaca Mexico
status: my ass is wet

A few nights ago another host family took us to manialtepec- a lagoon about 20 minutes north. We had no idea where we were going or what for and when we arrived and parked the car and there was just water (like a stream in front of us) We could hear the waves crashing nearby but where? The host family started whistling a black man appeared with a canoe. Apparently African slaves escaped and settled in Oaxaca.

The boatman took us across shore and we walked into the bush and came out onto the beach on the other side. Palapa roofs and all.
We rented a canoe from the boatman and paddled at sunset. A fish jumped into our boat and the girls it landed on stood up and "freaked out". They didn't know what it was that just jumped into their laps. We saw pink flamingos and many other birds.
We had no idea why we where there or how long we were staying. We kept looking at one another wondering what was going on. Night fell and the mosquitos swarmed and we still didn't leave. Our host kept saying 15 more minutes. Finally he said "okay lets go (nos vamos!)" and three of us by boat the rest of us walked in the dark to our entry location. There the boatman was waiting for us and we paddled into the lagoon. Pitch black, plants tickling our arms. We reach more open water and where the paddles touched the water it glowed! Flourescent plankton glow with movement! (see below) People went swimming in thier chones (underware) and filled the canoe with water when they returned. We all ended up having to strip before we got in the car!

The others

2007-03-18T16:10:00.000-05:00

We've met a handful of other tourists on this trip. Lots of Canadians vacation here. I was told by one from Vancouver that Puerto Escondido is still a cheap vacation spot. Which is true! It is essentially untouched by tourista inflation! (except for the surf industry which is just as expensive if not more expensive here. Don't expect to get sandles, shorts, boards for cheap....) The Euros and Canadians take longer vacations than americans do. Their culture allows for it, unlike American capitalism which mandates you work 5 years before you can have 2 weeks off. Ridiculous. Although we met a teacher from San Diego last night...he's surfing here for 6 months. Sweet!

I hope to have more vacation time that two weeks a year!!!

El trememoto!

2007-03-15T11:51:00.000-05:00

Location: 50 km (30 miles) SSW of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Status: tremors all around!

There was an earthquake this morning! 5.1 on the richter scale, located 50 km (30 miles) SSW of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Maps/10/265_15.php

Emily and I were eating breakfast (me just coffee because of my recent illness) and it started as a low rumble and grew into the enitire house shaking. I knew what it was having experienced some while living in California but Emily looked at me in alarm: I said "its an earthquake! get in a door way! " and our hosts were running down the stairs to open the front door. (If the building colapsed you'd need the iron door open to get out)
I had already opened it. Its amazing how instinct kicks in moments of stress. Fight or Flight is deeply rooted in our genes. Afterwards Emily and I had moments imagining if it was a more severe quake and the opportunities we could have had to help people, we would have been in the right place at the right time. But of course we wouldn't ever wish for that....

And I told her "you'll never make fun of my super dooper first aid kit with IV, epi pen, emergency blankets, water proof matches, 100% deet again will you! I'm prepared for an emergency!" lol

My novio (boyfriend) pointed out that my last entry sounded too angry...seething was the term he used. And yes I was very ticked (we all know how emotional I can be) but I think it behooves me to be factual about the conditions here. I do think my attitude sucked at that moment and I understand that efficancy is NOT a Latino value...its not a valued characteristic in a lot of cultures. But it is in mine and it is to me. Those of you who know me well know that one thing that ticks me off quickly is injustice. (The fact that I was uncomfortable too didn't help!) As that doctor wasted time, other doctors do it too. They leave for their second breakfast in the morning, for seistas etc. Sick people sit in the waiting room and every night at that clinic people go home without seeing a doctor and come back to wait again the next day. Doesn't that make you mad?

Two nights ago I fell asleep by 9 p.m. and awoke in the middle of the night with a runny nose that gushed the rest of the night. The next morning I had other symptoms including: nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and severe body aches; dolar en mis huesos (pain into my bones), even my teeth hurt. I went to clinic and was sitting in the little exam room with no windows and felt sick to my stomach, what do you do when there is no toliet paper? Lets just say I'm a survivor.
I was feeling very ill and if I moved around to much I started to dry heave so I laid in bed all day. I could feel when the tylenol would wear off and I would have cyclic episodes of dry heaving and severe body aches. At one point in mid day I was trying to stay warm under a wool blanket in 100 degree heat with Escalofrios (or chills)! I fell alseep last night and awoke again a few times but today I feel practically normal. No myalagias, minimal nausea (sour stomach only) and feeling generally weak. I've diagnosed myself with a virus, only a virus would cause upper respiratory symptoms with nausea, vommiting, diarrhea, and muscle aches. My hosts offered to take me to the doctor and I said that's okay. I think that the doctors here are good doctors but I had my trusty first aid kit and I'd rather Emily take care of me if I was sick without a degree yet or license than trust my health to siesta loving doctors....... would they be a non-chalant about my health as their own people? what would you do?

Its hot In hell

2007-03-13T14:03:00.000-05:00

Its even fucking hotter today. Excuse my french but that is the best description. I sat in a 20 x 10 room with no windows all day with another student {why they can't separate us I have yet to understand} and up to 3 patients and a doctor. The hottest room in the clinic. The doctor spent 1 plus hours on average with each patient!!! What was he doing? that time was not spent talking to the patient or improving their care its just wasted on nothing on inefficency.... They complain about not having enough but they definately don't try to see very many patients in a day. And the poor patients wait for hours! Meanwhile I sit there miserable for only 1-2 minutes of actual learning. My overall feeling for today was not altruistic it was Screw this! And yes there is need but first the doctors need to fix themselves before they solicit foreign aid.....

Centro de Salud

2007-03-12T16:40:00.000-05:00

Location- El centro, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca Mexico
Status- fucking hot

The centro is a free clinic in downtown Puerto Escondido with even more sparse facilities than the hospital in San Pedro. I worked with Doris Caderna a young physician who works in heels, mini skirts and lots of eyeliner. She's beautiful and kind. We saw 10 patients in rapid succesion including an american who was wanting Narcotics...some things are the same even in Mexico...some things you can't escape. Surprisingly there are women seeking contraception! That was enlightening, because I thought that birth control was taboo here. My family is not religous maybe there are many others who don't listen to the pope, especially since the people of Oaxaca are so poor. This clinic is small and not air conditioned and with no chairs, I was freaking dying. I am a gringo and I sweat. Doctora Makeup doesn't in her white coat! It was great to see so many patients and to be able to participate in the care.

Las Olas

2007-03-11T13:50:00.000-05:00

I have spent the weekend surfing with my host family. All of whom are very good surfers. Both days I went to the most southern point of Zicatela beach (La Punta) . For me these point breaks are better waves because they break softer and slower. And its a left, great if you are goofy footed (right foot forward on board) like me. At la Punta there are a lot of groms (kids who surf) and touristas. The main beach of Zicatela is an advanced surfer local. This morning the waves were peeling...it was gorgeous...my host surfed there. I wouldn't dare because they are "board breaking" waves in shallow water. more like neck breaking! Last night we went to a bar that looks more like a cafe in Zicatela called Babylon. It was a really cool mellow place, there were many surfers, the bartenders were surfers I saw in the water the other day. I don't drink but I had a virgin mohito (mint grinded with sugar normally mixed with straight rum but in my case with mineral water.) I didn't like it, thats probably taboo. Roger Ramirez and his son Roger dos...are both great surfers. I am particularly honored to get to know them. In the water big Roger is protective of us and helps us get waves. How cool is that? I just love the life he and his family has...... they were sad for me that no one in my family is able to surf with me. Its cute. There is another beach Carizalillo (see photo!!):

which is a cove... this beach is a good surf spot for beginners with both a right and a left moving wave. It doesn't break all the time, the waves have to be in the right direction.... but this beach is only 4 blocks from where I live so we go there all the time. At the entrance of the cove are reefs for snorkeling! I haven't had the best of luck surfing these last few days- I had two killer wipe outs onto rocks! today. I caught two waves yesterday which was a miracle because there is a lot of competition. But its only the first week and I am rusty from not surfing since last summer, when I surfed Wrightsville beach. So it will come! How lucky am I to be here and to live like this for a whole month.

The enviroment

2007-03-09T14:41:00.000-05:00

Locations: San Pedro, Oaxaca Mexico}
Status: saddened

Oaxaca is the poorest state in Mexico and the people live in sultry conditions. There is not a trash service so people through their trash in the bush outside of their houses. Or they bring it into the mountains. When we are driving to San Pedro there are signs that say- Do not throw your trash here. but the roads are lined with trash. When it rains the trash flows into the ocean along with diseases because there isn't a sanitation system either. So people have outhouses steps from their houses. This waste along with animal waste(there is no animal control so dogs and cats wander the streets having babies and spreading diseases) and pesticides all wash into the ocean. Also interestingly as we drive I see patches of mountains with no trees or brush. This is because people cut it down for fuel, firewood. The people use all the resources they can and it destroys the enviroment. They water is sometimes dirty, trash drifts into the beach. My guess is this area is over fished- the people need $, they do not think "hey I'm harming my environment". They are oppressed by a dictatorship and they take from the enviroment in order to survive and feed their families. You do not see monkeys, or parrots or lizards because the people trap them and sell them or eat them. This is how it is here especially away from the city where people are very poor.

Clinico del San Pedro

2007-03-07T21:56:00.000-05:00

Location: San Pedro, Oaxaca Mexico
Status: impressed!

My clinic for the weeks is twenty minutes from Puerto Escondido into the mountains. On winding road with vacas (cows), people walking in the middle, cars driving on the wrong side of the street or side by side with drivers talking, many dogs, people selling coconuts, and lots of trash. People put their trash in the mountains because there isn't a trash service and they don't want it next to their house but when it rains it flows into the ocean and polutes the water......

The clinic is brand new and is free for women and children (with the right paper work) There is an emergency room, birthing room, operating room and 6 exam rooms. The people come in the morning and wait and wait and wait for the doctors. They will wait all day. This is one of the reasons Latinos go to ER's in the states; because it is a system they understand. However when we are with a patient, other families try to talk to the doctor. The doctors are very patient and say- you are next and the people go back to the waiting room. But there are many interruptions to the clinical visit =) sometimes the patient isn't even present, just family asking questions.

And we take breaks a lot! We arrive at 8 (or 8:15 or 8:25) and we break for breakfast (desiyuna) For me its the second breakfast because my hostess makes huge breakfasts every morning at 6. We walk through the tiny pueblo (town) to some lady's house and she cooks us breakfast (ham steaks, eggs, tortillas, papas, frioles) EVERY DAY!

I saw one surgery so far a hysterectomy and the surgeons do not have a bovie (wand for coagulation) so they cut and sew, cut and sew...they surgeon was very skilled, impressive.
The interview process is very different in that there are many questions you have to ask poor people and you can't ever assume anything. Like you have to ask how many people live in the house? What they do for a living specifically? where the children were born (ie in the house! or in hospital) Have they had vaccinations? how many animals are in the house? what animals?

The patients, workers and doctors are very very polite and nice. The physical exams are very thorough, it is also impressive. They do an excellent with very little resources, the doctors are smart.... they have to be!

Estoy Aqui

2007-03-04T11:05:00.000-05:00

Location: Peurto Escondido
Status: contento but need to practice my spanish ( I sound like an idoit)

I arrived in Puerto yesterday at 3. The veiw (vista) as you arrive by plane is amazing! rolling hill decending from the mountains to the beach! The pacific seems much more beautiful here. Yesterday was a busy day. Emily my classmate and I caught 3 planes. From Atlanta we sat next to a vietnamese diplomat. He taught himself to speak English Russian and Chinese. (he asked us for help filling out his customs paperwork) He showed us all of the business cards he recieved....you wouldn´t believe all the diplomats he has met!

We are staying with Sol and Miguel, they are young and have two kids. Sol is from Uruguay and Miguel is Miguel Ramirez from the famos Ramirez family of Puerto Escondido. (they make surf boards, tablas de surf). PS there are no warm water showers. Sol is a great hostess, she loves people and you can tell. She makes great food- very fresh and healthy, I think she thinks we like to eat alot because there is always tons of food. We feel bad for not eating it all. Their daughter is 10 mos old and I gave her a pink fuzzy bunny, which she carried around all last night. They are very friendly and polite. Suffices to say I have no worries, I´m in good hands and can just relax......phew what a concept

Me encanto!

T minus 4 days

2007-02-28T12:24:00.000-05:00

Maybe I am insaine for planning a trip abroad in the middle of graduating, studying for boards and trying to find a j-o-b. or maybe its the perfect time to escape the stress....will it be waiting for me when I return? lol Plus I miss my dog, Crazy Little Shorty.

I am excited! I have to keep perspective and not let "stress" take away from this unbelievable experience!!! I've been talking/dreaming about this trip for two years. What an adventure!

What a priviledge! Viva Mexico!

Destination: Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca Mexico

Travel Dates: March 3- April 3

Status: I have a pile of stuff in the middle of my living room that somehow has to get to Mexico with me.