Hey everybody! My work time in the DR is officially over, now for a weekend at the beach in Puerta Plata. I've been looking forward to this for some time now. I love the ocean! And maybe I'll get to eat some pancakes! One can only hope.
Sorry it's been awhile since I've written a journal last, but we've been super busy. Wednesday we went to the Batey to distribute parasite medication to the children there. It was very chaotic, there were kids everywhere and we had to mark their hand with marker to make sure they only got one dose of the medication. They were so cute though.
Thursday was our busiest day yet. First we take a gua-gua that doesn't have a comporador (the guy that hangs off the side and collects the money/the guy you tell where your stop is). It was this day that I realized how important that job is. I got to be in comporador fantasy camp kind of, because I was sitting near the driver and he had me collect the money and give back change. I didn't get to hang out the side of the door though :(
That Thursday afternoon we had a wheelchair/orthotic/any other type of assistive device clinic here at ILAC for some of the children here. After that we educated some ladies on how to do PT for children. At the end of the day, from 6 until 10PM we had a fiesta for all of the workers here, those from the clinics, and for us. It was so much fun. There was a barbeque with hamburgers and hotdogs, and a lot of dancing. At first I wasn't going to dance, but then one of the PT's from Hospicio forced me to learn the Dominican dance, where it's all hips (no moving your shoulders). Once you got out on the dance floor, there was no turning back). As soon as the song was over and the next one stopped somebody else would spot you and get you dancing again.
Today was our last day at Hospicio. We through a mini-fiesta for the residents, and handed out juice and cookies. It was great, but very sad. With the translation help of one of the PT's that speaks English, I was told by the man with the leg amputation that he wished I didn't have to leave :( I didn't know I could get so attached to people when I could bearly speak their language. I am honestly sad to be leaving them.
One of the patients from the outpatient clinic offered to drive Tennille and me back here to ILAC, so we took her up on it. It was SWEET! She drives a Ford SUV type car, and it was so roomy. She also had the air conditioner on full blast, it was glorious. She drove us by her house so we'd know where we could stay if we ever came back. Then she made a stop at one of the stands on the side of the rode to by us some sweets. It was great. There's no way that this would happen, or be allowed to happen in the US. It's so crazy.
Well, I'm getting ready to head to the beach. Then one week in Tallahasse, Florida, then back to Iowa!!! Yay!!!
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