So I witnessed something very cultural today while at a basketball game that I think is important to share with you all. One of the players on our team was elbowed right below the eyebrow during the game. He walked off the court and obviously started to bleed. Of course this being Ecuador no one had a first aid kit handy. So they poured some water on it and held a napkin to the eye to try to get it to stop bleeding. This wasn't working the best and everyone starting saying, "la cascara del huevo, hay que comprar un huevo" (the egg shell, go buy an egg).
Apparently here in Ecuador it is common to use the film of the inside of an egg shell like a band-aid. Not only does it stop the bleeding but minimizes the risk of scarring...who would have thought! The player went to lie down while his mom went out to buy an egg, and at the end of the game you could see that they have strategically peeled off the film and positioned it just right so that it looked kinda like a butterfly band-aid. Impressive. He wasn't bleeding and it looked like the egg did the job, and he wasn't going to need stitches.
So there you have it, a little home remedy to help with cuts when band-aids aren't available!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Birthday a week away
One week from today and I will be celebrating yet another birthday here in Ecaudor. Crazy to think that a year ago I was celebrating in Tumbaco around all volunteers and this year will be only with Ecuadorian.
Life updates..hmmm lets see.
Work is always interesting and changing from week to week. I don't really mind the change especially when the change is for more work and for work that I actually enjoy but at times it can get frustrating feeling that at times I don't have a solid work plan all the time. Flexible, flexible, flexible, gotta keep thinking; just keep swimming just keep swimming!! But the good news is I believe the smoke is clearing.
I have high hopes for this new director that came just over 2 months ago. As I think I mentioned before we have been progressing with project plans, proposals, etc..she is a vigorous worker and gets things done. I feel like I have a lot more say in what I do and because I've been here a year I know people better, they know me and we can plan work together. I totally understand what other volunteers mean when they say that after the two years they finally feel like they are starting something.
For this coming semester it looks like my main work will be helping out with this transformation in the cafeterias here on campus. I can proudly say that I with two other "helpers" successfully did over 900 surveys with University faculty and students on the quality of service of the cafeterias and transportation at the UTA. We then organized data to create this massive presentation for the director. The results show that the majority of people are not happy with the service. Our goal is to go in and train the workers on things like hygiene, nutrition and presentation (uniforms, organization, etc. I would really like to switch out all of the unhealthy food for more healthy food but I think these steps are the first that need to be completed.
Besides this I have been conversing with the other social worker about doing work with her and the doctors in the workshops on HIV/Aids awareness. Last week we planned out a couple of programs that we will do for World Aid's day (Dec 1st), so Im happy that that is on the calendar. Speaking of HIV/Aids, I traveled to Riobamba to talk with Orrin and the nurse about our support group that we are wanting to start. Apparently they have a space reserved in one of the clinicas in town and we are scheduled to start in August. Orrin and I are going to open up with a presentation about the importance of group support and what the myths and superstitions are about HIV/Aids. So Im excited about getting that started.
I think that's probably about it from the work standpoint. Life apart from work is going well. Because of Liga Nacional (The national basket ball tournament going on-chino's the assistent coach on one of the teams) my basketball life has picked-up..As a fan that is, haha..the other weekend I went with Chino to Santo Domingo for their second game, and they won! As of right now they are first in the Nation...haha sounds so official, even though there are only 8 teams in the country participating in this tournament it's impressive that they are first because they are a brand new team. This next week will be more challenging as the teams get a bit harder, but their team is strong and I am confident that they will do well.
I have vacation in August from the 6th till the 21st and have no idea what I will be doing..Im sure something will happen last minute...maybe I'll go to the beach. All I know is that I really do need a vacation. So looking forward to Hannah coming in October!
Ok I'll sign out from here! Chaiiii
Life updates..hmmm lets see.
Work is always interesting and changing from week to week. I don't really mind the change especially when the change is for more work and for work that I actually enjoy but at times it can get frustrating feeling that at times I don't have a solid work plan all the time. Flexible, flexible, flexible, gotta keep thinking; just keep swimming just keep swimming!! But the good news is I believe the smoke is clearing.
I have high hopes for this new director that came just over 2 months ago. As I think I mentioned before we have been progressing with project plans, proposals, etc..she is a vigorous worker and gets things done. I feel like I have a lot more say in what I do and because I've been here a year I know people better, they know me and we can plan work together. I totally understand what other volunteers mean when they say that after the two years they finally feel like they are starting something.
For this coming semester it looks like my main work will be helping out with this transformation in the cafeterias here on campus. I can proudly say that I with two other "helpers" successfully did over 900 surveys with University faculty and students on the quality of service of the cafeterias and transportation at the UTA. We then organized data to create this massive presentation for the director. The results show that the majority of people are not happy with the service. Our goal is to go in and train the workers on things like hygiene, nutrition and presentation (uniforms, organization, etc. I would really like to switch out all of the unhealthy food for more healthy food but I think these steps are the first that need to be completed.
Besides this I have been conversing with the other social worker about doing work with her and the doctors in the workshops on HIV/Aids awareness. Last week we planned out a couple of programs that we will do for World Aid's day (Dec 1st), so Im happy that that is on the calendar. Speaking of HIV/Aids, I traveled to Riobamba to talk with Orrin and the nurse about our support group that we are wanting to start. Apparently they have a space reserved in one of the clinicas in town and we are scheduled to start in August. Orrin and I are going to open up with a presentation about the importance of group support and what the myths and superstitions are about HIV/Aids. So Im excited about getting that started.
I think that's probably about it from the work standpoint. Life apart from work is going well. Because of Liga Nacional (The national basket ball tournament going on-chino's the assistent coach on one of the teams) my basketball life has picked-up..As a fan that is, haha..the other weekend I went with Chino to Santo Domingo for their second game, and they won! As of right now they are first in the Nation...haha sounds so official, even though there are only 8 teams in the country participating in this tournament it's impressive that they are first because they are a brand new team. This next week will be more challenging as the teams get a bit harder, but their team is strong and I am confident that they will do well.
I have vacation in August from the 6th till the 21st and have no idea what I will be doing..Im sure something will happen last minute...maybe I'll go to the beach. All I know is that I really do need a vacation. So looking forward to Hannah coming in October!
Ok I'll sign out from here! Chaiiii
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
4th of July
Happy Birthday USA! As everyone at home has the day off and is probably spending it with friends, outside eating burgers and watching fire works, Im here at the office preparing for the little ones tomorrow morning. I know I know I completely missed June. I really don´t know how that happened. There are always those days when things are going really slow and I have nothing to do but I guess it just slips my mind that I have a blog that I should be updating.
June was a good month actually, I took on two different projects. One is the University Childcare Center, where I am helping out teaching english to the kids (4-5 years old) Eventually the goal is to talk to them about health related stuff. It was quite a shock going from the University of Minnesota Childcare Center to this one. I mean I understand it´s Ecuador and it´s very different from the States, but geez laweez the kids at the Center here are AWFUL. There are no classroom rules. Kids do whatever they want, they have no manners and above all, it doesn´t really appear that they are learning anything. These years before going to school are vital to form certain skills. After starting to volunteer here I´ve realized why the school system is not the best, they are not given the proper guidance from a young age on how to act, etc, etc....I´m not blaming the kids, because really it´s not their fault. The adults around them are the people who should be helping to form them and that´s clearly not happening in a positive way..sad...
My other project that ended the last week of June was helping middle school students with after-school homework. The director here at Bienestar has a Guardaria (childcare center) in Ingahurco (close to the other campus) and the top two floors are classrooms for kids to come during the school year to get help with their homework. In the month of June the only kids that had to come were those who were failing their subjects. This place offeres help in English, Math and Science. If the kids are failing a subject they have one chance to take a test to see if they can pass the class. If not, they have to repeat the year. So in the month of June I was helping students to prepare for their english test. It ended up being really fun. The group of students (the majority males) that I had were really energetic to work with and I think the majority of them ended up passing english, so that´s encouraging. I also learned a lot about my own language!!
Let´s see what else has been going on....Orrin (PCV Riobamba) and I are looking into starting an HIV/Aids support group here in Ambato. Orrin has been helping out at the hospital in Rio and come to find there are about 15 people going to Riobamba from Ambato for medical care regarding their diagnosis. There is a group that meets in Riobamba but it´s not very successful, so we thought it would be a good idea to try to start one here in Ambato.
Last week we went to Guayaquil to talk to some volunteers that work with people living with HIV/Aids and attended a support group. It was really awesome to meet the people, they were so excited for us to start a group and wanted to come visit and talk to the people once we had a group established. I´m really excited for this project because im thinking it will be my secondary project. It won´t take too many hours away from the University but it will be a change of scenary. So I´ll keep you all updated on that project.
As July comes and will probably go, super fast, Im realizing that my months here are dwindling down. We received the mid-service e-mail yesterday. We will be having our mid-service the first week in September. After that it´s all down hill...right...??? haha, doubtful. But I am excited for the new year because I´m in an educational institution, the years are calculated by school years, and in September will start the new school year.
This August Chino and I are looking at traveling somewhere. At first it was going to be Argentina, with a friend here who is from there. Now, it looks like she will not be able to go with us, meaning the price will drastically change because we were counting on trasnportation and lodging from her family and friends. So plans have changed to the beach. We are looking at different tours to Dominican Republic or perhaps Panama...Who knows, all I know is that I need a vacation. I used 8 days when my parents were here and Im pretty sure I have about 20 more saved up.
Ok enough for now...sorry that was long..
Again hope all is well at home, and you guys are melting away because of the heat, it´s cold here today, hehe
Friday, May 18, 2012
Who needs an eyelash curler when you have a spoon?
Mother´s day here in Ecuador was indeed different than any other Mother´s day that I´ve had in my life. Granted I haven´t been with my mother for every single Mother´s day but I have been in the same country as her (well except for mexico). Because I live in the land of the flowers and fruit there were people selling flowers EVERYWHERE!!! Im sure they jacked up the prices for the holiday but compared to the states it was still relatively cheap. I have always AT LEAST bought a card for my mother on Mother´s day and call her to say hi. When I have the opportunity to be in her presence and spend time with her we usualy do things that she enjoys-family games, walking in the praire etc, etc...In Ecuador the tradition is that you go out to eat, buy flowers, everything is pretty much the same. Something different that they sometimes practice is serenading at midnight. Groups of friends, usually guys will get together and drive around to the different mother´s houses and serenade them at midnight, how sweet! I asked Chino if his friends and him ever did this...he said no.
Because we are in Ecuador and you can do everything pretty much last minute, I went with Mayra and Chino at about, oh 10:30 the night before Mother´s day to pick out flowers. There was still quite a selection and they ended up picking out a really nice arrangement for 25 dollars, it consisted of all red roses and white lilies, something that would def be wayyy more than 25 dollars in the states!
On Mother´s day we were supposed to go to Patate and eat but ended up changing plans and going somewhere in Ambato. We went with all the aunts, cousins, grandmas, etc...Of all 12 of us chino and his dad were the only males, lol. Then we went back to the Aunts house and slept till Chino had his basketball game. By this time I was really sick, I had been sick the previous days as well. We came back and I drank agua de oregano like no other! A pretty relaxed day, no family games (like we would´ve done in the states with my mom), and no walks around the neighborhood (like we woud´ve done in the states with my mom). I was very grateful to be with a "family" and do "family things" but have to admit it wasn´t as fun as it would´ve been with my family back in the states, oh well.
So as most of you know that when my parents came some of my stuff was stolen, including ALL of my makeup. Im not a huge make up person so it wasn´t like life or death when I didn´t have make up. I did end up picking up a few things at the mega-maxi which was dissappointing because they had the worst selection. I also lost my eye-lash curler with my make up. Like I said, NOT a huge deal. There were no eyelash curlers to be found in the Megamaxi....and then I remembered that my coutnerpart for example, uses a lid of a lip balm container to curl her eye lashes...and that I´d seen one of Chino´s cousins uses a SPOON to curl her eyelashes...talk about resourceful. Then I got to thinking. They probably have never used an eye lash curler or don´t really see the necessity for one. So I grabbed a small spoon from the drawer and gave it a try. I´m not gonna lie I did almost poke my eye ball out once or twice but besides that I´ve pretty much become a professional at eyelash curling with a spoon! Who would have ever thought. I think that these little experiences are just what Peace Corps told us about in training. You aren´t always going to have the materials available that you are accustomed to and so what do you do? You use what you have around you to make things work.
Because we are in Ecuador and you can do everything pretty much last minute, I went with Mayra and Chino at about, oh 10:30 the night before Mother´s day to pick out flowers. There was still quite a selection and they ended up picking out a really nice arrangement for 25 dollars, it consisted of all red roses and white lilies, something that would def be wayyy more than 25 dollars in the states!
On Mother´s day we were supposed to go to Patate and eat but ended up changing plans and going somewhere in Ambato. We went with all the aunts, cousins, grandmas, etc...Of all 12 of us chino and his dad were the only males, lol. Then we went back to the Aunts house and slept till Chino had his basketball game. By this time I was really sick, I had been sick the previous days as well. We came back and I drank agua de oregano like no other! A pretty relaxed day, no family games (like we would´ve done in the states with my mom), and no walks around the neighborhood (like we woud´ve done in the states with my mom). I was very grateful to be with a "family" and do "family things" but have to admit it wasn´t as fun as it would´ve been with my family back in the states, oh well.
So as most of you know that when my parents came some of my stuff was stolen, including ALL of my makeup. Im not a huge make up person so it wasn´t like life or death when I didn´t have make up. I did end up picking up a few things at the mega-maxi which was dissappointing because they had the worst selection. I also lost my eye-lash curler with my make up. Like I said, NOT a huge deal. There were no eyelash curlers to be found in the Megamaxi....and then I remembered that my coutnerpart for example, uses a lid of a lip balm container to curl her eye lashes...and that I´d seen one of Chino´s cousins uses a SPOON to curl her eyelashes...talk about resourceful. Then I got to thinking. They probably have never used an eye lash curler or don´t really see the necessity for one. So I grabbed a small spoon from the drawer and gave it a try. I´m not gonna lie I did almost poke my eye ball out once or twice but besides that I´ve pretty much become a professional at eyelash curling with a spoon! Who would have ever thought. I think that these little experiences are just what Peace Corps told us about in training. You aren´t always going to have the materials available that you are accustomed to and so what do you do? You use what you have around you to make things work.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
work stuff...cont..
So as much as it sounds like the brigade is taking up a ton fo work time it really isn´t. I mean there are days during the week where I will commit to just doing stuff for it but in general it hasn´t been super time consuming. Let see what other semi-exciting thing is happening here. The other week I went to a workshop that Peace Corps was giving to some health promotor students. I gues it´s one of only TWO Universities in the whole country that has this career- "Health promotor". So they asked Peace Corps to come in and give a talk on HIV-Aids and Sexuality to the students. Peace Corps invited me because I am a volunteer working at a University setting as well and they thought that the information would be useful. So I went to Riobamba and assisted the two day workshop. It was pretty well done and I think the students enjoyed it a lot. Turns out they need to have community practice and replicate the taller that we did to other students. So those of us that were there pretty much had to offer our sites as a place to practice giving these talks. Which is awesome because I haven´t been doing a lot with HIV-Aids yet...saying yet because my goal within this next year is to do more work with it. I had several students that were interested and have already communicated with them about coming into Ambato the 17th of May to do some work with our students. We´ll see if they actually follow up and come!
Speaking of HIV-Aids one of my good volunteer friends is going to be working part time at the University in Riobamba. He contacted me a couple days ago to say that there were some people living with HIV-Aids that come to Riobamba to get their tests and meds (there isn´t a place here in Ambato to do that-probably because of the close proximity to Quito). He suggusted that we try to put a type of support group together, apparently several are students here from the University! I have had the idea in my mind for awhile now but not received the best support because my counterpart is not directly related with this subject, and does not get along too well with the lady that is. But now that I have some support from some people in Riobamba I am going to make the move to talk to our doctors here and the Social Worker that works on HIV-Aids to see if I can get information on the known cases of people living with HIV-Aids here, we´ll see, but keep your fingers crossed that we can create some type of support network!
The other work that is always constant here is the work that I´m doing with my counterpart Eulalia. The stuff that we are focusing on now is the Addicions and Mental health program. We are going around to the different colleges reporting the results of the survey that we did last semester on drug use and abuse and then promoting differnt Bienestar (the department that I work in-"well-being" of the students) services that we have. That is kinda an ongoing thing until we get around to all of the facultades. We´ve done four I think, and have six left. Along with this we have the help of students from a college that do open house, theatre, music and dance, promoting an "UTA SALUDABLE" a healthy University. More of an interactive way to talk about alternatives to drinking, drugs, etc. Today we have an open house. Everyone is setting up and it looks like it´s gonna be big. My counterpart is worried, because the last one we did kinda fell apart so hopefully this one goes better!
On top of that we are working with the Ministero to try to start(which Im sure will take TONS of oficios and time) a tobaco free campus...It´s probably a long shot but we have some good resources and I think it could happen, that is IF the rector approves it.
My other project that I tried to start was the world map. It´s not completely dead, just put on hold for the moment. We presented that idea to the Dean of one of the colleges and he o.k.´d it. Then the coordinator of the career was told and he came to us saying that he was sure that the Dean had no idea that our intentions were to paint on the walls of the building, and he was sure the Dean would not allow it.
So this morning we had a conversation with the Dean. Turns out he didn´t realize that we were going to be painting but did like the idea. The only problem is, the building where we have the club (English club with tourism students is where we want to do the world map)is not done being built. Yes Im sure some of you are wondering, how is it that they are allowing classes to go on, while they keep building other floors, it´s Ecuador, and things like that do happen, lol. Anyway because the building is not done, technically it has not been "turned in" to the Dean, therefore it is not his building and he can´t let us paint. So the idea is going to be put on hold till next semester and then it can be carried out! The waiting game is soooooo frustrating!!
Besides that there are other little things that my counterpart is working on and is trying to get me to help out in. But I am trying to stay focused on things that interest me and have to do with Peace Corps. Because this is an office setting and my counterpart has various things to work on, it is easy to go astray and work on things that in the end really don´t interest me.
It´s amazing though how things come and go, ideas, projects, etc. I think in the U.S. we have this mentalitly that if there is an idea, project etc it will be carried out and complete. That is most definetly not the case here. I don´t want to sound pessimistic or anything but it´s so true-you kind of have to be prepared for everything to fall apart or not turn out how you had planned. That way when things do turn out the way you wanted, it feels like such an accomplishment!!
Speaking of HIV-Aids one of my good volunteer friends is going to be working part time at the University in Riobamba. He contacted me a couple days ago to say that there were some people living with HIV-Aids that come to Riobamba to get their tests and meds (there isn´t a place here in Ambato to do that-probably because of the close proximity to Quito). He suggusted that we try to put a type of support group together, apparently several are students here from the University! I have had the idea in my mind for awhile now but not received the best support because my counterpart is not directly related with this subject, and does not get along too well with the lady that is. But now that I have some support from some people in Riobamba I am going to make the move to talk to our doctors here and the Social Worker that works on HIV-Aids to see if I can get information on the known cases of people living with HIV-Aids here, we´ll see, but keep your fingers crossed that we can create some type of support network!
The other work that is always constant here is the work that I´m doing with my counterpart Eulalia. The stuff that we are focusing on now is the Addicions and Mental health program. We are going around to the different colleges reporting the results of the survey that we did last semester on drug use and abuse and then promoting differnt Bienestar (the department that I work in-"well-being" of the students) services that we have. That is kinda an ongoing thing until we get around to all of the facultades. We´ve done four I think, and have six left. Along with this we have the help of students from a college that do open house, theatre, music and dance, promoting an "UTA SALUDABLE" a healthy University. More of an interactive way to talk about alternatives to drinking, drugs, etc. Today we have an open house. Everyone is setting up and it looks like it´s gonna be big. My counterpart is worried, because the last one we did kinda fell apart so hopefully this one goes better!
On top of that we are working with the Ministero to try to start(which Im sure will take TONS of oficios and time) a tobaco free campus...It´s probably a long shot but we have some good resources and I think it could happen, that is IF the rector approves it.
My other project that I tried to start was the world map. It´s not completely dead, just put on hold for the moment. We presented that idea to the Dean of one of the colleges and he o.k.´d it. Then the coordinator of the career was told and he came to us saying that he was sure that the Dean had no idea that our intentions were to paint on the walls of the building, and he was sure the Dean would not allow it.
So this morning we had a conversation with the Dean. Turns out he didn´t realize that we were going to be painting but did like the idea. The only problem is, the building where we have the club (English club with tourism students is where we want to do the world map)is not done being built. Yes Im sure some of you are wondering, how is it that they are allowing classes to go on, while they keep building other floors, it´s Ecuador, and things like that do happen, lol. Anyway because the building is not done, technically it has not been "turned in" to the Dean, therefore it is not his building and he can´t let us paint. So the idea is going to be put on hold till next semester and then it can be carried out! The waiting game is soooooo frustrating!!
Besides that there are other little things that my counterpart is working on and is trying to get me to help out in. But I am trying to stay focused on things that interest me and have to do with Peace Corps. Because this is an office setting and my counterpart has various things to work on, it is easy to go astray and work on things that in the end really don´t interest me.
It´s amazing though how things come and go, ideas, projects, etc. I think in the U.S. we have this mentalitly that if there is an idea, project etc it will be carried out and complete. That is most definetly not the case here. I don´t want to sound pessimistic or anything but it´s so true-you kind of have to be prepared for everything to fall apart or not turn out how you had planned. That way when things do turn out the way you wanted, it feels like such an accomplishment!!
Well it´s May
Well it´s may...At least I got out three posts in April..that´s an improvement right? I know I have said this several times but seriously time is just flying here. I mean yeah there are definetly those days where things seem to just drag on and I feel pretty useless, believe it or not, YES that still happenes...lol but in general the weeks literally are going by sooo fast!!! Im coming up to my one year anniversary here in Ecuador, and almost my half-way point of my service...although I still have a couple months for that (August). But if I think about it in semesters. I´ve already been working here at the University for practically two semesters. By August I will have only TWO LEFT! This obviously makes me reflect on what I am doing, what I plan on doing and all of the stuff in between.
In this post I would like to focus on work because there is a lot of stuff going on. Frist, a medical brigade is coming to Salasaka-an indiginous community close to Ambato, and I have been assigned, well really volunteered to help coordinate (¿how hard can coordinating a ONE-DAY brigade really be?). The Brigade will be in Santo Domingo for the majority of the time (May 19th-23rd) and then travel to the Sierra for the 25th. So my job was to go and talk to the president of the community and coordinate (really remind- because the brigade had already talked to him about where and when , etc..) with him the logistics, then talk quickly with the director of the hospital in Pelileo to let him know as well about the brigade.
I have only been to Salasaka once, when the coordinator of the brigade was here doing water samples. I only knew of the small sub-centro, so thought I would go there and ask where I could find the president . The nurse was super helpful and showed me where to go to talk to the presidente. I walked the few blocks that she indicated to me and arrived at the building that appeared to be municiple...strangely enough all the doors were closed and I heard children inside. I knocked a couple times and tried to look into the windows...nothing. Ugh...I knew this was going to happen, nothing can be as easy as it appears, ESPECIALLY here in Ecuador. A guy walked by and I asked him where exactly the Offices were, turns out I needed to walk around the building to ANOTHER building where they were doing construction. I tip toed through the mud and concrete piles, and crouched under the scaffolding to get to the door (none of this would fly in the states) and proceeded into the office of the presidente. FINALLY! He looked at me kinda weird at first- remember this is an indiginous community so Americans obviously look like complete FOREIGNERS! I explained the purpose for my visit and he welcomed me to sit down. I had all the information that the brigade had given me-places, times, etc... We started talking about the places and he began to make a list of what communities the brigade had visited and where they had not. Little did I know, the brigade has been coming to Salasaka for the past 5 YEARS! So the communities that I had written down apparently had already been seen by the brigade and the president thought it would be a good idea to be in two new communities. I told him the date and the time and that they would need space, etc. Everything seemed to be in place.
After this I needed to go talk to the director of the hospital in Pelileo just to give them the heads up that the brigade was coming etc. So I went to the internet cafe to print the oficio and e-mail the coordinator of the brigade letting her know that we changed the communities. Come to find out the brigade was planning on going to the two new communities in August and didn´t want to change plans...great.... After several e-mails were exchanged we came to the agreement that if this is what the community needed the brigade would make the changes necessary to go to these new two communities. I printed out the oficio and was on my way to Pelileo.
The hunt for the hospital took about a half an hour. Ecuadorians here don´t like to admit that they don´t know directions, so they will normally tell you to go a couple blocks and turn left...or right...pretty much making up whatever they can to make it look like they know where you need to go. I finally found the hospital and asked for the director. He was in a meeting, typical. I had some time so I decided to wait. Luckily the wait was only about 20 minutes. I went in to see him and chatted for awhile about he brigade and handed him the oficio. He had heard of the brigade and was interested in it but said that he would need authorization from the Dirección Provincial de Salud de Tungurahua, pretty much the boss of the area. This place was located in Ambato. All I had to do was change the words asking permission for this director to help facilitate the brigade. Didn´t seem too complicated...WRONG.
So I changed the oficio and went on my way to the Dirección Provincial. Here the secretary greeted me saying that the director was not in and that she could receive the oficio. She read it over and said that in fact it would have to be turned into another lady who had to look over the brigade and what not to see if they could have permission. I was getting frustrated and agreed to have her turn it in. She said there would be a response on tuesday morning, that I could come in then to see the response. I left the oficio with her and was determined to come on tuesday with results from the Dirección.
Tuesday morning I got up and went to the Dirección....the secretary looked through the list of oficios and said that there was no answer. But if I wanted I could call this lady in the afternoon, when she was in her office to see what the result was. I explained to the secretary that the brigade already had the permission, we just needed to inform the director about what was going on and get permission for the doctor in Pelileo. She asked where the permission came from and that I needed to have it in writing!!! Ahhhhh how frustrating!!! This whole affair was getting complicated by the minute. The brigade never gave me any permission number and I had no documentation. I told her that I would call the lady in the afternoon. So at around 2:30 I called this mysterious lady that was making my life wayyyy more complicated that it needed to be. She said that she had not looked over any oficios and that maybe in the next two days would have an answer.
At this point I already had a car lined up from the University to take me to the hospital in Pelileo, because supposedly I was going to have an answer by then to tell the doctor..not the case. I took the opportunity to go anyway, dropped off the oficio-the doc wasn´t in..surprise surprise...and then on the way back stopped into the municipio to talk to the presidente reminding him about everything. He remembered but said that I should call him a couple days before the brigade, just in case...ay yai yai..Ecuadorians...
Today is Wednesday. I need to go back to Pelileo and talk to the doctor but it´s practically impossible to know when he is in the office and when he is not. I do not know when they are going to have an answer for me at the Dirección Provincial but the fact is the brigade is coming regardless....I think my best options now are to go in and talk directly with the director of the dirección Provincial and explain to him, and then talk to the doctor in Pelileo...
Wow so I went into way more detail than I though I would...I´ll write another blog talking about the other work!
In this post I would like to focus on work because there is a lot of stuff going on. Frist, a medical brigade is coming to Salasaka-an indiginous community close to Ambato, and I have been assigned, well really volunteered to help coordinate (¿how hard can coordinating a ONE-DAY brigade really be?). The Brigade will be in Santo Domingo for the majority of the time (May 19th-23rd) and then travel to the Sierra for the 25th. So my job was to go and talk to the president of the community and coordinate (really remind- because the brigade had already talked to him about where and when , etc..) with him the logistics, then talk quickly with the director of the hospital in Pelileo to let him know as well about the brigade.
I have only been to Salasaka once, when the coordinator of the brigade was here doing water samples. I only knew of the small sub-centro, so thought I would go there and ask where I could find the president . The nurse was super helpful and showed me where to go to talk to the presidente. I walked the few blocks that she indicated to me and arrived at the building that appeared to be municiple...strangely enough all the doors were closed and I heard children inside. I knocked a couple times and tried to look into the windows...nothing. Ugh...I knew this was going to happen, nothing can be as easy as it appears, ESPECIALLY here in Ecuador. A guy walked by and I asked him where exactly the Offices were, turns out I needed to walk around the building to ANOTHER building where they were doing construction. I tip toed through the mud and concrete piles, and crouched under the scaffolding to get to the door (none of this would fly in the states) and proceeded into the office of the presidente. FINALLY! He looked at me kinda weird at first- remember this is an indiginous community so Americans obviously look like complete FOREIGNERS! I explained the purpose for my visit and he welcomed me to sit down. I had all the information that the brigade had given me-places, times, etc... We started talking about the places and he began to make a list of what communities the brigade had visited and where they had not. Little did I know, the brigade has been coming to Salasaka for the past 5 YEARS! So the communities that I had written down apparently had already been seen by the brigade and the president thought it would be a good idea to be in two new communities. I told him the date and the time and that they would need space, etc. Everything seemed to be in place.
After this I needed to go talk to the director of the hospital in Pelileo just to give them the heads up that the brigade was coming etc. So I went to the internet cafe to print the oficio and e-mail the coordinator of the brigade letting her know that we changed the communities. Come to find out the brigade was planning on going to the two new communities in August and didn´t want to change plans...great.... After several e-mails were exchanged we came to the agreement that if this is what the community needed the brigade would make the changes necessary to go to these new two communities. I printed out the oficio and was on my way to Pelileo.
The hunt for the hospital took about a half an hour. Ecuadorians here don´t like to admit that they don´t know directions, so they will normally tell you to go a couple blocks and turn left...or right...pretty much making up whatever they can to make it look like they know where you need to go. I finally found the hospital and asked for the director. He was in a meeting, typical. I had some time so I decided to wait. Luckily the wait was only about 20 minutes. I went in to see him and chatted for awhile about he brigade and handed him the oficio. He had heard of the brigade and was interested in it but said that he would need authorization from the Dirección Provincial de Salud de Tungurahua, pretty much the boss of the area. This place was located in Ambato. All I had to do was change the words asking permission for this director to help facilitate the brigade. Didn´t seem too complicated...WRONG.
So I changed the oficio and went on my way to the Dirección Provincial. Here the secretary greeted me saying that the director was not in and that she could receive the oficio. She read it over and said that in fact it would have to be turned into another lady who had to look over the brigade and what not to see if they could have permission. I was getting frustrated and agreed to have her turn it in. She said there would be a response on tuesday morning, that I could come in then to see the response. I left the oficio with her and was determined to come on tuesday with results from the Dirección.
Tuesday morning I got up and went to the Dirección....the secretary looked through the list of oficios and said that there was no answer. But if I wanted I could call this lady in the afternoon, when she was in her office to see what the result was. I explained to the secretary that the brigade already had the permission, we just needed to inform the director about what was going on and get permission for the doctor in Pelileo. She asked where the permission came from and that I needed to have it in writing!!! Ahhhhh how frustrating!!! This whole affair was getting complicated by the minute. The brigade never gave me any permission number and I had no documentation. I told her that I would call the lady in the afternoon. So at around 2:30 I called this mysterious lady that was making my life wayyyy more complicated that it needed to be. She said that she had not looked over any oficios and that maybe in the next two days would have an answer.
At this point I already had a car lined up from the University to take me to the hospital in Pelileo, because supposedly I was going to have an answer by then to tell the doctor..not the case. I took the opportunity to go anyway, dropped off the oficio-the doc wasn´t in..surprise surprise...and then on the way back stopped into the municipio to talk to the presidente reminding him about everything. He remembered but said that I should call him a couple days before the brigade, just in case...ay yai yai..Ecuadorians...
Today is Wednesday. I need to go back to Pelileo and talk to the doctor but it´s practically impossible to know when he is in the office and when he is not. I do not know when they are going to have an answer for me at the Dirección Provincial but the fact is the brigade is coming regardless....I think my best options now are to go in and talk directly with the director of the dirección Provincial and explain to him, and then talk to the doctor in Pelileo...
Wow so I went into way more detail than I though I would...I´ll write another blog talking about the other work!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
the quest for pudding...and other non-relevant news
So I have a english club that I´m doing with the Fulbright voluntter here at the University. We have decided to start bringing different types of traditional dishes to class. I started out with a dessert, as in, I offered to bring a dessert traditional to the United States. I thought for awhile as walking up and down the isles of the Mega Maxi of something simple but sweet. And then it hit me, DIRT DESSERT! All I would need is oreos, pudding, and worms. Oreos were easy to find, in the isle with the crackers and cookies. The gummie worms were a little bit trickier, hidden by some of the candies. The last ingrediant I needed was a simple package of pudding mix. I asked, no one knew what I was talking about....I looked, nowhere to be found...I went up and down isles. I looked in the gelatine isle and let me just say Ecuadorians must love their jello because there were tons and tons of different types of jello, even flan mixes...but NO PUDDING!!
I realized that this might be a bit trickier than I thought. So I decided to call my father, who is quite knowledgeable on baking. He was busy...So I called my friend Paige who had the internet to look up quick an easy recipe to make pudding by scratch....turns out there was a pretty simple recipe using cocoa, butter, flour and sugar..easy enough. Well as I was picking up these ingrediants I ran into yet ANOTHER problem. Baking cocoa must not be used here as much as in the states, because I got to the isle and the majority of the cocoa was for mixing with milk and water for a drink, thus had sugar in it. And I needed cocoa WITHOUT sugar...You´d think with a country that produces the cacao beans there wouldn´t be any problem with making and selling the powder...I looked at various packages and found the one that appeared to have the least amount of sugar.
That evening we had a dinner for Hannah´s birthday (argentinian friend) and then after I set out to make my concoction of pudding. My dad had called me that night to see how I was going to make it and of course had his own ideas. So at around 11 pm I started my pudding. I ended up mixing egg yolks with sugar to help with the consistancy. Boiled milk with the cocao that turned out to not have a lot of sugar, thank god! The milk took awhile to boil but once it did I added it to the egg and sugar mixture. At this point I was supposed to bring all of this back to a boil. The consistancy was still pretty watery and so (as my father recommended) I added some flour mixted with butter to the chocolaty mixture...from there it was just a waiting game. Finally the mixture came to somewhat of a boil. From there I transfered it to another cooler pot. Then realized that I forgot to ask what to do after I was all done cooking it! Should I let it sit for awhile and cool? Should I put it directly into the fridge? It was still pretty watery..what if it wasn´t going to thinken and I had chocolate soup instead of pudding?!?!
I stepped away from the kitchen for a bit and brushed my teeth and got ready for bed. The time was about 12:45. About 10 minutes later I stuck the pot in the fridge hoping that while it cooled the mixture would thicken. That night I don´t think I´ve ever had so many dreams about desserts and pudding..
In the morning I opened the fridge to find somewhat of a pudding mixture in the pot...THANK GOD! I figured I would wait until a couple minutes before the club to make the dirt dessert just in case as it warme up it melted, lol
So about 15 minutes before the club I put it all together and grabbed a taxi to the University for the club. Alas, it was a hit! The pudding was very chocolaty and had a pretty good texture. I think everyone liked it! So, below I will attach the recipe. I did a lot by guessing and tasting but this is (mas o menos) more or less how to make homemade pudding!
PUDDING!
2 tbs butter
1.5 c. sugar
3 egg yolks (I only had 3, four might be better for the consistancy)
1.5 c. cocoa
2.5 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. flour mixed with 1/2 c milk (if you need to thicken it)
Mix egg yolks and sugar together. Add milk, cocoa, butter, and vanilla. Bring to slight boil stirring consistantly. Once bubbly add to yolks and sugar together and bring to fire once again until it starts to bubble. Depending on the texture you can add the flour mixture with it. You also might want a pinch of salt.
Set aside to cool a bit before putting in fridge. You will want to cover it when putting it in the fridge otherwise it will form a type of skin on top. Let set for a few hours and serve!
I also added a chocolate bar to the milk and cocoa mixture because I wasn´t sure if it would be chocolatly enough, lol
Speaking of chocolate bars, I would also like to add a shout out to my lovely family and friends who have been so gracious, sending me cards and care packages! Keep up the good work!!! love you all
I realized that this might be a bit trickier than I thought. So I decided to call my father, who is quite knowledgeable on baking. He was busy...So I called my friend Paige who had the internet to look up quick an easy recipe to make pudding by scratch....turns out there was a pretty simple recipe using cocoa, butter, flour and sugar..easy enough. Well as I was picking up these ingrediants I ran into yet ANOTHER problem. Baking cocoa must not be used here as much as in the states, because I got to the isle and the majority of the cocoa was for mixing with milk and water for a drink, thus had sugar in it. And I needed cocoa WITHOUT sugar...You´d think with a country that produces the cacao beans there wouldn´t be any problem with making and selling the powder...I looked at various packages and found the one that appeared to have the least amount of sugar.
That evening we had a dinner for Hannah´s birthday (argentinian friend) and then after I set out to make my concoction of pudding. My dad had called me that night to see how I was going to make it and of course had his own ideas. So at around 11 pm I started my pudding. I ended up mixing egg yolks with sugar to help with the consistancy. Boiled milk with the cocao that turned out to not have a lot of sugar, thank god! The milk took awhile to boil but once it did I added it to the egg and sugar mixture. At this point I was supposed to bring all of this back to a boil. The consistancy was still pretty watery and so (as my father recommended) I added some flour mixted with butter to the chocolaty mixture...from there it was just a waiting game. Finally the mixture came to somewhat of a boil. From there I transfered it to another cooler pot. Then realized that I forgot to ask what to do after I was all done cooking it! Should I let it sit for awhile and cool? Should I put it directly into the fridge? It was still pretty watery..what if it wasn´t going to thinken and I had chocolate soup instead of pudding?!?!
I stepped away from the kitchen for a bit and brushed my teeth and got ready for bed. The time was about 12:45. About 10 minutes later I stuck the pot in the fridge hoping that while it cooled the mixture would thicken. That night I don´t think I´ve ever had so many dreams about desserts and pudding..
In the morning I opened the fridge to find somewhat of a pudding mixture in the pot...THANK GOD! I figured I would wait until a couple minutes before the club to make the dirt dessert just in case as it warme up it melted, lol
So about 15 minutes before the club I put it all together and grabbed a taxi to the University for the club. Alas, it was a hit! The pudding was very chocolaty and had a pretty good texture. I think everyone liked it! So, below I will attach the recipe. I did a lot by guessing and tasting but this is (mas o menos) more or less how to make homemade pudding!
PUDDING!
2 tbs butter
1.5 c. sugar
3 egg yolks (I only had 3, four might be better for the consistancy)
1.5 c. cocoa
2.5 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. flour mixed with 1/2 c milk (if you need to thicken it)
Mix egg yolks and sugar together. Add milk, cocoa, butter, and vanilla. Bring to slight boil stirring consistantly. Once bubbly add to yolks and sugar together and bring to fire once again until it starts to bubble. Depending on the texture you can add the flour mixture with it. You also might want a pinch of salt.
Set aside to cool a bit before putting in fridge. You will want to cover it when putting it in the fridge otherwise it will form a type of skin on top. Let set for a few hours and serve!
I also added a chocolate bar to the milk and cocoa mixture because I wasn´t sure if it would be chocolatly enough, lol
Speaking of chocolate bars, I would also like to add a shout out to my lovely family and friends who have been so gracious, sending me cards and care packages! Keep up the good work!!! love you all
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