Summary

General items that came in handy in Bolivia:
Tissues -- I cannot stress this enough! Most bathrooms in Bolivia DO NOT have toilet paper, so having tissues with me at all times was so helpful. I bought two of the economy size packs of travel tissue packages (so, 16 little packs of tissues). This was the perfect amount for four weeks.
Disposible Wipes -- You can get little packs of wipes at Walgreen's. Most foreigners experience a lot of diarrhea in Bolivia. So, these are great for freshening up in the bathroom or just for cleaning hands while traveling.
Hand Sanitizer -- This is also indispensible because you can not always wash your hands and the water there is contaminated anyway.

What I was missing:
My face was SO dry in La Paz (it is very arid, at least in winter). I applied a moisturizing sunscreen every morning, but wished I had brought a nighttime face cream because my skin was so dry by the time we left. Even Vaseline would have been nice.

Medical Supplies Notes:
I brought two boxes of gloves, one box of masks, and two sets of scrubs. I wish I had brought a stethoscope. I ended up buying one in Bolivia, because I was using one all the time. So, for any students going in the future, a stethoscope is a good purchase. Also, I wish I had brought another box of masks because they are in short supply in Bolivia. When I left, I donated my leftover supplies to the hospital, which was greatly appreciated.

Last Day!

Today, I went to the birthing center at Hospital Los Andes. The birthing center has a pre-partum room with beds all in a row. The mothers who are in labor are in this room until they are going to deliver the baby. Then, they move into the delivery room. I stood next to the bed of a first-time mom for about an hour, holding her hand and trying to keep her calm during her contractions. I was able to see her delivery. They performed an episiotomy, so I also watched them close the incision afterward. Another woman delivered about ten minutes later, and I saw her delivery as well!

Four Wheeling

Today after lunch, Zarah, Alex, Kevyn, Molly, and I went four wheeling in Zona Sur. The first shot is a great view of Valley of the Moon.

Protest

Routinely, there are strikes and protests here in Bolivia. Here is a shot I took yesterday at Plaza del Estudiante. The Plaza is a traffic circle. These protestors stood in a line blocking off the circle. The police were there (I am guessing...) to ensure the protest was peaceful and to direct traffic.

Plaza Avaroa

Our house is right in the center of the city and very close to Plaza Avaroa.

Week Four -- Hospital Los Andes

This is my last week here.  I am back at Hospital Los Andes for this week.  Hopefully, I will go to the birthing center this week and see some births.  

Museum of Contemporary Art

Today, I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Paz.  It was really cool.  Photos of the art are not allowed, but I got a nice shot of part of the museum.  Alexandre Gustave Eiffel played a role in the design of the museum.  He is the architect who designed the Eiffel Tower, part of the Statue of Liberty, and many other buildings and structures.  

 

Waterfall Hike in Coroico

Saturday morning, we did a hike to the falls in Coroico.  It was really hot and sunny during the afternoon there.  We were all taking off layers during the hike which was a nice contrast with La Paz where it is warm during the day, but not tank top weather.  

Coroico

Friday, after we finished lunch, Erin, Amanda, Alex, and I went to Coroico.  Coroico is a small village in the Yungas.  The Yungas is the jungle area, and Coroico is kind of on the border between the altiplano and the jungle.  Here are some shots by the pool of our hotel where we stayed for less than $20 per person!

Shopping in La Paz

Plaza de San Francisco

Wednesday, Amanda and I went to Plaza de San Francisco to shop in the markets there in the afternoon.  There is a huge church at the plaza.  

Week Three -- Hospital del Niño

This week I am in Hospital del Niño. We are with a doctor who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases, so we are in the infectious disease unit a lot of the time. Yesterday, we saw a case of chicken pox that has developed into necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease). This bacterial infection is rare, but is very dangerous and today we saw from her chest x-ray that the infection has spread to her lungs. Also, there is a young girl in isolation that they suspect may have monkey pox. They sent some tissue samples to the CDC to confirm. If she does have monkey pox, it would be the first ever documented case in Bolivia of this illness. There is a lot of talk about H1N1 here right now because there are some confirmed cases in Santa Cruz and the medical community is trying to determine how to prevent further dissemination of the virus.

Soccer Game

Today, my housemates and I went to a soccer game at the La Paz Stadium.  It ended in a tie, but was still a lot of fun.  I ate chorizo at the stadium and am now crossing my fingers...

Tiahuanaco Ruins

Some pics of the ruins.  I will post more pics on Facebook when I get home.  It takes a while for the photos to load here, so I am trying to put up the best ones!

Tiahuanaco Trip

Yesterday, I went to Tiahuanaco in the afternoon to check out the ruins.  There is not really much to do there except see the ruins and go to their archaeological museum, but last night there was a huge party there to celebrate the Aymara New Year.  These pictures are from the village square where the residents were getting ready for the party.  One is of the church and one is of some women selling vegetables and baskets.   

Week Two -- Servicio de los Adolescentes

This week I am in a clinic that serves the adolescent population.  We have been seeing a lot of pregnant teens and also some that are postpartum.  So, for the pregnant women, we do wellness checks and listen to the baby's heart.  We also educate them on warning signs during pregnancy and on nutrition.  For many of the postpartum moms, we are doing check-ups and also educating them on contraception in addition to nutritional needs while breastfeeding.  Tomorrow, our group has to give a presentation about nutrition to a large group of patients.  It's 30-45 minutes long and all in Spanish of course!

Leaving Isle del Sol

Isle del Sol Tour -- Second Stop

The second stop on the tour was at the site of some ruins.  

Isle del Sol Tour -- First Stop

Our first stop on the tour was at a small village on the island.  We did a little hike up the side of the island where we got some pretty sweet views of the lake and mountains.  

Isle del Sol

Today, we did a half day tour to the Island of the Sun.  It is one of the largest islands in Lake Titicaca.  The Incas believed that the sun god was born on this island.  

Stations of the Cross

About an hour before the sun set on Saturday, we decided to climb up to the Stations of the Cross in Copacabana.  Basically, it's a steep hike up a big hill.  There are 14 crosses that each represent an event surrounding the crucifixion of Christ.  There are a few crosses along the way as you climb the hill and then there are seven in a row at the very top of the hill along with a representation of the Virgin Mary.  

Copacabana

So, we stayed in Copacabana last night.  It's a pretty small town with lots of shops and lots of tours being offered of the islands on Lake Titicaca.  There are a few archeological sites in Copacabana.  Saturday afternoon, after we arrived, we ate some lunch and walked around the beach for a while.  

Lake Titicaca

These are two of my favorite photos I took of the Lake yesterday.  

Bus to Copacabana

Yesterday, we took a bus to Copacabana which is on Lake Titicaca. This is an interesting shot I got on the ride there with the mountains in the background.  

Eating in La Paz

Breakfast in La Paz is usually bread set out on the table with butter, jam, and sometimes cheese.  My housemates and I also bought peanut butter and nutella to put on our bread.  There is also plenty of hot water for coffee and tea.  Sometimes, our house mom makes hard boiled eggs as well.  

Lunch is the most important and largest meal of the day.  Many of the businesses here close so that their employees can go home and have lunch with their families.  It is a big family gathering. For example, yesterday, our house mom's son, daughter-in-law, and their child and also our house mom's daughter and her husband came to have lunch with us.  This picture posted is what we had for lunch on Tuesday.  It was a very typical Bolivian dish, corn, fried cheese, and potatoes.  It was served with bread (of course), fresh tomatoes, and a really spicy salsa.  There is hot water for tea or coffee, and sometimes we have a dessert like fresh fruit or Jello.  

Dinner is very small, because it is difficult to sleep on a full stomach at this altitude.  Our house mother puts out some bread, cheese, and butter and hot water for tea or coffee.  

Week One -- Hospital Los Andes

This week I am assigned to Hospital Los Andes.  I am observing the medical director who is a doctor at this hospital.  It is a public hospital in El Alto, which is just outside La Paz.  The doctor has been teaching me how to do baby and child wellness checks and sick checks.  The children that are sick mainly have coughs/colds since it is winter here.  This week has been great because I've been paired with a physician's assistant to work with the doctor and she is also teaching me a lot.  

Today is a holiday, so we do not go to the hospitals today.  My housemates and I are planning on going to Lake Titicaca this weekend.  

Day 3

Day three was really long. We had orientation at 9:30 am. It lasted for about three hours, and then we went home for lunch. At 3 pm, we went to the Spanish school for our placement exams and our first Spanish class. After that, we went to the medical director's office to get our schedules for the month and to have our first meeting with her. She spoke with us about the Bolivian healthcare system, which was really interesting. We got home around 8:30 pm.

Day Two

Another roommate of ours arrived today, Amanda.  We went to a section of the city called Monte Negro after lunch and walked around for a while.  It was filled with shops and cafes.  There was even a hookah lounge there!  We have orientation for our program tomorrow morning, so we should be getting our schedules for the month then.

Notes on La Paz

First off, La Paz is FREEZING at night.  Like you want to go out wearing a few layers, your North Face jacket, and furry boots.  When we left Miami Saturday night, the temperature in La Paz was 28 degrees Fahrenheit!  During the day, the solar radiation is so intense, and it gets so warm that you are sweating wearing a t-shirt and sweatshirt.  

La Paz is at an altitude of 12,000 feet.  We are still getting used to the altitude, so we are winded after walking to the grocery store and back.  I did not take anything for the altitude, but I am feeling great!  

Day One

My housemates and I caught up on some sleep and then we wandered around La Paz a bit.  Our house is close to internet cafes, an awesome supermarket, the school where we will be taking Spanish, and many of the hospitals and clinics we are going to rotate in.  

Estoy aqui!

Hi everyone!  I am here.  We got into La Paz yesterday (June 6th) around 6 am (we are in the same time zone as New York, in case anyone is wondering).  I am in a homestay with three other girls. The place we are staying is really nice.  We have hot water, which not all the homes here have.   So, that is awesome!  

 

Creation of Blog

I created this blog so that I can easily post thoughts and pictures during my trip.  I am leaving June 5th and returning July 4th.  Visit the site for updates if you are interested!