After everything yesterday about not having classes if the weather were nice, most of us were somewhat disappointed in today’s schedule: Spanish class (albeit a more fun version with Latin pop music and games), a regular after-lunch lecture (on ultrasounds), and lab activities not including the pre-briefings (Julien wanted to do further updates on the documents before presenting them to us). Also, because we did not have our pre-briefings today, we have to go in tomorrow morning at 9:00am to do that.
At our host hospital, we’ll be doing research to aid in a curriculum development program for Honduran technicians through EWH. Since I had heard of an “international aid” program that already had trained some technicians, I asked Julien how EWH’s program would differ and why. “There are lots of different training programs that produce qualified technicians,” he replied. “However, they graduate in clusters and won’t always stay in the country. Also, those programs have to stop when their funding runs out after three years. Eventually, we want our program to turn our third-year students into the next teachers. We want something long-term that becomes involved with the Honduran departments of health and welfare.”
Unfortunately, erasing any traces of hope in the matter on behalf of me and Tom, Julien answered our questions about the weather in the city of Olanchito by saying that it was “ridiculously hot”. Also, “you may have a fan in your shop, if your hospital has a dedicated shop for you, and you’ll want to work just standing in front of the fan with air blowing through your shirt constantly.” Another tip is to stay out of the sun in general and drink lots of water. Although Olanchito is somewhat dry and dusty, receiving less rain than many other areas, the weather remains extremely humid there.
Tomorrow’s schedule is interesting—school at 9:00am, lunch, dinner at home at 7:00pm, the National Orchestra at 8:00pm, back to the school around 9:00pm, and then a bus from the school to the airport at 3:30am. This is in good keeping with my general flight arrangements for this trip, which include a departure from O’Hare at 3:30am (June 1st) and an arrival to O’Hare at 1:00am (August 1st). Anyway, when we reach Honduras, Tom and I will be met at the airport in Tegucigalpa and then transported to our homestay in Olanchito. Blogging will resume perhaps Saturday or Sunday, depending on when I next have internet.
No comments:
Post a Comment