This week at the health post was very similar to the first week, except for a few aspects. First, on Monday I did not go in to work because, after walking to the Centro de Salud at 7:00am, I talked to a few of the other people working there and learned that Doctora Lajaraza had gone to Leon for the day. Since she would not be returning until later, I didn’t work in the posts that day. Instead, I went back to the house and then the office to complete some of my reading. For the remainder of the week I worked on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the health post in Panales. In order to prepare the post for a health inspection (supervisión), we spent Tuesday and Wednesday updating flowcharts, graphs, and medical records and making posters and door signs, in addition to cleaning and organizing the pharmacy. On Thursday, three licensed doctors came in to do inspections at around 9:00am and stayed for the remainder of the day there to check records, graphs, and other aspects of the health post. Since there weren’t many patients scheduled for appointments on Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than usual on Thursday. Many women came in with their children for regular appointments, and there was also a man who came in for his diabetes medications, which I haven’t seen too many cases of so far. The majority of the children are prescribed sulfato ferroso (hierro) for anemia, liquid Acetaminofén, or Amoxicillin. If adult patients are experiencing some form of pain, often headaches, fever, or flu, they are given 10 Acetaminofén tablets. Amoxicillin is given for pneumonia or urinary infection.
During the weekend, another trip was planned and we left Friday at 11:00am, so I didn’t go into work at the health posts. The bus from el Sauce first went to Leon and then to Managua (about 3.5 hours). In Managua we stopped for something to eat and met Kellan, who was already in Managua with a van. Then we took the van from Managua to Grenada, which was about 45 minutes. Around 4:00pm we arrived in Grenada and went to the hostel to unpack our belongings then go to dinner. At dinner, my chicken caesar salad was especially delicious because it was the first time I had eaten salad in a while.
In the morning we left around 10:00am for Crater Lake, about 20 minutes away by car. Crater Lake is a large, circular lake that is situated on top of an old volcano; essentially, it is the crater of an old volcano. The water was nearly as clear blue as ocean water and the green mountains surrounding the crater on all sides were gorgeous, especially when we kayaked out to float in the middle of the lake. In the beach area there was a floating wooden raft to jump off, and we played several rounds of Mafia on it while baking in the sun. I didn’t realize how much sun I was getting, of course, until after we got back to the hostel around 5:00pm and my face began to resemble a tomato. Apparently, even if I had worn enough sunscreen (which I didn’t), the water in the lake would have rinsed it off very quickly due to the sulfur from the volcano. That night, we walked down town to the restaurant strip again, except that night we ate at a Mexican place, which was also delicious. During dinner we were serenaded by a band and other musical festivities on the strip.
During the weekend, another trip was planned and we left Friday at 11:00am, so I didn’t go into work at the health posts. The bus from el Sauce first went to Leon and then to Managua (about 3.5 hours). In Managua we stopped for something to eat and met Kellan, who was already in Managua with a van. Then we took the van from Managua to Grenada, which was about 45 minutes. Around 4:00pm we arrived in Grenada and went to the hostel to unpack our belongings then go to dinner. At dinner, my chicken caesar salad was especially delicious because it was the first time I had eaten salad in a while.
In the morning we left around 10:00am for Crater Lake, about 20 minutes away by car. Crater Lake is a large, circular lake that is situated on top of an old volcano; essentially, it is the crater of an old volcano. The water was nearly as clear blue as ocean water and the green mountains surrounding the crater on all sides were gorgeous, especially when we kayaked out to float in the middle of the lake. In the beach area there was a floating wooden raft to jump of, and we played several rounds of Mafia on it while baking in the sun. I didn’t realize how much sun I was getting, of course, until after we got back to the hostel around 5:00pm and my face began to resemble a tomato. Apparently, even if I had worn enough sunscreen (which I didn’t), the water in the lake would have rinsed it off very quickly due to the sulfur from the volcano. That night, we walked down town to the restaurant strip again, except that night we ate at a Mexican place, which was also delicious. During dinner we were serenaded by a band and other musical festivities on the strip.
The following morning, Sunday, we woke up early to catch an “American” breakfast, and it was well worth it! Mandy and I shared our breakfasts, which were pecan Belgium waffles and blueberry pancakes with coffee. In addition, I had a banana milkshake (or “banano con leche”). Afterwards, we walked back to the hostel, packed our things, and left by 10:00am in order to reach the markets in Masaya by 10:45am. We shopped and looked around the market there for about 45 minutes and then headed out for the active Masaya Volcano. After reaching the top of the volcano by car, we were able to hike up stairs to reach the peak, where a cross was situated. The view as we peered into the endless crater at the peak was break-taking. After seeing the volcano, I wanted to learn more about it, and I found online that the floor of the crater that I was looking into is generally covered by poorly vegetated lava. Only two lava flows have surfaced since the 16th century (in 1670 and 1772), but it continually emits a large amount of sulfur dioxide gas and several contained explosive events have occurred in the last 50 years, such as a explosion in 1999 when rocks of 60cm diameter were thrown into the sky and reached a distance of 500m from the crater.
After leaving the volcano, we grabbed lunch at a pizzeria, stopped at a small grocery store (where I excitedly bought Bran Cereal!), and then began the trip back to el Sauce in the van. Soon after we got home, we left again to go watch a movie at Irene’s house (Irene is a Peace Corps worker in el Sauce).
During the weekend, another trip was planned and we left Friday at 11:00am, so I didn’t go into work at the health posts. The bus from el Sauce first went to Leon and then to Managua (about 3.5 hours). In Managua we stopped for something to eat and met Kellan, who was already in Managua with a van. Then we took the van from Managua to Grenada, which was about 45 minutes. Around 4:00pm we arrived in Grenada and went to the hostel to unpack our belongings then go to dinner. At dinner, my chicken caesar salad was especially delicious because it was the first time I had eaten salad in a while.
In the morning we left around 10:00am for Crater Lake, about 20 minutes away by car. Crater Lake is a large, circular lake that is situated on top of an old volcano; essentially, it is the crater of an old volcano. The water was nearly as clear blue as ocean water and the green mountains surrounding the crater on all sides were gorgeous, especially when we kayaked out to float in the middle of the lake. In the beach area there was a floating wooden raft to jump off, and we played several rounds of Mafia on it while baking in the sun. I didn’t realize how much sun I was getting, of course, until after we got back to the hostel around 5:00pm and my face began to resemble a tomato. Apparently, even if I had worn enough sunscreen (which I didn’t), the water in the lake would have rinsed it off very quickly due to the sulfur from the volcano. That night, we walked down town to the restaurant strip again, except that night we ate at a Mexican place, which was also delicious. During dinner we were serenaded by a band and other musical festivities on the strip.
During the weekend, another trip was planned and we left Friday at 11:00am, so I didn’t go into work at the health posts. The bus from el Sauce first went to Leon and then to Managua (about 3.5 hours). In Managua we stopped for something to eat and met Kellan, who was already in Managua with a van. Then we took the van from Managua to Grenada, which was about 45 minutes. Around 4:00pm we arrived in Grenada and went to the hostel to unpack our belongings then go to dinner. At dinner, my chicken caesar salad was especially delicious because it was the first time I had eaten salad in a while.
In the morning we left around 10:00am for Crater Lake, about 20 minutes away by car. Crater Lake is a large, circular lake that is situated on top of an old volcano; essentially, it is the crater of an old volcano. The water was nearly as clear blue as ocean water and the green mountains surrounding the crater on all sides were gorgeous, especially when we kayaked out to float in the middle of the lake. In the beach area there was a floating wooden raft to jump of, and we played several rounds of Mafia on it while baking in the sun. I didn’t realize how much sun I was getting, of course, until after we got back to the hostel around 5:00pm and my face began to resemble a tomato. Apparently, even if I had worn enough sunscreen (which I didn’t), the water in the lake would have rinsed it off very quickly due to the sulfur from the volcano. That night, we walked down town to the restaurant strip again, except that night we ate at a Mexican place, which was also delicious. During dinner we were serenaded by a band and other musical festivities on the strip.
The following morning, Sunday, we woke up early to catch an “American” breakfast, and it was well worth it! Mandy and I shared our breakfasts, which were pecan Belgium waffles and blueberry pancakes with coffee. In addition, I had a banana milkshake (or “banano con leche”). Afterwards, we walked back to the hostel, packed our things, and left by 10:00am in order to reach the markets in Masaya by 10:45am. We shopped and looked around the market there for about 45 minutes and then headed out for the active Masaya Volcano. After reaching the top of the volcano by car, we were able to hike up stairs to reach the peak, where a cross was situated. The view as we peered into the endless crater at the peak was break-taking. After seeing the volcano, I wanted to learn more about it, and I found online that the floor of the crater that I was looking into is generally covered by poorly vegetated lava. Only two lava flows have surfaced since the 16th century (in 1670 and 1772), but it continually emits a large amount of sulfur dioxide gas and several contained explosive events have occurred in the last 50 years, such as a explosion in 1999 when rocks of 60cm diameter were thrown into the sky and reached a distance of 500m from the crater.
After leaving the volcano, we grabbed lunch at a pizzeria, stopped at a small grocery store (where I excitedly bought Bran Cereal!), and then began the trip back to el Sauce in the van. Soon after we got home, we left again to go watch a movie at Irene’s house (Irene is a Peace Corps worker in el Sauce).
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