The last day of clinic was on Thursday. Beth, Caitlin and I spent the morning watching the peds rounds (aka playing with babies) and then we watched a birth in the afternoon. That was the end of my clinical experience in Ecuador.
I think the clinic was one of the best parts of the trip. I got to see some very interesting things, especially working in maternidad. Preeclampsia is nowhere near as common in the united states, and I am pretty sure molar pregnancies are rare as well. So, having the opportunity to see these things was both interesting and unique to being in Ecuador.
That evening we all went out to dinner on CFHI's tab. Rosita (host mom/head of the program) came which was nice. Then we went off on our Chifa (party) bus adventure. The bus was not large enough to stand on so we all just sat there and listened to the music while drinking this potent alcoholic beverage that is made from a fruit. Super sugary and served hot. I only had one cup, just to try it, but it was certainly by no means my favorite. When the ride was over we were all tired so we went home and hung out before bed, instead of clubbing as planned.
The next morning we got up and headed to the Teleferico. This is a gondola that takes you near to the top of the volcano Pinchincha. The views of the city from the top were amazing. Brian and I had planned on hiking to the top (nearly five hours) but it was freezing on the top and we were not dressed properly. It was also cloudy and looked like rain so we opted to head down with the rest of the gang. Then we got lunch at Rodriguez (our fav. spot) and went to the artisan market to pick up last minute gifts and souvenirs.
Beth and Caitlin left shortly after and I went to do all of my packing. Then at 330 I woke up and headed to the airport for my 630 flight. By midnight I was back in philly. It was a long day of traveling but I survived and I am SO glad to be home.
Thoughts;
CFHI was an amazing experience. I can't say that I loved it all because that would be dishonest. I wish the doctors met us on the first day of clinic because navigating the hospitals solo was pretty overwhelming. I also was annoyed when they showed up late. HATE ecuadorian time because as an east coaster I feel that when you are five minutes early THAT is when you are on time. I liked a lot of the other students on my program and found that a lot of them were very interesting people. I don't know that I will keep in touch with many of them, but learning to live with people who are very different from me is an important part of growing up. Speaking of growing, I think this trip has changed me in a lot of ways. First, I got over my fear of birth. I learned that you can get used to anything and I am sure this is a lesson that will prove useful as I pursue a career in medicine. I also learned a great deal from Dra Guaman about what it means to be a good doctor. It isn't about the money and it is not about the symptoms and interesting cases. It is about having the ability to help people and doing your best to help an individual, regardless of their status in life. I got some good medical experience in quito and learned a great deal about general health and obstetrics. And all the while I got to explore a new country and learn a new language. So, I am very glad I went on this trip and I am grateful for all of the experiences I was able to have as a result of journeying to Ecuador.
Thats all for now. Hopefully I will head somewhere new/fun/exciting in the near future and will be able to pick up where I left off in the blog.
Thanks for reading.
xoxo,
Hope
