Read my IDS article first so that you'll have some background on the story I present.
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=68524
In all simplicity, the microcredit conference was an amazing life-changing experience that I feel so fortunate to have had. I'll post more soon, I'm getting tired now haha.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Colombian Hospitality
By now, most of my close friends know what happened to me last Sunday in the Bogota airport. If I have yet to inform you, sorry, but here's your chance to find out.
I left my host family's house for the airport at around 4am last Sunday to catch my flight first to Bogota and then onto Cartagena for the Microcredit Summit. My first flight was fine, but I just remember being extremely tired and kind of antsy about going to Colombia on my own. As I was about to board the airplane, while on the tarmac, something must have happened to me because the next thing I remember was being carried by medical personnel from the airplane onto an ambulance. From there, I was taken to the airport hospital (where they gave me oxygen and helped clean out my mouth which was filled with blood). However, they thought I had had a "convulsion" or a seizure, so they decided to send me on to their private clinic, Marly, in Bogota. So, I got into another ambulance, this time rather unnecessarily, and went onto the next clinic. I was given several medical tests including a TAC (also known in English as a CAT scan, though it took me a few minutes to realize this). All the results were positive, but the doctor, who had to sign a form allowing me to fly again, wanted to keep me over night so I could have more tests in the morning. Unfortunately, this would mean I would miss the first day of the Microcredit Summit, but I nonetheless consented.
I spent the night, and then in the morning had an MRI and an EEG. It took the damn neurologist six hours to review my results before neither confirming nor denying that I have epilepsy. He gave me a prescription for Valcote and sent me on my way. I was pretty freaked out, but luckily I was able to talk to my parents and the airline, Avianca Aerovias, kept someone with me the entire duration of my hospital stay which was very comforting (though no one spoke English which was a big wake up call).
I got into Cartagena monday night around 11pm and was able to actively participate all day Tuesday and Wednesday, thankfully. However, the cause of my seizure is still uknown, and I probably won't know until I come back to the U.S. and get tested again, which will be quite awhile.
I just can't get over how nice the doctors and nurses were though! On top of my stellar serivce of medical care, the Avianca represetative was so helpful. One of the four that I met even wrote me an e-mail today making sure I was all right. I was very impressed by my level of care, and even though I wasn't expecting a stint in a Colombian hospital, it was a good reality check and definitely helped improve my Spanish. I can only hope that the medicine works and that this problem was just a one time occurrence.
I left my host family's house for the airport at around 4am last Sunday to catch my flight first to Bogota and then onto Cartagena for the Microcredit Summit. My first flight was fine, but I just remember being extremely tired and kind of antsy about going to Colombia on my own. As I was about to board the airplane, while on the tarmac, something must have happened to me because the next thing I remember was being carried by medical personnel from the airplane onto an ambulance. From there, I was taken to the airport hospital (where they gave me oxygen and helped clean out my mouth which was filled with blood). However, they thought I had had a "convulsion" or a seizure, so they decided to send me on to their private clinic, Marly, in Bogota. So, I got into another ambulance, this time rather unnecessarily, and went onto the next clinic. I was given several medical tests including a TAC (also known in English as a CAT scan, though it took me a few minutes to realize this). All the results were positive, but the doctor, who had to sign a form allowing me to fly again, wanted to keep me over night so I could have more tests in the morning. Unfortunately, this would mean I would miss the first day of the Microcredit Summit, but I nonetheless consented.
I spent the night, and then in the morning had an MRI and an EEG. It took the damn neurologist six hours to review my results before neither confirming nor denying that I have epilepsy. He gave me a prescription for Valcote and sent me on my way. I was pretty freaked out, but luckily I was able to talk to my parents and the airline, Avianca Aerovias, kept someone with me the entire duration of my hospital stay which was very comforting (though no one spoke English which was a big wake up call).
I got into Cartagena monday night around 11pm and was able to actively participate all day Tuesday and Wednesday, thankfully. However, the cause of my seizure is still uknown, and I probably won't know until I come back to the U.S. and get tested again, which will be quite awhile.
I just can't get over how nice the doctors and nurses were though! On top of my stellar serivce of medical care, the Avianca represetative was so helpful. One of the four that I met even wrote me an e-mail today making sure I was all right. I was very impressed by my level of care, and even though I wasn't expecting a stint in a Colombian hospital, it was a good reality check and definitely helped improve my Spanish. I can only hope that the medicine works and that this problem was just a one time occurrence.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Otavalo
Here's a quick update from last night and today before I head to Cartagena early tomorrow morning (my flight leaves at 6am, but luckily, I live about 5 minutes from the airport).
Last night, we went to a great club: Punto G (roughly translated at the G-Spot) with most of the group. It's an interesting mix of people because there are a few undergraduates, but mostly master's in education students who are getting their degree while working. The average age of the group is at least 30--one person who came out to party with us has three grandchildren! We had a fantastic time though. The bar even had these cages that elevated with dancers in them, occasional bubbles and confetti would fall from the sky, and at around 1AM, a Cirque du Soleil style show was put on by the club's dancers! It was well worth the $12 cover.
This morning, we traveled about two hours north to the town of Otavalo, which has a huge outdoor market everyday--with the largest on Saturday. I bought a few souvenirs, but now I realize that the only way I can take them home is if I ship them which will set me back around $50. I guess I'll just bite the bullet and do it. We also sampled a regional favorite while there: bizchocos--a kind of Ecuadorian biscotti. And, I had one of the best slices of blueberry pie in a little cafe on the town square where of course these American women from South Dakota were being completely rude and obnoxious, reaffirming everyone's stereotypes about Americans overseas.
Because I'm leaving for Cartagena in the morning, I had to split from the group and go back to Quito by myself via a public bus which cost $2 for a journey similar to that between Lafayette and Indianapolis--just in the Andean mountains. Isabel's last words to me were: "Don't get kidnapped!" which definitely reassured me haha. However, I didn't have any problems whatsoever and made it safely home in less than two hours.
Well that sums up my day thus far! I can't wait to be on the beach tomorrow in Colombia!
Last night, we went to a great club: Punto G (roughly translated at the G-Spot) with most of the group. It's an interesting mix of people because there are a few undergraduates, but mostly master's in education students who are getting their degree while working. The average age of the group is at least 30--one person who came out to party with us has three grandchildren! We had a fantastic time though. The bar even had these cages that elevated with dancers in them, occasional bubbles and confetti would fall from the sky, and at around 1AM, a Cirque du Soleil style show was put on by the club's dancers! It was well worth the $12 cover.
This morning, we traveled about two hours north to the town of Otavalo, which has a huge outdoor market everyday--with the largest on Saturday. I bought a few souvenirs, but now I realize that the only way I can take them home is if I ship them which will set me back around $50. I guess I'll just bite the bullet and do it. We also sampled a regional favorite while there: bizchocos--a kind of Ecuadorian biscotti. And, I had one of the best slices of blueberry pie in a little cafe on the town square where of course these American women from South Dakota were being completely rude and obnoxious, reaffirming everyone's stereotypes about Americans overseas.
Because I'm leaving for Cartagena in the morning, I had to split from the group and go back to Quito by myself via a public bus which cost $2 for a journey similar to that between Lafayette and Indianapolis--just in the Andean mountains. Isabel's last words to me were: "Don't get kidnapped!" which definitely reassured me haha. However, I didn't have any problems whatsoever and made it safely home in less than two hours.
Well that sums up my day thus far! I can't wait to be on the beach tomorrow in Colombia!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Friday is the day to pass out
Last night was interesting to say the least. We went on a city tour of Quito as a group (really awesome--I have some great night shots), but I was the only one out of the 15 of us who was invited by my host family to go out. Well, actually, the best friend of my host-mom had a 20-year-old daughter, Claudia, who wanted to take me out, so I decided to take her up on her offer. At 11, she rolled up in her mini-Chevrolet outside my gate, and the car was already full with two other guys and girls. Not going to lie, it was a little awkward at first making small talk and just jumping in a car of someone you've never met to go out on the town together, but we quickly acquainted ourselves, picked up another girl (who lives at the top of this gigantic hill in Quito, which was damn near impossible to get up in the manual transmission car on a cobblestone street), and parked outside of Club Ciento Ochenta y 2. Already, I'd had five glasses of this traditional Ecuadorian drink made of sugar-cane liquor, cinnamon, and an orange-like fruit at a restaurant with the group earlier--thanks to Erica and the grandmother on the trip who thought it would be funny to see me drunk--but they were just small glasses, so I was at that perfect, relaxed state where I didn't have a care in the world and was ready to dance. The club was packed, and we first had to wait outside for 30 minutes until someone from inside noticed us and gets the bouncer to let us in. In my infinite wisdom, however, I had left my ID at home--I mean the drinking age is 18 here, so why would I need it?--so I had to use Fabian's extra ID. Somehow, the bouncer, who even examined the ID with a flashlight luckily let me in. From there, it was the general club scene but just a little more expensive than I remembered partying in Mexico. First of all, there was a $12 cover with no drinks included. I only brought $17, and I wanted to save $5 for a taxi in case my driver decided to drink (she had already almost killed us on the way there after running, oh about six successive red lights). So, after some quick math, I realized drinking wasn't really an option. Thankfully, my group bought a bottle, and once again, being the skinny, nerdy white boy, was told I had to take a few shots by myself in order "to salute Ecuador." I'm always fine with free alcohol, but the Ecuadorians only know sweet things, so the chaser was this sickly sweet lemonade that nearly made me gag. We had a good time dancing to salsa, some American tunes (I recognized one of the few gringas there from my flight from Bogota haha...plus somehow I must exude America because a few Ecuadorians who had lived in America came up to talk to me during this interlude), and then some Latin pop classics from last summer--like Iskander and Juanes. Que chevere! The only downside of the night (apart from returning "early" at 4am--I have to wake up each day at 6:45) was the fact that for some reason the bar, which is really exclusive and a lot of Quito's wealthiest citizens' kids go there, decided to pepper spray us. I had never before been pepper sprayed and at first thought I was just allergic to the smoke which was everywhere (Claudia kept a pack of Marlboro's in her breasts), until I started noticing that everyone else was coughing and crying, too. So, in order to counteract the effect of the pepper spray, everyone whipped out their cigarettes to "clear the air." When I woke up this morning, everything that had been on my person reeked of smoke.
However, I woke up at 6:45 on time and recounted my tales to Alexandra over breakfast. I helped out with a discussion at the private school where we're working, America Latina, for 10th graders about the U.S. involvement in Iraq. And then, just like at the Emergency Hospital in Rostov-on-don two weeks ago, I felt slightly faint. First, my feet started tingling, then my sight became blurry, and recognizing the symptoms, I decided to eat some crackers and drink some water while sitting down. I didn't actually feel better until six hours later--I think it was related to the fact that I had ice in my water last night at the bar, and today my toilet made me a little nostalgiac for Mexico. Luckily, I was fine by the time I had a meeting with a consultant to the National Health System of Ecuador (overarching organization in charge of Ministry of Health), where I got some great information for my research project. Then, we went to Universidad de las Americas where we particpated in a conference about ESL programming with our Ecuadorian counterparts.
Now, it's 9pm again, and I'm about to repeat last night, this time with people from the group. I had a great dinner (don't worry Judy, I'm definitely gaining weight haha), and hopefully tonight will be fun. Unfortunately, we have to be ready to leave at 8:15 for the huge market in Otavalo which we're visiting tomorrow. Should be really cool, but I still need some sleep.
Ok, so this post was ridiculously long, but I just feel the need to compensate for the lack of other posts....jaja.
However, I woke up at 6:45 on time and recounted my tales to Alexandra over breakfast. I helped out with a discussion at the private school where we're working, America Latina, for 10th graders about the U.S. involvement in Iraq. And then, just like at the Emergency Hospital in Rostov-on-don two weeks ago, I felt slightly faint. First, my feet started tingling, then my sight became blurry, and recognizing the symptoms, I decided to eat some crackers and drink some water while sitting down. I didn't actually feel better until six hours later--I think it was related to the fact that I had ice in my water last night at the bar, and today my toilet made me a little nostalgiac for Mexico. Luckily, I was fine by the time I had a meeting with a consultant to the National Health System of Ecuador (overarching organization in charge of Ministry of Health), where I got some great information for my research project. Then, we went to Universidad de las Americas where we particpated in a conference about ESL programming with our Ecuadorian counterparts.
Now, it's 9pm again, and I'm about to repeat last night, this time with people from the group. I had a great dinner (don't worry Judy, I'm definitely gaining weight haha), and hopefully tonight will be fun. Unfortunately, we have to be ready to leave at 8:15 for the huge market in Otavalo which we're visiting tomorrow. Should be really cool, but I still need some sleep.
Ok, so this post was ridiculously long, but I just feel the need to compensate for the lack of other posts....jaja.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Sorry for the tardiness
I thought I was going to start this blog a loooong time ago, but the past few weeks have been a little busy to say the least. In the past seven days, I have been in Russia, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Spain, Colombia, and now Ecuador! It's been a crazy, wonderful, intellectually stimulating adventure thus far, but my schedule hasn't left much "me" time, let alone time to write and update a blog. I have many stories to share (and I'll try to do so in real time now along with stories from Russia retroactively). I'm writing this blog as much for me as for my friends and family so that I'll have a vivid, living documentation of my travels from 17 May to 21 August.
If you want a quick update on some of my travels, here are the links to my IDS articles. I'll be writing one each week as the "foreign correspondent" for the paper.
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=68368
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=68453
Right now, I'm about to go out for a nighttime tour of Quito (yes it's 7:05 here and the sun has already set...the only downside to being at the equator at this time of year) and then to a salsa/discotek. I'm excited to see the city--last night my host family took me on a tour, but not too much was going on. They're an older couple and tend to stay near the house. The father is a professor of information systems at the local university, and the mother is an ama de casa, which works well for me because I have a friend to play cards with every day when I come home. Okay, well I'll post more soon...and pictures!
As the Ecuadorians say, Ciao Ciao!
If you want a quick update on some of my travels, here are the links to my IDS articles. I'll be writing one each week as the "foreign correspondent" for the paper.
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=68368
http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=68453
Right now, I'm about to go out for a nighttime tour of Quito (yes it's 7:05 here and the sun has already set...the only downside to being at the equator at this time of year) and then to a salsa/discotek. I'm excited to see the city--last night my host family took me on a tour, but not too much was going on. They're an older couple and tend to stay near the house. The father is a professor of information systems at the local university, and the mother is an ama de casa, which works well for me because I have a friend to play cards with every day when I come home. Okay, well I'll post more soon...and pictures!
As the Ecuadorians say, Ciao Ciao!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)