A visit to the doctor’s office

Saturday, January 31, 2009


The volunteers have worked so hard, that the program for today has been changed. Only a small crew, including Ramiro went to Queseria labour camp to finish the roof over the washing area.
Mom and I join Fernando with a group of about 8 on a bird watching excursion.
It is quite a climb up the hill, but the view of volcano today is amazing. Mom has lots of helpers supporting her on the climb.
Fernando spots many birds and tells us their names. With the help of binoculars we are able to see them much better. We see at least a dozen different species and all so colourful. I thought I recognized one of the orioles that spend the summer in Spring Lake but I coul dbe wrong.
Of course if I want to take pictures of the birds I would need a much more powerful camera. I will just keep them in my memory the way I see them.
The Vermillion flycatcher with it’s red belly flutters around from one fence pole to the next. Even the mockingbirds don't disappoint us. Towards the end of our walk we find a large grassy area surrounded by trees of various heights. That’s were a large variety of birds show us their colours. Even the bluebirds are present.
The road is not suitable for traffic, allowing us to stop wherever and whenever we want.
My cold got a lot worse, and I hardly manage to hang in there with the group, but want to be part of it. Ramiro insists on taking me to the clinic in Colima after lunch. Well, as long as we can make this trip a multipurpose one I will agree. We desperately need groceries.

Joe is up and around again and joins us to give us directions.
I am totally surprised how this emergency clinic operates. Everything is spotless.
I report at the front desk, answer a few questions and take a seat. Within two minutes the doctor arrives. He shakes my hand and take me into his office. I ask Ramiro to join me in case the doctor asks to many complicated questions.
He is very kind and gentle and takes his time. He’s even good looking.
After he pulls out the thermometer from under my armpit, he concludes I have a temperature of 38. I explain, that I wasn’t sure if it were hot flashes or a fever was feeling today. You have an infection and need to take Antibiotics, cough syrup and something to bring the fever down. I try to argue, but realize that with an infection and a fever it is better to listen.
Wow, if we would only have this kind of emergency service back home. I am deeply impressed.
Once the groceries have been put away I agree that I better not come to the farewell dinner with the volunteers who are leaving tomorrow. Ramiro goes by himself and Mom and I watch an Indiana Jones movie. I sleep through most of it and am in bed at 9 am.

Another school another experience

Friday, January 30, 2009

There are a lot more passengers on the bus today for the trip to Cerro de Ortega. It’s a long drive. The bathroom break midway is much appreciated.
A visit to the banana plantation has been scheduled. Unfortunately, most of the workers are not here today, so we don’t get to see all the action. We do however get a much more detailed explanation of the procedures and are able to ask a lot of questions.
A visit to Cerro de Ortega is not complete without a visit to the cyber cafe. The owner of the plantation sponsors 27 students through Project Amigo for their education. These are all children of plantation workers.
The students get together for homework at the Cyber Cafe, which is free for all students. Others are able to use the computers for $ 1.00 per hour. Locals are also able to use the small library and computer classes are given here as well.
The students play a game of Mexican Bingo with us before we drive to our next destination.
Once we arrive at the school we understand why there are no workers at the plantation. The Tecoman area celebrates the day of the the Virgin Candelaria.
Despite the holiday, a group of about 25 students age 6-12 show up in their school uniforms. Their parents are there as well and have brought a variety of fruit.
Each students comes forward with a fruit, names it and explains it’s nutritional or health value.
Each child gets to pick a book in which they write their own name and then pick out two pieces of clothing. We quickly run out of boys jeans age 8-10, and suggest they take what they can find. Perhaps they have an older or younger brother who can make use of it.
It’s interesting to see how the boys select their clothes compared to the girls. Boys are easier to please. They’re all happy with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with a slogan. An 8 year old boy picks up a nice, shiny pair of black dress shoes. He is wearing a pair of old and drity soccer cleats and could really use a new pair of shoes, but they do not fit. He is so disappointed. If I could only make them fit, he would be so happy.

Before we leave we are invited to taste the fruit which has been cut up and is nicely displayed. There is such a variety and it all tastes so good. I try the orange with chili sauce, I must say I prefer cinnamon instead of chile sauce on my orange, but had to try it at least once. It looks like chili sauce it put on everything here.
The jack fruit is rather interesting. The only part that is edible is the dark flesh around the large seeds. The rest is wasted. When we leave for the bus, one of the women gives me a large papaya.
Every day is a new experience, every school in every community shows their appreciation in a different way. We feel, that what we do is so little, but they are so grateful.

It getting late and we still need to eat lunch. We know by now that lunch is usually not served before 2:30 pm. We drive to Las Hamacas in Pasquales. It’s a real treat to be right at the beach. The food is excellent. After we order our drinks plates with Ceviche are put on the tables. This is spooned on the small crispy tortillas. Next comes the Quacamole, which also goes on the tortilla. Then large platters of seafood appear in front of our eyes. Large shrimp prepared in different ways, a delicious local fried fish and some deep fried fish. We all dig in with a hearty appetite. We still have time for a walk at the beach. The dry sand is extremely hot and I almost burn my feet. Once we approach the water it feels a lot better.
Mom and I buy some colourful jewellery, for a bargain price, from the vendors outside before we head back to the bus.
There is one more school to visit in Tecoman for a book delivery and clothes distribution.
When we sit in the bus again for our 1.5 hour return trip we are definitely tired.The days have been very busy. As much as I enjoy the workweeks, I look forward to a few days around the RV with a slower pace.

An afternoon with the students of PA

Thursday, January 29, 2009

We’re on the bus at 8:15 this morning for a visit to a school for mentally handicapped children. We spread out our selection of clothes and help the teachers find four pieces of clothing for the children they are in charge of.
It’s sad to see so many little children with their handicaps, but most of the seem to be happy. We consider ourselves very fortunate that we have healthy children.

Each child also gets to take a book. Their reading level is limited so most books are pictures books with few words.
Before we drive to El Chamal, the archeological site, We stop for a fruit shake. It’s a very hot day and the drinks are cool and refreshing.
The ruins of El Chamal were discovered around 1945 and date back t0 1100 AD. We read about the lives of the people who lived here and find it very fascinating how they managed to live off the crops with little resources.

When we drive back to Cofradia for lunch I notice Joe is not there. I knew he was not feeling well, but did not realize he had been in bed the last few days. We really miss him. What he thought, was a cold, turns out to be a virus. I start taking strong doses of Vitamin C and Echinacea, because my throat has been feeling raspy. I definitely do not want to spend time in bed.

This afternoon, the Home Work Club Students arrive. They introduce themselves, tell us what grade they’re in and what their interest are. These students all have sponsors through Project Amigo and write their sponsors at least once a month.
They are also required to do community service in exchange for the gift of education to them.
In order to qualify for a continuous sponsorship, they need to maintain their grades.
Some students have high ambitions and study anything from accounting to computer science or chemical engineering.

We’re divided into groups and talk with the students about their interests, they, in turn ask us questions about our countries and life there.
The Junior High School students join us and walk us to their home. My group is assigned to Alverina, a cute 12 year old with a beautiful smile. She lives with her Mom, Dad, Grandmother and two siblings in a tiny house in desperate need of some paint. We have a lively conversation and I am happy, that there is no one else who speaks Spanish well enough to translate. It’s good practice for me and I feel pretty confident.

Tonight A grou of about ten is going to the Colima Rotary Club again for their weekly meeting. It’s been a long day and I rather not go, but I need to keep up my attendance.
I nap before we go, nap again in the bus and on the way back.
I think I caught Joe’s cold and feel rather dragged down.

Tequila 101

Wednesday, January 28, 2009


I hear shooting and birds squealing. A group of hunters is in my favorite walking area. I rather not be mistaken for a vulture, so I turn around to go back home.

We are not going on the bus with our usual group, but follow Ramiro to Suchitlan to see the house they have been working on so hard. It is looking really good. The crew does a great job. I think when we are home we will paint our house in purple, green, blue and pink as well. It looks so lively.

Mom and I go for a walk to the square. It’s quite a climb, but Mom is getting better every day and is able to keep up with me pretty good.
Walking around town give us a chance to see so much more than driving. We look inside all the little shops and whenever a door to a house is open we peek in.
It is odd to see a beautiful house on one side of the street and a shack on the other; Quite a contrast.

We go home for lunch and I spend the afternoon working on my various projects, including the new brochure for Project Amigo. Without the distraction I make a lot of progress. If I would have had Internet at home it would have been even better. It can be inconvenient having to go back and forth to the Hacienda. In between our excursions there is not always time to go on the computer.

The evening program looks like it could be fun. There is a large audience for Ted’s Tequila 101. He talks about the history of tequila and how it is made. After which he invites us all to taste the various grades. The darker the colour, the smoother.
Some of us taste all of them, I taste the last one only.
Everyone is in a good mood as we walk to Doña Meche’s house. Meche has a little artisan store, where she sells handmade clothing, shoes and more. There is also a small store next door where you can buy basics. She has a good clientele from the PA volunteers.
In the back of the store is a large patio with covered seating and cooking area.
Meche and her crew has prepared a wonderful meal for us of pork stew, beans and small crispy chicken tortillas.
Jorge, employee of PA, in charge of the student program, joins us with his family. Their oldest son enjoys being able too practice his English. I practice my Spanish on Jorge’s wife Lopita.

Before we go home, I check in the store next door to see if there is any fresh grapefruit. There’s none, but Lorenzo, Meche’s husband, tells me there are lots on the tree.
“How many would you like”, he asks. “How about four” I say.
A few minutes later he comes back with four giant grapefruits.
“These are less sweet than the ones you buy in the store, but they have lots of juice” he explains.