Martineau Family Blog

This week has been even more exciting than the last. I went to the regular hospital, Vernaza and watched some surgeries. I also went to the ICU for a day and the ER. In the reanimacion room I saw someone who did not look like she was breathing so I took her pulse and she was cold. I asked a doctor if the patient was ok and she said it had been 20 minutes and someone from the morgue was on their way. We met lots of medical students there as well. Tuesday was Nurses' day and we had a booth at Vernaza. I helped with an ACLS class with the Bomberos(firemen) and a CPR class at the police academy (los transitos). My Spanish is getting a little better...I can't speak much more but I understand more. I should probably study that. We went to the history of guayaquil museum which was full of miniatures and pretty cheesy. Then we were sitting in the jungle-like park on the malecon, and someone wanted a picture of us with her baby. It was funny. For dinner, we had empanadas, and batidos which are like smoothies. I had pineapple-mango. Friday, I went to the maternity hospital, then we went out for desserts and some shopping. I got some new makeup for the dance. We also went to the iguana parks and I was feeding the iguanas chips when one got overexcited and bit me. They don't really have teeth but I bled a little. It healed quickly and I think I will not be diseased, so don't worry. We had a health fair in the evening at the stake center where I took several blood pressures. Afterwards, we went to a single adult dance. I ripped my jeans pretty bad when I struck a pose for a photo. Good thing I brought a dress with me as well. The bad thing about the dance was that everyone was fast dancing, but we kept pairing off. I did not want to dance with boys, only with my friends. So, a traditional greeting is to kiss the cheek of the person you are meeting. On friday, I forgot that men can do this to and that it is supposed to be on the right cheek. I was meeting a mission friend of Christie Sue and made the mistake of turning my head. It was very nearly a kiss and so embarrassing. We spent Saturday in Las Playas, boating to see the dolphins, then swimming on the beach all day. I got roasted last week so this week I decided to forgo attempts at getting darker and wear sunscreen. I got some more cute earrings at the beach as well. I love the jewelry here. Today was our last sunday in the ward here. Next week we will go to Otavalo and the next week I will be in Utah with Landes. This trip is going by so fast. I am loving it. Trying to enjoy every moment.