woops!

hey guys- sorry for not updating the blog to regularly! Things have been pretty busy, but lots of fun. Sunday morning I was able to go to La Comunidad and it was great to worship God with other believers. Even though I did not know all the songs I found the words amazing- it was a great time of worship. After church I came home to the apartment and we ate lunch quick and headed out for a hike up to Parque Tunari... It was a lot of fun, but not exactly what I had planned it to be. We had planned to have the taxi take us up past the entrance of Tunari to kilometer 3, but as we were driving up the mountain we realized the taxi may not make it all the way up there:) We hopped out there are the entrance of Parque Tunari and started walking. We somehow got off the main road so we found ourselves walking on small uneven paths (it has been a long time since I have been up there, but I knew we were not going the way my family used to go up there). We finally found the park that we were planning on getting dropped off at (at kilometer 3), but by that time we had to turn around and start walking back in order to make it to the soccer game. We got to see Aurora (one of the Cochabamba soccer teams) and Blooming play. I was a little bummed because I usually support Wilsterman- the better (in my opinion) soccer team, but it was still fun. Monday morning Ben Wagner arrived and after dropping his stuff of at the apartment Josh, Ben, Laura (a friend of mine), and I headed out for an "adventure." We ate saltenas and then started walking towards the cancha. On our way Ben got robbed and even though it happens here in Cochabamba you never quite expect it to happen to you. No one got hurt, so I thank God for that. Monday night we walked over to Las Islas (little restaurant type things set up on the side of the street). Those that have not tried anticuchos got to try that. After we decided to go to the Cine Center (movie theater) to watch Terminator. (lots of action, but not my favorite type of movie:))
Tuesday morning wasn't very eventful. Dr. Montano did bring me to the Pediatric area of the hospital and then to Labor and Delivery. I am going to start helping out in other areas of the hospital in the mornings because there are many volunteers at the burn center. Tuesday afternoon Josh, Ben, and I went to the Boliviana Americana clinic. They would only let two people go in to Josh let Ben and I go into see the surgery. We got to see a Cataract surger, liposuction surgery, and I got to see a surgery where the doctor removed an absess from the rectum. After leaving the clinic Josh, Ben, and I walked around the Cancha area. Last night we walked down to see Simon Patino's house (a man that became rich through a tin mine). Yesterday was also San Juan a day in which everyone sets off fire works. I have been told that they have tried to make it illegal to set off fire works this year, but people were still selling them everywhere. Josh, Ben, and I bought a couple and went to the park to set them off.
Today we arrived at the hospital earlier then usually because we are going to start helping in another area of the hospital. Josh and Ben went to Pediatrics and I got changed and went into Labor and Delivery. What a contrast from last friday afternoon! Today there was only one baby nursery, last friday I was able to see 4 natural births and 2 c-sections in about 4 hours! I ended up coming home after being at the hospital about 2 hours because my stomach was not feeling very well. I was able to rest today and am feeling much better. Tonight I hope to go in for a night shift at the Labor and Delivery with the other medical students!