Friday, July 10, 2009

Daily Blog by Tamara Torrez-Koll

June 29, 2009: We were in the San Marcos Episcopal Chruch, Xela and I was placed with the Dental Team in the ballet studio/comedor/Sunday school. I worked with Bryanne Hildebrandt. The eight hours went rather smoothly, a few extractions and one filling.

June 30, 2009: We went to Chuguexa Chimaltenango. It was cold and dreary, raining a lot. I was placed at the nurse's station with Pam Pranke for the first half of the day. After she and I had lunch I was placed with Jennifer Risan. We had a patient with a build-up of wax she thought was a piece of garlic.
July 1, 2009: Wednesday found us in Nuevo Chuatuj, Coatepeque. I was placed again with the Dental Team, specifically with Bryanne Hildebrandt. The day was hot and humid with a
torrential rain in the afternoon. The rain forced us to move the equipment since the zinc roof had holes in it. After dinner we headed home.

July 2, 2009: Again in Nuevo Chuatuj, Coatepeque. I was with the Dental Team (Bryanne Hildebrandt) again. The day was even warmer than the day before. There was blood and gore and teeth and needles. I learned a lot. It rained again but by then we had a black cover keeping out the rain.

July 3, 2009: Friday we ended up in Pachaj, Cantel. We had been programmed to go to Santa Maria de Jesus, but due to complication we were re-routed to Pachaj. In Pachaj I worked with Darlene Bartz. She was very nice and we had pleasant chats in between the patients. We had one patient with an "aching heart." She was bent and old and white, passed gray. She told us her sad story; I don't think I'll forget her any time soon.

July 4, 2009: I awoke Saturday morning refreshed and still dreaming about Friday night's amazing dinner. I forced myself out of a bed that wasn't mine and went to the Episcopal Church, San Marcos, Xela (after a detour for breakfast). I passed the morning and noon in the company of the Dental Team; again with Bryanne Hildebrandt. After I went home and wrote an essay.

July 6, 2009: After a day of relative freedom I went back to San Marcos ready to listen to conversation and hungry.

July 7, 2009: After having walked from La Academia Europea to the San Marcos church I was surprised to see that I was early. I waited around for a short while and then i went into the ballet studio/comedor/Sunday school classroom. I sat through the time before lunch, lunch and after lunch conversation. It was pleasant though cold and rainy.

July 8, 2009: I got to San Marcos late for the Ancianos Program and proclaimed ardent
apologies, and swore it would not happen again.

July 9, 2009: Again I walked from La Academia Europea and arrived in good time at San Marcos. We shared a quiet lunch and then I left.

July 10, 2009: Today I sit, accompanied by my fellow classmates at IAS. The smell of the coming school year hangs in the air...

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Daily Schedule: IAS Summer Community Service

This year we volunteered with the Medical and Dental teams from the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota. The second week we volunteered with Los Ancianos, a community center and lunch program for the elderly at St. Marks's Episcopal Church in Xela. We worked a total of 85:30 hours in 12 days.

Monday, 1 June 2009, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Quetzaltenango
Inventory medical supplies
4:00 hours today -- 4:00 hours total

Mon, 29 June 2009, 10:30 am - 6:30 pm
Worked in Xela
8:00 hours today -- 12:00 hrs total

Tue, 30 July 2009, 7:30 am -- 8:00 pm
Worked in Chuguexa
12:30 hours today -- 24:30 hours total

Wed, 1 July 2009, 7:30 am -- 9:30 pm
Worked in Nueva Chuatuj (Coatepeque)
14 hours today -- 38:30 hours total

Thu, 2 July 2009, 7:30 am -- 9:30 pm
Worked in Nueva Chuatuj (Coatepeque)
14 hours today -- 52:30 hours total

Fri, 3 July 2009, 7:30 am -- 9:30 pm
Worked with in Pachaj Cantel
14 hours today -- 66:30 hours total

Fri, 3 July 2009, 7:30 am -- 9:30 pm
Worked with Medical/Dental Teams in Pachaj Cantel
14 hours today -- 66:30 hours total

Sat, 4 July 2009, 7:30 am -- 2:30 pm
Worked with Medical/Dental Teams in Xela
7:00 hours today -- 73:30 hours total

Mon - Thurs, 6-9 July, 11:30 am -- 1:30 pm daily
Volunteered with Los Ancianos, a community center and lunch program for the elderly in Xela.
2:00 hours daily -- 8:00 hours for the week
81:30 hours total

Fri, 10 July, 8:00 am -- 12:00 pm
Daily log and essays blogging at IAS, Xela
4:00 hours today
85:30 total hours, 12 days of volunteer experience