It’s my second Sunday on the island and time is really flying by. Last week was my first time in clinic and I was really surprised by what I found. Firstly, the hospital is bare with wooden benches for waiting rooms, limited air conditioning, and floors that never seem to be clean. The wards are small- up to 5 or 6 beds in each of the men’s and women’s health and pediatric wards. Labor and delivery (labor y parto) is a bit more impressive with a nice, air-conditioned birthing suite. Thankfully, the recovery room for newborns and their mothers is also air-conditioned. Secondly, the machines are somewhat ancient. The two engineering students from University of Michigan tell us about machines that are from the 80s and early 90s that the hospital depends on. What’s amazing is that the hospital runs quite effectively for having such limited resources.
Mondays are the busiest days and I was greeted by a group of people in the hospital lobby and in the hallway leading to the two pediatric clinics (one being the Global Healing clinic) and the immunization clinic. We saw about 10 patients that day, which was an unusually small number. The mass hysteria about swine flu discouraged people from going to the hospital; the day was a bit slow because of it. It was interesting to try to work through my elementary medical Spanish to explain to patients that I was going to measure their height and weight and take their temperature. I’m sure by the time I leave I’ll be a pro, but for now I have to really study my Spanish medical vocabulary!
It’s amazing to shadow the American and Honduran physician during the purely Spanish visits. Although I have shadowed doctors during bilingual Spanish visits before, I find it very enlightening to deliver healthcare in a country that speaks a language that is not my native tongue. There are nuances to the language and culture that only someone who is from the country or region might know. An example is the tendency to show affection or concern by touching the patient on the arm or the shoulder. In the US, the extent of showing concern would be a pat on the hand or sitting close by the patient. The invisible box that Americans put around themselves is not a concept that really exists in this country. It makes me think that the people on this island have created a more united community, although I am beginning to see some signs of a cultural divide among the native islanders and Honduran mainlanders.
In my effort to be more cognizant of the different cultural groups on the island, I’ve noticed that the native islanders generally like to be spoken to in English and are offended if you speak to them purely in Spanish. Roatan was once a British colony with English as its primary language. Once the Honduran mainlanders started to move to the island, the children began to be taught both languages. The transition to Spanish was fairly recent and some islanders don’t speak Spanish at all. I’ve heard many a side comment from mainlanders about the need for natives to learn Spanish because Honduras is a Spanish-speaking country. Now that I know this prejudice exists, I’m beginning to see it everywhere. I’ve also noticed that there are a lot of foreign ex-patriots on the island that are here for philanthropic reasons. The owners of Bay Islands Resort not only run a tourist and dive company but also dedicate time and money to improving education on the island with their E-learning centers. Miss Peggy has devoted her time on the island to open Clinica Esperanza, a clinic in Sandy Bay that has helped so many people. This island is full of people who are trying to do good in this world and it’s inspiring to be here.
So far, I’m thoroughly enjoying island life. The weather is hot, but lately it’s been raining and has cooled the earth substantially. I went for my first dive today! Three of Miss Peggy’s volunteers and I dove off of Bay Islands Resort to Spooky Channel for a 30 foot and 40 foot dive. It was amazing to see lots of brightly colored fish, conch, and sea urchins! Diving is a zen-like activity where you are very aware of your breathing and surroundings. Shane, our diver instructor, tested us on our skills. I really dislike taking my mask off underwater and clearing the water out of it. There’s something about being blind down there that really freaks me out. Otherwise, the island is beautiful and I’m already getting sad about leaving this place in two weeks. For now, I’m just trying to enjoy the beautiful weather and delicious mangoes.
