El ultimo dia

First, a slight addendum to Beau's original entry about the jungle. As much as we were consumed by the experience of being 2 feet from a boaconstrictor in the wild, we also saw many other animals. These included many species of birds. We both decided that my mom, Bill, and Giggles would never have survived the trip, as there were unusual birds to be seen at every turn. We tried our best to get pictures, so there will be lots to share when we return. We also saw several species of monkeys. The best part was hearing the eerie sound of the Red Howler Monkey calling from 1 km away at five in the morning. Ah, the jungle, you never know what will happen.
Alas, today is our last day in Peru. Tomorrow we leave in the morning to fly to Lima and then to San Francisco. We will be there through the weekend, enjoying Beau's brother's wedding, a most excellent way to end our trip. As much as we are looking forward to coming home, we are going to miss Peru and the unique experience of traveling in a developing country. We have spent our last days in Cusco viewing ruins and churches and learning more of the extensive history of this part of the world. Peru has been a wonderful experience for us. We we want to thank everyone who gave us their support in the this trip. We will have many more stories to share when we return. Looking forward to seeing you all!
Love,
Deedra and Beau

Umm, I think I found the Emerald Boa Constrictor

Hello to all,
Our trip is coming to a close and we are excited to see everyone upon our return. We just returned to our homebase from our travels to the jungle, which was a lot of fun. I think my favorite story is as follows..... On our first night in the jungle our guide took us an others out on a night walk. I think they capitalize on the fact that having just arrived in jungle territory, most visitors still have the images of terrifying creatures hiding behind every corner (which they, in fact, do). What you don´t realize at first is that the majority of these animals have little intention on inflicting any harm in the way of the new visitors. Nonetheless, we marched through the jungle after tucking our pants into our socks so that spiders, bugs, and other creepy-crawlies didn´t make their way up our trousers. We saw a poisonous spider right off the bat, and I asked our guide just how poisonous this spider was (knowing that our own local versions in the states, such as the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse are almost never fatal), and our guide answered, "Well after he bites you, you have about 10 hours to get the anti-venom or you die. Good to know. The majority of the rest of the hike showed little in the way of deadly creatures, save one Emerald Boa Constrictor who was hanging from a branch just above the trail (we have some nice pictures). The Boa was nice and sat there for its photo-shoot, and we finished our hike without problem.

The next night we went in search of Caymans (smaller versions of alligators) which was fun, but less exciting. For our last night there, there was a lack of nighttime jungle programming, so Deedra and I asked if we could take our own jungle stroll without our guide. Our guide was a pretty laid back fellow, and agreed that this would be fine, but suggested that we take our whistle (whistles are provided to all guests in case of "emergencies" ie, fires, scary animals, etc.). We borrowed his big flashlight and set out on the trail. We realized quickly that the guide is very helpful in pointing out interesting objects, but we were able to find some lizards, spiders, and numerous bats who consistently checked to see if we were small enough to eat by buzzing by our heads. Luckily they decided we were not in their normal diets. Just as we were about to turn back to the lodge, Deedra muttered these words, "Ummm, I think I found the Emerald Boa." About 10 feet in front of us was the Emerald Boa (bright green like an emerald) slithering down a tree looking for his (or her, don´t really know how to tell them apart) next meal. We got closer, and the snake decided to go back up the tree, which was really interesting to watch. I took many pictures, some of which we hope to put up on our wall. I think we got a bit too close at times, as the snake coiled back, looking ready to spring at us. We took the hint and backed off. It was about 15 minutes before we finally left, but thoroughly enjoyed the thrill of the encounter.

Well, only a few more days left. Thanks to everyone for their comments, we love to read them.
Love to all,
Beau & Deedra

Ruinas de Peru

Hello all! It is a beautiful morning in Cusco and Beau and I are getting ready to depart for la selva (the jungle) to a town called Puerto Maldonado. We had a marvelous little breakfast at a cafe right across the street from our hostal. We are staying in the arts district of Cusco, which consists of lots of little shops, narrow streets, and cafes galor. We are looking forward to exploring the area further during our last few days in Peru next week.
Our trip to Machu Picchu was amazing. We started off in a town called Ollantaytambo which is where the Incas fled when the Spanish invaded the ruins of Machu Picchu. This is probably one of our favorite places so far. The hillside is taken up by a series of ruins, rich with the intelligence of the incas and their history. Beau and I were proud of ourselves because our tour was in Spanish and we could understand almost all of it. Of course, there was quite a bit of pantomiming and Beau and I will probably now be spreading false information about the Incas, but what can you do.
The next day we traveled to Aguas Calientes, which is the base town for Machu Picchu. We embarked on a hike up a mountain called Patacusi, which ascends up from the river out of Aguas Calientes. The ¨hike¨consisted of scaling several ladders and innumberable steps to reach the top. However, it was all worth it as we were graced with an amazing view of Machu Picchu on one of the opposite peaks. Not a bad way to experience a viewing of this jaw dropping site. We soaked our tired bodies in the hot springs that night and prepared to see the ruins the next day.
We left early Wednesday morning to get to the ruins. We had a short tour, then did a few hikes around the area. Machu Picchu is beautiful and mysterious. The ruins consist of water systems, temples, a pyramid, a compass, sculpture, etc. We spent some time in the afternoon, just sitting on one of the terraces trying to take it all in. One of the hikes we did was up to the first sun gate, which is on the original Inca Trail. This trail connected all of the Inca cities spanning the western coast of South America. It is truly an amazing place.
That´s all for now. We´ve had a little trouble finding good internet connections outside of Cusco, but we´ll keep you updated as we can.
Love to all,
Deedra and Beau

Cusco Adventures

Hello All! Beau and I just arrived in Cusco, which will be our homebase for the next several days as we travel to Machu Picchu and the jungle. We are traveling to the Sacred Valley today to check out some ruins, then on to Machu Picchu. Internet access may be somewhat spotty, but we´ll do our best to fill you in on our adventures in the Andes.
Our thoughts have often been with the victims of the earthquake as we hear about the rising death toll. There seem to be many areas in Cusco that are taking donations to be sent down. From what we´ve heard, it´s been very difficult for rescue workers to get into the areas hardest hit because so many of the access roads have been damaged. But on the good side, it sounds like there has been a large influx of volunteers into Lima to assist with what they can. Unfortunately, with the limited time we have left here, we will not be among them.
It was pretty difficult to say goodbye to the families and clinic staff who we have been working with over this last month. They have definitely had a permanent effect on our lives and will be with us in our clinical practice from now on. We have lots of pictures and stories to share when we get back.
Love to everyone!
Deedra and Beau

Terremoto (Earthquake)

F¡rst thing´s first, we are fine. Second thing´s second, we felt what was registered as a 7.5 earthquake off the coast of central peru. I don´t know how far the epicenter was from us in Arequipa, but I know it was much closer to lima which is about 600 miles away from us. Nonetheless, as we sat around making "wash mits" for Deedra´s patients, we felt a distinct shaking of our house. The indoor plants swayed to and fro, and we sat there for what seemed like 20 - 30 seconds discussing that this must be a pretty large earthquake. It is too early to tell what the damage may be, if any, but our house stood the shaking just fine. I don´t want to take any credit for the quake, but this now makes my pariticipation in above 7.0 earthquakes climb to grand total of 3. I am somewhat of an earthquake magnet it seems. We´ll keep you posted on further details.

Regarding our work here, I had an opportunity to do a question and answer session the other day with about 30 women workers who had pediatric questions. I thought it went well, and it was very eye-opening, as it directed our attention at what the true concerns of the local folks are. Deedra has come up with new ideas for the clinic, which seem like they would be fairly easy to implement, and are making the staff excited. We took a shopping trip the other day to find materials so we could make the above mentioned wash mits for her patients. These are washcloths sewn together (yes, I was helping to sew), with velcro straps at the bottom. They are used for those who have little control of their hands for when they are bathing, as the mits are much more easy to manipulate than the patient´s own fingers and hands. We both give presentations to about 150 families tomorrow night. I will be talking about nutrition and obesity (surprise) and Deedra will be discussing how to prevent work-related injuries.

That´s all for now, thanks again for all of your replies, we check our blog daily (sometimes more).

Hope this finds everyone well,
Love,
Beau & Deedra

Conozco sus ojos (I know your eyes)

Hello all,
Sorry for the delay in blog entries. The internet connection at the volunteer house has been kind of fickle. Besides, who has time to write when you´re internationally recognized figures like ourselves? Let me explain... Beau and I took a trip to Lake Titicaca (cue grade-school giggling) and popped over to Copacabana (cue music), Bolivia as well. While trying to cross the border into Bolivia, Beau and I realized that we did not have the bottom section of the form we filled out when we entered Peru. This is something important to have when you´re getting ready to leave the country. We were therefore told we would need to pay a fine to enter Bolivia. As we got to the front of the line, the man with the stamp says to Beau in Spanish ¨I know your eyes¨. Beau of course had visions of a man on the wanted posters who happened to bear a resemblance to Joey McEntyre, much as he does. (For those who don´t know, this is a member of New Kids of the Block who Beau frequently gets mistaken for). Anyway, it turns out that the immigration official recognized Beau from the clinic in Arequipa and knows the doctor who he has been working with. Mind you Arequipa is 8 hours away from this border town and the clinic we work in is pretty remote. The official proceded to clear the room of people and tell the other official that we didn´t need to pay. The Jedi mind trick worked beautifully and we were off the hook. Needless to say, we are quite aware of where our forms are now. Luck like that only comes along once in a while.
The rest of our weekend travels went very smoothly. We took a day trip out on the lake to visit the floating islands. These are islands that are make entirely of dried reeds that are floating on the lake. People live here and make various goods to sell to tourists. The islands hold up for about 17 years before the people need to build a new island to relocate to. It was quite a site to see. We also visited another, land-based island, called Tequille. It was beautiful! We felt like we were in the Mediterrean with crystal clear skies, terraced hill sides, and winding roads with no cars. We had a great lunch of the local king fish (pejjerey) and headed back to Puno, the port town in Peru. Here´s a little piece of trivia for you: ¨Titi¨actually means pumain Quechua, because the shape of the lake looks like a puma chasing a conejo (rabbit). ¨Caca¨means grey, because during the rainy season, it becomes overcast and the water takes on a greyish hue. That night we met up with some friends from Beau´s residency, Pete and Dawn. We partook of some Peruvian fare, including a cocktail with ice, which can prove to be a little dicey. Dawn, I hope you´re feeling OK today.
The next day we headed to Bolivia. Copacabana is a colorful, active town with lots of shops and restaurants near the water. We took a hike at sunset up the hill overlooking the city. At nearly 12,000 feet at the top, the air was thin, but the views amazing. This hill is a place of pilgrimage for many of the local people. It is where they come to pray for various things they need or want in life. Along with the altars are countless stands selling what looks to be junk, to be honest. They sell plastic cars, monopoly money, dolls, play houses, you name it. However, each of these things represents the thing that the person hopes to receive from their prayers. The sunset we were gifted with that evening made me feel connected to a little piece of those prayers. We splurged a little that night and stayed in a nicer hotel that looked over the water. When I say we splurged, I mean that we paid $17 dollars a night. In addition, we had a great dinner that inlcuded two entrees, a bottle of wine, and dessert for $20. Bolivia is definitely the place to come if you want inexpensive travels in South America. Of course with the cheap prices, comes an economy that survives on tourism. The difference between those who have and those who have not was painfully clear here. Juxtaposed with the amazing views and travel experiences, was a sense of a community that has created something that they hope we as foreigners want to see. The children especially have learned to spot the type of passport you have and say something clever in your language in the hopes that you will buy something from them. I think the people here get very little sleep as well. Early in the morning to late at night, they are out selling their goods. It has been interesting for us to go from being a part of a community in Arequipa where we know people personally, to being strictly a tourist who is seen for what we can spend versus what we can give.
This week is looking to be a busy one for us in the clinic. Beau and I both have classes scheduled with the community. I am going to try to visit the hospital with one of the girls I have been working with to observe the process that kids need to go through to get orthotics here. I would like to set up a fund strictly for the therapy needs of the children in Alto Cayma. This would incluce purchase of orthotics, walkers, hand splints, etc. However, I feel like I don´t fully understand the processes or the local resources that are available yet to make this sort of a fund successful. I´ll keep you all posted. Hope everyone is well! Thank you all for your blog responses. We love hearing from you! Here are some answers to questions we have gotten from previous entries. The condors are really big! They can have up to a 10 foot wing span. The color difference on the tops of their wings signifies if they are male or female, although I can´t remember which is which now. Also, we had headlamps with us to hike out of the canyon. However, we would stop for breaks and could turn the lamps off and see pretty well by the moon and stars. ¡Vimos muchas estrellas!

Se amamos,
Deedra and Beau

Weekend Travels - a grander canyon than the Grand Canyon

Our latest adventures took us high into the Andes where we saw some quaint villages, and later descended deep into a canyon deemed to be deeper than the Grand Canyon (by foot).

On Friday, Deedra and I departed for the small Andean village of Chivay which was more or less a stopping point on our way to see Peruvian condors in their natural habitat, and to see the magnificent Colca Canyon. Chivay was small and warm in nature but cold by temperature standards, and thus we took up the tour´s offer to visit the hot springs, a series of swimming pools filled by the water bubbling past the hot volcanic core deep below the Earth´s surface. After a two hour soak, we were relaxed and returned to the town for a nice 3 course dinner for $10 (all-inclusive).

Early Saturday we headed out to the Cruz De La Condor, or "Cross of the Condor" where a family of gorgeous condors live and fly over the deep Colca Canyon making use of the thermal winds while searching for their once living meals. We snapped a couple of great shots of the birds, and then met up with our guide, Remi, who took us on a two and a half hour descent to the canyon floor (roughly 3000 ft). Our legs were a bit wobbly at the end, but we were able to relax with a nice meal and plenty of water. We then made another 3 hour trek, traveling along the river´s direction towards a small spot named the Oasis. This trek made many ups and downs, and by the time we reached the Oasis, we were ready for some serious rest.

The Oasis also had some hot springs, though in this case they were really warm springs, as the water had to travel a decent distance to reach their pools, and cooled off in the process. We took a dip nonetheless, and then relaxed with a couple of beers on the grass by the pool. We met many other young travelers with varied interesting stories, had some dinner, relaxed by the fire, and rested until 2:30 am, when we made the trek back up the canyon. This took us approximately 2 and a half hours, and by the end I was convinced that Colca meant "your legs will fall off if you try to climb this canyon." We made it to our guides house just before sunrise and had some bread and coffee while watching their Guinea Pigs have their breakfast. Guinea Pigs in Peru, and other South American countries, are a delicacy and referred to as Cuy (pronounced quee) when they become part of your delicious dinner. We have yet, and are likely not going to, indulge in such delicacies.

We got on our return bus at 6:30 in the morning, and rode the 6 hours back to Arequipa, apologizing to our bodies as they chastized us the entire time. The buses here are like those in many other developing countries, crowded to the point of disbelief, and predictably came with some mandatory chickens as fellow riders. We made it home yesterday, and went to bed, thankful for all of the fantastic sights we had seen. Back to work today, but more travelling this weekend.

Having a great time, but miss you all,
-Beau & Deedra

One week down........

One week down, and the novelty has yet to wear off. Thus far we have done many things that I have yet to accomplish in travel. We attended the entrance of the new president and vice president to the Rotary club of Arequipa. We attended mass on Sunday (which was also Independance Day for Peru) where we were asked to come up on stage so that we could be introduced to the community. Afterwards we were greeted/welcomed warmly, and many asked when they could come and see us.

I believe Deedra´s popularity is soaring. Not only because of her friendly demeanor, but also because her services have yet to be introduced to the community, and thus there is so much opportunity for her to help. She has started a make-shift clinic, where she sees the children and adults of the area that might benefit from her therapy, and she is already needing to add extra days as the clinics fill quickly.

A trip to the surrounding community was more or less astounding. Provisions are meager. Most homes are shanties built from sub-par materials. Most are without running water and electricity. The stories of the patients we see are almost always heart-breaking, but there remains rays of hope here and there, which are enough to keep the project going.

We have made some trips to the central town, but it is far from where we are and requires some plannning. The central town of Arequipa is beautiful, and some have said that ¨when the moon left the Earth, it forgot to take Arequipa with it.¨ This is because the city is made of stone that shines a bright white against the backdrop of a blue sky. Last night we tried some of the local fare by the name of ¨Rocotto pimiento¨which is a pepper (some hot, some mild) with meat, cheese, and other goodness. Last night was the third that we have tried (yes, it´s a bit addictive) and by far the hottest. Deedra surrendered early on, and I was forced to throw in the towel when I could no longer feel my mouth (the feeling returned by this morning, thankfully.)

Once again, what we have learned thus far is truly amazing, and so we are thankful to keep learning and contributing what we can.

Lots of love,
Beau & Deedra

Terapia en Arequipa

Family and friends,
I´m finding it difficult to summarize all the stories and emotions that we have experienced since we arriving. We have been in Arequipa for almost 1 week and it really feels more like 1 month. The nurses in the clinic have been organizing all the children who they feel like could use my services. This is difficult at times because the majority of the people here do not have phones in their homes. Well, they must have done something right because we had so many kids show up on Friday that we had to tell some to come back this week. Beau and I worked together on Friday which was really helpful because his Spanish is much better than mine. Between the two of us we can usually piece together what the parents are trying to tell us. We saw a variety of patients, two with cerebral palsy, 1 with club feet, 1 with muscular dystrophy, 2 with overall developmental delay. Many of these families received therapy services at some point, but can no longer afford it or it is too difficult to get to from their homes. These people are incredibly motivated to learn anything that will help their children. I am wishing now that I was an occupational therapist, speech therapist, physical therapist, and orthotist all rolled into one. There is so much these children need it is hard to know where to begin. I have been focusing my energies on basic range of motion and positioning techniques. Many children and adults here need prosthetics or orthotics and mobility devices such as walkers and canes. The clinic here does have some walkers and canes, but not nearly as much as is needed. Friday was more like an intake day just to get to know the needs of these families. Many are going to return tomorrow or Wednesday.

Beau and I were introduced at mass yesterday, which was pretty much like free advertising for the clinic. We had several people approach us afterward with stories about their friends, children, or neighbors who could use our help. All we could say (in broken Spanish of course) was to come to the clinic. The clinic where we are working costs 3 soles per visit (about $1) and has a sliding scale for medications. This is much less expensive than many of the other clinics in the area. Following the mass, the school near by had a presentation to celebrate la dia de patria. This weekend was a time to celebrate the city of Arequipa. They sold local food and the children participated in traditional dances. It was pretty impressive. Like an idiot, I did not remember the camera. I just figured that I would not need a camera to go to church. I am gradually learning that here, there are amazing photo opporutunities in the most unlikely places.

This morning I joined the local social worker on some home visits. The poverty level here is astounding. The organization who runs the clinic also provides about 600 meals per day for the residents of Alto Cayma (the part of Arequipa where we are staying). I met one woman today who has so much pain in her joints from arthritis that she can no longer walk. However, she does not have money for pain medication or for a walker. She has one son who attends school and tries to work as much as he can. Between the two of them they get one meal per day. The social worker told me that this woman´s son is very small because they cannot afford enough food for him. I am going to talk to the clinic about donating a walker to her as well pain medication. We visited another family who has a year and half year old who has a seizure disorder. This child had around 10 seizures during the time we were there. She has many more throughout the day and at night. Her mother was very concerned because the medication they have for her is very expensive and they are almost out of it. The medication costs approximately $30, which is an incredible amount of money for this family. She is very behind in her gross motor development. She does not tolerate being on her tummy, she does cannot sit or keep her head up independently. With her frequent seizures she is very lethargic, which doesn´t leave much energy for motor or social development. I´m worried that she is not on the correct medication for her type of seizures, but I don´t believe they have access to much else here, and even if they did, this family would not be able to afford it. They are going to try to come in to see Beau on Thursday. In the meantime one of our housemates and I are going to go into town to buy a boppy pillow or two (breastfeeding pillow) to try to get her into more of a sitting position for interataction and for trunk and head control. However, from a therapy perspèctive, there´s not a lot I can do until those seizures are better under control.

I know that these are some heavy thoughts. I think this blog is turning into as much an outlet for me to deal with what I´ve seen here as much as a way to share the events of our trip. I also think it´s important for you all to know about the existence of these people. It has been such an amazing experience to step outside of my world and realize how much I really have. Despite the poverty here, the people are warm and trusting. I am welcomed into every home I enter. The children run up and hug us or blow us kisses. I am quite impressed with the fact that although in many ways the need is greater here than where we live in the states, the sense of community is greater in many ways as well.

Love to you all!
Deedra

Peruvian medicine

Not even here a week, and it feels as though we´ve received 3 weeks worth of information. Medicine here is totally different than in the States. We assumed that there would be differences according to what resources are available, but I for one, was not expecting to have to learn new names for all of my common medicines. Additionally, some medicines work here, but not in the States, and vice versa. I feel like a student all over again!

This, however, doesn´t change the fact that we´ve been able to do some pretty cool stuff. Take yesterday, for example. I saw patients in the morning, while Deedra worked with a fellow housemate and saw patients as well. We came home for lunch and spoke with friends of our program who wanted me to see one of their worker´s kids who was sick. So after siesta (nothing can mess with the siesta) I hopped on the back of Jim´s (Jim is a 70 year old man who runs a woodshop here) motorbike and sped down to the clinic where I saw their worker´s child, prescribed "Amoxicillina" for an ear infection, and took off with Deedra to go to some travel agencies to discuss further travel plans.

We sat down for dinner at a very nice restaurant afterwards, had some delicious food for a meager price, and met up with the others from the program to see a documentary on the beginnings of Arequipa with the locals at the cultural center. Afterwards we piled 6 people into a cab (Deedra sat somewhat uncomfortably in my lap for the 20 minute ride) and crashed into our beds at about 10. We tire easily. Trying to understand Spanish for the entire day and reacting correctly can take alot out of someone. The experience thus far is exhausting and fantastic at the same time. We hope this finds everyone well.

Beau & Deedra

No lo entiendo

This means ¨I don´t understand¨. This phrase has been said by either Beau or I about every 10 seconds since we arrived. Needless to say we are struggling with the language a bit. However, being immersed in the language and culture is already having a positive effect. We arrived yesterday at the house we will be staying in with the other volunteers. There is a couple here from New York as well as a young woman from Portland. They are expecting more volunteers to arrive this week. It is a 5 minute drive or so to the clinic. We actually asked if we could walk there and we were told that it was ¨too sunny.¨ Definitely something you would never hear in Oregon. At 9,000 ft elevation with sun 364 days a year, exposure is definitely a factor. We spent some time in the clinic both today and yesterday. We have mostly been shadowing other professionals to get ourselves oriented to the language, clinic, and culture. The people here are very friendly. It is customary to shake hands and kiss eachother on the cheek as a greeting. Children are highly valued in this culture. Beau and I have both been asked if we have children. When we reply no, they either ask us how old we are or how long we have been married. The ¨response to these questions is always ¨So, why don´t you have children yet?¨ Last night we took a trip in to the central part of Arequipa. It is a thriving and quite cosmopolitan place. Lots of shops, churches, restaurants, etc. We hope to spend some more time in this part of the city in the upcoming weeks. They are celebrating their national festival over the next month, so there will be muchas fiestas. Things are going really well so far. More to come...Lots of love, Deedra and Beau.

Day 1

No time for long stories. A bit of mayhem getting here, but all is ok. Slept like babies last night in Lima. Off to Arequipa in a few short minutes. More when we arrive. Having a great time so far........

Love,
Beau & Deedra

Ready or Not

It is Saturday morning and we are running around our messy house trying to get organized. I think packing can be highly overrated, which is why I've chosen to wait until the last possible moment. How hard can packing for 6 week trip to South America be? We will be departing PDX tonight around 8:30 PM and will arrive in Lima, Peru at 2:30 PM on Sunday. We plan to stay the night in Lima then depart for Arequipa Monday morning. Ready or not, here we go!