Today we visited one of Guatemala’s hospitals, Hospital Regional de Huehuetenango Jorge Vides Molina. We saw a lab where testing was performed on blood, urine, and stool samples. Much of the equipment used in this lab did not belong to the hospital; they rented it from another party, who thankfully also serviced the machines when they broke down. Professor Northrup and Professor Rust performed troubleshooting on other equipment that was broken, mainly the refrigerators that kept the samples cool. We also visited the blood bank, the sterilization room, and the boiler room.
On the two- to three-hour bus ride to and from the hospital, we noticed that, in one part, the ground beneath the road was so eroded the asphalt had crumbled and fallen away around the edges. We saw many shops that sold a variety of colorful goods, both traditional and modern. The huts and farmhouses of the countryside contrasted with the brightly painted facades of the city.
From the hospital we went to eat at a steak house. There we had a selection of meals to choose from, meals that included rabbit, to their staple of steak. We discussed the availability of books in Guatemala over tamales. Their library system is not as extensive as the American system, according to one of our guides. While the secondary education in Guatemala is much cheaper in comparison to American colleges, it is still more than the average a citizen of Guatemala will make in a year.
Back in Xela that evening, we took an evening walk around the areas of the city closest to our hotel. We visited a couple small stores in the marketplace, there was traditional clothing and trinkets among other stock for sale. The architecture was run down and unkempt in parts, but also incredibly ornate and detailed. We walked past a church with stunning arches and bright stained glass windows. Through the vaulted doors we could hear singing, praying, and other sounds of worship from an ongoing service. Afterward we ventured into an official building, much like a statehouse but with a large courtyard. It was dark by that time, so we decided to return later when we could take some pictures.
-Zeke and Kendall
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