Day 3

We started our day bright and early at 7am. We had breakfast across the street from the hotel that consisted of corn flakes and milk, yummy pancakes, and some fresh fruit. We then headed to Hospital Nacional Coatepeque, which is closer to the coast. Once at the hospital, we were shown around by one of the hospital technicians. This hospital was much larger than our experience yesterday and much more populated. Our first stop was at x-rays where we saw that only two of the four machines in the facility were functioning; it was determined that both needed new parts from similar machines to function efficiently once again. 

We then headed to see the autoclave machines, near the surgical wing of the hospital. Three of the four machines were functioning, the other needed a gasket to work properly. The gasket was said to be too expensive for the hospital, so they fabricated their own which still did not improve the machine’s functionality. After inspecting the autoclave machines, we proceeded to the intensive care units, but due to the overwhelming amount of people we were unable to go inside the ICU.  We then were shown technology from the anesthesiology department, maternal ward, and even the laundry room. All of the technology was functioning due to the innovative efforts of the technicians.

After taking in all the things we saw at the hospital, we hopped back into the van and went to go get lunch. We stopped at Pollo Campero, where we got to cool down after experiencing the humidity that parts of Guatemala have to offer! After returning to the hotel, we went back to the market to do some shopping; some souvenirs included local clothing, blankets, headbands, and picture frames. After the market we enjoyed a light snack at Xela Pan—we definitely will be getting some fresh bread there one morning—and proceeded to take a short tour of the church in the center of the city. 

It was an interesting experience walking through the church due to the very obvious impact that religion has on the Guatemalan culture. Dinner was at a restaurant called Albamar. It was a light compliment to the variety of food choices offered in Xela. We had a busy and long day and are looking forward to attending the University tomorrow!

-Alexis V. and Lucia