Day 3

We started off our day with a breakfast of pancakes, fruit, juice and coffee. Next, we continued on to the hospital for our second day of inventory. We went to areas such as pathology, the pharmacy, and the laboratory. While visiting these areas we continued to notice differences between what we were seeing and our standard US hospitals. For example, tasks such as preparing samples for analysis appear time consuming due lack of available equipment.

We took a break from doing inventory at the hospital to travel back to our hotel and then walk to an authentic Guatemalan restaurant for lunch.

Afterwards, we went back to the hospital to finish the inventory in a couple of areas. Following this, we once again headed back to the hotel. From there we all went to the market to look around and purchase genuine Guatemalan gifts for ourselves, family, and friends.

For dinner we walked back to the restaurant we had eaten at the night before. Everyone enjoyed the delicious food and each other’s company. 

-Kayla and Rachelle

Day 2

Our day began bright and early with an authentic Guatemalan breakfast of eggs, plantains, beans, tortillas, toast, fresh juice, and Guatemalan coffee. Following breakfast, we attended an interesting presentation by our Guatemalan host regarding the current difficulties faced by the Guatemalan people. We then made our journey to the local hospital via a micro-bus, which moved through the chaotic streets of the city without incident. Once at the hospital, we were able to immediately notice the differences from a standard US hospital. There were no designated waiting areas, so many people were waiting in hallways. Some areas of the hospital were poorly lit, making typical tasks fairly difficult. Also, there were few computer systems to manage patients resulting in most of the nurses and doctors carrying large stacks of paper for documentation. Despite these differences, the staff were vigilant in their tasks and of good spirits.

Our job at the hospital was to travel around to the different departments and inventory the life sustaining machines as well as major diagnostic technologies such as x-ray, ultrasound, autoclaves, and blood analyzers. We were able to communicate well with the personnel thanks to our translator, Jairo, and our previous training in class. We were able to access areas of the hospital not normally available to visitors and non-staff in order to inspect the various machines and assess the major problems associated with them. We then had a “fast food” lunch in a nearby mall and returned to the hospital to continue with our inventory.

After completing our work in the hospital, we found a beautiful view of the nearby volcano.

The next few hours were spent at the local Mercado located in the city center. The stores were filled with everything from fresh food to woven belts, clothes, and other various articles. We all found things we liked and after struggling with converting Quetzals to US dollars, we made our purchases and continued on our way to dinner at a wonderful Guatemalan restaurant for yet another exciting authentic experience. They kept the tortillas coming and the aqua pura (bottled water) flowing. After a long day, we marched back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.

-Emily and Elise

Day 1

Today marks the first day of our Guatemalan journey! Upon meeting at Bradley International Airport at 4 am, the tired group of twelve anticipated a long day of travel. After a smooth flight to Atlanta, we anxiously waited to board our next flight to Guatemala City.

The flight to Guatemala City was an exciting one with a broad entertainment selection that included movies, music, Milano cookies, an active volcano, and the spectacle that was Dr. Rust spilling his drink (ever-so-intentionally) onto the unsuspecting Christina. Once in Guatemala, the group swiftly made it through customs, boarded a van, and began the winding trip to Xela.

Food seemed to be a main attraction today. On the way to our destination, the group stopped for lunch at a restaurant selected by our friendly tour guide, Jairo. The delicious meal was just what we needed to help us through the remainder of our mountainous drive to Xela. Many used the opportunity to rest while others took advantage of the chance to observe the scenery of the country, including Lake Atitlan! We arrived at our hotel in Xela and prepared for an evening out. We enjoyed helado from a local tienda and then had a family dinner at a nearby restaurant. Having dessert first certainly didn’t slow us down!

We are all thoroughly exhausted as we settle in this evening, but cannot wait to get started working more with our Guatemalan partners. It’s time to start using the skills and knowledge we’ve learned this semester!

-Cassie and Matt

Welcome to the 2013 Guatemala Blog!

Thank you for visiting our Guatemala Blog, 2013 Edition. This blog will document the travels of students and faculty from Western New England University as we visit Central America to learn about healthcare. We'll be heading to Guatemala in just a few weeks, so please check back to follow our progress.

-M. Rust