"Hay tortugas en mi reloj!" (There are turtles in my watch!)

I decided that I should have a watch in Bolivia, so I bought a new one today! Since I work in settings where I am exposed to lots of germs, and I constantly have to wash my hands, I prefer to have two watches: one for clinicals and one for other occasions. However, my clinical watch recently stopped working, so I was on the hunt for a new one.

Clinical watches can not be any old watch ... A clinical watch should be made of material that can be easily washed, should be waterproof, and cannot rust or provide a breeding ground for bugs and germs! And most importantly, a clinical watch must have a second hand!!

Taking all these must-have features into account, I decided to buy myself a classic Swatch Watch. In addition to meeting all the aforementioned criteria, Swatches also have adorable designs that are perfect for pediatric settings! The particular watch that I chose features a sun on the face and five cute turtles (or tortugas) on the band. This watch will hopefully serve as entertainment and/or distraction for children in clinic.

By the way, Peter and I named each turtle on the watch from top to bottom. Please say, "hello" to Pablo, Eduardo, Miguel, Javier, and Bob! (... and yes, this ridiculousness demonstrates why I am in pediatrics)!

"Taking care of business"

I really should start keeping a list of everything that needs to be done before I leave. There are so many silly things that I might accidently overlook.

For instance, today I put my gym membership on hold, which means I will only have to pay about 25% of the regular membership price for the time when I won't be utilizing the facilities. Other things that need to be done: tell credit card companies I will be abroad, so they won't freeze my account while I'm away, leaving me stranded with no money (like they did in Iceland, thank you very much BOA), give rent money to Peter, prepare documents for my visa, buy medical supplies like gloves, masks, et cetera et cetera, blah blah blah ... yawn!

Oops! This post is turning into a boring stream of consciousness/mental to-do list, so I'll switch gears and get back to more exciting topics ...

We had another Spanish lesson on Wednesday night, which involved role playing nurse/patient scenarios. Although complete details will not be divulged, Glenn created multiple situations, some involving a "sexy" nurse and a sexy "nurse." Haha oh Profesor Glenn, your "role-playing" definitely keeps things interesting -- (Note: these scenarios were diaglogue only)!!

I've also realized that my comprehension of Spanish far exceeds my ability to speak and build grammatically correct sentences. So, here's to keeping fingers crossed that I won't drown in Bolivia!

"Departure date sneaking up!" (2.5 weeks until departure)

Well, I am now 2.5 weeks away from leaving for Bolivia and I don't think it has quite hit me yet. I have so much to do, but with classes and clinicals, I've barely had time to think about preparing.

Luckily, I have already received my recommended vaccinations (Hep A, Yellow Fever, and Typhoid) and I've obtained prescriptions for all the diseases that I hopefully will not encounter: malaria, altitude sickness, and traveler's diarrhea. -- What a surprise ... Nurse Mal has taken care of all her healthcare needs!

My Spanish skills are slowly improving, but I anticipate quite a bit of culture/language shock upon arrival. Thus, despite my best efforts, I have a feeling my departure date is going to sneak up on me like a ninja! :) Ack!

"Spanish Lesson 1"

We had our first official Spanish lesson last night with Profesor Glenn. :) It was so much fun and very exciting! One can only learn so much by listening to podcasts. There is nothing like building sentences and asking questions to a fluent Spanish speaker. After only one lesson, I feel encouraged that the more I speak, the more confident I will become in my language ability.

Thanks, Glenn. You are awesome.

“Estoy aprendiendo espanol!” (1 month to departure)

My departure date is quickly approaching and the nerves are really starting to kick into gear! No, travelling solo is not what makes me most nervous. In fact, I am fairly certain that I will find my way there, will be safe, and will learn a lot. What makes me most nervous is the potential communication barrier that will exist between myself and everyone else there! My Spanish language skills definitely leave something to be desired, so it is time to cram!

For the past few weeks I have been downloading and listening to podcasts for learning Spanish. These lessons have prepared me with basic Spanish language skills: I now know how to ask where places are, how to inquire about prices, and perhaps how to discuss the weather or other pleasantries. However, I don’t quite feel prepared to live in a country with a host family or speak with local doctors and patients about complicated health issues … hence, the nerves!!

Luckily, a friend has kindly agreed to tutor Heather and me in Spanish. Did I mention this friend is a Harvard graduate and has created amazing powerpoint slideshows for our lessons? I believe I am in good hands and these additional lessons will jumpstart my language skills to the next level, or shall I say al siguente nivel!

Welcome to Mallory Goes to Bolivia!

I have never had a blog before, so I am excited to start this one.

I will be leaving for La Paz on August 6, and I am hoping this will be a good way for keeping friends and family updated while in Bolivia. So, check in here for updates, pics, and stories.

Thank you for visiting and enjoy! ♥