Day 3

These are pictures of the street I live on from the rooftop patio.

Today I experienced my first Bolivian strike, unfortunately it was the residents in the hospital I am working in because the hospital didn't pay them. Which makes me wonder, if we are unhappy with our program can we strike? Would that be unethical? Would the hospital be able to function without its residents? Who would spend the whole night writing orders for the nurses and who would write the gobs of notes in the morning? MaryBetty offered that if the residents don't come back and things are difficult for me at the hospital she has pediatrician friends who I could work with, but for now I will stay at the hospital where they worked so hard to arrange for me to come.
The interesting thing is that the interns don't get paid anyway so they aren't on strike. I can't imagine if we didn't pay our interns due to how much we put them through and how hard they work. Their interns work just as hard and want to do it so much that they do it for free.
The rest of the day was odd because I had no fellow second year to follow. I spent the morning in the clinic and the afternoon in emergency again. Which was ok, but I didn't know how to find lunch so I ate the second half of my cheese sandwhich that I had brought from breakfast and then when I came home ate achchairus (interesting Bolivian fruit that takes a lot of work for a little fruit, but that evidently has a lot of vitamins) which helped my hunger. Tomorrow, I find lunch or bring a granola bar to go with my half of a cheese sandwich. The stupid thing is that pleanty of people have offered to help me with anything and I didn't want to ask for help, but I really should just get over myself. Maybe tomorrow the residents will be back, or the interns will be around for lunch.
In the ER I spoke with a doctor who is applying to work in Canada, it was great to hear his English and he also offered to help if I need anything. Everyone is happy to offer to help, a very friendly country.
An bunch of interesting cases today, hard to focus on any. Metoclopramide intoxication, osteomylitis, stomach issues, stomach issues, stomach issues, cough.
Too tired to write more...tonight, my first spanish class.