I started the day off doing research on adolescent health education programs. Found a couple good resources and a cartoon mascot, who I will name and she will be the “guide” the girls’ health education. I found a boy cartoon too. Once again, I could not find any piece of fire to light the burner, so I went with another dry breakfast (I must buy matches or a lighter, and thank God for peanut butter).
A little before 9:30, I headed down to Dee’s to catch a ride to West Bay. I decided to forego church for some snorkeling because the majority of my day would be spent helping out at Sundae By The Sea, an annual fundraiser for the clinic – more on that later. I snorkeled out to the reef and realized I had brought my underwater camera, so went back and got it, and returned to the reef. I’m really terrible with the underwater camera. I took maybe four pictures and it will be a surprise to me what I actually captured. I was able to dive down farther than the last time (my head cold has cleared up), but my mask is still leaky, so I was often snorting sea water or getting it in my eyes. I still have to work out the kinks in that activity.
I lounged on the beach for just a bit reading my medical Spanish book and then headed off to walk to Gumbalimba Park, where the event was being held. I was working the 12-2 pm check-in shift. I met two of the new volunteers (2 gals from Texas, one a med student and the other a psych PhD student) and we walked together along the beach (white sand, turquoise water), through Las Rocas resort and over a metal bridge into Gumbalimba, which is a nature sanctuary and gardens.
Sundae by the Sea was held in a pavilion area. It’s a silent auction, live auction, food and cash bar event to raise money. I was a bit confused why there were no sundaes, but I kept my disappointment to myself. My first task was to put rocks all over the silent auction sheets which kept blowing everywhere. Their were little bats up in the rafters. I looked for monkeys and didn’t see any, another disappointment, but I think we were sequestered at the back of the park near the beach.
The check-in table was quite stressful. It’s hard enough dealing with change in one currency, but mix lemps and dollars in there, and my math got all jumbled. I was happy to be relieved of that duty. I was glad Leigh and Eric were working with me. There was lots of mingling time. Finally the silent auction started around 3:30 and when I thought I was about to eat my forearm, they opened up the food line. I was towards the back of the line, so by the time I got there, a few things were all gone, but I loaded up my plate and inhaled the food. It was delicious. There were veggie puff pastries, lion fish meatballs, mixed seafood ceviche, two kinds of hummus with pita, white fish dip, pulled pork sandwiches, (several things I missed out on), and a table of desserts. Kempfir, a local kid, told me I had to try the island cake and it was not good – tasted like a marshmallow.
Feeling much better with a full belly, I hung around to clean up. Then a group of us walked along the beach back to West End. It was a beautiful walk, though the high tide meant a little more rock scrambling than was preferred with rubber flip flops on. I walked back with Eric and Leigh to their place – it’s so nice, spacious, and modern compared with my abode. I walked back to the beach to wade in the water and said bye to all the other volunteers. Luckily there was a little convenience store open so that I could break a $10 and have enough money for the taxi. I bought a sleeve of rainbow chip cookies to bring to Monday’s potluck, 2 eggs, and a can of beans. Just now occurring to me that I should have looked for matches as well. Dang.
Back at the hostel there was a man doing construction on the room next to me. I stepped in and around the saw dust, power tools, machete, and cords. Who does construction at 8 pm on a Sunday? Not the people across the street. The construction guard man is still out there. Last night he had a bonfire and music, tonight is less festive.
I’m working the morning shift all this week at the clinic, and I’m quite nervous. I’m working with Julie, who just finished her first year of nurse practitioner school and doesn’t speak any Spanish, so I’ll be acting as the interpreter, which is a daunting prospect. She is very kind and wonderful, and is probably more nervous than I am. It is bound to be a very different week than last.