Spanish Lessons

well it appears that during my month in Bolivia, I managed to claw my way back to where I should have been at the end of Spanish 101 at Haverford. My classes started this week and I´ve been labeled as B1 or ``threshold``. Certainly feels like a threshold. The threshold of being able to speak. But it´s good, i´m getting to the point where I can explain my way around any language barriers, and ask for clarification in spanish as needed. I have 90 minute lessons 5 days a week in the afternoons. Quite challenging as my natural inclination after lunch is to sleep. still not used to the 6 hour sleep nights. After class, I come home to run before homework before dinner before bed. But today, skipped the run to type some stuff up for my project and now I´m going over to a medstudent apartment for mexican tacos. I a group of 5 students who were rotating through the clinic in their last week before winter break. Now they are on winter vacation for two weeks, but like medstudents everywhere, vacation = studying for the next big exam.

Today started with the weekly literature review, which is like PBL without a timer. Presentations are supposed to be short but drag on and on without visual aids. My attention drifts after about 3 minutes. I´m scheduled to do a presentation on the 26th of July. Trying to decide between IUDs or 

Then rounds with one of the teams. One poor woman had metastasized breast cancer that had invaded her liver. Amazing to actually see the distended veins on her abdomen as the blood found a collateral route back to the heart. She is on a morphine drip with her husband at her side. Thankful that he was asked to leave the room while we examined her on rounds. There is no hope for life, but our team will strive for ultimate comfort and quality during her last days in our hospital. 

While listening to the lungs of a longtime smoker, I heard crackles for the first time in real life. Hard to remember the dire consequencees of pulmonary edema as the excitement about actually hearing a sign rushed through me. Also greatful that my repaired stethescope works well. The diaphragm is somewhere in the Buenos Aires airport as when my bag was searched, they didn´t close the pocket that had my disassembled stethescope. After searching in vain for a replacement here (they only have litman parts), I cut out the bottom of a yogurt container and attached it with a rubber band. I should take a picture. Everyone said ``look, an american, functional but without style``.

Okay, well 25 minutes after the time I was invited, i should probably think about leaving. It took me a while to get used to this alternate sense of time, but now that I´m used to it, it´s kind of nice. there is extra time built in everywhere for whatever you want, like updating your blog for instance. should have done spanish hw instead i´m afraid