¡Buenas Noches, amigos-- espero que Uds. estan bien esta noche!  Pues, clinic is wrapping up- since the last time we wrote, we have continued to see patients with urinary complaints, dizziness, respiratory infections, and tinea versicolor.  We learned a new word for urinary symptoms, "chistata", which includes burning, pain, and frequency.
Very few people drink enough water here- we have done alot of educating about the benefits of agua consumption- I thought about pulling out the old "Bebe Agua" song our group wrote last year for the Honduras trip, but didn't want to end up in a Nicaraguan prison for assaulting someone's ears.....

As far as living here is Nicaragua, we have learned a few things:
1.  Nicaraguans are a very kind, hardy people.  They are durable and are able to sustain things that we in the USA would crumple at the thought of.  We have met some really great people not only here & in clinic, but also out on our escapades through the country-- let me add that they are patient, too, as we stumble & grow in our language capabilities. 
 2.  Time is not a fixed entity.  A rigid person would not survive well here. Time is very fluid and changeable.  A few minutes may be literally only a few-- while at other times....in USA terms, it would be a "long" time. The same is true with the internet connection: "a click away" has varying lengths of time. 
3.  Nicaragua is a very eclectic country.  I have seen a lot of what R. Coburn describes in his book, "My Car in Managua".  I think that you could find anything here-- if you look for it in the right place. There are certainly all types of transport on the roads: cars, buses, vans, bicycle taxis, horse carts, and ox carts....this includes major roads, like the Carretera Sur and Carretera Vieja León.
4.  Implementation of a plan is difficult- and often what is on paper does not match up with what actually happens; although this is true anywhere.

5.  Some are starting to come around in valuing women.  In one of the first meetings/rides that we had with Miguel, our wonderful taxi driver here in Managua, he let us know that he did not beat his wife.  We have seen other promoters of the worth of women in our travels as well.  Medical care- if one can access it, it quite quick to initiate specialty referrals for both women and children.
6....And, finally, the bus is not actually "full" until there are so many people in said bus, that the door cannot close..and even that is variable, as sometimes there are riders on the outside.

 I am grateful for the time that I have spent here. It has been a real growing experience that I am not likely to forget anytime soon.  Hopefully I will be able to bring the family for some of the Spanish/cultural schools...they can learn what it is like to live in 95 heat without air-conditioning!! (and see that children can, indeed survive without video games/computers...etc). Yes, John & Christian I love you!