I Miss…

24 08 2008

Seattle. Kayaking in Portage Bay, boating on Lake Washington and sunsets over Puget Sound. I miss running around Greenlake and browsing through funky shops in Fremont. I miss the liveliness of Pike Place Market and the excitement of being downtown. I even miss Belltown. I miss brunch at Macrina, pizza at Tutta Bella and the shakes at Red Mill. I miss the five million little coffee shops on Capitol Hill, Vietnamese sandwiches on The Ave, and good bookstores. Any bookstores! I miss watching the Mariner’s lose five games in a row, but celebrating at Kell’s afterwards anyway. I miss Mt. Rainier.

I miss summer camping in the Hoh Rainforest, evergreen trees, hiking above treeline in the Alpine Lakes, and the amazing San Juan Islands. I miss the breathtaking view of the Cascades from my old rooftop. I miss running under the Montlake Bridge, sitting by the Cut watching the boats go by, and the cherry blossoms in the Quad. I miss going to Edmond’s Beach with my girls. I miss playing with my co-rec soccer team. I miss the Windermere Cup, Solstice Parade, SeaFair, the Puyallup, Bumbershoot, and concerts at the Gorge. I miss REI and the rain. I miss grass. I miss real Chinese food, desperately. I missed virtually all of the Olympics this year, even the Opening Ceremonies. But most of all, I miss my family and friends. I guess everyone gets homesick sometimes.  





New Fridge!

24 08 2008

 

Exciting news – I bought a refrigerator! This sounds silly to most people who are not Peace Corps Volunteers, but it is a big deal for me. I can finally store leftovers without worrying about them spoiling, I can make ice, and buy yogurt! Now that I have my fridge, I can hardly imagine having lived so long without one. On the downside, this does mean that I’ve significantly increased my carbon footprint. But…I figure I take enough 13-hour bus rides and haven’t driven a car since February, so I don’t feel too bad.

 





Judith Lombeida Medical Foundation: Medical Mission in Ibarra

19 08 2008

I spent the first week of August volunteering with the Judith Lombeida Medical Foundation. Created in honor of Judith Lombeida, a Colonel in the US Air Force who was born in Ecuador, the JLMF’s mission is “Serving the needs of Ecuadorian people.” This was the JLMF’s second Clinical Mission (the Foundation conducts a Surgical Mission in October), and by all accounts it was a rousing success. During the week of the mission, we saw between 500-600 patients a day, visiting a different community each day. The mission took place in the northern provinces of Imbabura and Carchi, and included underserved indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian communities.

As Peace Corps Volunteers, we provided translation for the American doctors and nurses as well as an educational component to the mission. The work wasn’t easy but it was definitely rewarding, and I met some really inspirational people, both American and Ecuadorian. Thanks to Foundation President Mark Backlin and all of the dedicated medical personnel for an incredible experience!

More about the JLM foundation here: http://www.judithlombeidamedicalfoundation.org/

More photos from the week here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/allora/sets/72157606693076044/





Best Present Ever!

19 08 2008

My good friend Katy recently sent me one of the coolest presents I’ve ever received – a handmade canvas bag with the Obama ‘08 campaign logo on it! Katy is a skilled seamstress, so the bag is not only beautiful but functional, and makes the perfect carrying case for my SIGG water bottle with the matching Obama sticker. I’m excited for Obama to announce his VP sometime this week, as well as for the upcoming DNC Convention starting next Monday. Thank you, Katy!

My friend Katie made me a beautiful canvas Obama bag for my birthday!





Still here

2 08 2008

I am alive, I’ve just been really busy for the past month. I also haven’t been home much – in the entire month of July, I slept in my own bed two nights.

I would write more, but I’m off again, heading up north to assist with the Judith Lombeida Medical Mission for a week. I should be back in a week with fun stories and pictures.

In the meantime, I’ve updated the Chagas photoset on Flickr.  Working on the Chagas project was an incredible experience; it feels great to be part of a team that is actually making a difference in people’s lives. Plus, I got to do field research and met some really fun and interesting people.

Cheers, Ann