Pictures from the last few days on the island - enjoy!

Day 14 - HOME

Day 14 (December 14th, 2013) Even though I had a king size bed all to myself, I didn’t sleep well. Dr. Hansen and I met for breakfast and then took the shuttle to the airport. We checked in outside and weren’t charged for our bags! We headed for security and the line was insane! It went quicker than I expected. We took the plane train to our gate and waited. And waited and waited. The crew was late and when they arrived, maintenance had to be done on the plane. We boarded half hour late and then had to wait another half hour on the runway. The line of planes waiting to take off was crazy long. Thankfully it was a short flight, 2 hours. My sister met me at baggage claim; I said goodbye to Dr. Hansen and we headed to Ankeny. My parents drove down to pick me up; we ate at the Waterfront before heading back to Eldora. I was exhausted. I unpacked a little and then headed to Independence to see my boyfriend. Two weeks is way too long! Iowa is snowy and cold; I am definitely missing Saint Lucia weather! I am happy to be home and excited to complete my capstone project. Only 11 days till Christmas! Thank you all for reading – it was such an amazing experience. I cannot wait to return to the island. Peace, love, Saint Lucia.

Day 13 - Last morning on the island

Day 13 (December 13th, 2013) Last morning on the island. Amelia and I made arrangements with Cuthy to drive us to the beach at 10 am. It was another windy day. We walked back and forth down the beach – taking pictures and enjoying the view. We had lunch at Island Breeze, another restaurant on the beach. We each ordered a rum beach – this batch was very, very strong. I had coconut shrimp and a side salad, Amelia ordered crab back and a salad. The food was so good. I am going to miss the fresh seafood! After lunch, we headed back to the beach. Took more pictures and waded in the ocean. At 12:30, Cuthy picked us up and took us back to the guesthouse. I got a little teary eyed in the car. I was not ready to leave. I showered, packed up, and met Dr. Hansen and Ursula downstairs. George Lee was driving us to the airport at 1:30; our flights left at 4 pm. While checking-in, my checked bag was 6 pounds over, Dr. Hansen generously offered to pack some of my stuff in her suitcase. I guess I bought too much stuff! After the bag situation was figured out, we went through security and waited to depart. The airport had shops so we wandered around and bought last minute souvenirs and grabbed lunch. Dr. Hansen and I were headed to Atlanta and Ursula to Miami; we said our goodbyes and loaded our planes. The plane to Atlanta was awesome. Each seat had its own personal TV. During the 5 hour flight I watched Despicable Me 2, We are the Millers, and an episode of New Girl. Fasted 5 hours ever! We arrived in Atlanta around 8 pm, went through customs and baggage claim, and were in a cab to our hotel around 9 – way faster than I anticipated! Dr. Hansen and I stayed at the Sheraton Gateway – super fancy hotel. I ordered a burger and fries from room service and rearranged my bags so Dr. Hansen wouldn’t have to carry my things. I had a king size bed all to myself. It was super comfy; just what I needed after a long flight. Tomorrow our flight departs Atlanta at 10:30 am for Des Moines! I’m almost home.

Day 12 - Hospital tour, beach & Balenbouche Estate

Day 12 (December 12th, 2013) Cuthy picked us up at 9 am. Lekei decided to stay in Castries for the weekend as she extended her stay on the island to vacation. Dr. Hansen, Ursula, Amelia, and I said goodbye to the Leon’s (host family) and started the journey to Vieux Fort. I wasn’t feeling the best so I sat in the front seat – it was a cloudy, dreary day. It rained on and off during on the drive. I had to use the restroom about 20 miles out of Vieux Fort; it began to pour as soon as we stopped. I got soaked! Even with an umbrella. There are restrooms available to use along the roads, but for a small fee – usually $1 US. When we got to Vieux Fort, we checked into the guesthouse we stayed in the first night. Amelia and I shared the same room we had on the 1st – our first night together  After we unloaded our bags, Cuthy drove us to St. Jude’s hospital. We were scheduled to tour the old hospital with hospital administration. Part of the hospital was burnt down in a tragic fire in 2009; while rebuilding, it was decided to renovate the entire hospital. Progress has been slow due to lack of funds, but the finished product is going to be remarkable. The hospital will have roughly 115 beds when completed. We were instructed to wear hard hats during our tour – ours were robin’s egg blue. There was much debate over the color of the hard hats in the van during the ride from the stadium (current hospital location) to the old hospital. Dr. Francois was certain they were green; another said blue – teal, mint, any shade of blue-green. The group was quite entertaining. We arrived at the old hospital, and were guided by a contractor around the grounds. The hospital has two wings, connected by an outdoor walkway. The hospital includes guest quarters for volunteers – DMU sends med students to St. Jude’s. After touring the hospital for an hour, we were dropped off at our guest house. We changed into beach attire and headed to the beach for lunch. Emily, the medical resident, came with us to lunch. We met her friend, a nurse volunteering at St. Jude’s as well, at The Reef restaurant; her name is Eileen and she is originally from Ireland, but travels the world working as a nurse. I had sorrel juice – a fruit in season during the holidays – to drink. It looked like cranberry juice but had such a unique flavor, very sweet, so good! I ordered a side salad, French fries, and fish fingers. We were all starving. The food was delicious as usual. After lunch, we headed to the beach – about 50 yards from the restaurant. It was windy and the water was rough; the Atlantic Ocean is colder than the Caribbean Sea. We hung out at the beach for half hour or so then headed back to the guesthouse to get ready for dinner. Dr. Hansen made reservations at the Balenbouche Estate, a sugar plantation. The Head Nurse from St. Jude’s and Emily accompanied Dr. Hansen, Ursula, Amelia and I. It was about a 45 minute drive from Vieux Fort; it was dark when we arrived so we weren’t able to walk around the grounds and see the old equipment. The house was beautiful. We toured the home and sipped rum punch at our table on the wrap around porch. There were other guests eating dinner as well; guest houses are available for rent on the property. The meal was served family style. The meal included chicken and caper soup, organic lettuce salad, rice, breaded fish, eggplant & tomato pesto, lentils, and steamed veggies. The eggplant tomato pesto was amazing! I didn’t realize I liked eggplant. We talked about our trip and thanked Nurse Charles for her help. We headed back to Vieux Fort, said our goodbyes and headed to bed. Amelia and I were exhausted. It’s my last night on the island. I am not ready to leave this beautiful place.

Day 11 - Presentation, Market & Game Night!

Day 11 (December 11th, 2013) Today is my boyfriend’s 28th birthday – happy birthday, babe! I feel so bad for missing it, but he was very understanding. This trip has been amazing and I cannot believe we leave Castries tomorrow morning; only 2 more days on the island. This morning I sat outside on the veranda and starting reading Edges of Truth: The Mary Weaver Story – a true story about my friend’s mother, highly recommended – while the other ladies finished up their presentation. At 2, we headed to the Health Ministry. I went to the grocery store to buy Piton beer (locally brewed) while the ladies set up their PowerPoint. The ladies presented to Lisa and her staff: Mary Anna, Melva, Francillia, and Nisa. Their presentation was great! After the presentation, we took group photos and said our goodbyes. We exchanged emails and cell phone numbers. I’m started to get really sad about leaving; we’ve met some really amazing people here. I HAVE to come back and visit, soon! We left the Health Ministry and went to the market. We all had a few more souvenirs to buy. After the market, we stopped at Rodney Bay to pick up dinner. I got Burger King – this girl loves her beef. We took our meals home and all ate in our room. Ursula cooked a dish called tomato rice, a traditional Nigerian dish. I was so full from dinner, but I tried the rice dish anyway. It was so good! I love rice and I love tomatoes! We had rum and cokes with lime. We invited the owner’s daughters, Rianna & Kijahan, to play cards with us. While waiting for Kijahna to join us, Amelia played War with Rianna. Rianna kept shifting through her stack trying to find the high cards – such a little cheat, but so adorable! When Kijahna joined us, we played one round of Crazy 8 – Lekei won. Kijahna taught us how to play Donkey; it’s kind of like spoons. Everyone has 4 cards and you pass a card, taking the one passed or discarding another. The objective is to have all 4 cards of the same suit and then lay your cards down; the last one to lay their cards down gets a letter d-o-n-k-e-y. You get a ‘d’ if you lose once, and then keep adding a letter every time you lose. If you get all the letters – everyone gets to ride you like a donkey ha! This is definitely a school-aged game. We played for an hour at least. The girls were instructed to come to bed at 10, so we played one last game to determine the donkey. Dr. Hansen was the loser, so Rianna got to ride her! So fun! It was a great, great night and a good way to end our stay in Castries. Tomorrow morning, Cuthy is picking us up at 9 to take us back to Vieux Fort. It’s been a wonderful experience. The island is gorgeous and the people are so accommodating – I honestly don’t want to leave. I do miss my family, friends, and the bf! I hope I am able to come back, on vacation this time! Peace, love, Saint Lucia.

Day 10 - Meeting & sunshine!

Day 10 (December 10th, 2013) Last night, after I updated my post, we went to Dr. Hansen’s room to try the cake Mary Anna baked for us. It was delicious! Tasted like banana bread. Wanted to mention that before I forgot! Today was a work day for the other three students – their presentation is tomorrow afternoon. At 10 am, Dr. Hansen and I went to a preschool close to the house where we are staying. The preschool coordinator is well-known on the island as a child nutrition advocate. She does not tolerate junk food or sugar-sweetened beverages in her center. She has created a mascot, jingle, and video that promotes healthy eating. This lady is amazing. She gave me great advice for the educational tools I will be creating. After the meeting, we headed back to the house. Amelia and I had a picnic on the veranda. After lunch, I sat outside and listened to country music on my iPod. It was the perfect laying out weather – partly cloudy with a light breeze. I may have gotten a little sunburnt, but it was definitely worth it! Later this evening, we ate icicles (Mr. Freezie's) with Kijahna and Rianna on the veranda; the girls are 12 and 7 if I haven't mentioned their ages. I'm going to miss their cute little accents! Tomorrow we are heading to the Health Ministry; the presentation is at 3. We are going to the market after to pick up last minute souvenirs. I cannot believe my time in Saint Lucia is coming to an end, only 3 days left on the island. It has been such as amazing experience. So glad I was given the opportunity. Hope everyone is staying warm back home. Peace, love, Saint Lucia.

Day 9 - Health Clinics with Mary Anna

Day 9 (December 9th, 2013) Today was an early morning; we were picked up by our driver, Lucius, at 7:15. I did not sleep well the tonight before and wasn’t feeling the best. We arrived at the Health Ministry around 8 and separated into our groups; Amelia and I went with Mary Anna, while Lekei, Ursula, and Dr. Hansen went with Melva. Mary Anna’s husband drove us to the La Clery Health Clinic. He played Caribbean style Christmas music on the way to the clinic – we enjoyed the ride! Upon arrival at the clinic, we met the staff. Mondays are Ante-Natal clinics (pre-natal), so there were several pregnant women at the clinic. Mary Anna gave a presentation to the patients about breastfeeding, while they were awaiting their appointments. After the presentation, we awaited Mary Anna’s clients; she takes referrals from the doctor for nutrition assessments. None showed up; the weather was cloudy and rainy. Mary Anna explained that many people do not go out if it is raining. While we waited, we discussed what she does during her assessments and about the healthcare system in the United States. She knows so much about our country, and I knew so few about hers. I’ve already learned so much, but I am looking forward to researching more about Saint Lucia’s culture and history. We then went to the grocery store and bought lunch from the deli – turkey sub and side salad. We ate in Mary Anna’s office at the Castries Health Clinic. She made us each a banana cake – she is such a wonderful woman. At 2, Mary Anna had an appointment, a referral from the clinic. During her assessments, Mary Anna takes the clients height, weight, blood pressure and blood sugar. She calculates BMI from their height and weight and shows the client on the chart where they fall in terms of underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. She also asks their occupation, history of hypertension or diabetes, appetite, and allergies (I may be forgetting a few). She then has the client explain their food intake schedule – breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. Mary Anna gives recommendations after the client has given her all the information she needs. I was going to become a nutritionist, but decided against it. Observing the nutrition assessment made me reconsider my decision a bit – but I am NOT going back to school! After the client, Amelia and I were picked up by our driver and the rest of the group and headed back to our rental. Rianna, the owner’s daughter, brought us a plate of fried chicken, green banana salad, rice surprise, mac n cheese, and twice baked potato. They must have had leftovers from their dinner. Amelia and I shared the home-cooked meal – as always, it was delicious. I am hoping to relax more tonight and get a good night’s rest. I am feeling better. Peace, love, Saint Lucia.