We take a break from our regularly scheduled programming of stories and tales to bring a collection of random facts about life here.
- There are MANY different kinds of biting insects around. Each has a distinct immediate bite pattern, with a variety of resultant reactions. Everyone seems to react differently to them. The worst for me are the small gnat/no-see-ums that are small enough to get through the screens, then block to any light source including the computer screen. Their bites literally itch on and off for days.
- There are two different broad categories of venomous snakes on the north coast of Honduras: pit vipers and coral snakes. Each category has their own anti-venom that we keep in store in the pharmacy at the hospital.
- It is SO humid here. Salt clumps almost immediately, and I've already discussed the propensity for mold. Even my passport has molded a couple of times. Fortunately, the type of mold here seems to be easy to clean off and doesn't leave too much of a lasting mark.
- A few signs I'm getting adjusted to this new life- I actually got excited about cooking dinner tonight (instead of my previous pattern of eating peanut butter & jelly sandwiches or trail mix for every meal), I had my first dream in Spanish (I was interviewing a patient in the dream), I have favorite grocery stores/know which products I can generally get at which grocery store in town (there are 4 or 5 large stores we go to as each one carries slightly different things), and my hammock is finally hung up for use on my front porch.
- My favorite things about living alone: 1) tons of space for visitors 2) I can invite anyone over for dinner or coffee without worrying that I'm disturbing or interrupting someone else's plans 3) I can hit the snooze button as many times as I want 4) I can walk naked through the house after showering if I want to 5) no one screams at the enormous spiders that walk across the wall 6) if I leave things a mess, they won't bother anyone else [I've had to find things I like about living alone because I've enjoyed having roommates so much before this that it actually makes me pretty sad to be sitting in my house by myself at night!]
- There are MANY different kinds of biting insects around. Each has a distinct immediate bite pattern, with a variety of resultant reactions. Everyone seems to react differently to them. The worst for me are the small gnat/no-see-ums that are small enough to get through the screens, then block to any light source including the computer screen. Their bites literally itch on and off for days.
- There are two different broad categories of venomous snakes on the north coast of Honduras: pit vipers and coral snakes. Each category has their own anti-venom that we keep in store in the pharmacy at the hospital.
- It is SO humid here. Salt clumps almost immediately, and I've already discussed the propensity for mold. Even my passport has molded a couple of times. Fortunately, the type of mold here seems to be easy to clean off and doesn't leave too much of a lasting mark.
- A few signs I'm getting adjusted to this new life- I actually got excited about cooking dinner tonight (instead of my previous pattern of eating peanut butter & jelly sandwiches or trail mix for every meal), I had my first dream in Spanish (I was interviewing a patient in the dream), I have favorite grocery stores/know which products I can generally get at which grocery store in town (there are 4 or 5 large stores we go to as each one carries slightly different things), and my hammock is finally hung up for use on my front porch.
- My favorite things about living alone: 1) tons of space for visitors 2) I can invite anyone over for dinner or coffee without worrying that I'm disturbing or interrupting someone else's plans 3) I can hit the snooze button as many times as I want 4) I can walk naked through the house after showering if I want to 5) no one screams at the enormous spiders that walk across the wall 6) if I leave things a mess, they won't bother anyone else [I've had to find things I like about living alone because I've enjoyed having roommates so much before this that it actually makes me pretty sad to be sitting in my house by myself at night!]
