Guatemala-Return of the Chicken Bus

Day 3
Wednesday hump day

The return of the chicken bus. At 5:30 am the only thing available to get us to the chicken bus was a taxi that all 6 of us piled into. The poor guy kept scraping every bump we hit and at the end got a flat maybe from us or maybe from the car not having its tires changed since it was bought in the 80s.

Aaahhh but the chicken bus. I miss the bus. The man nearly had all of us in the front of the bus when he slammed the breaks to miss the sheep in the middle of the road. Only the gringas screamed which made all the others around us laugh. The women in their traditional wear holding on to the middle trying to fit 4 people on one seat on those old school buses with smelly farmers sitting practically on my lap. Why wouldt you take this kind of transportation. And of course you cant miss the blaring music with the occasional american 80s song making a hit or the bus hugging the edges of the mountain side to make it to Sebililla. that was the start of our morning.

We decided since the real docs went to the city to pick up supplies that Augustine and I would run the clinic while they were gone. After all, we are doctors.
So again we found kids, and had the promatoras practice while we treated the kids afterwards. I had to make sure they didnt try to give kids antibiotics with every runny nose as that seems to be their favorite thing to do.

Then, it was back home by 3pm the early day to walk the Parque and watch the little children run around like it was the best thing that ever happened to them today. They seem to find joy in just being outside and the rock under their mothers shoes is the most fascinating thing to play with. I have realized that you dont need fancy toys to satisfy kids. You can just find a dirt patch and they will be happy for hours.

I had my ice cream and shower, and am now relaxing with the sun shining nice and bright today. It is great to finally calm into guatemalan time and shake the daily grind of american life. We work too much. We dont find the dirt patch and see the excitement in just sitting and watching life in its fullest. There is so much in just what is right here. And when I am in America, there is this constant push to work...work to be healthy, work to make money, work to make dinner, work to study....lots o work. It takes effort to break that American mold and balance the life we all live. I have found ways, but that also takes work.

So please, everyone, grab a glass of wine and take off your shoes and let your feet feel the grass tonight. Afterall, we are living the great life right now as you read this

Love Amy