Goodbye to Adelia Blanco

Today we finished surveying in the barrio we have been working in, Adelia Blanco. I am somewhat sad to leave because most people recognize us and many of the children know me (and hug me). There is one 4 year-old boy (see below) who every day without fail will yell at me what I assume amounts to “na na na boo-boo, you can’t catch me!” Whenever I turn around suddenly and reach my arms out pretending to “get” him, he screams hysterically and runs away. Yesterday when he started yelling at me I just took off running after him down the street and I thought he would pee his pants when I grabbed him and picked him up.

We have had several run-ins with scary dogs in the last few days. I found myself wishing more than once that I had just shelled out the money for a rabies shot before leaving the US. There are numerous stray and pet dogs in the barrio but only rarely will you see a cat. Nicaraguans believe that cats eat your soul while you are sleeping.

Now that we are finished surveying, I will get to work with the physician on staff, Dr. Melba. I will be helping her with clinic in a couple of nearby villages and be going to pregnant mother and abstinence classes (not with the same women, LOL).