In the Jungle...the Mighty Jungle

It's Friday! The internet is working! So many things to be glad about.

Each day we eat breakfast outside on a patio overlooking the jungle and a river. In the distance are mountains and you can hear the monkeys off in the distance. I leave my cabin/room each day and am greeted by the frog who seems to be stuck in the lamp outside my room. His name is Rupert and I believe he is protecting me from all the spiders and snakes that want to harm me. Jungle living is extreme. We are in such a remote part of Vietnam. I don't think tourists would ever make it to this part of the country. It's pretty crazy when I think about being in the middle of nowhere in Vietnam. Nuts, right?

I spent this week working in very rural clinics. The first 3 days I was at a clinic in Trung Lo. We saw many patients, treated them for whatever ailed them, and also did our best to educate them on prevention of diseases and illnesses. It has been incredible. Public health nursing is so wonderful because you have the opportunity to sit down with patients, talk with them, answer their questions, and learn their life story. Yesterday and today I was at another clinic called Houng Ho. We met a woman with heart palpitations and insomnia. When she began to tell us her story, she began crying. These women have such difficult lives. By the end, we were all very touched and crying ourselves.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of going to the local "community center" near the clinic with 4 other students (Vietnamese and SPU). The center was literally an oval shaped hut on stilts. As I ascended the stairs, I realized what an honor this was. I was welcomed by a room full of Katu women, a minority group in Vietnam. Nearly 60 women were present to hear us teach on prenatal care and pregnancy. My fav! We were able to teach them about nutrition, hygiene, and the danger signs to be aware of during pregnancy. We aslo received feedback from them. Apparently, it is common for the Katu to bathe in green tea when pregnant to avoid disease. A lot of the women shared their concerns for nutrition as well. Their main sources of food are rice and some vegetables. Becuase so many of them are very poor, they are unable to afford meat and fruit. It is always difficult to know what to say in these situations. We offered the best advice we could.

After our presentation, the women sang songs to us in their native language and we sang a couple too! It was such a joy. One of those moments where you just have to sit there and soak it all in. I mean...there I am...in a hut in the middle of nowhere Vietnam having Katu women in traditional costume singing to me. Wow. Wow. Wow. What a blessing!

So yes, it's a billion degrees here with 150% humidity. And yes, there are bugs crawling all over my room. Yes, I'm dirty and sweaty and gross. But moments like that make it all worth it. I cannot believe I am able to do what I love in this setting, with these women, while working alongside Vietnamese nursing students.

The students by the way, are amazing. We are having so much fun together. I'm learning so much from them about their country and culture. The friends I made this week are Vu, Doc, Me, and Tui. I can pronounce them all too! Ha!

I'm off for now. The jungle awaits...