A whole lot of adventure

It has been a while, so mass update is needed. Days are long and busy and we have done quite a bit. 

Weekend: Saturday was spent relaxing, getting groceries, bathing in the pool at the hot springs (super warm), nothing too thrilling. Sunday, we took a bus to towns and cities around Ría do Pontevedra (Pontevedra estuary) and walked/toured a lot of the old towns along the water, including the city of Pontevedra itself. As part of the tour, we went on a boat ride through the estuary where we saw the floats where they farm shellfish, tried mussels, watched dolphins, and fed seagulls. The cities were beautiful and the water was super clear, which made up for the crappy weather. 

Beginning of the week: Monday and Tuesday, I was in the oncology department with a friend. Let's just say that I doubt it is either of our future careers. 

End of week: Wednesday, I switched departments, and I get to stay until Friday, to pediatrics. The doctor who speaks the best English is in NICU (neonatal, so a lot of premature and unhealthy babies). Dr. Felix is one of the nicest doctors I have met at the hospital. He was so excited to have another "English teacher" there with him and has done his best to explain everything to me, and even gave me a lesson on Spanish culture to practice his English. I never thought I would say it, but that is a place I could possibly see myself. They are so caring, yet not so gentle that they don't get anything done. Today, I went with one of the other doctors into a C-section so they could check to make sure the baby was okay. They even let me scrub up and press a button. I have learned a lot, and it made me happy to see doctors that spent time researching different cases if they were not exactly sure what to do. Also, new dads are the most adorable things I have seen in a long time. They look at their babies (especially premise babies) as if they are the only thing in the world. It is like a connection that not even a mother could have. I wish I could stay there forever. 

Wednesday adventure: Our midweek adventure was to the city of Santiago de Compostela (named for Saint James of the stars and sky). There, we saw where the original hospital of the city was, the city hall, a monastery/seminary/hostel, and the great Cathedral de Santiago. The city is known for being the meeting place of travelers of El Camino ("the Way," look it up. There is a movie based on it) and the site of the former monastery where Saint James was buried, lost, and later discovered. Everything was gorgeous and there were such an array of people there. We even met two guys from southern Spain who had done El Camino and walked somewhere close to 300 km and had just received their final stamp for the journey and a certificate saying they had finished it. That is definitely a place I could go back to. 

Dolphin from our boat ride in Pontevedra. I think there was a pod of four or five. 

One of the churches of Santiago de Compostela. 

The public library of Santiago. Why can't American libraries be this cool? (Well maybe some of them are)

My "I get to scrub up for a C-section" face in my borrowed scrubs. One day, I could have a set of my own. (P.S. Yes, it is crazy hot and humid and my hair is super curly because of it)

Well, that is it for now. An exciting weekend lies ahead. 

TTFN

Kallie