We touched down in Rurre at about 11:30am this morning. The flight was only 35 minutes from La Paz so we were able to arrive fast. I instantly felt the difference in altitudes and began feeling back to normal as soon as we landed. The temperature difference is quite extreme. Since La Paz is at such a high altitude the temperatures there were in the 60s and almost cold at times. It was over 90 degrees in Rurre today with upwards of 100% humidity... I guess we have finally made it to the Amazon!
Flying over Rurre was unlike anything I had ever seen before. From the plane I could see a vast spread of mountains and rivers that were all equally breathtaking. The pictures do not to it justice, we were all in awe. As soon as we landed a large bus brought us to the local airport.
Arriving at the Rurre airport was a bit intimidating. At first we were not sure what we were pulling up to and we thought it was a school. When I realized it was the airport I was shocked. It was small and discrete, unlike anything I have ever seen before. For its deceiving appearance, the airport was organized and efficient in getting us our luggage and on our way.
The first thing that I noticed on our way to our hotel was the number of motorcycles dominating the roads. There are no traffic signs or lights leaving the drivers to just go whenever they want. This worried me at first but a few minutes into the drive I saw that this was the norm and all drivers get by fine with it.
The number of stray dogs was also shocking to me. I am a huge dog lover and knowing I couldn’t pet any of them (want to avoid rabies!) was challenging. It was hard to see famished street dogs begging for food. I realize that it is custom to just shoo them away and they won’t bother you.
We arrived at Hotel Takana after a short bus ride through the town. Our hotel is great and has just what we need! We are fortunate enough to have air conditioning and WiFi while we are in the hotel. Both meals we ate today were delicious and I am grateful to have Dr. Nicole Dettmann with us to show us her favorite places to eat.
We took a walking tour of the city with Pedro, a friend of Dr. Dettmann’s. We have been able to meet some of her other local friends and family and they have all been so excited to have us here and welcome us. It is clear that family and friendships are so highly valued in this small town. It was clear that it’s the type of town where everyone knows and supports each other. This was refreshing to see as it is often hard to come by a tight-knit community such as Rurre.
Our week of hard work starts at 8am tomorrow morning at the rehabilitation hospital. I am excited to be exposed to Bolivian healthcare, specifically how the PTs carry out their treatment plans. I don’t know the type of patients we will be working with, but I am keeping an open mind and am looking forward to learning and working hard.
Flying over Rurre was unlike anything I had ever seen before. From the plane I could see a vast spread of mountains and rivers that were all equally breathtaking. The pictures do not to it justice, we were all in awe. As soon as we landed a large bus brought us to the local airport.
Arriving at the Rurre airport was a bit intimidating. At first we were not sure what we were pulling up to and we thought it was a school. When I realized it was the airport I was shocked. It was small and discrete, unlike anything I have ever seen before. For its deceiving appearance, the airport was organized and efficient in getting us our luggage and on our way.
The first thing that I noticed on our way to our hotel was the number of motorcycles dominating the roads. There are no traffic signs or lights leaving the drivers to just go whenever they want. This worried me at first but a few minutes into the drive I saw that this was the norm and all drivers get by fine with it.
The number of stray dogs was also shocking to me. I am a huge dog lover and knowing I couldn’t pet any of them (want to avoid rabies!) was challenging. It was hard to see famished street dogs begging for food. I realize that it is custom to just shoo them away and they won’t bother you.
We arrived at Hotel Takana after a short bus ride through the town. Our hotel is great and has just what we need! We are fortunate enough to have air conditioning and WiFi while we are in the hotel. Both meals we ate today were delicious and I am grateful to have Dr. Nicole Dettmann with us to show us her favorite places to eat.
We took a walking tour of the city with Pedro, a friend of Dr. Dettmann’s. We have been able to meet some of her other local friends and family and they have all been so excited to have us here and welcome us. It is clear that family and friendships are so highly valued in this small town. It was clear that it’s the type of town where everyone knows and supports each other. This was refreshing to see as it is often hard to come by a tight-knit community such as Rurre.
Our week of hard work starts at 8am tomorrow morning at the rehabilitation hospital. I am excited to be exposed to Bolivian healthcare, specifically how the PTs carry out their treatment plans. I don’t know the type of patients we will be working with, but I am keeping an open mind and am looking forward to learning and working hard.