Health Promoter Clausura

Me with the 2010-2011 Health Promoters! 9 in total (one couldn't make it)

Me with the doctor, Brenda and the health promoters

Giving Abraham, our youngest health promoter (18), his diploma and ID badge.



This is what the clausura looked like.

So the day finally came! The health promoters finally graduated! And guess what, the doctor actually showed up!! But of course - as always there are always setbacks. Since I've been here in Guatemala I have learned you always need to be prepared for the unexpected - always anticipating the next step. Kinda like serving. When the cocktail is almost empty, you ask if they would like another, making sure the cocktail is right there once they are actually done with their drink - when the appetizers arrive place the order for their entrees, etc. So keeping that in mind I had to prepare for the worst case scenario and best case for the health promoter graduation. The doctor had not come to the health center at all this week and he had all the final diplomas and ID badges that he needed to sign. So I had to reprint all the diplomas and ID badges so I at least had something to give the graduates. I also had an agenda printed off and of course nothing on the agenda was followed. Key people didn't show up and I had to think fast with finding an alternative to kill the time. The health representative from the municipality failed to show up. When I called him he was in the capital, ha. So I had to run around the town hall to find someone to speak on behalf of the mayor. I ended finding the municipal secretary! haha - but it worked. Felisa had to go to Xela for a meeting so thankfully Claudia, the coordinator of the women's office was there, so I made her say a few words. Antonio, the technician from an aldea of my town didn't show up and neither did the president of the health promoters from this aldea - so once everyone who I dragged to speak said a few words, then the doctor, then Brenda (who is my counterpart here at my site) then myself, I had all the health promoters say a few words. I knew this would waste time because Guatemalans LOVE speaking forever. The doctor also agreed to give the health promoters oral rehydration fluid packets and acetemenophen to help those in their town that may have fevers, pain or diarrhea. So that was a big positive. I would say it wasn't the greatest graduation ever, but it was still successful.

What did fail was the new health promoter meeting. Ironically enough, all the women that came last month failed to show up this month but all the women that didn't show up last month came to this month's meeting... So with the women that showed up we planned for the first offical meeting to be the 17th of November. However, the only positive part of that day was kicking a drunk man out of the meeting. It was a little short man that decided to walk into the middle of our presentation and starting ranting. After a while I had enough. So once he got up from the chair he was sitting in I pushed him towards the door. He then placed his hands on the table and said he wasn't leaving. I asked nicely if he could leave and he wouldn't, he kept rambling and sluring his words. So I took the liberty of just picking him up and I carried him out of the room. Not lying. But it wasn't that easy - he threw me into the wall and then tripped on my foot and fell on the floor. Then Felisa and I proceeded to drag him out the door. I turn around the a room full of 40 silent and shocked indigenous women. One lady couldn't believe I had done that, telling me 'he was drunk, seno!" and then another lady asked me if this is what we do in the states, hahaha. So yes, I literally picked up a grown man and carried him out of a room - well more or less.

This past week I invited Brenda, my counterpart, to my house to talk about some of the issues we have been having. For the past 6 months or so I have not been working with her for various reasons. One major reason being that the doctor doesn't want her working with me. To this day, even after talking with her, I still don't understand why. The meeting was prompted after the presentation I had to give in front of the health center doctors, their bosses, my bosses, other volunteers and their respective counterparts. I did not present with Brenda but with Felisa and Antonio who has the same job as Brenda, but lives in one of the small towns (aldeas) of Santa Maria Chiquimula. The presentation sparked a huge debate between all the health staff present due to the series of HIV/AIDS workshops I conducted in Chuicaca this past year where I found out instead of 600 people, we taught over 1,000 people! Apparently the doctor never reported all the incidents of HIV/AIDS cases in that town and his bosses had no clue we had conducted these workshops. For about 20 minutes there was a huge argument in the middle of my presentation. So after that awkward interruption I finished and asked if there were any questions. The doctor then commented on how he has no clue I would be bringing midwife birthing kits in January even though I had sat down with him and we discussed planning a series of workshops with the professional nurse and the midwives.... but I commented back saying he DID know and how we had a meeting about it. That was his way of trying to make me look disorganized or whatever because he was mad I got him in trouble - but it didn't work.

So a few days later I found out from Felisa that Brenda was mad that I didn't include her in the presentation. So I invited her over to clear the air. When I confronted her about some of the issues I have been having with her and some of the comments she had made she, of course, denied every single remark. I don't know why I waited until now to express my frustrations with my work colleagues, but now that I have I feel like I can start off in a new direction. I also found out the professional nurse started her own health promoter group, pretty much completely behind my back which was basically a slap in my face. I was very upset and felt even more like I have no support whatsoever from my health center. It is so very different working with Guatemalans as opposed to Americans. They are incredibly indirect, huge exaggerators, lack constructive criticism and have no problem lying competely to your face. Or maybe they are like Americans, haha - maybe I just lack the 'real world' experience and this is just a strong taste of it.

So I'm not really sure if things will improve with my health center staff, but I can't sit around here and wait for them - I have work to do! With or without their help or support. This coming week I will be meeting with the construction workers who will be building my stoves! So we are almost ready to start construction!

Tenga un feliz fin de semana! Nos vemos