Today we traveled from Quito to Santo Domingo, where el Centro Medico Hombro a Hombro (Shoulder to Shoulder Medical Clinic) is located. Quito and Santo Domingo could not be more different, despite being only about 3 hours apart.
Quito is similar to any large city and has a very European feel. Everyone insisted on speaking English to us, whether we liked it or not. The city was very easy to navigate and we felt fairly confident. Also, Quito was quite cold with temperatures from the upper 40s to the upper 60s.
Santo Domingo, on-the-other-hand, is fairly large and compact with a population around 300,000. However, very few people speak English and those that speak English generally prefer not to converse in English. In general we are able to communicate, however talking on the phone in Spanish is extremely challenging. Also, Santo Domingo is humid. Not just a little humid. It makes Florida feel like the desert.
We traveled by car service to Santo Domingo. The trip was almost entirely through the mountains and filled with twists and turns. I have determined that driving in Ecuador consists principally of three rules: 1. drive as fast as humanly possible 2. try not to hit other vehicles or pedestrians but coming very close is completely acceptable 3. the use of the horn at every possible opportunity is encouraged
We arrived at the Centro Medico and culture shock set in immediately. The neighborhood, called Carlos Ruiz Burneo, is extremely poor - unlike anything I have ever seen in my entire life. I wish I had photographs, because I do not think words can do it justice. However, it would have been inappropriate to take pictures in the moment. Most of the community uses wells for water, which are located near the outhouse. Thus, contamination is a huge issue. The roads are more like off-roading through muddy potholes and dodging huge rocks than driving on an American road.
We pulled up to the clinic in our car and felt like idiots for having so much luggage. Honestly, the value of one of our suitcases was probably more than one family's entire house. I felt very uncomfortable. However, the staff at the Centro Medico could not have been more welcoming and helpful. I just wish I could understand all of their jokes!
More to come on our apartment and our first trip to the grocery store....
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