Pyramids to Public Hospitals

We have reached the halfway point of the Public Health in Mexico AimOverseas study tour and I have experienced more in the past 2 weeks than I have in the past 2 years of University. We heard from lecturers on topics including prostitution, same sex relationships, global health issues and disability. The content was both insightful and controversial. 

A highlight of my week included a trip to artist Frida Carlos house in trendy town Coyoacan. The brightly painted blue and red home was set around a beautiful courtyard and decorated with hundreds of colourful artworks. Frida, whom was bed ridden for most of her life had a mirror fixed to the roof of her four poster bed so she could continue to paint self portraits, her death mask continues to lay on the bed to this day. Coyoacan boasted a hippy market place with Bob-Marley like Mexicans selling leather bracelets and tattooing. 

On Thursday, the bus pulled in at a rural public hospital 2 hours out of the city. A long line of village people carrying bags and babies queued outside the door. My fear of hospitals and all things medical was soon confronted as I found myself in scrubs entering an operating theatre. We were lucky enough to witness 2 natural births and 1 C section operation. Surprisingly I found the experience extremely rewarding. The mothers were so brave and actually made it look easy,if anything! The hospital was clean and orderly, even equipped with a robot connecting wirelessly with a surgeon from another hospital, to assist in operations via video and voice assistance. 

We spent the weekend in the state of Puebla, a charming town 2.5hours out of Mexico city, on the way  to which you can see the world's largest pyramid and explore the tunnels under the church atop it. The City of Puebla was charming and quaint with cobbled stone streets, bright yellow and pink buildings, beautiful cathedrals and cheap handicraft markets. Unfortunately I spent most of my time in the hotel room due to a horrible case of food poisoning, but the night life also sounded like fun!

The vast expanse of the 23million Mexican City residents can only be appreciated when you pass the miles of grey slums covering the mountains on the journey back into the city centre. I was shocked at the millions of people living literally on top of each other. Mexico is one of the most diverse places I have visited, as I swing from hospital, to salsa lesson to lecture, I am constantly surprised at the diversity in culture, land and custom.  

La Salle university

We pass food stalls on every corner serving breakfast, and emaculately dressed primary school children, on our walk to uni every morning. 

This week I have learnt Spanish, the entire Mexican history from Aztec through to drug dealing times, the weird and wonderful superstitions engrained in the heavily catholic Mexican culture, and how to salsa!

I have settled in to my apartment with roomies from America, South Korea and Mexico. Over tortillas and tacos we have discussed our different cultures, countries and customs. 

I have come to realise that the constant responses I received from family and friends-"WHAT? You're going to Mexico??!"- were simply just misinformed. The people here are beautiful, always smiling and willing to help. The food is healthy and super cheap, the drinks are strong and the histroy is rich.

Our site visit this week, as part of the AimOverseas Public Health course, was a trip to an aged care home. My nightmare of an impoverished, unethical institution was completely turned around.  The home was clean and happy. The residents living some of the best years of their lives with 24hour care and 3 meals a day. One lady even got married in the home, pretending to faint to gain the attention of her future husband.

We concluded the week with a trip to bustling downtown Mexico City, which had such a European architectural influence, that I felt like I was in Swtizerland. On Sunday we climbed the great Aztec Pyramids of the sun and the moon. Randomly jutting from the barren, cactus clad landscape, the pyramids were an unexpected spectacle, thousands of years old. 

Overall week 1 has been jam-packed with culturally rich lectures and sites. Looking forward to entering week 2 of this whirlwind experience! 

Hola!

Heaving, vibrant and edgy...

Mexico is everything the travel guides described and more.
My little amigo who picks me up from the airport struggles to teach me basic spanish greetings over the ambulance sirens and tooting horns. He has no hope after the 25 hours of travel just endured.

I am here on an Aim overseas intensive study course and the theme is 'public health in Mexico'. A great way to travel and study!

As we dart through the city, which looked like a country of fire flies from the air, amigo tells me of mexican butterflies, caves and wrestling.

We arrive at my apartment, and after a quick lightbulb change from one room to the other, I am home sweet home in the quadripple locked apartment.

Welcome to Mexico!