Smooth sailing...thank goodness!

What a group! What a conference! What a relief that it is almost over!By all reports as of this afternoon, the conference has been a complete and total success. Every speaker and visit was on target. The conversations were stimulating, provocative and revealing. There were some complaints that there was no time for siestas and little time for shopping, but there was a night for dancing, and we are hosting a party tonight for speakers and others we collected along the way.

I did have one moment when of complete panic when we arrived at an appointment in a small town about an hour south of here and learned the medical director with whom I had spoken just the previous afternoon, had been replaced. The new director was in the first couple hours of her new administration. Of course, there was no record of our expected visit nor any of the authorizations we needed. Without the approval of this medical director, we would not have been able to hold the meetings that were planned for the day. I explained the situation to the group and sent them off to the main plaza while I waited first for the new person to receive me and then to throw myself on her mercy. The whole process took about an hour, but we did get what we needed to proceed. Luckily, all of the participants have international experiences and were totally understanding. This incident, as well as many others, led to fascinating conversations about politics, cultural differences, and developing cross-cultural skills. For example, had I left without meeting the new person, I would have probably burned a bridge forever. But by waiting 45 to see her and knowing the right words to say when we were finally introduced, I have made a strong, solid connection that will last a long time. I know she will always remember the arrival of 25 gringos an hour after she arrived in her new office on the first day of her new job.
Here we are in a small clinic in a rural community. Being able to speak to patients in the waiting room (and taking their photos!) would have never happened in the US. This women and her daughters ended up inviting us to her house which was just around the corner. The patient my small group spoke with talked about trying various Mayan remedies to relieve her stomach pain before coming to the clinic. Her home remedies included drinking her urine. This clinic was financed by a plan called "3 for 1" which takes money collected by Mexican immigrants in the US that is then matched dollar for dollar by both the state and federal government. The result is an effective primary care facility.

Right beneath the surface of every professor here lurked a student.....