Dominican Republic 2012   Today the physical therapy program has its annual sending ceremony. Last evening we met to answer any final questions before we leave on Saturday morning for 2 weeks in the DR!

Our Last Day in the DR

Friday morning both the Cabral and Moca groups had their last day in the clinic where we had small despedidas or going away parties with the clinics. The Moca group went out to lunch in Moca. The Cabral group met at a patient’s house to teach the family and the therapists how to do pool therapy. The family made lunch for us and then we headed back to the ILAC center. Both groups of students had an opportunity to do some shopping in downtown Santiago. Finally, that evening we enjoyed a night out at Mariscos Central near the Monument. We walked over to Montezuma for some dancing but we returned home at 11:00 pm to the ILAC center to pack. Early the next morning we were on our way back to the United States. It is hard to believe that our time in the DR is over. We will miss everyone but look forward to new experiences in the future.

A Trip to Juncalito

On Wednesday, May 11th we left for the small mountain top community of Juncalito. The ride up the mountain was breathtaking. After arriving, we got settled in our rooms, enjoyed a short hike, had lunch, and began the hike down into town for our clinic. At the clinic we treated 26 people and even did one home visit. We treated a number of people with musculoskeletal problems as many people here work as laborers. We really enjoyed the people of Juncalito and the beautiful sights. Then we hiked back up the mountain in the rain and enjoyed dinner. We had a relaxing evening and retired early. The next morning we did a sunrise hike down the mountain to the waterfalls where we enjoyed an icy swim. After breakfast, we had to head back to Santiago. It was a beautiful trip and we enjoyed the people and our work in Juncalito.

A Post from Erin

Charla- Neuro Rehab Collaboration with students/therapists

May 9th the SCU PT students, the PUCMM PT students, and several local PTs got together to collaborate on neuro rehabilitation. After some interesting introductions, including stating whether or not we were married, single, or in a relationship, we presented four case studies and then splint into smaller groups to work on them. The topics included Parkinson’s, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. Together the students and PTs discussed relevant examination findings, interventions, and goals. It was a unique experience learning from one another and seeing how closely we think alike being educated in two different countries.

Tour of Moca!

Today the Moca group was given a very special tour of a few of Moca's highlights by the rehab director, Rosa! First we went to a very beautiful church by cab from the rehab center - due to Rosa not liking to walk very far (and it was also much quicker). This church had beautiful stained glass windows and everything else in the church was lovely and ornate. The church had a wonderful plaza equipped with fountains, benches, trees and skeletons! Wait what? Yes skeletons. During construction of the plaza, they found that it was a burial site for individuals from the 1400's. They preserved the resting places of these three individuals, but decided to cover them with a glass casing for viewing by the public. What an interesting shock it was for us, as we toured the pretty plaza and gazed down into the glass casings to find buried skeletons!

After the first church, we took a quick delicious break at Bon - a icecream chain. YUM! Rosa bought us all cones with 2 scoops of varied flavors, which all were delicious! Next, we walked to a much larger church than the first. On the way to the church we passed different buildings, statues, and parks; all of which had a story and Rosa was great at knowing them all!

The second church we toured was amazing! It was a large church and was decorated with beautiful ornate statues, pictures, stained glass windows, and flowers. The organ at this church is one of a kind and was constructed in Italy. It was huge! I wish we would have had a chance to hear it, for I bet it sounded amazing in the large hall of the church! Outside of the church there were lights all pointing towards it, and according to Rosa, at night the church is illuminated and is an amazing sight to see!!!

We only were able to take a short quick tour of Moca, but we had a great guide and learned a bit of history about the town, its people, and the Dominican Republic! What a great morning!

Cabral Kids

We must have worked cute little Albert too hard as he fell asleep in my arms after our session (Jasey, Erin, Karen and I). It has been such a joy and great opportunity to work with the Dominican kids! Their smiles are all so contagious :) We have also been able to work together with the Dominican therapists at Cabral hospital to further enhance patient care.

Weekend in Santo Domingo

Friday we boarded the ILAC bus for a weekend getaway in Santo Domingo, the country's capital. After a two and half hour scenic bus ride we arrived at Bettye's hostel, a cultural experience in itself. We went on a tour of Zona Colonial highlighting important landmarks of Christopher Columbus' time. Following the unexpected two hour tour, we were treated with Dominican-American food- pasta and burgers.

Saturday morning we left early for a tour guided by the Medical Director of a public hospital. All the services provided at the hospital are free to those who are unable to pay. The hospital is supported by government funding and charities. We had a thorough tour including the emergency department, pediatric area, maternity ward, dialysis treatment rooms, the ICU, and lots more. After touring the public hospital we are reminded how grateful we are in the U.S. to have air-conditioning and modern technology in our hospitals. Also that day we visited a nursing home, a parish house, and a batey. In contrast to Batey Libertad, this batey was more developed and modern. The Vicini company is working to consolidate multiple bateys into larger working communities. This batey is a trial to attempt to accomplish this task. During our travels to and from the various sites we encountered extreme poverty, many sugar cane fields, and gigantic craters in the road. We were very fortunate to have had Eduardo on our bus to narrate our tours and provide a unique cultural perspective. We had a very busy week filled with meaningful experiences; however, we were exhausted and needed some time to relax. So..... we headed to the BEACH!!! We had our fill of sunshine and Caribbean Sea. We enjoyed massages on the beach, riding the Banana Boat, tropical drinks, and bargaining/avoiding vendors. Despite all the fun and relaxation, we were diligent about applying sunscreen regularly! To complete a great day we indulged in more Dominican-American food and drinks. That evening we watched a performance of authentic Dominican music and dancing in the plaza. Our very own Sue had a Merengue dancing debut on stage among professional dancers. After that, some group members went to a little hole-in-the-wall to dance with the locals. They were amazing! Dancing is an important aspect of the Dominican culture and it was great to experience it first-hand.

Sunday morning we spent time perusing souvenir shops and exploring the streets of Santo Domingo. Along the way we befriended a stray dog. She loyally followed us around the city, patiently waited for us outside the stores, and was sad to see us ago. After a fun-filled weekend in Santo Domingo we enjoyed the rest of the day back at ILAC relaxing and preparing for a busy week ahead.