I know, I know, it's been more than a week, but you all had to know I'd break down at some point.
Turtles
About two weekends ago, I went with some of my housemates to Los Cardones, easily my favorite beach here. It was a beautiful and relaxing day and we had planned to stay until sunset and head home after. Although the sun beginning to set was quite the view, we all got a bit distracted as a group of guests came out with a large bucket and began putting baby sea turtles into the sand. We all watched and supervised as tens of turtles (maybe around sixty, I'm awful at estimating) made their way to the ocean.
There are many other hostels and conservation sites throughout Nicaragua. While some are dedicated to helping this endangered species (such as Surfing Turtle Lodge) others are also combating egg poaching, which is sadly very common here (see Waves of Hope).
Either way this was a beautiful way to end the day and my attached pictures will make it incredibly obvious that I should be scooped up as a photographer for National Geographic at any moment.
Women's Health
Turtles
About two weekends ago, I went with some of my housemates to Los Cardones, easily my favorite beach here. It was a beautiful and relaxing day and we had planned to stay until sunset and head home after. Although the sun beginning to set was quite the view, we all got a bit distracted as a group of guests came out with a large bucket and began putting baby sea turtles into the sand. We all watched and supervised as tens of turtles (maybe around sixty, I'm awful at estimating) made their way to the ocean.
There are many other hostels and conservation sites throughout Nicaragua. While some are dedicated to helping this endangered species (such as Surfing Turtle Lodge) others are also combating egg poaching, which is sadly very common here (see Waves of Hope).
Either way this was a beautiful way to end the day and my attached pictures will make it incredibly obvious that I should be scooped up as a photographer for National Geographic at any moment.
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| Young turtle Kevin waddles towards his new home. |
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| The beginning of release |
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| Me and fellow Nat Geo photographer Jane |
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| Kevin at a different angle |
Another recent big event on my radar is Women's Health Week. Together with fellow PD Bee, I've been planning for a brigade of gynecologists to come down from the University of South Florida for a a week to provide open clinic hours, medications and exams for women. They are here this week and have been having a lot of success so far.
This week is something that I value immensely. Women's Health is a priority everywhere but here there's still quite a long distance to go. General healthcare and education about basic healthcare problems is sorely lacking and women's health is no exception. Many women here don't receive regular pap smears or have never had one at all. There is a lack of services but the discomfort of the exam is so pervasive in culture here that many women avoid getting it for that reason.
The doctors are providing pap smears, family planning, pregnancy tests, and other services while they are here. There is also an educational talk scheduled for Friday and one of the subjects covered will be the importance of regular pap smears.
Women's healthcare is something that is on the chopping block at home in the U.S. and as much as that angers me, I am fortunate to be bringing services to women here and showing them that there are still groups that want to advocate for their futures.
****SHAMELESS DONATION PLUG****
The Cedro Galan clinic offers women's health services (the few that it can) all year long. In three short weeks we are holding the Cedro Galan 5k to fundraise for the clinic. Refer to my lengthy Facebook post for more information or click here to donate!!!
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