My second Monday in Honduras and my first day at Predisan clinic, in Catacamas... It's been a long day of lecturing, for me, and I'm surprised by how tired I am this evening. Similar to my prior trips, the plan and training program designed in the states is not quite compatible with the reality here. That's not to say that it was not a successful first day, but it does explain why this post might not be as detailed as I might like...I've still got some work to do tonight and it's already 8:30pm. I'll back up, just a moment, to yesterday afternoon. I wasn't able to add to yesterday's post, because of a lack of wifi, and a dandy little electrical storm last night. Yesterday, the administrator of Predisan (Laura), was kind enough to take me on an outing with her and her family. We drove up to the base of the mountains, to the entrance of a National park, where the locals like to take their kids to play and swim in the river. It was a gorgeous, sunny afternoon, and the closer you get to the mountains, the more lush and green the landscape becomes. The second Sonographer, Jen, arrived in the late afternoon and once she was settled in, Laura and her husband took us to dinner and we discussed the plan for today. We arrived at the clinic at 7am, attended the early morning devotional, and organized some handouts and paperwork. At 8am, ten medical professionals joined us in a conference room for the lecture portion of our training. Lecture and questions were finished around 2pm, then Jen and I followed one of the Dr's to a free clinic, where he also performs ultrasounds. We returned to out hotel at 6pm, had dinner at 6:30pm, and now I'm sitting on the patio, listening to the rain, and trying to organize my thoughts for tomorrow's plan. Predisan clinic is quite advanced, with some impressive equipment, but there are still challenges with trying to train such a large group. They are all medical professionals, however there are varying degrees of knowledge and experience, where ultrasound is concerned. We also have to find a way to teach, allow for them to practice scanning, and figure out how to keep them on schedule with patients. I have also discovered that I am (once again) in a conundrum of trying to teach someone in a position of power, who "wants more training" but doesn't want to be corrected. Especially by a woman. Ah, the never ending search for tact and diplomacy. :) It's an interesting dilemma, trying to take the time to find a resolution when you only have a short amount of time to accomplish so much...and when you've traveled so far to do it! I'm sure this is a wonderful learning opportunity for me, but maybe a good nights rest is the most immediate solution. So, I'll wrap this up by mentioning the fantastic tortilla soup I had for dinner, photo below. A delicious vegetable and tomato base, served over fresh tortilla strips, garnished with avocado, cubes of quesilla, hard boiled egg, fresh cilantro, with rice on the side. Honduran comfort food! Hope all is well stateside, until tomorrow...buenos noches.