Departures and Arrivals.

Life is good, and it only gets better.

The past few weeks in Austin have been fantastic. Not only do I feel like I am really starting to belong to the community here, but I am also learning how to utilize the resources and wealth of knowledge surrounding me. I went to a beekeeping class, kayaked on town lake, and tubed down the river in San Marcos. I have eaten some of the most delicious food on the planet. And I have enjoyed spending time with people I love. Needless to say, I am pretty glad that I made the move from Hawaii to Austin in February.

Timing is a funny thing. Just as I was starting to feel established and comfortable with my life in Austin, it was time for me to leave for the summer to go to Nigeria. I accepted a position working with the Chife Foundation to help develop a public health care system in a new city in Africa. This opportunity provides a chance to make a difference on a larger scale than a private practice while working with visionaries. The goal is to create a model for future African development. While I have lots of ideas about what I will be doing and what to expect, there are more unknowns than knowns. Here's what I do know:
-I will be living in rural Nigeria for two and a half months, doing a combination of surveying (health surveys, etc) and collaborating with other experts to make recommendations for the new city project.
-Stacy will be there. And seven other interns, whose names I have seen in an email.
-I will have a chance to work with other really amazing people (interns, Chife employees, Anam community members).
-I will get to learn about Nigeria and have to opportunity to make a contribution.

So on May 29, I boarded a plane bound for Lagos.

About an hour into the flight, there was an announcement over the loud speaker: "We are looking for a doctor or nurse to help with a medical situation. If you are a doctor or a nurse, please contact a flight attendant immediately." After a brief moment of hesitation, when I wondered if I was really prepared to declare myself so publicly on a plane, I made eye contact with a flight attendant who asked if I could help. After introducing myself as Dr. Strickler, I quickly felt that I had control of the situation and the moment of hesitation was long forgotten. Luckily we didn't need to reroute the plane, nor did I need to perform any drastic measures. A simple exam with questioning and some paperwork later, everything was in order. It was a good reminder of how comprehensively I was trained for myriad situations. It also made me wonder what was in store for me once we landed in Nigeria.

I made it safely to Lagos after 14 hours of travel. Before even making it through customs, I met four of the seven other interns, which only contributed to the excitement of arriving. After getting our luggage and yellow fever cards checked, we were swooped from the airport to a hotel, where we ate our first Nigerian meal. I managed to sleep the whole night through even with the time difference (Nigeria is six hours ahead of CST). And prepare for another day of travel before getting to Ebenebe, the site of the new Anam city.

okc marathon.

Following in the tradition of Pheidippides, I ran my first marathon yesterday. It was quite an experience to say the least.

Four months ago, I remembered a promise I made to myself when I was eighteen: I would run a marathon by the time I was thirty. That seemed reasonable when I was eighteen and thirty seemed like forever away. Plus, I was eighteen, resilient, and trail-running regularly. That was twelve years ago and I really had no idea what the impact of being somewhat sedentary through medical school would have on my body. Nonetheless, a commitment is a commitment. And now I had less than six months to follow through.

I trained with the Passmore Racing Team (Stacy and Paul) for the Austin Half Marathon in February. It was great to have the support and accountability of our 8-week training schedule. I think we each pushed ourselves a little harder knowing that we would be racing together. After finishing the half marathon, we all felt pretty good and it was motivation for me to continue training for the full marathon.

So I scripted my plan, laid out days that I would do my long runs and hoped that four months was enough preparation. Turns out, a stress fracture type injury is enough to derail training. Six weeks before the OKC marathon, my left foot started giving me trouble. I pretty much quit training at that point. The longest I'd run was 16 miles. Now I couldn't go more than a few miles without major pain. So I stuck to yoga and swimming and wore an ankle brace. I decided that I would still go to the marathon, and do the best that I could despite the injury.

So, on Sunday May 1st, I completed the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. I am not sure yet how to characterize my mixed emotions about the race. One one hand, I am humbled at the number of people who participate in such events and proud of my accomplishment, while at the same time I think we might all be CRAZY.

When I woke up on Sunday a cold front had blown in creating a thunderstorm that was predicted to last for the day. We went from sunny and 72 on Saturday evening to 42 with 25mph winds and rain on Sunday morning. Thank you Oklahoma weather. Still too excited to process the potential impact this weather may have on the race, I got dressed in warm layers I had luckily packed 'just in case.' The final layer was a 13-gallon trash bag over my clothes. Stylish, I know.

My mom graciously agreed to run with me at the start and finish of the race. So she and I were out on the course at 6:20am ready to go. Unfortunately, we didn't know that the race was delayed due to lightening. So we stood out in the cold rain waiting for the new start time to arrive. While standing there listening to announcements and runners chattering about the weather, feeling the excitement of everyone was energizing. Then, moments before the gun went off, we were all asked to observe 168 seconds of silence to honor the memory of the 168 people that were killed in the Oklahoma City bombing. The only sound around us was the raindrops falling. I cannot express the profundity of 25,000+ people standing in the rain before sunrise, totally silent.

One of the things that I appreciated about the OKC marathon was the emphasis on the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. We started and ended at the memorial, with tributes to the 168 victims woven throughout the fanfare of the race. The announcer read this quote that is on the entrance to the memorial:
"We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity." I like the sentiment.

As the shot rang out, we started running! (This is a photo of us finishing.) The course took us through some really great parts of the city. My mom ran with me for the first four miles and then Spenser was waiting at mile 11 to run the rest of the way with me. I ran with another racer for a while who was running the half. He told me that he and his girlfriend started training for the half-marathon together and then they broke up two months ago. He was running in the race and she was at home on the couch! Love it!

Overall, the weather was the most remarkable part of this race. The first half was cold and rainy, and then it got colder and rainier and windier, and then colder and windier with hail. During the second round of hail, a nearby racer said, "Seriously, what's next?! A tornado?!"

Seriously, who thinks it's a good idea to run a marathon in 40 degree weather with 25mph winds and hail?! I couldn't feel my hands after mile two, my feet were wet and numb, and I think I shivered for at least an hour after finishing the race. A warm bath, hot water bottles, three blankets and a comforter later, I was finally warm and feeling pretty good.

I definitely could not have finished the race without the all support I had. Spenser, mom and I crossed the finish line together. (Above is Spenser drinking a beer at mile 25.) We all got our hard-earned medals and I got my finisher t-shirt. At one point in the race, I wondered why I was doing this, and recognized that in addition to being stubborn, I wanted that medal and t-shirt. However, the emergency blanket they passed out at the end was a more valuable prize then the medal by the time I made it to the end.

I am so grateful to Dave and Janet who generously hosted us, to everyone that wished me luck and cheered for me, and to the people who stood out in the rain supporting the runners. And I am really glad that I will never have to do this again! Ever.

nature, magic, and an old man.

guatemala is a fantastic end to this trip! i spent a couple of nights in antigua and now i am in xela. the western highlands offer so much magical charm - in both their landscape and the local culture. it is easy to see why a belief in nature permeates the social structure. it is also a refreshing contrast to the catholicism further south. many of the altars in churches are also adorned with animals and corn and other symbols of fertility, in addition to the statuary typically found in churches. worlds collide all over the place!

i have mostly been walking around markets, sitting in plazas, and talking short day trips to beautiful places and landscapes (volcanos, hot springs, lakes...). oh the luxury of travel! i have also had a number of great encounters with people that inspire me to be open to whatever may unfold. for instance, in antigua, i was sitting in the central plaza watching people when an older gentleman came and sat next to me. he started asking me the standard questions, what country are you from? is this your first time here? after learning that i was a medical student and asking for some health advice, we wound up talking for three hours. i missed my bus to the volcano, but the inspiration i gained from his wisdom was well worth it. he told me about his life growing up, tearing up when he told me about his mother, who he still misses everyday, about raising his children in michigan and adapting to the american work ethic. he told me that he doesn't believe in any religion, but he believes in nature, and that each full moon he baths naked in the light and asks the moon for the vitality and health he needs. the whole time he said that he didn't know why he was telling me all of this. regardless i was capitvated by the poetic and heart-felt nature of his tales, so i soaked in every word and piece of advice he gave me. at the end of our conversation, he told me that it was necessary. i looked quizzically at him when he said it at first, until i realized that somehow it was necessary. for both of us.

the beauty of the landscape, the colors of the mayan weavings and clothes, the crisp mountain air...delightful! there is so much more depth here than i will be come close to discovering in the time i have left. but i am grateful for the exposure that i am getting despite its brevity.

homesick for action.

yesterday i took a sixteen hour bus ride to guatemala city. it was the first time that i have felt really homesick on this trip. i slept only a few hours the night before, due to my 4am departure and some sort of developing cough situation. i was already feeling a bit defeated because all my photos were lost/stolen hours before the departure, which is a real bummer. my traveling partner, karen, and i split ways (her towards columia and me towards guate). and then they played transformers and transporter 2 on the bus, which reminded me of skylines and life so different than i am experiencing here. (since my life at home is so much like an action movie, it is understandable that i would feel homesick watching optimus prime and car chases on the tv screen. haha.) alas!

upon arriving in guatemata city, i again felt the excitement of being in a new place and getting to discover all sorts of encounters that await me. we pulled in at sunset to see the city tucked between volcanos and hills. it was beautiful and peaceful in a way that soothed the homesickness. i connected to another bus, this time getting the chicken bus to go to antigua. i arrived at night, so i am excited to go explore today. there is a lot of european influence here that gives the city an interesting feel architecturally, but there are also a lot of tourists. so for now i am off to play!

adios nicaragua.

in nicaragua, adios echos throughout the streets. adios when you are greeting someone briefly, when men and boys are hoping to get your attention, or when you are leaving an encounter. adios when you are coming and adios when you are going. i appreciate the reminder that god is all around and moving us through each of our encounters, since grace seems to be organizing this trip more than i am.

tonight is my last night in nicaragua. it is hard to believe that i have been here for weeks already. my plan was to have left days and days ago, but there was so much that i kept wanting to do before i moved on. i revised plan after plan until eventually, i had to let go of making plans beyond the next day or so.

last tuesday, i arrived in esteli in northern nicaragua. it is home to mama leche (who was a practicing midwife that now educates women about breastfeeding); cecalli, a medicinal herb farm, laboratory, and treatment center; and multiple co-ops for women, for farmers, for any number of good causes. there are more shoe stores here than i am able to count, more natural and herbal pharmacies than anywhere else i have been, and a high concentration of universities. in addition to being a relatively progressive nicaraguan town, esteli is nestled amidst beautiful hills and mountains.

wednesday afternoon, i took a day trip to a 35m waterfall and swimming hole. friday through sunday, i traveled to miraflor, which is a nationally protected area of small farms, or fincas, at cloud forest elevations. i stayed at a place called posada la soñada, where the views are spectacular and the nurturing of the clouds left me with a feeling of rejuvenation. the homecooked meals were also amazing, particularily due to the green vegetables that we were served! my soul felt refreshed after being there.

tomorrow i leave for guatemala. well technically at 4 am in the morning. so now i bid adios to nicaragua. it has been great!



things i dont want to forget, but may not make sense outside of my head:
-talking to teenage boys about hiphop post their breakdancing performance
-eskimo ice cream
-miguel´s finca outside of esteli: machete action, sopa with noodles, potatoes, platano and coffee
-accidentally going to a funeral

parks, parishes, processions.

after three days of surfing, fishing, and lazing around san juan del sur, i headed for granada on saturday afternoon. we arrived in granada amidst a bustling array of street vendors doing everything from repairing shoes to selling hot dogs and mangos. granada is quite a contrast to the sleepy surf town of san juan del sur where the city is nearly silent during the day (since most people are out at the beach). in san juan, the gringos and nicas come out at night to go to the bars and to dance at the pulsing bass at the disco. in granada, the days are full of noisy vendors and buses calling their destinations out like it is an animal´s mating call - managuamanaguamanagua. we were challenged to get dinner after eight o´clock last night, and we were the only ones in the bar we heard was the place to be. it is an interesting flipflop of activity.

i have really enjoyed my time in granada. everywhere i walk there is something new to appreciate. there are a number of parks, each with their own character. there is a main central plaza with a beautiful yellow cathedral. a park with sculptures and poems honoring the revolutions and fighting that has taken place in granada, which was burned to the ground after one occupation. another park is on the lake where there was a celebration for the ascension of mary over the weekend. at the festival, there was a carnival and bull riding and lots of fried food (some of which was tasty). they even had bright red candied apples. i learned at one vendor that all the apples are from washington! i went to a fort to look over the city and counted at least five catholic churches amidst the tiled roofs of brightly painted cement houses and stores lining the narrow streets. i love the color scheme here - yellow next to fuscia next to lime green next to pink next to cobalt blue and so on, each accented with complementary colors in the finish and metal work.

on sunday, i went to a mass at what was described as the most local church in granada. the church bells from the multiple churches in the city filled the air throughout the day. i considered trying to make it to a mass at every church, but i think one was sufficient. it was a relatively quick mass with a nearly full mariachi band! outside of the church, i met a man named conrad hooker whose village in eastern nicaragua was flooded and can no longer feed its inhabitants. in his caribbean cadenced english, he painted the picture of what it is like to live in the northern part of the state where there is little infrastructure and no money to support creating one. to my knowledge, there are a number of peace corp positions stationed out near where he lives as well as a few ngos, but it sounds like there is a long way to go, even to just make sure people have access to food and water.

after leaving the church, i heard drumming coming from the central square to discover a parade led by the local high school drum line followed by every adult baseball team in granada. there were about 12 teams in full uniform parading down the street. beisbol is the nicaraguan national pasttime (even over futbol). it was fantastic! later in the day, i saw another procession. there was a horse-drawn hearse, ornately crafted and accented with black lace curtains. there were about seventy-five people walking behind the mobile tomb and a band riding in the back of a pickup truck in the rear. although the two processions had very different purposes, they both made me stop in my tracks to pay attention to what is happening in my surroundings. i think that is one of the most important experiences of this trip for me - paying attention to the details happening in my current surroundings.

yesterday i had another chance to pay attention to my surroundings at laguna de apoyo. it is the most beautiful volcanic lake i have been to so far in nicaragua! the water was clear and a nearly perfect shade of aqua. i could see the bottom, and even a few fish that were swimming in the lake. after a long bus trip and walk to get there, it was nice to relax and enjoy the quiet sounds of the waves lapping on the shore while drinking pitaya juice and eating ice cream.

today i am headed to the northern part of the nicaragua, to esteli and miraflor. each day holds something entirely new to discover. traveling is fun!

la isla bonita.

leaving the homestay and transitioning to backpacker mode left me with a taste of culture shock. i went from living in an old wooden house with a latrine and bucket shower, a huge garden, lots of chickens, pigs and piglets, a cow, three scrawny dogs, a very demanding cat, Jacqueline (host mother) and Brian (her eight year old son) to staying at a hostel on the other side of the island with lots of tourists, loud american music, billiards and rum. it was a bit of an adjustment.

i had grown really accustomed to living with Jacqueline and being generously taken care of by her. she graciously opened her house to me and another student from the trip, giving up the nicest room in the house for us to stay in her home. the best description of the house it that it was like a large wooden barn. it is one of the oldest and nicer structures in los angeles and has been in her family for generations. she would wake us in the morning with huge trays of food: gallopinto (rice and beans), eggs, tortillas, plantain, watermelon, juice and coffee. then we would head to clinic or class, returning hours later with our bellies still full from breakfast to be served an enormous tray of nicaraguan delights. most of the food is a variation of starchy vegetables, rice, beans, plantain, tomatoes, and eggs or meat (fish from the lake, freshly slaughtered chicken, etc). one day i ate four whole fish - two for lunch in fish soup, and two for dinner fried and served with rice beans and salad. my plate was clean and my stomach sufficiently stretched after every meal. as we ate, jacqueline would share stories of her life. of living in guatemala where her husband was killed a few years ago, of moving back to nicaragua, of educating her son at home the year that she could not afford to buy him a uniform. its a good thing that more than 80% of communication is nonverbal. she was patient with us as we tried to understand, and she cried when we left.

i left the western part of the island to head to the southeastern portion with two other girls from the brigade. we happened to get a ride from an australian guy who ran a hostel near the base of the volcano we hoped to climb. we slept in hammocks overlooking lago cocibolca and listened to the waves lap upon the shore.

we explored the ecofarms near our hostel one day, and yesterday we climbed volcan maderas. it is 1394m high, and muddy most of the way up. the last time it erupted was about 1000 years ago, and now there is a lake in the crater. hiking through cloud forest is pretty spectacular.

now i am in san juan del sur, a touristy little surf town. we arrived this morning after taking a ferry off the island and getting our bearings. it will be fun to relax for a few days (not that i havent already been doing that...)