Today was a good day. It went really fast because we had a field trip for my class. We went to two different hospitals in San Jose. The first one was the public hospital and the second a private hospital. It was really interesting to see the two different types because there are way different. In Costa Rica the only major public hospital is in San Jose, therefore the lines were ridiculous for that hospital. We toured the emergency department and the line was outside the door. It just seems insane to me, since I'm an American, and yes we have to wait for a bit in the emergency room...but the line is not that long. However, talking to some of the Costa Ricans, they don't complain at all. They all told us that yes they have to wait, but when they are helped the service is very good. It was also strange seeing the condition the hospital was in. It was very run down and seemed dirty. Yet again, no one was complaining. Then we went to a private catholic hospital. It was amazing! It seemed like a hotel! There was a courtyard in the middle of it with beautiful fountains and a garden. They also had a nice restaurant! There were pictures everywhere and it seemed very clean. It was just beautifully built and I wouldn't mind staying there at all. So the complete opposite of the public hospital. However, my professor was telling us how expensive it is to go there. She said staying the night is extremely expensive. Which I can imagine, considering how extravagant the building is.
After touring the hospitals we went to the market downtown. Which was also interesting. There were a lot of vendors selling medicinal plants (which is the reason we went). Our job was to ask the vendor to tell us about the different plants. Asking about their uses and how to prepare them. It is cool because many Costa Ricans try home remedies with these plants before going to the pharmacy or hospital. So there were many plants for several symptoms. Some plants help with colds and coughing, others headaches and stomachaches. Then there are some that help prevent heart attacks (lowering blood pressure) and some that are believed to cure cancer! Amazing, right?
Well, that's about it for today... I have another presentation tomorrow! So,
Buenos noches!
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