Today we finished the last of the surgeries (3 dogs) and did a few consults for a grand total of 48 animals in 3 days!!! Big thanks to Dr. MC, KH, E & H for all their help!
The resident cRaZy monkey lady showed up today with her pet monkey, Cindy. She is a PERFECT example of why wild animals (SPECIFICALLY PRIMATES) should never be kept as pets. The monkey was wearing a diaper and climbing all over the woman and everyone, wrapping its leash around things as it went. She claimed the monkey needed its "vaccines" which was an interesting proposition, since we didn't even have dog vaccines, let alone monkey ones. She had some sort of official looking paperwork that needed to be signed off by a vet, but since we didn't have vaccines, Mike tried to send her on her way. She insisted on an Ivermectin injection (which I gave orally, since I'm not getting near any more primates) and a B12 vitamin injection. Why does everyone in Latin America think B12 is the answer to the world's problems? Is it? Is this something we're missing out on in the States? I explained to the woman (or at least tried to) that if the monkey ate a good diet, she wouldn't need any vitamins. I wanted to tell her to forget the vitamins and go get a Rabies vaccine and a muzzle, since the monkey is going to bite someone any day now. Crazy people... Never cease to bewilder me...
This afternoon we went canopy zip-lining in the jungle - very cool!!! 2 Canadian girls were on the tour with us and were somewhat annoying although entertaining as well. For those not familiar with zip-lining, it consists of a harness, leather-like gloves, and a long line strung between 2 trees. You pretty much clip onto the line and zip from tree to tree, enjoying the view along the way. As hot as it was outside, I specifically put on long shorts with the anticipation of some sort of rope/harness thing around my legs. These girls showed up in BIKINIS - which may look semi-attractive, but NOT PRACTICAL for zip lining. Not to mention one of them was lobster-red from sunburning. Since they didn't speak nor understand Spanish, I doubt they picked up on the side comments from the zip-lining guys.
FYI sweetie... they don't think you look cute and are pretty sure you're gonna get a rash from not wearing pants with that harness.
Which brings me to an interesting point: I don't consider myself at all "patriotic" or "Americanized" but I sure as sh*t am mortified to be a young, white, American (gringa) woman when I travel abroad. I saw similar behavior in the Galapagos and even more so in the Dominican Republic, but it was RAMPANT in Nicaragua. Young gringos (mostly American, Canadian and a few Australians) travel to these exotic developing countries and just go buck wild. Like an eternal spring break sort of wild.
But it's not spring break, and these kids (listen to me now... Grandma Adrien ;-) aren't in college, therefore aren't really entitled to a "spring break". I don't know how/where they get the resources to run around the world like that, but regardless, they sure act like asses once they're there.
One of the best parts of traveling (for me) is learning about new cultures: trying new food, subsequently discovering bathrooms along the highway ;-), practicing the language, seeing new sights, enjoying the weather (usually warm), and making friends around the world.
I have never been more embarrassed to be a young gringa woman than I was in Nicaragua. Everywhere we went, young gringas girls were running around half-dressed, beer guts hanging out, sporting painful sunburns, smoking cigarettes, and generally acting trashy. None of them even try to speak Spanish, and the only interactions they have with the local "culture" is via the skeevy sexual encounters with the local guys.
C'mon ladies. Show some self-respect and a little class. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for having a good time on vacay, but a semi-public sexual encounter with a homeless beach guy in a developing country is NOT sexy NOR cool. If you don't feel dirty afterward, wait until you get back home and discover you picked up an extra "souvenir" abroad (i.e. herpes). Even the CDC specifically warns about safe-sex when traveling abroad (if you want details, they are here)
Girls like that give ALL gringa girls a bad rap. So if you happen to be reading this (which I doubt, since you're probably getting drunk with some guy named Jose behind the surf shack) PLEASE do us ALL a favor and show some self respect! You do NOT look cool "hooking up" with random dudes on the beach, and you give the local people the impression that all gringas are trashy.
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