March 2, 2010

Quick recap of the weekend:
Sunday the 28th I met up with Eleanora on her last day here to go and see the documentary on the popular musical group here, VanVan. The film was called Eso Que Anda. It was a little hard to understand, but I definitely understood my ten cents worth. It was also really nice to finally see some Cuban film in a Cuban cinema that I’ve heard so much about. Our final meeting with Eleanora was too short. She returned to Italy on Monday and I hope she had safe and uneventful travels.
Then, Monday, with my mind at ease about my friends in Chile (and Hawaii for that matter!) we had a meeting with a minister of Health. Raj, you would have found this stuff really interesting after your research in Santa Anita. Also, as a side note: For all those Americans who cringe at Obama’s “socializing the health care system”, two things. 1) In no way shape or form is our health care system ‘socialized’. Quit being ridiculous and 2) the Cuban health care system, which IS socialized (and is one of the priorities of the Cuban government along with education), is quite admirable and impressive. Everybody (appropriately translated in Cuba as the Spanish ‘todo el mundo’ -‘all the world’) has access to free health care. And of course, Cuban doctors and medics are some of the most advanced in the field of medicine and medical research. After talking with the minister we visited a family practice (the first step of medical care- a neighborhood doctor where one would go if they had a serious cold). Like all other things in Cuba it felt very… vintage. My first scan of the small visiting room yielded a cloth draped over the metal visitors table, shots administered out of glass injectors- nothing disposable only reusable, and medical kits that look like they belonged in a museum. The larger Polyclinic where there is an emergency room and where doctors can provide more specialized services was not much different. In the blood works room were a few old microscopes, glass plates and slide covers. They had less than my public high school’s chemistry laboratory. It makes one feel bad about every glass pipette she has ever broken.
Of course some don’t seek treatment. I am thinking specifically of a few people who practice Santeria and wish to become saints in an effort to seek better health. But this is a minority. Remember that I “was able” to test out the Cuban health care system my first week here; all free. The Cuban health care system is focused on early diagnostics and early treatment in an effort to prevent more expensive and difficult treatment farther along in the infirmity. They also encourage more traditional methods of maintaining health such as eating certain foods and staying active. I’ve even seen some natural remedy pharmacies.

And that brings us to today! My first diving lesson!
My hometel was being difficult and for some reason would not permit us to dive in the pool, so we gathered the equipment and drove to another hotel for the first lesson. In theory, it is SO FUN, but in practice, I find it a little tricky. Remembering to do the simplest things underwater- such as exhaling is easier said than done. I’m certainly not a fish yet, but I can’t wait for the next lesson to improve my ear pressure gauging skills.
My marine bio tutorial today was on macro-algaes and sea grasses. Pretty cool stuff; didn’t see any of it in the pool.