Busy busy busy! On Thursday when we arrived in Caraguatatuba or Caragua as it is called by the people that live here, I had a professional visit. As a clinical research coordinator, my job description encompasses many different areas of science and medicine which can be a little confusing when I try to describe it to people. Well, I could not have had a more perfect professional visit!
I was taken to meet the Secretary of the Public Health Department of the city. Essentially, he is the medical director of the free clinic where the citizens go to be treated. Health care here is covered by the government and each state is allocated money to run their own programs. While I was there I met one of the neurologists on staff. The three of us, along with my guide serving as an interpreter, had a rousing conversation about preventative medicine, research and what we call universal health care. I was able to gain some interesting insight. Then I found out that the directors wife was also a doctor that co-owned a nearby clinical laboratory. I was taken there and she and I discussed specimen collection, turn around time and instramentation. Good nerdy lab stuff. Excellent! I was completely in my element. Its amazing how much you can talk about even with a language challenge.
Speaking of language, my Portugese is still in development stage. Realistically, it will most likely only upgrade to dial-up speed. Maybe one day Ill make it to Fios speed. The good thing about having been to several different countries previously is that I have figured out how to understand a conversation even if I cant reply. This experience has inspired me to really give a go at learning Spanish and to get back to practicing my Japanese upon return. Now, if I could only figure out how to change the settings on this computer so that I could use an apostrophe and question marks. Oh well. Beijo, chao chao!
-April
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