¡mas Medellín!

Here are the rest of the photos from the Congreso meeting in Medellín…

The first picture is of their new centro comercial (mall) called Santa Fe, this is just the FOOD COURT!

The large colorful art pieces you will being constructed are their Christmas decorations along the river….I am SO excited to see these all finished and lit up next week!

AND…the last photo you see kind of a blur of green grass…well in the grass the shrubs spell INDIANA!  I was so caught of guard when I saw it that I didn’t get to shoot the picture at the right moment..but the intent was there!  GO HOOSIERS!!!

Enjoy!

 

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¡ESPECTACULAR Medellín!

Two weekends ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the XI Congreso Internacional del Colegio Nacional de Bacteriología conference November 4-7, Medellin, Colombia, with Adriana.  While the conference  was neat, and I had a chance to network with some professionals in the clinical arena, I really enjoyed our trip to Guatapé, around Medellín, and the Sunday Night Fiesta!

Guatapé is is a town and municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia.^[1] Part of the subregion of Eastern Antioquia. Guatapé is located in the outskirts of Medellín, bordering a reservoir created by the Colombian government for a hydro-electric dam, built in the late 1960s. This quaint town is the gathering place for “Las Vegas”, or the small farms of the area. It is also a growing area of recreation for citizens of Medellín, and aims to be a tourist destination for foreign travellers.  Also home to Pablo Escobar’s Fantasy Island! The island is in my pictures…but I don’t know how to point it out b/c it is kind of far away…anywho, you can now say you have seen it from a distance, too, lol (lake photos)!               More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatape)

THE LARGE ROCK w/ over 600 stairs i.e.: El Peñón de Guatapé (Spanish for “The Guatapé Rock”)^[1], wrongly called El Peñol Stone (Spanish La Piedra de El Peñol, is a monolithic formation located at the town and municipality of Guatapé, 1km inside the city limits (86 km northeast of Medellín)in Antioquia, Colombia. The stone rises from the bottom of the hydroelectric dam of Peñol-Guatapé. This monolith was spotted as a border landmark between country farms and the two cities.  Really neat history, read more: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Pe%C3%B1%C3%B3n_de_Guatap%C3%A9)

At its highest part, on the rear (southeast side), it has an elevation of 2,135 metres (7,005 ft) over sea level. with an average temperature of 18 °C (64 °F). The “Peñón” has 185 cubic metres (6,500 cu ft) of rock mass and it is 385 metres (1,263 ft) long, with an approximate weight of (11,000,000 tons). It has some rock breaks, one of which was used for the construction of the 644 stairs that can be used to go to the top.

Medellín is the second largest city in Colombia, not to mention beautiful!  The people are known as “Paises” (Pie-says) and are extremely friendly and proud of there city.  The infrastructure was beautiful, as was their organization and public transportation.  I am really excited to come back here in the next week with Katie, so much to see and do!  I will write more about this city when I  upload pictures from my upcoming trip.  However, in the meantime, I highly suggest you check it out now: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medell%C3%ADn)

OH, the picture of the needle point hanging from four bars, points EXACTLY to the center point of Medellín – very cool!

The fiesta was held on the last night of the conference with a live salsa band, amazing buffet of Colombian cuisine, and not mention a steady flow of Aguardiente.  Great time!

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El Gancho

SO, a week ago I had to go to the Colombian Customs office to get an extension on my passport for another 30 days.  After visiting this office 3 times already…my patience was wearing thin on when the ACTUAL day was that I was “supposed” to come in for approval, etc.  As it turned out, I was due to come in Nov.4th, the earliest I could come during the 3-day grace period (My passport was due to expire on the 7th).  However, I was booked to attend the XI Congreso Internacional del Colegio Nacional de Bacteriología conference November 4-7, Medellin, Colombia…so we went to the office on the 3rd, praying for a miracle that somehow my sweet Midwest American smile might persuade the man to do my paperwork one day earlier….NOT.

Instead, we were told we could fill out the paper work, and pay the money, but they could not process it all until the next day, and thus I miss out on Medellin.  As we (Michelle and I) are standing at the window, which has only an opening of about 8 inches wide, talking to the agent, all of a sudden out of no where a giant paper clip flings out of the blue and whips Michelle in the face!  Stunned, we all look at one another and kind of giggle…trying to figure out what happened.  As it so happens, another custom agent inside threw the clip at another agent for fun, but missed, and to our luck, it hit Michelle in the face.  Embarrassed, the agent apologizes to her, and asks if there is anything he can do…and without any hesitation, Michelle asks that they process my passport today.  AND THEY DID!  All in all, it was a good day!

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ROSADA

Random Cali photos….Enjoy!

 

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Fundación el Cottolengo del Padre OCampo

My 11th (last) interview was at Fundación el Cottolengo del Padre OCampo.  It is a private nonprofit organization for the elderly, created 45 years ago in Cali. Founded by Father OCampo, here the elderly receive health services such as medicine, dentistry, physical rehabilitation, occupational therapy, nutrition, and recreation.  They are also offered basic housing, feeding, and clothing services.  Presently, the village shelters 400 elderly persons, 90% of them above 60 years old, who have found in this place tranquility, peace, companionship, and most importantly, they created a new family unit. (www.fundacionelcottolengo.com.co)

The staff here was terrific, as were the residents.  This place will forever hold a place in my heart, just like Fundación Vicentina Luisa de Marillac.

Enjoy!

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Fundación Valle del Lili

10. (Unfort. I was unable to meet in person with someone from this foundation, but they were kind enough to write their responses to my interview questions.)

Fundación Valle del Lili is a private, nonprofit medical organization funded by the generosity of the Valle del Cauca community who with personal and entrepreneurial donations in June 1982, made it possible for the Fundación to offer first ambulatory services starting April 1986, and finally inaugurate in February 1994, the health complex which it is today. The mission for Fundación Valle del Líli, “is to offer high quality medical services to the Community with an orientation toward investigation, teaching and social service; in order to achieve this, it joins and keeps highly qualified people, not only for their academic training, but also for their human quality, for their capacity to create and grant solution to our Users’ health problems.” (http://www.valledellili.org/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=139&lang=en)

Fundación Alzheimer Cali

Ninth interview: Guillermo Ramirez Hoyos, Psicologo Clinico con enfoque en Neuropsicología Clinica at the Fundación Alzheimer Cali.  This is a private, nonprofit foundation founded by a psychologist Jaqueline Arabia, where it was her dream to help patients with dementia.  It is the only Alzheimer driven facility in Cali, and one of the few Alzheimer focused institutions in the entire country.  Their mission is, “To improve the quality of life of the people who suffer Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias related with the age, through the development of programs that will allow and promote, in an effective way, the diagnosis, care and integral treatment of the affected person, caretaker or relative.  Likewise, there is an interest for education, prevention, investigation, and adequate treatment of the disease.”  (http://fundalzheimercali.co/)

Enjoy!

Fundamore

Eighth interview: I had the privilege of interviewing with Hugo Lora Camacho who is Business Lawyer; Social Coordinator of the
EcoVillage at Fundamor; and President of the University of Autonoma of the West.  He has been an advocate for social responsibility in Colombia for over 20 years, and was kind enough to grant me an interview, as well as one of his books!

Fundamore – Give Love Foundation, is a private, nonprofit institution since 1992, that works for the children and adolescents 18 years of age who are affected by HIV and AIDS, and in addition to their illness, are at high socioeconomic risk and violation of rights, providing protection and Comprehensive Health Care, Education, Housing, Nutrition and Recreation in its facilities in the country based on the beam Pance Cali city.  They provide food, shelter, medical, and spiritual treatment for these children in order to save their lives and develop them into meaningful people.  Their mission is “Dignify and transform the self and its environment, promoting the awakening of consciousness through love and service.” (http://www.fundamor.org/)

 

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The Nave Health Center

Seventh interview: I went to The Nave Health Center, which is a private, nonprofit foundation founded and supported by the pastoral staff of Instituto de Religosas de San José de Gerona.  It provides health care for the inhabitants of the Siloé, a large poverty-stricken neighborhood in Cali, since 1998. In addition, they offer a space for teaching activities for the elderly and source a young pastors group for working with the high-risk population.

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Instituto de Religiosas de San José de Gerona

For my sixth interview, I met with Sister Mercedes Martinez Peria, who a religious nurse and in charge of Pastoral Health, at Instituto de Religiosas de San José de Gerona.  This insitute is a private, nonprofit health clinic founded by Sister Mary Gay Tibau near Gerona, Spain since 1872.

Mary lived in the house of Dr. Amerio Ros for 20 years, helping with household chores and participating in the life of his practice. During this time Mary came into contact with the suffering of the patients who called the house of Dr. Ros, and from these encounters, awakened in her the desire to help more directly those suffering from health.  Thus, resulting in this private health institution.

Their mission is, “To satisfy the patient’s and his/her family’s health care needs with quality, respect and warmth in their corporal and spiritual dimension. We alleviate pain, sow peace and    contribute with social work performed by the San José de Gerona’s Nuns Institute.”  (http://www.clinicadelosremedios.org/35448)

Below is a picture of Sister Martha Anturi (left), who is my 7th interview (next post), myself, and another Sister (right), cannot remember her name, lol.  I thought Sister Mercedes was pictured in this photo, but she had to leave after the interview…she appears in my 8th interview however, with Huga Lora Camacho.  Enjoy!