Sunday May 21, 2006

Today is our first day in Riobamba. The trip here yesterday was LONG. 3 flights and a 4hour bus ride (and those coming from Maine started w-a bus ride). We got to our rooms around 2:30 am. Martha is our host. Seirra Nevada Hostile. Very lovely woman. Quaint, clean accomadations, with sporadic hot water.
Today we are getting acclaimated to our surroundings, and will develop "Teams" to deligate responsibilities during our mission trips.
Everyone is excited to start our work here and meet the people!!!
Nick and Juan have done a lot of work in the last few weeks preparing for our work.

Darwin, the yound boy found to have a serious congenital heart condition during last years mission, successfully had his surgery last week and is already home. I believe it was correction of a Patent Ductus Arterious PDA - I will send pictures and more details when we meet with him and his family on Thursday.
The altitude is not currently a problem, but we haven´t done anything too exertional yet.

Here is a list of the TEAM
Nick Ellis - Founder McGill International Development 2003, UMAINE 2006 Post BS -premed- entering Dartmouth Med School this fall
Juan Vanegas - President - student Cell Bio
Alia Whitehead - student - UMAINE 2006 -Entering UVM med school in the fall
Britta Sundquist - student- UMAINE 2006 -BS Biochem
Stefany Almendinger- Senior at UMAINE biochem major
Amanda Thibodeau- Senior at UMAINE bio major
Katie Jackson- Junior at UMAINE bio major
Sarah Dooley - Vice President- Senior at UMAINE bio major
Adam Bourgon- studen Senior at UMAINE Zoology Major
Jennifer Drouin- student Senior at UMAINE Bio Major
Tony Smart - finance advisor
Teresa Tranchemontagne, DO UNECOM Class of 1995
Hank Bourgon, DDS - retired

Well that´s all for now.
Adios, Salude y felicidad!
Terry Tranchemontagne, DO