Iquitos, Peru. Holy shit!!

I´m here! And it´s hot! And I have too many things I want to say! But before I get into the details, I just have to say I´m fine, and utterly enchanted by Iquitos. Even though I´m sweating proverbial body parts off, it´s lovely, and not as hot as I actually anticipated. Ok, I´ll try to calm myself and recap some things... Yesterday was a 13 hour day of travels...3 planes, 4 airports, and new friends. I know every country has the nicest and friendliest people, more so than the last country, but I swear its truer here. I already have friends all over the country. On the first flight I talked with a Peruvian girl who was on my next flight, and we ran through the airport together on our 10 minute connection in Panama City, and then she asked if I wanted to have coffee in Lima, but I had to decline for time and connecting flights. And she talked to me in Spanish so I guess my spanish isn´t that terrible. On the second flight I made a German friend, who works in the German embassy (friends in high places no doubt) in Lima and gave me all his contact info for next time I´m in Lima...and on the flight to Iquitos I met another Peruvian friend and got contacts. And all the airport officials are so nice and complementary...they seem to get lost in my eyes (that´s a joke). Mzungu, Gringa, or just the nice eyes, I don´t know what it is, but I like it. Ok...arrived in Iquitos last night, and hopped aboard a motocar, read: three wheeled buggy contraption run by a motorcycle out front. They are everywhere. And since it was hot, the open air motocar provided decent air con. I was immediately enchanted with Iquitos, and I don´t know exactly what it was. I had this weird feeling that it was like every place I´ve ever been to yet so completely different at the same time...I know that makes no sense, just go with me here. Anyway, after becoming friends with the taxi driver, who told me whenever I need to get somewhere in town, he´s my guy, we arrived at the house, I was greeted by Dr. Salazar, and all the pleasantries of first encounters...had dinner with a whole bunch of people, the doctor, his wife, 2 sons (26 and 22, a doctor and a vet student with a masters in bio...lots of science here), one girlfriend, the docs partner, his 20 something year old wife (a 40+ year difference...) and their 3 month old baby, and a visiting plastic surgeon from Toronto who is here for the week giving talks on burn protocol and skin grafting. Oh, the family also has a 1 yr old beagle named Felipe, a yorkie, a mini schnauzer who just had puppies and there are still 3 left here at the house, a siamese cat, and 7 parakeets...yup, it´s awesome. Most of dinner and conversation was in English, so I wasn´t lost. Had a little heart to heart with Dr. Salazar on what my "training" here will entail, and then off to another restless nights sleep (hence I need a nap). Ok, now for the crazy part. Today we headed to the hospital, and after a talk on skin grafting by aforementioned Canadian doctor, Dr. Salazar, essentially owning this, the largest, hospital in Iquitos, being the only neurosurgeon in Iquitos and the cheif of surgery at this hospital and being the most senior staff (33+ yrs) at the hospital, said, hey, welcome to Iquitos, come on in to surgery. So, I was camera woman for a skin graft surgery on a little girl about 8 years old, who had already had one grafting done on both thighs and today they grafted skin onto her entire torso and part of her arm...I would guess it was about 40% of her body that was burned. And there I was, a little freaked out inside but I held it in...after all this was my first surgery where I was awake. The plastic surgeon from Canada was essentially teaching a few students and demonstrating to other docs how to do grafts of this nature, and I was taking photos for him. At first, all I could do was think about my surgery and picture myself on the table...with my incision wide open, my head draped, and a whole bunch of masked physicians surrounding me...then I eventually got over it, got over the fact that it was a little kid, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I was awe-struck and wide-eyed. And I´m glad that surgery was not my first choice of profession. And I´m glad this surgery today was only a skin graft and not something more bloody. But I have a feeling, I´ll see plenty here. These first two weeks I´m with Dr. Salazar in surgeries. What a way to be introduced to the whole thing, eh? Anyway, I´m exhausted and sweaty, so it´s nap time. PHEW!