Happy Holidays

On Friday, December 27th, we will finish our work at San Jorge Hospital. After a week in the cath lab, Marie and I worked together for two weeks on a cardiology ward. Besides learning many obscenities in Guaraní, we had the opportunity to meet an amazing team.

Finally, my favorite moment in the hospital: While the surgeons were closing the patient's thorax, the pulse display on the monitor went blank. The anesthesiologist said, 'Doctor, we have a flatline.' The doctor replied, 'It's okay, as long as we still have blood pressure.' Two minutes later, the anesthesiologist said again, 'Doctor, we no longer have any pressure.' There was a lot of laughter and a request not to mention this in Germany. As a result, the patient was only monitored with a pulse oximeter and transferred to the intensive care unit.

For the past three weeks, we have been using the weekends to explore the country and discover the most beautiful places. After our first trip to Salto Suizo, a waterfall in the mountains, and the most adventurous motorcycle ride for three people, we went to a small island in the Paraná River. We had to endure the 11-hour journey in a regular bus without air conditioning. (Those who pay barely 30 euros for a trip also can't complain!!!) On the beautiful Isla Pombero, we spent 24 hours without electricity, water, sanitary facilities, or anything else. It was a great experience, but I will probably never become a fan of camping. However, all the spiders and toads were very friendly. We were able to leave the island just in time with a small boat before a big storm made it impossible for the remaining people on the island to leave.

Through our little trips, we have met many great people and danced and laughed a lot on one or the other bus ride after drinking plenty of Fantuvi (a mix of red wine and Fanta, which is very popular here in Paraguay and will definitely be established by us in Germany) to German music.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with our Paraguayan family and a lot of Clericó, a mix of fruit salad, Fanta, and red wine. It was not much different from Christmas Eve in Germany, except that we were a little early for Paraguayan standards with our typical German gift, socks for every family member. Here, presents are not brought by the Christ Child or Santa Claus, but by the Three Wise Men on January 6th.

Now we are very much looking forward to our trip to Brazil. We are leaving on Saturday for Sao Paulo, from where we will continue to Rio de Janeiro and then fly to the north.