This trip has exceeded all expectations. I am extremely thankful for this opportunity. Each day has been filled with priceless memories. The first day was mostly spent on a plane due to weather delays. We finally made it to the mission base at 7:30pm on Sunday and were welcomed with dinner, which was much needed after a full day of travel. The day ended with 2 rounds of “go fish” (not to brag, but I won both rounds). The next day we were given a tour of the base and oriented to the clinic. After helping in the clinic for most of the morning we went to have an afternoon meal at the orphanage. We celebrated the 16th birthday of one of the girls with 3 milk cake and a game of soccer with the kids. The day ended with a bonfire on the beach and swimming in the ocean. So relaxing and we each went around and said our new year’s resolution! The next morning we went to a nearby beach called Roca Mar to swim and surf. I got to talk with some young girls from Mexico City who wanted to practice their English. It was difficult to communicate because of their limited English and my limited Spanish, but it was fun getting to practice while we swam in the ocean. After the 25 minute walk from Roca Mar to our mission base we drove to Rio Grande and did a couple home visits. It was a very humbling experience because the woman Jazmin, Jackie, Anya, Laura and I visited had Sclera Derma. It is an autoimmune disease, which makes her skin very taut and is accompanied by respiratory problems, tachycardia and other complications. She had two sons and told us she had eaten a tortilla an hour prior to our visit, which we assumed is all she had to eat. Then we drove back to the base and finished the night with some card games while listening to the waves and having meaningful conversations. Yesterday we drove to a town up in the mountains called San Martin and set up a clinic in their local church. I spent most of the day taking vital signs, while the others listened in on consults with the doctor and physical therapist. It was very organized and ran very smoothly. We were able to help a lot of the indigenous people get consultations, medications and education. The local people thanked us by making a delicious lunch for us. I was talked into tasting a Chile Piquìn and instantly regretted it. It was a tiny pepper with big taste. I instantly starting sweating and turned bright red. We finished the day at the beach. Lindsey, Brooke and I ran 2.5 miles along the water. I am thankful to have running buddies here! Today has been spent in Tututepec learning all about the Mixtec history. As we were pulling out of our parking space the van broke down. We ended up having an extra 4 hours in Tututepec while we waited for another van to come pick us up. When we made it back to the mission base they fed us a quick meal and we left for our next adventure. Tonight we took a boat ride to a private beach to watch the sunset. Once it was dark we swam in the river, which is known for having bioluminescent organisms. The water would glow and sparkle around us! It was easily one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. Tomorrow we go to the local hospital and I am excited to shadow the nurses there.