You can do it

I should tell you a little bit about my job. I can really only tell you a little bit because that's all I've seen so far, really.
I am THE public health nurse for Center, CO- I'm kind of a big deal with an office, business cards, and a press release coming out! A town of about 2,000 people and about 45 minutes north of La Jara. This drive isn't that bad, everyone keeps commenting on my commute, but I really don't mind it. I would muuuuuch rather do this than 45 minutes in traffic! Here I can enjoy the beautiful scenery, which involves the sun rising in the morning. I see the river, fields, mountains, cows and horses along the way, it's quite lovely. Well, I say all this now, ask me next year (after a winter) what I think of it!
The public health office is really just me and a receptionist; there are some other people in the building doing different things. I manage the immunization program for the community, follow up on communicable diseases (especially Tuberculosis), postpartum visits or phonecalls, a few health fairs, and work with other organizations and committees to serve the needs of the community. I am going to be starting some programs that they haven't done before, including vital signs and teaching at a retirement center, forming a relationship with the school nurse to do pregnancy prevention, and starting a community assessment (this I'm pretty excited about). So far everything has been quite interesting, but so different from what I've been doing and I have a lot to learn!
The population of Center is mainly Hispanic, with a large migrant population coming in for seasonal agricultural work. Today I called a patient and told her some information and made an appointment with her- in Spanish! Well, more like spanglish, but more Spanish than English. I was super nervous as I haven't really been practicing (I know, I'm getting on it, Mom), but I got more comfortable as the conversation went on.
My boss is awesome! Her name is Della and she is the Director of the Saguache County Public Health (that's the county I work in). She first got her masters in public and worked in the Peace Corps, then worked with the UN refugee program in Kenya. She returned to the states and got her 2 year nursing degree and started in public health out here (she said that was her hardest degree!). She is very helpful and really teaching me a lot. I'm very thankful for her.

And, here's me being a nerd (mainly my parents are bugging me for pictures of my office/exam room):

Home now

I've decided to start telling people about what is going on in my life down here. Things are preeeetty different for me and would like to be able to keep you up to date with changes and goings on.
It's been 2 weeks since I've arrived in La Jara, Colorado. I'm living in an "intentional community" with other Mennonite volunteers. La Jara is a really small town in rural southern Colorado, in the San Luis Valley surrounded by 2 mountain ranges (Sangre de Cristo and San Juan). I'm working as a public health nurse in another small town about an hour north called Center- I'm really liking it so far!
I want to use this blog as a place to tell you what is going on. I want to tell you the good and the bad, truth and thoughts. To start things off, here are some random facts:
- I live at 7,500 ft elevation (yes, you can feel it)
- I live in a town of 850 people
- I see mirages everyday on the road
- Sunflowers grow wild
- It's sunny 350 days a year
- It drops about 30 degrees at night
- There are great sand dunes nearby
- The Rio Grande flows through the valley
- The beginning of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was filmed in the valley

Don't worry, I'll be explaining things about what I'm doing here along the way.