Bienvenidos

I am a doctor.

You all know that, but it's good for me to remind myself that every now and then. Between the adventures at the brewery and the trip to Hawaii, it's easy for me to forget that I have a day job.

I haven't spent much time talking about residency here. And that's for a couple of reasons. First, this is a travel blog, and I shouldn't drift too far from the original purpose. But also because I've barely had time to breathe since starting residency, let along blog about it. That said, this month brings a good excuse to blend the two worlds. I'm spending August down on the US-Mexico border to work as an obstetrician at Nogales' Holy Cross Hospital.

For those of us that grew up in Tucson, you know Nogales as a gateway to debauchery, unrelenting crime, or boundless economic opportunities, depending on where you get your news. The truth, of course, is that Nogales is none of these. At least no more than any other rural southwest town.

Nogales, Arizona is a small border town of about 20,000 people. But just across the line is Nogales, Sonora. On that side, you'll find ten times the population, and dozens of maqilas. Those are the factories that many American companies use to manufacturer their goods using relatively cheap labor and low import tariffs guaranteed by NAFTA and other free trade agreements.

The maquilas, like Ambos Nogales (both Nogales'), have had a turbulent couple of decades. They were initially hailed as an economic revolution that would allow for cheaper US products, more jobs, and higher quality of life in Mexico. However, the facilities turned out to be far less revolutionary--but also far less catastrophic--than the various observers predicted. As China increased its cheap labor output, maquila production slowed. But as transpacific shipping costs increased, North American manufacturing became appealing again. Meanwhile, crime, or more accurately, the perception of crime, has devastated the once-booming tourism industry.

But while the major players tussle back and forth, there are still a quarter million people here that need healthcare either way. And that's my job this month. Holy Cross is a small Critical Access Hospital that provides care for people that have few other options. As the name implies, it's a Catholic Hospital that is part of the same Carondelet network that manages St. Joe's and St. Mary's hospitals in Tucson. I'll be working in the labor and delivery ward, taking care of pregnant moms and their new babies.

I've only been here for 48 hours, but I've already seen some incredible things (and delivered four babies). It's going to be a fun month, and I'll keep the stories coming every few days.

-M