Wherever we are, home is there too.

I miss......

• Fall, in Northern California. The way it smells, the trees changing colors, the way the air hits your face first thing in the morning....


• Cold weather fashion. I'm talking lots of layering of long sleeve shirts, sweaters, scarves, jackets, jewelry (of course), fingerless gloves, hats, boots.... and on that same note, I miss being able to wear jeans without feeling like I'm suffocating/dying of heat.


• My neice's laugh and her crazy smile that is filling with teeth!


• Cooking for my family...one of my favorite things is to get together our families (the boyfriends, the friends, etc) for a dinner outside at our giant round wood table.


• My dark dark brown hair


• sleeping in a bed that is not a thin foam mattress on the floor


• City life with my girls


• Laying in bed with my Taryn and laughing about nothing until we are both crying


• the norcal beachs <3>
  
• Laying on the couch and talking to my mom while she plays with my hair


• Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Sonoma Market....anything that isnt Sams Club or Walmart (ugggh)


• Having a paying job so I can indulge in things like going out to breakfast, buying a latte once and a while, or how about a beer?!


• My crazy love


• flowers! florida is not conducive to floral habitats


• Indian/thai/SUSHI/anything ethnic food....


• my mom, my sisters, my beautiful friends and family that love and support me so...

while there is so much to miss, there is also so much that I love about where I am and where I'm going....

• being a traveling gypsy...the earth is my home and I plan to live everywhere


• being so lucky to be living with 12 wonderful and inspiring people


• connecting with my artistic soul once again


• the opportunity to learn everything I've ever wanted to and more


• more responsibility everyday with the galley, the World Health Survey, the public health platform of Floating Doctors


• My new adopted grandparents and parents (i have quite a few here)


• learning and loving the beauty and power of the ocean


• exploring the world, and my heart.

Sticks and Stones may break my bones...

This morning started out as any other morning... I awoke a little before 7am so that Rachel and I could take the dog out and go for a run. The air was heavy and humid, and the sun hid behind the clouds, illuminating all the sides, like a delicate golden outline. It's mornings like this that make me happy to be alive, and even though I was so tired from working on the medical inventory, my head was clear and my heart was full and I was ready to start yet another very busy day.



As I was responding to some emails, I heard a loud thud and a scream come from my bathroom. I rushed in, to see Rachel on the floor, a towel covering her face, and blood everywhere. I was afraid to have her remove the towel, because I didn't know what she had hit or how bad the injury was, so I woke up Dr. Ben and had him assess the situation. I came back with handfuls of gauze as we took the towel away from her face. She had a long gash down the bridge of her nose, a cut in the bottom corner of her eye, and another cut right under her eyebrow. She told us that she was reaching out to get her towel from the shower, slipped, and when she tried to catch herself, her hand slipped from the counter and her face caught her fall instead. It was a deep cut, and looked so painful, but we all tried to stay positive for her while Ben and I cleaned her up. I knew that she needed stitches, so I called her insurance agency to find a place that we could take her. And this is where it makes me mad.....



Her insurance told me that because she is over 30 miles away from her home in Laguna Beach, California, they would only cover her to visit an Emergency room and that there would still be no garuntee of them covering the cost. They said that the co-pay would be at least $100 and that the case would have to be reviwed by a board to determine if the insurance would cover her "emergency", and if they decided not to, she would have to pay for the whole cost of her ER visit (which, as someone who has been rejected from an insurance claim, is a very hefty bill).



Even after all of that, Rachel still went to the ER, paid the $100 and came back with 10 stitches in her face. What bothers me is that she should be able to walk into any hospital and be treated with equal respect and care for her injury, not for how much money or insurance she has. Insurance companies are so hard to navigate through, and most people don't think to call first ahead of time for emergencies (I mean, come on it's an emergency, who really thinks logically anyway), so it's almost as if you have no insurance if they decide not to cover where you go.



It's interesting to talk to people who criticize Floating Doctors for the work that we are doing outside of the country. Sky and I had a gentleman yell at us at the Latino festival this last weekend saying that we were "unpatriotic" because we did not desire to set up free clinics in the US. What's funny is, we would LOVE to help our country, in fact, our country needs so much help, but ultimately, we would be shut down by sue-happy people and insurance agencies. Clinics have tried this and have been unsuccessful because of malpractice suits from people who's insurance refuse to cover their care. This man continued to say that because we wouldn't practice here, we must be practicing bad medicine, and what "horrible" people we must be by going to these poor countries and giving themc are we are not qualified to give.



Sky and I both feel lucky to talk with these people, because it gives us an opportunity to shine. Through our optimism and (ahem) logic we are able to elequently tell those who fail to see the good in our organization how our help will not only benefit the communities we visit, but eventually our home country as well. Floating Doctors is proving to the world that medicine can be simple, can be effective and low cost, and can get back to the basics of what good practice actually is--doctor/patient relationships and quality care. We will be visiting a multitude of small communities that have NO access to care (meaning, they have no hospitals, no doctors offices, no emergency rooms...nothing!), and show that by simple practices and preventative care, we are able to lessen their disease burden. Furthermore, we can attribute the data that we collect (through the World health Survey that I am writing) to our own healthcare system here, and find a way to make it work for everyone, and elimiate the disease disparities that seem to have paralyzed our health.



I feel so lucky to be part of something that is so great and that is fighting for a better and brighter future for the rest of the world. I know that the work I do with Floating Doctors is only the first ripple in the pond, and after this first year of missions, the circles will extend wide, helping take the step in a healthier tomorrow.

Sails up for the first time!

I need a scalpel and a spatula

Here at Floating Doctors my role up until now was the Director of Public Health, which meant all health education and public health aspects of our project went through or were generated by me. However, Sky and Ben recently asked me to the the Galley Coordinator and chef for the Southern Wind! I am so excited!

I have alway loved cooking since the first time I learned how. I remember watching my dad cook for holidays and helping my mom on weeknights, but one of my strongest memories was learning how to cook when I was in the fifth grade by a babysitter that had come to stay with us while my mom was in the hospital. She was teaching me how to cook french onion soup, and I remember her telling me the best way to help and take care of someone was to know how to cook really well for them. From that moment on, I have always enjoyed cooking for my family, friends, neighbors...anyone! I love being able to be flexible with recipes, experimenting with new spices and foods, and ultimately, being able to make something that makes everyone feel good. There is just something that is so comforting about being in the kitchen...if I hadn't decided to go to school for medicine, I would have gone to culinary school! After this trip I plan to write a cook book... I have a crappy little notebook (I really need to get a nicer one) that I write down recipes that I make up and that people teach me along the way and I hope to turn that into a global cookbook when I return, with recipes from around the world.

It's been quite an experience learning to cook for 12 people (sometimes more) for breakfast, lunch and dinner but I always joke that I feel fairly confident that I could raise a giant family now! It's going to be so different cooking on the boat, but I look forward to the simplicity of it, and the challenge of having to get really creative with what little we have. There is so much planning that goes into setting up and outfitting a galley, but I am definately up to the challenge. I have even kept one wall of the galley blank so that I can paint a mural on it! :)

Any ideas, recipes, tips, etc greatly appreciated! I have my hands full with the World Health Survey, but the added responsibility of the Galley is a lot to handle, so I am accepting all the help I can get!

Bottom line is...... I've never been happier. Heres a picture of me one night cooking for all my boys.

Great Success!

It's been a stir of excitment here in Palm Coast as things are progressing quickly with our boat and the Floating Doctors cause. First off, we have all been pushing hard to get contact information for corporate sponsorship, as well as more donations and funds to ensure that we leave completely prepared and equipt for our mission. I'm focusing on clothing and accessories for our trip, trying to make contacts with Ray Ban sunglasses, Rainbow sandals, Helly Hansen, Swiss Army, etc to see what kind of sponsorship they could provide for us. Some of my other crew members are looking into sponsorship from eco-friendly groups, airlines, sailing groups, office supply manufacturers, energy plants, etc.... The possibilities are endless and I am so excited to see the connections that we can make!

I also worked on creating a flyer for a fundraising event being put on by David's shoes, a great show retailer in socal. On Oct 1st, a percentage of the sales from David's shoes will benefit our cause. I decided to call this day "Heels to Heal"! I think it will be a great opportunity for all our fashion saavy supporters to help us out! And the shoes are super cute!!

And last but not least....

OUR ENGINES GOT STARTED TODAY! Hearing the roar of our twin engines was a huge milestone and gave me shivers. It's all becoming a reality!

So many words left to say, but there is little sleep to be had and I have a very full day tomorrow, so I will pick this up again another time.

Paz y amor!

Book Wish List

Ismael - Daniel Quinn

A Thousand Splendid Suns- Kalahead Hosseini

Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair- Pablo Neruda

The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson- Brooks Atkinson

Self Reliance and Other Essays- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Waste Land and Other Poems- T.S. Eliot

Things Fall Apart- Chinua Achebe

The Prophet- Kalil Gibran (I've already read this, but its my favorite book and is tattooed on my side as well...and i left my copy at home!)

Beloved- Toni Morrison

A Farewell to Arms- Ernest Hemingway

Run River- Elizabeth Gilbert

Will take any more book suggestions...my brain is aching to learn everything! :)

The end is just the beginning!

Its amazing how fast things have progressed here in the last few days. Sky and Ben and some of the other crew ventured back to California to visit their familes, and while home, Floating Doctors got some great news! We were given all of the money that we need in order to finally set sail! The grant was given to us under the condition that we keep our haul-out date (either the first or second week of october) and leave within 2 weeks or so after that. This is such exciting news because we all were starting to think that we were never going to leave Florida!

It's crazy to think that I have been living on the east coast for 4 months now. Floating Doctors has been nothing like I expected, but every minute of it, even the hard times, has been such an incredible learning experience for me. I have gotten the opportunity to help build a non-profit from the ground up and I feel like Floating Doctors is now my organization, just as much as it is Dr. Ben's. All of us have had such a big hand in creating, changing and growing with this project, and I feel so proud to be a part of such an amazing team of people. We all share the same dream of helping as many as we can, with whatever we can. It's a self-less life we lead here, with 150% dedication to the cause. We live and breathe Floating Doctors, making it a 24/7 job. Not many people can say that they live with their co-workers! Luckily, our crew is made up of such unique and compassionate people, I know that the friendships that have been formed here will be lifelong, and the impact they have made on my life will always hold a special place in my heart.

As we come nearer to our date of departure, there is so much work to be done! While a lot of work still needs to be done on the boat, most of the work is finishing details, which can be done while we are dry-docked in St. Augustine. Meanwhile, I have taken control of our medical supply and medication inventory, which is a very labor intensive job, considering we have thousands of pounds of equipment, supplies and medicine to consolidate, organize and go through. I'm also doing a lot of planning work for the galley, where Sky and I will be cooking. I've been looking at different storage options, as well as buying bulk supplies and food. Cooking on a sailboat is already difficult, but food storage and rationing is quite an art, so I've been trying to gain as much insight and guidance from other sailors and galley chefs.

Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed in all of this, but I know that this opportunity is unlike any other. Traveling around the world by sailboat gives me the chance to learn everything I have ever wanted to learn and start up new hobbies, and really give rise to my creative outlet. Lately, I went to a used bookstore and bought some classic literature, as well as other books that I have always wanted to read. I have sign language and spanish books to learn, diagnosis cards to study, sutures to practice and am hopefully going to be shadowing an ob-gyn as well as a ultrasound tech so that I can be able to use the ultrasound machine in clinic as well as teach my other crew members. I also got back into painting (I'm painting two murals on the boat), and started jewelry making (which is good practice for sutures and minor surgery!). And of course, my guitar skills are improving daily!

The only downside to all of this is that I miss my family and friends more and more each day and it pains me to think that I'll be away for so long! But they are always in my thoughts and in my heart, and I will be radiating love back home the entire journey. And I can't believe that journey begins so soon!!!

Hold on.

Hold on to what is good even if it is a handful of earth

Hold on to what you believe even if its a tree which stands by itself

Hold on to what you must do even if its a long way from here...

Hold onto my hand even when I have gone away from you.

the newest member to the guitar family

just purchased!

the butterfly detail

About a month ago, Nick started to teach me how to play the guitar. Since I was young I have always dreamed of playing the guitar, and my first one was given to me by my dad for my 9th birthday. I never got up the courage to try to play, and I remember my dad sitting me down one day and trying to show me, but I complained about how it made my fingers hurt and I gave up. What I would give to have him show me again (miss you dad...).

Nick and Ben are both avid guitar players and quite good, and so I knew that now was the time to finally learn. After much practice and very sore fingers, I'm finally starting to pick it up, and can get through afew songs (which I'm very proud of!). I hope so someday be able to accompany myself while I sing, and maybe even write some songs while I'm on this trip.

I thought about bringing my guitar back here when I was home left, but I knew that if something was to ever happen to that special guitar from my dad, I would never be able to forgive myself. Plus, we already have 3 guitars at the house, so there is always an abundance of musical instruments. However, yesterday, Nick and I had to run errands in Daytona and we were instanly drawn to a music store we saw as we were driving to the store. We went in orginally looking for maracas (which they didn't have) and we ended up walking into the guitar room to look around and play for a bit. The second I entered the room, one guitar caught my eye. It was a little worn, with butterflies around the center and beautiful details on the tuning knobs. The second it was in my hands I was in love. There was something about this guitar that was so beautiful, and it has such a wonderful sound..and for some reason so easy to play! I looked at the price tag and then at Nick with a sly grin, and said "I'm buying a guitar today".

Because the guitar was pre-owned (it definately has afew love marks on it) it was only $70 (what a deal!). I was so happy! I am so in love with my guitar and it's given me a new incentive to play everynight and get even better! I know that this is a great guitar that I can bring with me around the world and will eventually tell many great stories..... for it is music that really connects the souls of all the global communities!

Swimming with the Dolphins

The sky was just starting to turn light as we awoke Friday morning, anxious for the activities our day held for us. A dolphin experience was graciously donated to us by the folks at Marineland, a dolphin conservation center about 30 minutes away from our house in Palm Coast. Marineland is known mostly for being the World's first Oceanarium which opened in 1938. The vision of Marineland was to provide a “window to the sea”, paving the way to increasing the understanding and the appreciation of marine life. Bottlenose dolphins were some of the first animals at the center, and have become the spotlight at the Dolphin Conservation Center at Marineland. The Dolphin Conservation Center holds true to our heart, as they are also a non-profit organization, “dedicated to the research, rescue, rehabilitation and release of dolphins and small whales in Northeast Florida”.

As the sun rose, the air was still warm, yet dark clouds loomed over the horizon, warning us of a storm coming our way. As we approached the Conservation Center, the rain was drizzly, but the lighting beneath the dark clouds was magnificent. We stood on the coastline and looked out on the open ocean at the sun peering out from behind big billowy clouds. I tried to imagine only seeing the open ocean like this for weeks at a time as we embark on our journey. There will be times when we are sailing on long crossings, where all we can see is the horizon, with no land in sight. The waves crashed down as the wind picked up, and right as the rain started, our guide came to meet us.Inside, we were able to get our wristbands and complimentary Marineland towels and soon we were off to the dolphin pools. We could see through the tank and the dolphins swam right up to us, following our hands as we placed them on the glass. The Dolphin Conservation Center is famous for housing Nelly, one of the oldest dolphins in captivity who is 56 years old. Nelly is also special because she gave birth to Sonny, the largest dolphin at the Conservation Center who weighs approximately 530 lbs! As we made our way to the dolphin pool, our lovely intern gave us a lot of great information about dolphins. One fact that really struck me is that dolphins raise their young in pods, because without the help of the other mothers, there is a 25% mortality rate for infant dolphins. I also found out that the reason dolphins look like they are smiling all the time is because their mouths are designed for expelling sea water with minimal effort out of the corners of their mouths.

After our lesson on dolphin life and anatomy, we were all fitted for life jackets and snorkel masks and were ready to enter the water with the dolphins. We were split up into two groups, and were assigned to a trainer. We went to the deepest pool first, where we were really able to swim and interact with two female adult dolphins and one baby dolphin. Our trainer Dani said that the baby dolphin was entering her “bratty” phase, and we would have to ignore most of her playful behavior because they train the dolphins by using positive reinforcement. Our dolphin Roxy was absolutely stunning. When we were able to touch her, her skin was not what I expected it to feel like. Dolphins feel almost like vinyl, not rubbery or waxy like I had thought. We were able to command Roxy to do different tricks, and we watched her swim underneath and all around us. The rain began to come down harder, and it almost made the experience more magical, because we were swimming with such amazing creatures at sunrise, in the warm rain.

After time with the female dolphins we made our way to the shallow pool with the adult male dolphins: Sonny and Chubby. Here we were able to feed the dolphins fish (which they swallow whole!) and have them do jumps and tricks for us. We even got to kiss them!

As we left the Conservation Center, I felt so grateful to have had such a beautiful and incredible first encounter with dolphins. Dolphins are thought of to be a symbol of joy, protection and inner harmony and I definitely felt that way, especially after being up close with them. Dolphins seem to have such a wise and graceful spirit about them, and I know that being able to connect with them in such a special way has granted all of us here at Floating Doctors a great sense of inner peace as we come closer and closer to our date of departure. I feel strongly that the dolphins will serve as our protectors in the water and will help guide our boat safely throughout our whole journey.

Pictures of the Cuban Pig Roast

Our amazing feast!

salsa!

Sky, Christina and me making arrepas

Ramon flipping the pig

the pig in all its glory

yucca!

Nick and Tia Claudia

The butchered pig (gross) with getting seasoned by ben

Cubans, Columbians y Puerto Ricans

Last Friday night, the boys got a taste of reality. They were invited to the farm of the owner of the local Latino Market to participate in the killing of the pig for a traditional cuban pig roast. The boys had to slaughter and butcher the pig, and then prepare it for the party the next day. I knew that I would not have been strong enough to watch an animal get killed, but i believe it was a great lesson in humility for everyone, and helped us all to remember to be greatful for the food we have everyday because it is afterall, a life given up for our nourishment. They came back muddy and dirty, but full of helpful knowledge and insight into butchering meat, something we will need to know for some of the countries that we visit.

The following day was the day of the pig roast. After a half day of work at the boat, we ventured over to Ramon's house, where the whole pig was already roasting on top of a big open fire. Much of his and Claudia's family came over and we began to prepare many of the great Columbian, Puerto Rican and Cuban dishes. Sky and I attempted to help in the kitchen, with a bunch of women who did not speak english, which made for many laughs. We were making arrepas, which are similar to tortillas...but sky and i could not figure out how to form them into the perfect round shape that all the other women were doing. After all of them watched us struggle, they all (at different times) started yelling "mira! mira!" ("watch me! watch!) and were trying to show us the correct way, which of course, went right past our heads because we were laughing too hard. We also learned how to make platanos (fried plaintains), chorizo, arroz con frijoles (rice and black beans) and yucca (a root like vegetable). Hours upon hours passed, and many laughs were shared and our spanish was definately practiced! We brought over some of our guitars and we played and sang, until finally the pig was finished and all the food was prepared. And what a feast! The food was phenominal, and the company was even better, and I felt like I had formed a giant family. The latino culture is so welcoming and warm, and I felt right at home, even though I didn't speak the language. By the end of the night everyone was salsa dancing and having a great time. I wished the night would have never ended! And with the way that they party, it really didn't have to (everyone was up until about 4am) but I left early because I was so exhausted.

Since the party, we have had an outpouring of love ( and leftovers) from all of our new friends. Our community here is so wonderful and we are so lucky to be surrounded by so many fantastic and generous new people!

a long overdue update

I can't believe its been almost two months since my last entry! whoooops! I promise to write in this much more often now, as a few of my friends have made it apparent that I am lacking in the updating department! :)

Life here in Florida (despite the fact that we live in a retirement community) moves so quickly! So much progress has been made on the boat....I looked at pictures from my first day and it's hard to imagine that almost 4 months ago we were given a shell of a boat, weather worn and broken in so many ways, only to bring it back to life and give it an entire makeover! All the crew cabins have been finished, as well as the aft hed (downstairs bathroom). The salon is near finished as well, but we are waiting to complete the electric before we secure the ceiling. We have refiberglassed almost the entire outside of the boat, as well as built an incredible outside bench (which was also fiberglassed) and a hug throne/captains chair for the helm, complete with a fish tank! The last few days we have been sanding the outside of the boat, preparing it for a brand new paint job, which will make our boat look spectacular. Sanding is a hell of a job though... we are using electric sanders, but bending over all day sanding fiberglass not only makes your muscles and back hurt beyond belief...but you are so itchy from the fiberglass dust that it makes it hard to sleep at night! We have all learned to just power through it though, as the thought of our departure comes closer and more vivid in our mind.

In the last 2 months I have become extremely accident prone (or i guess i always was accident prone to begin with) and have suffered a major knee dislocation, a three degree burn on my hand, lacceration on my face and a broken toe...and those were just the major ones! I can't tell you the number of bruises and cuts that appear out of no where every day! All of them have good stories though (except for the broken toe...that I was literally just walking in the rain and slipped) but... I'm sure they will serve as funny memories for years to come. Or at least they will be good battle scars.

Our days off are so appreciated around here, and we have been so fortunate enough to be able to have adventures on all of them! We have swam with manatees, gone on our first 3 day sailing trip (where we caught 2 sharks!), gone to concerts, visited beaches, and most recently, swam with dolphins and participated in a traditional cuban pig roast (Will write more on this later...what an experience!).

We also have gained 3 new crew members! Graham joined us afew weeks ago, and is someone that I knew from San Francisco, as we were on the SFSU health clinic advisory board together. He is a great asset to our family and brings such a great sense of humor to the group! Our other 2 new members come in animal form : Giles McCoy (our boat dog) and Tweak (our boat cat)! Giles was named after a man who survived the USS Innapolis sinking. He said that as he was in the ocean, watching his friends get eaten by sharks, he prayed to god that if he survived, he would become a doctor and dedicate his life to helping people. He died afew months ago, but we heard his story at the Palm Coast Veterans of Foreign War group, and we said that if we ever got a boat dog we would name him in memory of the real Giles McCoy. Giles is the sweetest puppy in the entire world, and already is adjusted to the boat! Tweak is a crazy kitten, full of energy, and has many quirks (like loving to sleep in the crockpot). He and Giles are finally getting along, and will eat out of the same bowl, sleep on the same bed and even play together! Its so nice to have animals around the house, and we adopted them knowing that it won't be easy, but many sailors have told us that boat dogs and boat cats are great assets and protection on the sea and in ports.

One of the most exciting things that has happened is that CNN sent out a camera crew to film a special piece on us! They interviewed Ben and Sky and then picked 2 crew members to be interviewed...and Nick and I were chosen! I had my interview at sunset on the boat, and they asked me a lot of questions about the survey that I am writing and how I will be conducting it. I talked about how we are looking at not only disease and demographic data, but at the perceptive attitudes of the communities that we visit. They asked a lot of great questions, and I can only hope i answered them somewhat elequently....but I always get so nervous on camera! They filmed us the next day while we were working and asked us afew more questions about our work on the boat. I can't wait until it airs! I will definately post the link on here (it will be online first and then if we get enough views it will air on tv!)

Life here is so amazing and I haven't felt this happy in a long time! Being here has given me some of the greatest adventures of my life and this is only the beginning!

much love to you all....
-J

And its only the beginning

Sometimes, when the day is beyond hot and the air is thick and heavy, and I think that there is literally no way any more sweat could come off my body.....when I've been cut by one of the saw blades and gotten carpet glue in my hair....when emotions run high and egos get in the way....

I wonder WHY AM I HERE?!?!

And then, in a fleeting moment, something magical happens. Maybe it's a dolphin leaping out of the water in our tiny canal, or one of the colorful sunsets, the way Ben talks about his passions and dreams, or yet another community member from Florida stopping by the lend hand or just give support....and suddenly my faith is instantly restored and I remember what I felt the first time I met Ben and learned about the Floating Doctors.

We use the image of "not having a big enough backpack to fill the need of the world" around here. What it means is, all of us are searching to make a difference in the global communities and there will always be a need that we cannot fill. But that never means we won't stop trying. Human suffering knows no boundaries, no race, ethnicity, sex, age....it's something we can all empathize with and can all understand.

I cannot wait until the day when I am able to touch another person, and do everything I can to make a small impact in their life. Being able to contribute to this project is an opportunity that is unlike any other, and I feel grateful everyday to be a part of such an amazing team.

The boat has made so much progress in the last couple of weeks. I'm learning so much about contruction... I could literally build furniture or a small house when I return. We finished all of the crew cabins and have almost finished all major construction on the boat. The majority of work that needs to be done are things that we currently lack the funds to make happen. But we should be getting some grants this week which will allow us to get the supplies we need to finish building, the personal we need to overturn the engines and fix the hydrolic system, and get the paint we need to paint the outside of the boat. When finished, "The Southern Wind" will be astounding.

There is much more to say, but little sleep to be had, so until then......fair winds and peace and love.

Something to think about

"You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen. Everyday, we are given the sun- and also one moment in which we have the ability to change everything that makes us unhappy. Every day, we try to pretend that we haven't percieved that moment, that it doesn't exist-that today is the same as yesterday and will be the same as tomorrrow. But it people really pay attenetion to their everyday lives, they will discover that mahic moment. It may arrive in the instant when we are doing something mundane, like putting our front door key in the lock; it may lie hidden in the quiet that follows the lunch hour or in the thousand and one things that all seem the same to us. but that moment exists- a moment when all the power of the stars becomes a part of us and enables us to perform miracles.

Joy is sometimes a blessing, but is often a conquest. Our magic moment helps us to change and sends us off in search of our freams. Yes, we are going to suffer, we will have difficult times, and we will experience many disapointments---but all of this is transitory; it leaves no permanent mark. And one day we will look back with pride and faith at the journey we have taken."
-Paulo Coelho

Some new pictures

Our Crew: From left- Jon, me, sky, Ben, Ryan, Noah... missing nick but his guitar is standing in for him!
We had a hard time being serious

Happy bday ryan!

watching the sunrise on the sunmmer solstice/fathers day

our beauty!

dr ben, the dreamer

Dirty jobs

Well, we have officially moved into our new house in Florida and it is so amazing. I finally have my own room, which is fantastic...no more sharing it with 3 other guys! We have a pool now which comes in handy on these scortching hot days and even better...our boat is in our backyard!

Everymorning we wake up around 7 and have breakfast together and then get straight to work on the boat. This week has been crazy with ammount of progress we have made. We lost nick and andrew afew days ago but nick will be back soon, he had to take care of some stuff at home, but we sure miss his goofy presence on the boat!

This week I have done a lot of painting! I feel as though I am permentatly covered in paint.. it's in my hair and all over my hands, legs and shoulders! I have been painting down in the back cabins, as well as storage boxes (called lazarettes) and finishing up afew walls in the salon. Today was a big day for me, as I got to demo an entire wall (much harder than it looks), put up insulation in the ceiling, paint the pole that holes up our wind generator, finished building an AC insulator box and painted more of the hull of the boat. We started carpeting and putting the matress padding on the bunks today as well! It's so great that we are starting to get to do asthetic work now instead of heavy duty construction.

Sometimes I feel that the time when we sail off this harbor will never happen, but I know that it will and how exciting that day will be!

Speaking of the harbor, in the last few days we have seen more manatees and an alligator! this is definately not swimming water! but its so wonderful to get to see so many creatures in their natural element!

We have had quite a few big storms this week, but luckily it has shown us that our beauty of a boat holds up in the rain! The storms here are incredible. Huge beams of lightning light up the sky and thunder booms, almost shaking the house. Im starting to really enjoy the storms though. We have also had a heatwave this week, with the temperature climbing to 105 with 80-90% humidity. Its like working in a wet sauna... and mixed with paint fumes makes it quite a challange, but i'm surviving.

Everyone is falling in love with Floating Doctors and Bens dream. We have had afew different reporters come out to interview us and I have had the two newspapers in Sonoma both interview me. They even want to follow us the entire year. We also got wind of a contest for amatuer film makers and we are entering it! I am doing the animation for the film, in addition to helping put our real shots in it and its going to be a great piece about making our dream become a reality. If we win, the prize is $10,000 which we direly need. We also have made a commercial for Home Depot and are trying to sell it to them. And we have had an outpouring support from the Florida community here, with people we have met in the hardware store or the grocery market, coming by daily to drop of supplies or see our progress on the boat. Its so great to be a part of something that is touching everyones lives.

Progress is being made on the health survey, which is what I am in charge of, and soon, once the boat is finished, we will all be studying our spanish, diagnosis cards and practicing sutures and minor surgery procedures. I can't believe that I will be practicing medicine soon!

The opportunities continue each day, and I am constanly humbled and inspired by the work that I do here. I love being able to be a part of something so great and I know that my time here is the adventure of a lifetime!

The first week is over!

Wow, its hard to believe i have been here for over a week. I knew that when I walked out of the airport and into the muggy hott Florida heat I was in for quite an interesting trip...

And it sure has been.

I live with 8 guys and one girl. Its a little overwhelming at times (I currently sleep on an airmattress in the living room with 3 other guys) but I instantly bonded with all of them and I feel like they are all my brothers. And they treat me like family (sometimes too much... a girl can only handle so much wrestling and nerf gun attacks) but its fantastic. Floating Doctors seems to attract an ecclectic mix of people, all with the same goal of helping people. I know I am creating friendships and memories that will change my life forever.

The first day on the job I had no idea what I was in for. I didn't realize how much construction on the boat had to be done and how hard I was going to be working. 5 minutes after I had walked on the boat I was handed a saw and instructed to finish making a floor on the "bridge" (a term for the upper most part of the boat where the captain is). 15 minutes after that, I was bleeding all over my tank top because i cut the tip to my thumb off. Nick graciously helped me with the rest of the floor, showing me how to cut, how to angle pieces in, and how to screw them in. Since then I have been dubbed "Nick's assistant" because he's the one that has the patience and guidance to help me. So far I have built vents for an AC system, built a floor underlay for linoleum, painted and degreased the engine room, painted the hull and the cabins and made, sanded and grinded down parts of the editing suite and storage compartments.

I have a new respect for construction workers. When I was working in the bottom part of the boat its like working in a 100 degree sauna. Sweat pours off of you in bucketloads and you have to drink powerade to restore the electrolyes you lost. The one day I just drank water I got so dehydrated and was barely able to move when I got home.

We also experienced our first tornado. All of a sudden we heard a huge boom from the sky and a giant gust of wind and the hardest rain I've ever seen. It was an incredible storm, so much thunder and lightning. We had to lock ourselves in the boat because we couldn't go outside...the storm was right above our boat and with so much metal on the boat, if one of us got electrocuted, it would be all over. It was exciting and frightening at the same time. We have had 2 more storms since then, not as bad at all, but we are heading right into hurricane season, so I'm sure it will get much more interesting.

I'm getting darker by the day (the sun is sooo hott here) and my legs and arms are covered in mosquito and other bug bites. Speaking of, the nature here is incredible. I'm seeing armadillos, manatees, all sorts of fish, frogs, lizards, turtles and snakes. And Ben, being the incredible teacher that he is, is able to tell me all the species and what they do. It's a beautiful area here in Florida I have to say, but its unlike anything I have ever seen. It's very country, and the people are all characters, but I feel completely at home and happy here.

I finally feel like I have found my place in the world. Ben is an inspiration and I know he is someone that will have a profound impact on my life (and already has). The work that I plan to do with floating doctors is something that is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Ben informed me that I would be practicing medicine while I am in the clinics in central america, belize, and the french polynesia. I get to start practicing sutures, wound irrigation and dressings and my diagnosis soon! I can't wait! I am also currently working on the world health survey with Ben, and its fantastic to get to connect with him and work together to create such an important tool for our medical mission, which is the spectrum of prevention and assessing the health of the world, while identifying what to do next to make a healthier future.

I couldn't feel happier right now and I truly believe my dad sent this opportunity to me. thanks dad! I can't wait to see what adventure is thrown at me next!

Me and Ben, the founder of FD

The Southern Wind-our beauty!

Working hard!

Me and nick, when we all finally left the boat and went to dinner!

More pictures to come!!!

Who we are

In four days I will be leaving Hawaii to join a team of men and women in Florida, preparing to make a medical relief voyage to some of the most remote regions on earth. Floating Doctors will be traveling with a high tech crew and cargo on an ancient and very green platform. Led by Dr. Ben LaBrot, we will sail on our 76 ft sailboat called The Southern Wind.

The first voyage will run along the coast of Central America, through the Panama Canal and out through the South Pacific. Our goal is to set up a mobile tented clinic and provide free medical services. The on-board staff (including me) will treat over 15,000 patients.

Floating Doctors will also undertake a study based on the World Health organization 2000 World Health Survey to make a 2010 report on what progress has been made in improving world health, what major challenges remain, and the effextiveness of our current strategies.

We will interface with local medical providers and visually document the practices of health care delivery by local caregivers.

We will strive to create health care access to isolated communities and to promote preventative medicine and patient education in a way that encourages and empowers people to take responsibility for their own health.

Our major goals are:
1. To provide free health care services to needy areas in our mobile tented clinics and to hand deliver donated medical supplies to isolated areas.
2. To reduce child mortality by providing food safety education, nutritional counseling and clean water solutions
3. To promote awareness of the latest issues in developing world medicine through a study of health and medical care delivery.

I cannot wait to be a part of this organization and join the crew! Healh is a universal concern--we CAN help eachother!