If you come to work today, you can hold a prairie dog....eventually

 

I don't know how I end up where I do sometimes. People ask "why did you pick Peru/Cambodia/Egypt?" and I generally shrug and just say "I hadn't been there yet. " However for this trip...I can tell you that a decision to work an extra shift 5 years ago in an ER in Seattle is what lead me to the East Texas Town of Odessa today.

On this shift I met a nurse named Kristi who offered me the opportunity to volunteer with a medical team in Guatemala in 2007. On this adventure I was bit by a monkey, arrested and burned by lava - I also met an amazing pharmacist named Gary. After the disaster of the 2007 trip, it was the only chance to work with Gary caused me to sign up for the 2011 trip. And here I met Charlie, Megan and Jimmy - also from Odessa, Texas. Not wanting to go another 4 years without seeing them again, I returned to Guatemala in 2012.

It was a conference in Dallas that originally brought me to Texas...the desire to see my favourite pharmacist is what caused me to head to Odessa.

All the locals were in on the visit...except Gary. With Facebook and texting and tweeting and whatever else is out there that I am not cool enough to know about, it really is hard to surprise anyone. But the look of startle, shock and surprise on Gary's face when I popped out from behind the pharmacy shelves...truly something I will never forget.

After a day of visiting with classic kind Texans, a delicious Thai dinner and a drive to see the iconic pump jacks that litter the countyside, I ended the day on another amazing high...playing with a prairie dog.

The world is made of colourful charatcters and one of the best lives in Odessa Texas. Jimmy is an avid hunter, San Francisco 49er fan and does electrical work - he a true "good ol' boy from Texas. His is unbelievably kind and is that guy you could call to help in any emergency. But my favourite thing about Jimmy is his large selection of pets. Any wildlife encounter makes a great trip a fantastic trip - this includes pets.

So as I sat there, chatting with Gary and his family, dancing with the stars on the TV in the background and a prairie dog in my lap I couldn't help but think that if I hadn't agreed to work that extra shift 5 years ago, I wouldn't be holding a prairie dog now...