After eight years of retirement it's odd to be back to a Monday-Friday routine, though just for a short time. Burger and I usually start the day at first light (around 6 am) and make ourselves breakfast in the community kitchen. We eat outside on the large veranda, trying to identify the many birds fluttering among the trees. Though it gets pretty hot and humid during the daytime, it cools off at night and the mornings are lovely.

Most mornings we take a brisk walk along one of the several paths that skirts the river or climbs into the foothills. Then it's back to the Residence for a quick shower and change into hospital scrubs, our uniforms at the clinic. Work begins at 8 am, and there's usually a long line of patients waiting to sign in. Some of them travel for many hours by bus to get here, sometimes sleeping outside the clinic at night.

This is Burger's ninth visit to Guadalupe since 2004, and he's developed a reputation that brings patients from many miles around. He's busy with surgery all day, seeing preop and postop patients between cases, which range from rhinoplasties to ear surgery to cleft palate repair. He has an "apprentice" this year, Stefanie, a senior ENT resident from Germany who's eager to learn as much as she can from "the boss."

My job is to assist Matthias, another ENT doc from Germany, who sees patients and fits hearing aids. I greet the patients, enter diagnosis and treatment data into the computer, and help out wherever I'm needed. Originally from East Germany, Matthias' second language is Russian, not English. So I translate from German to English for Amanda, the American nurse in charge of the clinic. Amanda in turn translates from English to Spanish for the patients. Our three-way communication may sound a bit complicated but it actually works quite smoothly. Amanda and I, being the only two Americans here, have struck up a friendship and enjoy chatting over coffee whenever there's a moment's lull. She's been working here full time for a number of years now.

At noon we all take a break and walk over to the nunnery, where cooks from Columbia prepare and serve our meals. The food is good and ample, and we all share with the washing up afterwards. Then it's back to work till dinner at six. Sometimes we're done early enough for sundowners on the veranda. After dinner we usually take a stroll across the hanging bridge to the village, where small shops are open till eight and children and dogs are out playing in the cool of evening. Everyone greets us warmly, recognizing Burger from his years of service here. Then it's back to the residence to socialize a bit or watch a movie before turning in for the night. Our room is very comfortable with private bath and beautiful views overlooking the green valley and surrounding high mountains.

Photo: farewell party for some of the volunteers on the verandah