Interview with a person who worked in an HIV/AIDS Home
Q: So what was it like?
The whole experience was something I will cherish forever. Yes, at times it was heart breaking but it was also meaningful and eye opening. I mean how often do you help a nurse debride the dead flesh off a man's back.
When I got there I had a cold. The director made me wear a mask because I was more of a danger to the patients than they where to me. It was a little strange being surrounded by sick people and my self being forced to wear a mask for their protection. It made sense, the people with AIDS would have had a very time fighting off my cold and it might land them in the hospital....It's weird, we think about the germs that a person with HIV/AIDS might give us, but have you ever thought about what the common germs you are carrying would do to them.
The whole experience was something I will cherish forever. Yes, at times it was heart breaking but it was also meaningful and eye opening. I mean how often do you help a nurse debride the dead flesh off a man's back.
When I got there I had a cold. The director made me wear a mask because I was more of a danger to the patients than they where to me. It was a little strange being surrounded by sick people and my self being forced to wear a mask for their protection. It made sense, the people with AIDS would have had a very time fighting off my cold and it might land them in the hospital....It's weird, we think about the germs that a person with HIV/AIDS might give us, but have you ever thought about what the common germs you are carrying would do to them.
"have you ever thought about what the common germs you are carrying would do to them?"
Q: Lots of people assume that only drug addicts, men who have sex with men, or prostitutes have HIV/AIDS. As a result there is this stigma about AIDS. When you where there did you face any of that?
Great question, I did in fact. From the very beginning, the volunteer organization I went with prepared me for that. They warned me that the people in the neighborhood were not happy about having an AIDS home on their street. Apparently, Hogar had recently had some trouble with some employees of a car garage up the road. For safety, the house was locked and gated and we had to be buzzed in from the inside.
Nothing came up for a while, until the end of my second week there. I was with three guys and we where playing futbol outside. Everyone was having a good time and then the guys got quiet and seemed really uncomfortable. I looked over to the fence and noticed some people looking in at us. The guys wanted to go inside almost immediately. Later that day I brought it up with the director and she mentioned that some of the guys had been jumped outside the home.
The second time I experienced it, it was more directed at me. I was out at a bar and this guy came over and started talking to me. My Spanish was not perfect and I used some slang he was unfamiliar with- I learned a lot of my Spanish in Ecuador and Peru. He asked me where I was from and I told him that I was from the states. So of course he asked me what I was doing in Costa Rica. He expected me to say I was on vacation and was somewhat surprised when I told him I was here volunteering. I told him I was working in an AIDS home nearby and he immediately looked disgusted. He asked me why I was wasting my time on "those people" his words dripping with disgust and then followed with "aren't you scared you will get it." I told him that I thought the work was important and that although there was a some risk it was unlikely I would get AIDS. Transmission is less likely when people are on the anti-viral drugs, there were precautions taken, ect. He said something about me working with all dudes and I told him that in fact there where women in the house and that some men are now getting it from female sexual partners and or their mothers. Perplexed he asks me, "how does a guy get it from a lady during sex?" I told him how HIV is spread (sperm, blood, vaginal fluid, breast milk). After that I turned away from him, clearly over the conversation.
I couldn't believe someone would be so blatantly rude or terrible. On the plus side, it got the rude guy to leave.
Great question, I did in fact. From the very beginning, the volunteer organization I went with prepared me for that. They warned me that the people in the neighborhood were not happy about having an AIDS home on their street. Apparently, Hogar had recently had some trouble with some employees of a car garage up the road. For safety, the house was locked and gated and we had to be buzzed in from the inside.
Nothing came up for a while, until the end of my second week there. I was with three guys and we where playing futbol outside. Everyone was having a good time and then the guys got quiet and seemed really uncomfortable. I looked over to the fence and noticed some people looking in at us. The guys wanted to go inside almost immediately. Later that day I brought it up with the director and she mentioned that some of the guys had been jumped outside the home.
The second time I experienced it, it was more directed at me. I was out at a bar and this guy came over and started talking to me. My Spanish was not perfect and I used some slang he was unfamiliar with- I learned a lot of my Spanish in Ecuador and Peru. He asked me where I was from and I told him that I was from the states. So of course he asked me what I was doing in Costa Rica. He expected me to say I was on vacation and was somewhat surprised when I told him I was here volunteering. I told him I was working in an AIDS home nearby and he immediately looked disgusted. He asked me why I was wasting my time on "those people" his words dripping with disgust and then followed with "aren't you scared you will get it." I told him that I thought the work was important and that although there was a some risk it was unlikely I would get AIDS. Transmission is less likely when people are on the anti-viral drugs, there were precautions taken, ect. He said something about me working with all dudes and I told him that in fact there where women in the house and that some men are now getting it from female sexual partners and or their mothers. Perplexed he asks me, "how does a guy get it from a lady during sex?" I told him how HIV is spread (sperm, blood, vaginal fluid, breast milk). After that I turned away from him, clearly over the conversation.
I couldn't believe someone would be so blatantly rude or terrible. On the plus side, it got the rude guy to leave.
Q: Wow, what a jerk. Though he did bring up something I wanted to ask you about. Was it hard for you to decide to work in that setting knowing there was an increased risk of transmission?
You know lots of people wonder about that. Sure, it would have been really unfortunate if I contracted HIV but it was really unlikely. I don't know, I guess I didn't want to let fear of something rather unlikely get in the way of helping people. The house has a hard time getting volunteers. Although not all people with HIV are homosexuals, drug addicts, or sex workers some of them are. So the ideal volunteer is someone who is willing to accept those truths which of course limits their options. On top of that there is an increased risk of contracting HIV when working with people who have it. Plus, some of the patients were pretty sickly and that too makes some people uncomfortable. Personally, I thought it was unlikely I would contract AIDS. I was honestly more worried about watching someone die than getting the disease.
You know lots of people wonder about that. Sure, it would have been really unfortunate if I contracted HIV but it was really unlikely. I don't know, I guess I didn't want to let fear of something rather unlikely get in the way of helping people. The house has a hard time getting volunteers. Although not all people with HIV are homosexuals, drug addicts, or sex workers some of them are. So the ideal volunteer is someone who is willing to accept those truths which of course limits their options. On top of that there is an increased risk of contracting HIV when working with people who have it. Plus, some of the patients were pretty sickly and that too makes some people uncomfortable. Personally, I thought it was unlikely I would contract AIDS. I was honestly more worried about watching someone die than getting the disease.
Q: Okay, so last question: you mentioned that some of the men in the house where gay. I know that Central and South America are known for being christain, more specifically catholic. Did that play a role in any way?
Yes and no. There where woman in the community who where volunteering to be like Mother Theresa. They tended to help out in the kitchen, but they came once a week to cook for the men. On the other hand, I am sure that some people stayed away from the AIDS home because they believed homosexuality is wrong and or disapproved of the people in the home's life styles. In that reguard, it probably had a negative impact.
Yes and no. There where woman in the community who where volunteering to be like Mother Theresa. They tended to help out in the kitchen, but they came once a week to cook for the men. On the other hand, I am sure that some people stayed away from the AIDS home because they believed homosexuality is wrong and or disapproved of the people in the home's life styles. In that reguard, it probably had a negative impact.