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Guinea Pig for Breakfast - A Rich Tapestry of Tragedy, Hope and Love in Ecuador
This is the remarkable true story of a young British doctor who travels to humid, insect-infested Ecuador and sets up a village health centre and child sponsorship scheme. Young free and single, and dedicated to her mission, she is certainly not expecting to encounter love. Should she open her heart? Or will doing so lead to an end of all her dreams? This unforgettable account of lives touched and changed by heartbreaking tragedy and restoring, redeeming love will transport you to a land brimming with iguanas and humming birds, and leave you inspired.
314 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
4 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Gardiner
14 books10 followersAndrea Gardiner is a medical doctor and writer. She worked as in Ecuador for 13 years and wrote Guinea Pig For Breakfast, and Guinea Pig for Brunch. Currently residing in the UK, you can find her on her blog www.returninghometoyourself.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 17, 2014
On a mission trip to Ecuador when she was a teenager, Andrea Gardiner was touched by the plight of the poverty stricken children suffering illnesses that weren't able to be cared for. She was convicted by her own home life, education & the knowledge that Jesus loved her. She decided that one day, she was going to return to help them. She returned to Scotland, obtained her medical decree & then returned to Ecuador to share the love of Jesus through her medical work.
This book starts with her arrival in Ecuador as a doctor.
I appreciated Andrea's writing style. It was easy to read, and I could see Ecuador and her patients come to life through her telling. Her informal style made it feel as though she was just chatting to me about her day.
Another thing I appreciated was her willingness to share her failings & frustrations as well as her successes & blessings.
She tells of the bureaucratic hassles she has there, as well as some of the other cultural differences she has struggled with - eating guinea pig was hard at 1st, and the thought of eating it for breakfast is still not appealing! (I have a strong suspicion that I would have the same problem!)
It was also lovely for me to read as although I don't know Andrea (I've heard a lot about her work) I do know very well the British couple she talks about a lot. It was nice to read about them, & to actually know who she was talking about. It also gave me an added insight into life for them in Ecuador too.
But what I really loved was that through this book, we meet the people Andrea works with and helps, and the great way she has of drawing you in and making you feel as though you are a bystander to what is going on. Andrea has organised for sponsors for children whose families are too poor to pay for education. She has also set up a sewing circle for some of her patients and their relatives to make things, which can then be sold to raise funds for medical treatment. They have also been able to put up houses for those whose homes are not very adequate! Through her writings you will come to know these people well, and what I think is nice is that it isn’t just left there. Andrea has a website where we readers can find out about the projects she is involved in, and how we can be involved in too.
A heart warming biography.
This book starts with her arrival in Ecuador as a doctor.
I appreciated Andrea's writing style. It was easy to read, and I could see Ecuador and her patients come to life through her telling. Her informal style made it feel as though she was just chatting to me about her day.
Another thing I appreciated was her willingness to share her failings & frustrations as well as her successes & blessings.
She tells of the bureaucratic hassles she has there, as well as some of the other cultural differences she has struggled with - eating guinea pig was hard at 1st, and the thought of eating it for breakfast is still not appealing! (I have a strong suspicion that I would have the same problem!)
It was also lovely for me to read as although I don't know Andrea (I've heard a lot about her work) I do know very well the British couple she talks about a lot. It was nice to read about them, & to actually know who she was talking about. It also gave me an added insight into life for them in Ecuador too.
But what I really loved was that through this book, we meet the people Andrea works with and helps, and the great way she has of drawing you in and making you feel as though you are a bystander to what is going on. Andrea has organised for sponsors for children whose families are too poor to pay for education. She has also set up a sewing circle for some of her patients and their relatives to make things, which can then be sold to raise funds for medical treatment. They have also been able to put up houses for those whose homes are not very adequate! Through her writings you will come to know these people well, and what I think is nice is that it isn’t just left there. Andrea has a website where we readers can find out about the projects she is involved in, and how we can be involved in too.
A heart warming biography.
December 2, 2013
I loved reading this book; it gave me such an insight into a completely different way of life and standard of living in a country I have never been to. Wonderfully written with great portrayal of different people the author meets during her adventure in Ecuador, I struggled to stop reading it! This book is inspiring and challenging, a great read to help understand personally the great work being done over there.
October 19, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. Some of these biographies can be quite boring and dry, but not this one. The author recounts her adventures with humour and shares her heart with us. A very readable account of someone who is trying to bring hope. It also serves to remind me how many things I take for granted.
I actually read the kindle edition of this, but as I can't find it here, I will leave this at the default of pb.
I actually read the kindle edition of this, but as I can't find it here, I will leave this at the default of pb.
September 23, 2014
This is an inspiring account of life as a missionary doctor in Ecuador. A great read for those interested in other cultures, aspiring cross cultural workers or those who support them. Added to all this a touch of romance, and you have a real page turner...you will not be disappointed...
August 31, 2013
I read this book while in Ecuador. It's about the adventures of a Scottish pediatrician who moves to Ecuador to work as a doctor. Very interesting story, a bit choppy at times, but definitely worth reading.
October 26, 2014
An amazing and beautiful book.
I've read many medical memoirs and I've read many travel memoirs before and this book combines my two favourite genres. I was totally immersed in it; it was like no medical memoir that I had read before. There are triumphs and tragedies, lovely family scenes, medical stories, it really is a wonderful book. It was great learning about the traditional foods-I didn't already know anything about Ecuador. It all sounded lovely-but, I was sensing a guinea pig would come in there somewhere! And there it was!-the mountain people enjoy eating guinea pig and pork! (Andrea is not too keen) The book was at times nice easy reading, very interesting, and then, there were some very difficult-to-read-about cases. Many of these would have been easily sorted out in other countries, many times the people just couldn't afford regular medication for their conditions. Very sad. I find books like this fascinating, so much to learn and enjoy. Andrea had come from the Scottish Highlands into a typical day's weather in Ecuador being the sun blazing in the morning and by late afternoon the rains come. There are Earth tremors from time to time. Tremors because it is a volcanic region. She had wanted to come here and do this for a long time. She had to revalidate her medical degree in order to practice as a doctor here and this proved a long and arduous process. Matters of paperwork moved at a very slow pace. This book provides a rich picture of an exotic land and all its differences, somewhere I've never ventured before and I loved to go there in this book. This book is remarkably quick and easy to read-despite the author being a doctor, this book isn't loaded with any complicated terms, anyone can enjoy it. There are lots of stories which tug at her heart strings so she just wants to help as many as she can-and she does. The conditions there, the things they have to do which we take for granted eg the women wash clothes in the river. Here they seem to think get an injection for everything when it's not necessary eg for a cold. It was very powerful and affecting to read about some of these cases. Some terrible things in here and my mind was reeling reading about all these sad cases. All things that are easily sort-out-able in our region. If you've enjoyed books such as confessions of a GP, then this is for you, but it's on a totally different level. Andrea proves to be a very dedicated and hard working doctor, some of the cases are absolutely the worst things. So many ups and downs to her helping people. I was very moved by it all. On a happier note, we experience Christmas and New Year in Ecuador and learn about the different traditions here-a very interesting chapter. An amazing and beautiful book. Wonderful.
I've read many medical memoirs and I've read many travel memoirs before and this book combines my two favourite genres. I was totally immersed in it; it was like no medical memoir that I had read before. There are triumphs and tragedies, lovely family scenes, medical stories, it really is a wonderful book. It was great learning about the traditional foods-I didn't already know anything about Ecuador. It all sounded lovely-but, I was sensing a guinea pig would come in there somewhere! And there it was!-the mountain people enjoy eating guinea pig and pork! (Andrea is not too keen) The book was at times nice easy reading, very interesting, and then, there were some very difficult-to-read-about cases. Many of these would have been easily sorted out in other countries, many times the people just couldn't afford regular medication for their conditions. Very sad. I find books like this fascinating, so much to learn and enjoy. Andrea had come from the Scottish Highlands into a typical day's weather in Ecuador being the sun blazing in the morning and by late afternoon the rains come. There are Earth tremors from time to time. Tremors because it is a volcanic region. She had wanted to come here and do this for a long time. She had to revalidate her medical degree in order to practice as a doctor here and this proved a long and arduous process. Matters of paperwork moved at a very slow pace. This book provides a rich picture of an exotic land and all its differences, somewhere I've never ventured before and I loved to go there in this book. This book is remarkably quick and easy to read-despite the author being a doctor, this book isn't loaded with any complicated terms, anyone can enjoy it. There are lots of stories which tug at her heart strings so she just wants to help as many as she can-and she does. The conditions there, the things they have to do which we take for granted eg the women wash clothes in the river. Here they seem to think get an injection for everything when it's not necessary eg for a cold. It was very powerful and affecting to read about some of these cases. Some terrible things in here and my mind was reeling reading about all these sad cases. All things that are easily sort-out-able in our region. If you've enjoyed books such as confessions of a GP, then this is for you, but it's on a totally different level. Andrea proves to be a very dedicated and hard working doctor, some of the cases are absolutely the worst things. So many ups and downs to her helping people. I was very moved by it all. On a happier note, we experience Christmas and New Year in Ecuador and learn about the different traditions here-a very interesting chapter. An amazing and beautiful book. Wonderful.
June 8, 2015
I enjoyed this Memoir. The Author left Scotland after training to be a GP & takes you on her return journey to Ecuador. She has a calling, and wants to make life better for those unable to for themselves (mainly due to poverty (lots of poverty) and lots of red-tape). The Author herself has to wade through so much form filling and red tape - that alone would very likely put others off. It's written well, and, you are easily 'wrapped-up' in the day-to-day events that Andrea Gardiner finds herself dealing with. It's interesting, sad, uplifting & quite informative in my opinion. You do get a good feeling for the village where the Author lives, the medical centre she manages to 'eventually' get set-up, the people who are not only patients but some that become friends and the children who love her and are just so grateful for the smallest of things. The education they receive via help from sponsors from within the UK which the Author has managed to set-up through a sewing scheme and with the help of her Mum & others is just brilliant - heartwarming. It's quite humbling really. This is a great mixture for me of both Travel & Medical Memoir without being heavy on the medical terminology - An interesting & good read - I have no problem in recommending it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews