Different Strokes

This week was quick. I spent it at a school and medical center in Than Goun, a very small village. Here the medicine is free and is all grown on the property. There are tons of trees, bushes, and other plants that all serve some propose. The students are very well behaved and when ever they pass an adult they say "good morning Sir" or Mame, so there is always a chattering of Mame's and sirs and mornings and afternoons ect. as they pass every morning. Each morning I wake at 6:30 to do yoga as the sun rises, which was hard the first day, but now I am kind of used to it, and is freakin sweet! We have hiked to several near by villages to hold clinics, and around the general area. Everyone calls the area a jungle, but because it is winter, thus the dry season, it is kind of brown, and the underbrush is not as thick as it would be in summer, when it rains every day. There is a small puppy here that I have named Shoe, because it attacks your shoes as you are walking, or doing anything else. So far the name has not stuck with the staff, who think that it will just get eaten by the leopards, the ones who have had most of the past puppies for midnight snacks. This means that after killing the mega spider in my room I lay listening to all the dogs in the area barking all night at various wild animals, or each other, but who really knows. This all occurs after catching the gecko (that I named Willy) and also doing yoga at sunset, so I am becoming much more limber with yoga twice a day. I will spend the next week in Than Goun, but for now I am back in Rishikish to go to a wild life preserve and some big sheva temple.

The weekend

This weekend I spent in Rishikesh. I am exhausted because I went river rafting and kayaking for most of the day. I did this on the Gangies river, and because it was hot I went swimming, and so I have been blessed for some amount of time (I think it is measured in lives). We where going to a Wild Life preserve near by, but because rafting took too long and other reasons that where out of my control we where unable to. I took a tour of the Ashrams here, the place to study yoga and get natural treatment of what ever you want. It is really awesome. Everyone here is really nice, and all about yoga, its kind of like a cult of something. Everyone has on orange clothes and is muttering some chants as they do some meaning full act. I have learned that Hinduism seems to be the most complicated and interesting religion ever. I am simply blown away by it. I will be leaving in the morning for Than Goun for the next week, my final week here in northern India before leaving for Mumbai.

The Taj Mahal

I left for the Taj Mahal promptly at 8pm, which is an Indian rarity, on a sleeper bus. Because I did not have time to get dinner I had a bag a Masala Munchies (Spicy Indian chip-sticks) to eat while I sat watching oncoming traffic narrowly missing the bus, or the movie Diminished Capacity (don't watch it, very bad). The road to Agra was terrible and I think that part of it must be broken rocks (not gravel, its too smooth) because it was so bumpy which lead to very little sleep. We got into Agra at about 4am at the bus station, but it took us another 2hrs to get through town to the station where we needed to get off, which turned out to be the bus garage. We where met by our arranged auto-rickshaw driver, had something to eat and then went to the Taj Mahal! We met some friend of a friend of someone that I don't know and took a butt load of pictures. It is really sweet! There where not that many people there, partially because it was about 8 in the morning, winter, and there have been less tourists because of what happened in Mumbai. The building its self is as people describe it, with all its intricate stone work of flowers and designs, from rubies and other rare gems. It is so amazing because there is so much detail carved in to jewels and white marble, each inlaid with more stones. The only thing in it was the tomb of the Raj's wife, with some other rooms that would have housed whatevers. We did not get a guide because we where told by basically everyone that they where a waste of money, but I should have looked all the facts up before hand because historical references are nice. Anyway there where some cool mosques that there as well. We then went to the Fort where the Raj of the area lived. It was also amazing, yet they had taken out much of the jewels and such. The driver then took us to a carpeted making factory (because I believe that he must be on some kind of pay stipen), which was cool to see, "hand made carpets of the highest quality". They where freaking cheap to, so it if you want a cuppla thousand dollar carpet for a 1/6th of the price delivered to your door let me know. I felt bad for the sales man because he literally rolled out the red carpet (tons of them) for me until there was this awkward moment when I said that I had no money and no house to put one in. The drive back was just as long and tiring but I am glad that I did it, and after a nap I am ready for the a week of hiking to remote villages and yoga in Tangown. I wont have internet for the week, so you'll have to find some other way to fill the time that you have allotted to read this (HA!).

Day 21!

The trip is going by very fast! This week most of all thus far. It doesn't seem like I have done much, yet I have been busy. On Tuesday Paul, Erin (two others in my rotation) and I decided that we did not want to finish out the week with our evening doctor because he was not the most helpful, or talkative person. The two days we observed him we mostly just sat there in his office as he filled out forms, sat and looked at the floor, or not in the room at all. So instead we arranged it so we could observe Dr. Vorha (pediatrician) in both the morning and evenings for the rest of the week. So I have spent the last few days with babies staring at me, which they seem to like do if I don't accidental don't scare them. Most kids here are bundled up to the max, which is funny because it is warm here (I am in a T, and not just because that's all I packed!) but the mothers are very concerned about the cold. Also the mothers are not the only worriers because most mother-in-laws take charge of their grandchildren, telling the mother how to raise her kid. Family dynamics are very different.
On Wed. I watched the presidential inauguration! YEAH! It was cool to see here in India. Most people are glad, but some say that Bush was good for India, so they don't care too much. Though in the news paper I did see how an entire class of a school wore Obama masks (it was creepy), so in general I think people are very happy, but it is hard to tell because Indians are very diplomatic in everything they say (always with the head wobble).
This week I have spent much of the week looking for a cord to connect my camera memory card to the computer, which I got on Wed. I would use it now....but I cant find the connector cord from the card holder thingy! HAHAHA! I know what you are all thinking, and I cant help but say, what do you expect! HAHAHA! Its got to be in or near my stuff, its just a matter of time (or ill buy a new one HA!). How I got to this country, or not choke on my own spit, Ill never know. HA!
In about 4 hours I am going to the bus stop and taking a bus to Agara, to see the Taj Mahal! It is something like a 10 hr drive so Ill be pooped. I will meet a driver at the bus stop and he will take me around all day, then back to the bus stop where I will get back onto a bus and take the drive back Derhadun so I can be back on sunday morning to leave for Tangoun. For the trip I am taking a bag with: ipod, camera, jacket, and basically nothing else, yeah, its called an adventure, I hope to not fall asleep in the middle of it.HA! That's week 3.

Derhadun

I am back here in Derhadun! The end of the week in Missurie was nice. I walked around looking at the view of Doon valley, the mountains while listening to music (this ipod has been a god send! and it plays movies!) and reading. I observed two more tubectamies (how ever you spell it) and then a surgery on a kids wrist who had an axe accident (ouch!). Two tendons and a major nerve where repaired, it was amazing. So in total I witnessed 3 tubectamies, 1 hip replacement (as I was leaving the old man was walking with a walker!) a C-section and this hand thingy. So six total. The drive back down the hill was uneventful, besides the old car only having one wiper that only kind of worked (yes I know if I say more I am a hypocrite), as it rained for the first time. This week I am working with a pediatrician and an internalist, so its back on the wickrams, which I just found out are actually Vickrams but people pronounce the V as a W. I just booked my flight to Mumbai on the 7th for 60 bucks! It will take 2 hrs and Ill be in a city which when I say I am going to people gasp and say "Oh, Mumbai is crazy"! Until then I will be here in the north, I am thinking that I will go to the Taj Mahal for the weekend, which takes an overnight train so I will go, take a picture and then get back on the train (HA!). Oh well, it may be my only chance. For this next week I am going to a small village which has very little power and no Internet. Ill have an update of the week before then.

The Day Did Not End There

So after the last post I took the long steep walk back to Landoor (yeah that's it real name) community hospital. There I ate dinner and watched a pirated version of Quantum of Solace (there was little sound) and then as I was about to fall asleep I was shocked awake by morning and yelling, not quite screaming but almost. I let this go on for a min. and then lept from my hospital bed, to see if anyone needed help. See my room is right next to the operating theater and so I knew there had to be some surgery about to happen and it turned out to be some crazed pregnant lady who was going in to have a C-section. I was whisked in to observe. As I was watching the doctor cut the mother open and a huge burst of liquid came shooting out at me. It did not fly far enough to hit me, and I made an attempt to dodge it anyway, I was very glad that it did not because I would have thrown up, passed out or a combo move of both. Any this all happened at 11:30, the baby was fine but it was good to do the c-section because the cord was wrapped around its neck! Afterward I got some sleep, at least a bit.

My first surgery

So today I observed a hip replacement on a 95 year old man and a tubectimy. Both where cool, but the hip replacement was insane. The conditions where not that bad but I am told not up to par with what would be seen in the US. Here in Missurie I am working in a hosptial which is not really that busy due to winter, so I have been walking around and taking in the views of the Himalayas (awesome!). That is about it. The doctors here are all every nice, which has been my experience thus far with everyone I have met, from the random people on bus's to store owners, everyone is kind. Here are some pictures I hope they work, I can only put on a cupple so I will try to put up more later.

Rishiskesh and Hardwar

For Saturday I went to the Holy city of Hardwar which was about an hours drive from Rishikesh but because for some reason unknown to me there was stop go traffic so it took much longer. The only note worthy thing that happened on the ride was that I almost passed out due to fumes from the wickram. While there I went to see the Mera Devi (or some spelling) temple via rail car. It was up on this big hill which gave me a view of the valley that Hardwar is in along with the Ganges river. Most of the buildings in Hardwar are pink, or a dark dirty pink any, which gives the town a very organized feel although it is very much not so. There where lots of people asking for money which made me feel like I was a walking wallet to everyone. Along the Ganges there was the classic stairs in to the water that you see in pictures and everyone was sitting, bathing, and everything else in the river. Because the current was so strong here they had chain fence area's in the water so people would not be swepted away. I was very excited about the river, so I stuck a foot in, I couldn't do more for fear of contracting some disease. In both Hardwar and Rishikish I went into many Hindu temples (including one that was 17 floors), and was blessed by many priests who all wanted money donated to their temple as soon as they had my head and had blessed me. It was all very cool to see. Right now I am in the hill town of Mussoire in the foot hills of the Hymalayas at 6,000 feet. It is very cold and I can see my breath (I am regretting not bringing my snow jacket). I will be here for the week in a small hospital sleeping in a hospital bed! I'll let you know how it goes.

Rishikish for the weekend

I am here in Rishikish for the weekend! It was a short trip from Derhadun on a twisted road, which the bus driver drove on like he was driving a car 100x smaller. It was insane, and all the more so because I was having Ghostland Observatory blasted into my ears, while trying not to gasp at the driver or scare the old Indian lady that sat next to me on the most cramped bus I have ever taken. On Wed. I went to a Buddhist temple, which was huge and grand. There where tons of monks and Pilgrims everywhere, and yet has been the most peaceful place I have been in India. Because it was so sweet I set off to go to a Hindu temple the next morning which my host mom told me about (Alibaba or something). She told me to take wickram 8 to its end and then get on wirkram 1 to its end and then its just right there. Awesome I thought! I soon found that I could not find wikram 1, but because I was determined to a to a freaking temple and I was not going to let anything stop me I convinced myself that the host mom had meant to say wirkram 2, because there where lots of those. So I got on and rode it to its end and found that I was really no where and there was no temple. Still I was determined that I could find it so I just started walking straight down the road as some little boy began to follow me. It was amazing, after walking for about 15 min. a small temple stood right in front of me! Sweet! I took some pictures and the monk there gave me a banana and a dry sweet nut mush ball. I was very content that I had found the temple, which I found out later that night was not the right one and the others had no idea about it. Only in India could I just go straight and find a temple. HA! Well I will now have to find the one I was actually looking for another day, but I am happy that I found my own.

The head bob is real

People are very nice here and when some are listening they do this little Indian head wobble back and forth rotating on an axis through their nose out the back of their head. So far no problems. Don't worry mom people aren't that nice. Just to let you all in, my mothers biggest fear was that I would go to India and marry some beautiful erotic India woman. People have not been that nice (although its a long trip and it is only day 4). HA! No, but the majority of people that I see are sick and luckily I have the immune system equivalent to ten men so I have had no problems so far. I mostly feel completely lost in the doctors explanations of what is going on with the patient and what is on the chart. Oh, well I am still and undergrad, and they don't mind explaining.

Just another Monday Morning

I had my first Monday in the Derhadun Government Hospital. It was wild the doctor saw about 50-ish patients in 3hrs and he sees about 200 a day. There where lots of heart mummers to listen to and a lot of people who had who knows what. The doctor was a cardiologist so he was only seeing people who had been refered with a heart or circulation problem. The only way I had any idea what was going on was due to Erin and Paul, two 4th year med students at WSU from Alaska. The doctor would look at a paitent and chart say some stuff in Hindi and then tell us what was going on. Paul and Erin would then explain it to me. Dr. Yoashi said I was a baby cardologist. Anyway I have more to do tonight.
The host family is really nice, and the food is awesome. I am sharing a room the Paul and we have our own bathroom. It is suprizingly cold, but not cold enugh to wear a jacket just enugh so I wouldent want to wear shorts and sandals. Its funny everyone asks if I am cold because they are used to the heat.

Day One

Well before I start with my first day in India I shall regale the flight. It was long very long, during the trip it was entirely night. I left when it was dark, got to Newark when it was dark, the fight was dark, and got to Delhi when it was dark. I had a very long night full of very small and physically cramped naps. While in Newark Sean (my cousin for those readers who don't know) took me to a sweet burger joint (called the burger joint) and I had a very American last meal of a cheese burger, fries, and a beer. awesome. I figured that people compared Mumbia to New York and crack so I should at least get a taste of New York without crack first.
Anyway the first night in Delhi was a long one because I couldn't sleep. The first thing you must understand about India is that all Indian should be def from all the honking. There are no rules to the road. For example the hotel I stayed at was on a one way street, instead of going around the block we simply just went towards on coming traffic horn blaring. When we got there I realized that there also seemed to be no block that we could have gone around anyway.
When I awoke at 4:50 am (actually I had been awake for some time) we barely escaped another gauntlet of cars, people running in the road, bikes (motor and peddle), buses and rickshaws to the train station (apparently people don't sleep in Delhi). So to cut this off kind of short we took a long train to Derhadun and I have met many people so far that I will be working with (they all seem great). They gave me a cell phone and told me that I get free incoming calls. I have no idea what this would cost anyone else but you all should call me at 0091 9358209745. If it is very expensive I can call you for cheap, it is only a cuppla Rt. a min. (so about nothing). Well that's it for now everything is great and Indian chi just somehow better here.