Hello. Thanks for the comments!
This will have to be brief because I want to go paint before it is too dark to walk back.
Well, my trip to India is coming to a close. It is my last full day here in Meherabad. It has been an incredible journey, in every aspect. I have learned so much about myself, India, medicine, the list goes on and on. I have mixed feelings about leaving. Part of me wants to stay and part of me is ready to get back. I have been here almost a month. It feels like I have been here forever and at the same time like I just got here last week. Either way, it hasn't been a month. Time is so different here.
I came here looking to gain experience in the medical experience, and it has turned into an amazing adventure.
Sorry I can't write more. I am off to do watercolor (I'm painting elephants!). I leave Meherabad for Mumbai tomorrow and will fly to London from there. I'll stay with friends in London (looking forward to seeing you!) for about a week and a half and then I'll be on my way home. Talk to you soon!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
India Week 3!
I cannot believe I am halfway through my third week here. I only have 9 days left!
I was able to change my flight to be a few days earlier, so I will be traveling with Ron and Merriam to Mumbai (and I'll have a direct flight to London!). I'm very happy to not be traveling alone and to be traveling with such great people.
This past weekend was Diwali! We spent hours decorating with flowers and candles. It was just beautiful. There were fireworks all around the city that we could watch from the rooftop on the women's side. And it was lasagna night.
Yesterday we went to Sky's house for tea. We watched the sunset from the roof and then danced to Indian music. It was a great evening.
I have learned a great deal about Meher Baba and have had great conversations every day. I have really connected to a lot of the pilgrims and am enjoying all the social...ness. :)
I started working last week, too! My favorite place to work is in the dispensary in Meherazad. They are open in the mornings, four days a week. They see over 100 patients each day. Michael, who is a chiropractor and manages the place, was able to show me around. I mostly worked in the pharmacy, filling prescriptions, but I can go watch the doctors and nurses and ask questions if I want. The lab technician may teach me how to draw blood later this week. There are a lot of sick people, but I love the environment at the dispensary. And the people I work with are so friendly and kind. There is mandatory tea every day. All the workers stop and drink tea and have cookies and then go back to work. It is lovely.
I have also been working with Dr. Anne in Meherabad. I helped her take inventory of the homeopathic remedies and organize a cupboard of supplies. When the patients came, she translated for me and I watched what she did and helped where I could. Friday I went to the free clinic down the road in the village. I did my first blood pressure readings on real patients (that weren't family or friends), and watched Dr. Anne work. She seems to do everything from Western medicine to homeopathic to acupuncture to tuning forks. It is great to watch her work.
Today I was going to go shopping in town, but it is still crowded because of Diwali, so we will postpon. It's hard to imagine it being much more busy than it is on non-holiday days. I can't even describe what Ahmednagar is like. So many cars and three-wheeled trucks and goats and people. I've been taking pictures. People drive on the left side of the road, but that seems to be only sometimes. There aren't lanes and it is amazing that people get from one place to the next without running into each other (or the cattle sharing the road).
Well, it appears that I am only going to get around to using the internet a few times during my trip. It's lunchtime in an hour so I think I'll hike back up the hill the the MPR (Meher Pilgrim Retreat). Oh, It's bucket bath day! They are having a big drought so we get to take bucket baths every other day. It gives you something to look forward to though.
Anyway, hope all is well back home! See you in a few weeks!
I was able to change my flight to be a few days earlier, so I will be traveling with Ron and Merriam to Mumbai (and I'll have a direct flight to London!). I'm very happy to not be traveling alone and to be traveling with such great people.
This past weekend was Diwali! We spent hours decorating with flowers and candles. It was just beautiful. There were fireworks all around the city that we could watch from the rooftop on the women's side. And it was lasagna night.
Yesterday we went to Sky's house for tea. We watched the sunset from the roof and then danced to Indian music. It was a great evening.
I have learned a great deal about Meher Baba and have had great conversations every day. I have really connected to a lot of the pilgrims and am enjoying all the social...ness. :)
I started working last week, too! My favorite place to work is in the dispensary in Meherazad. They are open in the mornings, four days a week. They see over 100 patients each day. Michael, who is a chiropractor and manages the place, was able to show me around. I mostly worked in the pharmacy, filling prescriptions, but I can go watch the doctors and nurses and ask questions if I want. The lab technician may teach me how to draw blood later this week. There are a lot of sick people, but I love the environment at the dispensary. And the people I work with are so friendly and kind. There is mandatory tea every day. All the workers stop and drink tea and have cookies and then go back to work. It is lovely.
I have also been working with Dr. Anne in Meherabad. I helped her take inventory of the homeopathic remedies and organize a cupboard of supplies. When the patients came, she translated for me and I watched what she did and helped where I could. Friday I went to the free clinic down the road in the village. I did my first blood pressure readings on real patients (that weren't family or friends), and watched Dr. Anne work. She seems to do everything from Western medicine to homeopathic to acupuncture to tuning forks. It is great to watch her work.
Today I was going to go shopping in town, but it is still crowded because of Diwali, so we will postpon. It's hard to imagine it being much more busy than it is on non-holiday days. I can't even describe what Ahmednagar is like. So many cars and three-wheeled trucks and goats and people. I've been taking pictures. People drive on the left side of the road, but that seems to be only sometimes. There aren't lanes and it is amazing that people get from one place to the next without running into each other (or the cattle sharing the road).
Well, it appears that I am only going to get around to using the internet a few times during my trip. It's lunchtime in an hour so I think I'll hike back up the hill the the MPR (Meher Pilgrim Retreat). Oh, It's bucket bath day! They are having a big drought so we get to take bucket baths every other day. It gives you something to look forward to though.
Anyway, hope all is well back home! See you in a few weeks!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Greetings from India!
Here I am in Meherabad, India! I've met some wonderful people and am having a great experience. Sorry for the lack of updates. This is the first time I have been on the internet since I got here. I also will probably not be updating as often as I had hoped.
This will be brief because I have to head back up the hill for lunch (and am kind of sick of this internet booth). The food is great. Lots of rice and veggies and soups. I had my first deep-fried grilled cheese sandwhich last week!
There are so many animals here. There is a giant frog that sits in our hall at night. We call him the Prince. We also saw a land crab outside near the tables.
It is an amazing place here. Beautiful scenery and paintings and structures.
I had a rough trip over but am very happy to be here now. Thanks to everyone who helped get me here!
I still have not worked with Dr. Anne yet, but I saw her today and she said she has a job for me on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to it.
I've taken some classes here, too. I had a fabulous watercolor class and am now able to go use the studio whenever I wish. I also had a flamenco dancing lesson. My roommate is a flamenco dance instuctor in New York City. She is so much fun to live with.
Anyway, this is a very jumbled post, but there is so much to tell. Well, I am off to catch the bus and get some food!
This will be brief because I have to head back up the hill for lunch (and am kind of sick of this internet booth). The food is great. Lots of rice and veggies and soups. I had my first deep-fried grilled cheese sandwhich last week!
There are so many animals here. There is a giant frog that sits in our hall at night. We call him the Prince. We also saw a land crab outside near the tables.
It is an amazing place here. Beautiful scenery and paintings and structures.
I had a rough trip over but am very happy to be here now. Thanks to everyone who helped get me here!
I still have not worked with Dr. Anne yet, but I saw her today and she said she has a job for me on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to it.
I've taken some classes here, too. I had a fabulous watercolor class and am now able to go use the studio whenever I wish. I also had a flamenco dancing lesson. My roommate is a flamenco dance instuctor in New York City. She is so much fun to live with.
Anyway, this is a very jumbled post, but there is so much to tell. Well, I am off to catch the bus and get some food!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Things Are Sounding Better!
(Kim again.) I received this text message from Katie this afternoon:
"I had a lovely evening, so you sleep well tonight. Good night! :)"
Whew!
"I had a lovely evening, so you sleep well tonight. Good night! :)"
Whew!
Arrived!
Hello, this is Kim, Katie's mom. I just spoke with her, and she asked if I would post to let everyone know she had arrived safely. The trip was hard (major anxiety issues) and she (and I!) want to thank all her London friends for helping her get through the layover. Thanks also to Meherose and her father - the pick-up from Mumbai, the hotel stay, the drive to Meherabad all went smoothly. She was very impressed with the driver's skill in navigating through traffic where there seemed to be no rules and lots of people and animals sharing the road! The folks in Meherabad have been so warm and supportive in welcoming her; she is feeling a little better right now, but she thinks she just needs to concentrate on getting settled and won't be up to posting just yet.
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