So I am now in South Africa, which is nothing short of amazing! But before I delve into my wonderful experiences here thus far, let me finish telling you all about the nightmare that is China. Okay, that was a little dramatic, but let's just say I am happy to leave.
I finished up my stay in Changsha, which involved sitting in class, watching power points and walking through empty hospitals, eager to get out of urban institutional China and get to what I though would be the heart of the nation, the countryside. Wrong. Our supposed "rural stay" was anything but rural. Let me preface this by saying that we were told before going on our "rural stay" that we would be seeing the most beautiful part of China, that we would be able to roam paddy fields and talk to farmers about their lives. Unless you consider a "town" of 1 million people rural and an office park "the most beautiful part of China," I think you would understand how we were sorely disappointed. We spent about 3 days in an enormous hotel that seemed to double as a whore a house. No joke. The only women who were there were dressed like skanks, even by Chinese standards. (Chinese women dress like a cross between a hooker and a 13 year old girl: Hello Kitty, rhinestones, short skirts and platform heels). The men were all creepy drunk businessman. Ho central. We spent most of each day sitting in boring lectures, watching power points and touring even more empty hospitals.
After our group and our teachers staged a revolt against our country coordinators for bringing us to something reminiscent of Big Brother, we were brought to a slightly more rural area-- a tourist hotel. After a day there we went back to Changsha and then flew out to Hong Kong en route to South Africa. Hong Kong was great! I rode the longest escalator in the world. It brings you up through the city, which is built on a hill. We explored some markets and I finally found places to buy cool souvenirs for people. Hong Kong's political situation is so interesting-- it is technically part of China, after the British handed it over a few years ago, and its culture seems pretty Chinese, but Hong Kong citizens need a visa to get to China and vice versa. Hong Kong has its own government set up, based on British common law. There were TONS of ex-pats too. It was kind of nice to be around people who spoke English and looked like us after a month of sticking out like a sore thumb.
We arrived in South Africa a week ago. I can't even describe how amazing it is here. First of all, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking-- steep, rocky peaks feed right into the Atlantic ocean; Table Mountain (google it) is the most beautiful backdrop to everyday life imaginable. Today, I went to Cape Point, which is the most "south-westerly" point of Africa. It is pretty famous, and many people think it is the southermost point of Africa, but that is actually a little farther east. Anyway, I don't think I have ever been anywhere so gorgeous. The water is a bright torquise blue and the waves crash onto both sandy beaches and rocky cliffs. Baboons are everywhere! One stole my friends salad--and picked out all the feta cheese, which I guess he didn't like. I also went to Kalk Bay today, which is a little harbor surrounded by more stunning mountains. When we got there, there were two or three humongous sea lions splashing around in the water. Therewas a guy there who was holding fish by their tails in his mouth and feeding them to the sea lions-- the sea lions would jump out of the water and snatch them from him. In other fauna news, I also saw a whale in the distance and a few geckos.
Another amazing experience I have had was seeing the (full) moon rise and the sun set at the same time on the top of Lion's Head mountain. If you stood facing towards the ocean, the moon would be rising on your left over the bright lights of the city and the sun would be setting into the horizon on your right. It was beautiful!
The neighborhood I live in here, the Bo Kaap, is picturesque. It is a predominantly Muslim community built on the foot of Signal Hill, with an amazing view of Table Mountain. All of the houses are painted in bright pastels--my house is bright yellow. Everyone is so friendly and they love me because of my name (which is very Muslim). My faux home-stay mom's little granddaughter even has the same name as my aunt--Nishat. My real home-stay mom is away for the weekend, so her daughter's sister in-law is taking care of us. It is really great how close knit the Bo Kaap-- everyone knows everyone and they are all willing to lend a hand. Plus it is nice that all of us IHP students live within walking distance of eachother.
I have also seen some not so picturesque neighborhoods during my stay here. Last week, we visited Khaleyche, an all black township a little bit outside of the city. The contrast between Khaleyche and Cape Town was startling. Cape Town is a very modern and sophisticated city, with beautiful homes, great restaurants and name brand stores. Khaleyche is basically a shanty-town. Its residents live in what are basically shacks. There is a huge problem with both HIV/AIDS and unemployment in the area. It was really disturbing to see the disparity between Khaleyche and Cape Town, but the man we went there to speak to, a Christian leader, was incredibly inspiring. He was arrested for his role in the resistance against Apartheid and was tortured, causing damage to his "private parts" and "killing his brain cells." He was exiled to the Soviet Union, where he received military training. When he returned to South Africa, he was understandably depressed due to his impotence and memory loss. He tried to commit suicide but luckily failed. At this point, he "found God." He became an Christian leader and now does amazing work to help people accept their life with HIV. He told some shocking but inspiring stories about how he saved people from their own suicide attempts.
One of the most impressive things about South Africa is how strong people have been through all of the hardships the country has gone through. The minister I just wrote about is only one example. While race relations are clearly still a huge problem in South Africa, I am really impressed with how much South Africa has acheived since the end of Apartheid. People of all colors speak to you as an equal. Blacks hold almost all important positions in government. Huge efforts have been made by the government to combat HIV/AIDS and to improve the lives of those who suffered the abuses of Apartheid. Granted, there is still a lot of corruption and racism, both of which are visible. But the resolve of South Africans, people who fought for decades to overthrow Apartheid without much foreign aid, makes me think that a truly equal society is not far in th future.
On Monday, I am heading to Zwelethemba, a more rural township, where I will spend ten days. I am excited but I wish we were spending more time in Cape Town and less there! We will be back here for ten days and then I am going to stay after the program ends for at least ten days, maybe all summer! I love this country!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Jiu ming!
(Disclaimer: Much of this is the same as some of the emails I have been sending-- I don't have much time to write! Sorry!)
So the translation of this blog's title is "Save my life!" That should give you some idea of how China has been so far. Just kidding...kind of...
China is really interesting, but a little bizarre. For example, people are obsessed with taking pictures of Americans. Everywhere we go people ask to pose with us and put their arms around us like we have been friends forever. Oh and PS, the stereotype of Asian peace signs is abundantly true. A few days ago our group had about 40 middle school children run up to us and ask for out autographs. I am such a celeb. I also have repeatedly made the mistake of giving my number to my host mother's students (who are all in college) and now I eat lunch with a Chinese student almost everyday. It was interesting at first but the more I do it, the more I am weirded out by Chinese culture.
I loved China at first, and I am still having a good time, but the vibe here is really weird. The students I have spoken to talked to me as if I am an authority on all subjects, just because I am American. People are very unquestioning of government actions and completely conform to what society tells them to. There is an extreme obsession with appearance, particularly physical appearance for women. Like in India, there are face creams to lighten skin. There are also eye creams to remove the "hooded" eye characteristic of most Asians. Men and women are in no way considered equal, not even by women themselves. For example, my host mother told me that "Women's minds are not built for politics. That is why women like to stay home and care for their family. Men work outside the home, not women." At first comments like these made me very angry at my host mom, but I try to remind myself that this way of thinking is not her fault, but a product of China's repressive culture. Being here is definitely an eye-opening experience, perhaps even to a greater extent than being in India, although India's population is, in general, more impoverished. Next week, however, I will be in rural China, which is infamous for its poverty, particularly in contrast to the urban areas (where I have been so far). Much of this is credited to the precedent Mao set in many of his redistributive policies, which resulted in longterm starvation among many "peasants" (as they are still referred to today). The government does not allocate as much time or attention to the rural areas of its country, with many rural villages essentially lacking education or health care. I am sure I am in for a shock, but it will at least be nice to get out of the city for a while.
In health news, I don't have TB!! I was freaking out about it a little last week, as I have horrible, hacking, sputum-filled cough. Considering the TB rates in China and my dysentery-induced low immune system, I am kind of surprised I don't have it. I went to the doctor last week on the request of my teachers, who were concerned about my continued dysentery-like symptoms and my cough. After the doctor finished checking me out and hearing about all my symptoms, she decided I need a chest x-ray (to check for TB), an ultrasound on my stomach, a routine blood test, a more intense blood test and a stool test. The second blood test and the ultrasound, she said, were being done to check my liver function, because she thought I might have hepatitis. Seeing as I could not remember which hepatitis strains I had been vaccinated for and knowing that certain forms of it are deadly, I freaked out. I pretty much had an emotional breakdown in the middle of the hospital. Being the pessimist I am, I was almost positive I had hepatitis (from the IV I had to get in India) and that I was going to die. It was the first time through all this illness that I honestly just wanted to go home. I wanted to talk to my parents or a friend or someone who could make me feel better (other than my mildly awkward TA, Josh, and my fatalistic friend, Eric, who accompanied me to the hospital). But, I didn't want to call anyone from home and freak them out too, especially my parents. So I spent the next two hours thinking about all the things I wanted to do with my life, about all the people I loved and would never see again. Needless to say, it was incredibly depressing. To top it all off, I had a million Chinese people staring at me crying and trying to lean over my shoulder to see what the papers the doctors gave me said. I have never been so close to yelling at strangers as I was then. Then, the translator who was with us told me I would have to wait to get all the tests done the next day, as the hospital was closing. I managed to get in one blood test, during which I made a huge scene until they took the needle out of its plastic package in front of me. No chance in hell I was risking getting hepatitis a second time around.
So, I went home, still sure of my impending death. When I walked in the door and my roommate asked how the hospital was, I broke down sobbing. She was absolutely amazing though, and managed to calm me down and reassure me that I had been vaccinated for at least two strains of hepatitis. We then went online and found out the the form of hepatitis I would most likely have, hep C, is typically not deadly, especially if treated in the acute phase. After that, I felt a lot better. We didn't end up going out to karaoke with our classmates as planned, which was kind of a bummer, because I was still really stressed and tired and I didn't feel like answering people's questions.
We got to the hospital at 8 am the next day to find it incredibly crowded. After running around uselessly for about half an hour, as my host mother didn't really know how to deal with being in a hospital, we finally managed to get my second blood test. My host mother, like most Chinese people, has no sense of other people's personal space, and shoved my medical papers over a woman who was getting her blood drawn so that the nurse would take my blood next. As horrible as it was to see her act like that, her pushiness was very helpful in the end, as I got my test done quickly. She repeatedly minimized the tediousness that the Chinese hospital's bureacracy put in place by acting so aggressively, which is actually pretty acceptable in China. The Chinese hospital system is so bureaucratic and inefficient, it is amazing. You would think that a country that created the masterpiece that is Beijing would be able to make a day at the hospital relatively simple. No siree. We spent 7 hours getting my tests done. Between each test and doctor's visit, you have to go back to the registration counter, get a separate piece of paper and pay for each service. One at a time. It was so frustrating.
There is also absolutely no sense of privacy. To get my chest x-ray done, I had to take off my bra (but I could leave my shirt on). As I was changing back into my clothes, an entire family just walks into the x-ray room like it is no big deal. When I was brought in to get my ultrasound, there was a man with his stomach still bare, zipping up his pants. And he didn't seem to mind that my host mother and I were just barging in! On top of all this, the hospital was smelly and pretty dirty-- at least by US standards. It was definitely better than the third-tier hospital I went to in Beijing, which had patients getting IVs in the hall and bloody q-tips lying around on the benches. But, hey, I guess I came on this trip to learn about foreign healthcare right? As much as being sick has sucked, I probably have learned more about Indian and Chinese healthcare than anyone else on the trip.
Anyway, my test results said I am fine. I have bronchitis, an intestinal infection, and a calcification spot in my liver and a partially swollen gall bladder (which just means I am undernourished). To nobody's surprise, this illness has cost me at least ten pounds and one tacky Chinese belt. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick all the little buggers out of my system.
Anyway, I have few more days in Changsha, then I am going to a rural part of the Hunan Province. Then after Hong Kong for a day and then off to South Africa! I can't wait to get out of China....
So the translation of this blog's title is "Save my life!" That should give you some idea of how China has been so far. Just kidding...kind of...
China is really interesting, but a little bizarre. For example, people are obsessed with taking pictures of Americans. Everywhere we go people ask to pose with us and put their arms around us like we have been friends forever. Oh and PS, the stereotype of Asian peace signs is abundantly true. A few days ago our group had about 40 middle school children run up to us and ask for out autographs. I am such a celeb. I also have repeatedly made the mistake of giving my number to my host mother's students (who are all in college) and now I eat lunch with a Chinese student almost everyday. It was interesting at first but the more I do it, the more I am weirded out by Chinese culture.
I loved China at first, and I am still having a good time, but the vibe here is really weird. The students I have spoken to talked to me as if I am an authority on all subjects, just because I am American. People are very unquestioning of government actions and completely conform to what society tells them to. There is an extreme obsession with appearance, particularly physical appearance for women. Like in India, there are face creams to lighten skin. There are also eye creams to remove the "hooded" eye characteristic of most Asians. Men and women are in no way considered equal, not even by women themselves. For example, my host mother told me that "Women's minds are not built for politics. That is why women like to stay home and care for their family. Men work outside the home, not women." At first comments like these made me very angry at my host mom, but I try to remind myself that this way of thinking is not her fault, but a product of China's repressive culture. Being here is definitely an eye-opening experience, perhaps even to a greater extent than being in India, although India's population is, in general, more impoverished. Next week, however, I will be in rural China, which is infamous for its poverty, particularly in contrast to the urban areas (where I have been so far). Much of this is credited to the precedent Mao set in many of his redistributive policies, which resulted in longterm starvation among many "peasants" (as they are still referred to today). The government does not allocate as much time or attention to the rural areas of its country, with many rural villages essentially lacking education or health care. I am sure I am in for a shock, but it will at least be nice to get out of the city for a while.
In health news, I don't have TB!! I was freaking out about it a little last week, as I have horrible, hacking, sputum-filled cough. Considering the TB rates in China and my dysentery-induced low immune system, I am kind of surprised I don't have it. I went to the doctor last week on the request of my teachers, who were concerned about my continued dysentery-like symptoms and my cough. After the doctor finished checking me out and hearing about all my symptoms, she decided I need a chest x-ray (to check for TB), an ultrasound on my stomach, a routine blood test, a more intense blood test and a stool test. The second blood test and the ultrasound, she said, were being done to check my liver function, because she thought I might have hepatitis. Seeing as I could not remember which hepatitis strains I had been vaccinated for and knowing that certain forms of it are deadly, I freaked out. I pretty much had an emotional breakdown in the middle of the hospital. Being the pessimist I am, I was almost positive I had hepatitis (from the IV I had to get in India) and that I was going to die. It was the first time through all this illness that I honestly just wanted to go home. I wanted to talk to my parents or a friend or someone who could make me feel better (other than my mildly awkward TA, Josh, and my fatalistic friend, Eric, who accompanied me to the hospital). But, I didn't want to call anyone from home and freak them out too, especially my parents. So I spent the next two hours thinking about all the things I wanted to do with my life, about all the people I loved and would never see again. Needless to say, it was incredibly depressing. To top it all off, I had a million Chinese people staring at me crying and trying to lean over my shoulder to see what the papers the doctors gave me said. I have never been so close to yelling at strangers as I was then. Then, the translator who was with us told me I would have to wait to get all the tests done the next day, as the hospital was closing. I managed to get in one blood test, during which I made a huge scene until they took the needle out of its plastic package in front of me. No chance in hell I was risking getting hepatitis a second time around.
So, I went home, still sure of my impending death. When I walked in the door and my roommate asked how the hospital was, I broke down sobbing. She was absolutely amazing though, and managed to calm me down and reassure me that I had been vaccinated for at least two strains of hepatitis. We then went online and found out the the form of hepatitis I would most likely have, hep C, is typically not deadly, especially if treated in the acute phase. After that, I felt a lot better. We didn't end up going out to karaoke with our classmates as planned, which was kind of a bummer, because I was still really stressed and tired and I didn't feel like answering people's questions.
We got to the hospital at 8 am the next day to find it incredibly crowded. After running around uselessly for about half an hour, as my host mother didn't really know how to deal with being in a hospital, we finally managed to get my second blood test. My host mother, like most Chinese people, has no sense of other people's personal space, and shoved my medical papers over a woman who was getting her blood drawn so that the nurse would take my blood next. As horrible as it was to see her act like that, her pushiness was very helpful in the end, as I got my test done quickly. She repeatedly minimized the tediousness that the Chinese hospital's bureacracy put in place by acting so aggressively, which is actually pretty acceptable in China. The Chinese hospital system is so bureaucratic and inefficient, it is amazing. You would think that a country that created the masterpiece that is Beijing would be able to make a day at the hospital relatively simple. No siree. We spent 7 hours getting my tests done. Between each test and doctor's visit, you have to go back to the registration counter, get a separate piece of paper and pay for each service. One at a time. It was so frustrating.
There is also absolutely no sense of privacy. To get my chest x-ray done, I had to take off my bra (but I could leave my shirt on). As I was changing back into my clothes, an entire family just walks into the x-ray room like it is no big deal. When I was brought in to get my ultrasound, there was a man with his stomach still bare, zipping up his pants. And he didn't seem to mind that my host mother and I were just barging in! On top of all this, the hospital was smelly and pretty dirty-- at least by US standards. It was definitely better than the third-tier hospital I went to in Beijing, which had patients getting IVs in the hall and bloody q-tips lying around on the benches. But, hey, I guess I came on this trip to learn about foreign healthcare right? As much as being sick has sucked, I probably have learned more about Indian and Chinese healthcare than anyone else on the trip.
Anyway, my test results said I am fine. I have bronchitis, an intestinal infection, and a calcification spot in my liver and a partially swollen gall bladder (which just means I am undernourished). To nobody's surprise, this illness has cost me at least ten pounds and one tacky Chinese belt. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick all the little buggers out of my system.
Anyway, I have few more days in Changsha, then I am going to a rural part of the Hunan Province. Then after Hong Kong for a day and then off to South Africa! I can't wait to get out of China....
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Bu tao chung chiang fe hao han.
Ni hao ma! (That means "hello" in Mandarin). That is about the extent of my Chinese-speaking abilities since I arrived here last week. I can also say "Bu tao chung chiang fe hao han" (the title of this entry), which means "If you have not climbed the Great Wall, you are not a great man." I am, apparently, a great man, because I DID climb the Great Wall of China. I am actually a very great (wo)man because I climbed it on day 2 of my dysentery flare-up last week. Because I haven't eaten much in a month and had vomitted up anything I tried to eat for a few days prior to my trek up the Great Wall, I ended up taking a nap on the top, causing young children to ask their parents questions like "Does she live here?" and "What is she doing?" Aside from these snide remarks from little tourists, the Great Wall was amazing. It is such an incredible sight to see. It is so long and sturdy, and the landscape around it is breathtaking. I unfortunately was not allowed to take the slide down the hill that leads up to it because of my dysentery, but other people said it was a lot of fun.
In regards to my health, while I still have amoebas inhabiting my stomach and intestines, I am feeling much better. I usually only get nauseous in the morning and after I eat (no, I am not pregnant). The throwing up has subsided, though my last few days in India and my plane right to China were absolute HELL. I didn't think it was possible to vomit as much as I did. I called my dad crying because I was in so much pain. But now I am on antibiotics (and will be for about a month) and I should be able to kiss those little parasites goodbye.
Right now, I am in Changsha, China, which is the city were Mao Zedong was born, raised and became Communist. I actually bought a locket with his face on it today. Hilarious. I can't get enough of Mao. (Not that he was a nice person, just really interesting. Plus everyone in China is obsessed with him. I am bringing Mao t-shirts back for everyone as souvenirs. Changsha has been interesting so far, though I liked Beijing much better. I have never been to a cooler city than Beijing. We saw the Forbidden City, Tianamen Square and the Olympic Village. Sadly, Mao's entombed body was not open to the public on the day we were there. Biggest letdown ever. I did, however, see a 1000 year old corpse that was unearthed in a tomb right outside of the city of Changsha.
I am being rushed out of the internet cafe by this really impatient girl, Abby Mays. You might know her, she goes to Bates. She is my charity case on this trip. (Just kidding, I really like her and she is one of my best friends on the trip). I will write more later, probably on how hilarious the Chinese people are. Example: a restaurant I went to last week served "Northwest sheep face," "Cooked like cat ear the noodles," and "Heat the oil splash at similar stick the noodles." Literally. I have pictures to prove it.
LOVE.
In regards to my health, while I still have amoebas inhabiting my stomach and intestines, I am feeling much better. I usually only get nauseous in the morning and after I eat (no, I am not pregnant). The throwing up has subsided, though my last few days in India and my plane right to China were absolute HELL. I didn't think it was possible to vomit as much as I did. I called my dad crying because I was in so much pain. But now I am on antibiotics (and will be for about a month) and I should be able to kiss those little parasites goodbye.
Right now, I am in Changsha, China, which is the city were Mao Zedong was born, raised and became Communist. I actually bought a locket with his face on it today. Hilarious. I can't get enough of Mao. (Not that he was a nice person, just really interesting. Plus everyone in China is obsessed with him. I am bringing Mao t-shirts back for everyone as souvenirs. Changsha has been interesting so far, though I liked Beijing much better. I have never been to a cooler city than Beijing. We saw the Forbidden City, Tianamen Square and the Olympic Village. Sadly, Mao's entombed body was not open to the public on the day we were there. Biggest letdown ever. I did, however, see a 1000 year old corpse that was unearthed in a tomb right outside of the city of Changsha.
I am being rushed out of the internet cafe by this really impatient girl, Abby Mays. You might know her, she goes to Bates. She is my charity case on this trip. (Just kidding, I really like her and she is one of my best friends on the trip). I will write more later, probably on how hilarious the Chinese people are. Example: a restaurant I went to last week served "Northwest sheep face," "Cooked like cat ear the noodles," and "Heat the oil splash at similar stick the noodles." Literally. I have pictures to prove it.
LOVE.
Friday, February 20, 2009
India is amazing, indeed (shoutout to my favorite blogger, ha). Anyway, I have been having a great time-- I don't even know where to begin describing it! To me, India seems like a place of extremes: it is both hectic and refreshing; the streets are packed with beautiful women wearing expensive saris, emaciated mothers with newborn children begging for money, men of all ages holding hands, "hawkers" selling every item you could imagine; there are people of every religion and every graditation of skin color, yet there is a visible Hindu predominance in the area-- statues of Ganesh in every store, stores and restaurants with names such as "Laksmi Bakery" or "Hanuman Medicals." In this spirit of disparity, I thought I would give a little window into the past few weeks of my life by describing a few of my near death experiences, and what I will call "near-life" experiences (meaning those which made fall in love with India or are telling of my wonderful time here thus far).
So to start off on a pesimistic notes, as per usual, here are some of my "near death" experiences:
1. My dog bite definitely tops off my list. My host family's satanic dog, Brownie, had a nice little snack on my hand a few days after I arrived at my homestay. To preface this story, I should tell you that Brownie is described by her owners as "moody." Nevertheless when she came up to me wagging her tail, I assumed she wanted to play. But when I reached out to pet her head, I found my hand inside of her mouth instead. Luckily, I was able to pull it out quickly enough to survive with only a few bruises and a little cut. After finding out that Brownie has had her vaccines, I decided not to go to the doctor. But about a week later, when I told my teacher about it, I was rushed to a doctor's office. The doctor, who was trained in allopathy but later decided he agreed more with homeopathy, told me, "If the dog doesn't die in five days, you are fine." Great. Needless to say, being the pre-med, pro-allopathic medicine snob I am, I was a little skeptical, but I decided to let it go. The next day, I fell ill with a high fever and vomiting. This graduated into a chest cold and sinus infection, still with a fever. Now the vomiting has returned. But Brownie is still alive! Super. I have been trying to convince myself that this is just the regular sort of illness that visitors to India notoriously experience, but I am a little shaken by a) the fact that Brownie has fallen ill, b) another doctor was shocked that I did not receive the Rabies vaccine post-bite, and c) I am still sick. So, if I die, I love you all and Annie, you can have Manny.
2. Crossing the street. Drivers in Bangalore are absolutely INSANE. Every time I cross the street, a rickshaw, motorcycle, or other out-of-control vehicle comes close to claiming my life. No joke.
3. In a literal interpretation of the phrase "near death," I have repeatedly found myself in the presence of people who looked like they were on the verge of death. This has been one of the most difficult aspects of being in India. I struggle with walking by the malnourished beggars, some very young children, every day. I usually give a few money or food, but I wish I could do more. This past week, I visited a private hospital that treats patient from very poor tribal and rural communities. While I was there, I saw patients dying of TB and other diseases, along with the thinnest man I have ever seen in my life. The only consoling thing about seeing all of these horribly ill people was knowing that they were in excellent hands-- the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement's hospital, education system, multiple primary health care clinics, and other projects, were all truly inspiring.
My "near life" experiences:
1. In another literal interpretation, and also at the Swami Vivekananda Memorial Hospital, I almost accidently witnessed a live birth. While being given a tour of the hospital, I was led into the labor ward. As I was being brought past curtains intended to provide the expectant mothers privacy, I unexpectedly heard the sounds of a mother giving birth. With American standards of privacy, I, and the other students on my program, quickly turned around and ran out of the ward. The people leading the tour seemed a little confused as to why we did not want to barge in on the poor mother mid-birth. The Indian concept of privacy is absolutely baffling.
2. My trip to the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement was amazing, in general. The rural landscape was breathtaking, particularly the backwaters. Much to my dismay, I did not get to see an elephant, but hopefully I will be able to on my trip to rural Wayanad this week. Perhaps the most "near life" aspect of my trip was meeting all the children from the villages we visited. Each time our bus passed by children ran up to it, waving and shouting "hi!" I felt like a celebrity. Most of the kids didn't speak English, but it was still fun to play with them. They could not get enough of having their picture taken and seeing it on the camera screen. It was so cute! Talking with the adults, always through a translator, was also really interesting. I wish I could speak some Kanada (the local language here), so I could have had more personal conversations. Nevertheless, it was amazing to learn about lives so much different to mine, and to see that these people, who have so much less than I do, were still so happy and so eager to show us their lifestyle.
3. Seeing Strada in Bangalore! Seriously, who gets to casually meet up with their friend for lunch and shopping in the middle of India? It was so great to see her!
4. Playing with my homestay mother's two adorable grandchildren, Thandvi and Arnav. Not to brag or anything, but they are in love with me. (And I am in love with them too). They are both convinced I am coming back to India for their birthdays. I keep telling them I have to be at home then, but they don't seem to understand (they are 4 and 7 years old).
5. The shopping here! I know, that sounds so Greenwichy. But everything-- the jewelry, the clothes-- is so beautiful and the exchange rate makes everything so cheap! I bought a gorgeous ring, designed by my host sister and her husband, for $30...and I am pretty sure it would have been a lot more in the US.
6. The dance party I had with my host sister-in-law, Lavanya (who is incredibly nice and so much fun), the other girl on my program staying at this homestay, and about 7 thirty-year old Indian men. Lavanya, who is a dancer, taught us some Indian, Bollywood-esque dance moves. I, of course, looked ridiculous and felt incredibly awkward at first, but it was definitely a great experience! The music here is so great-- seriously download "Desi Girl" (it is stuck in my head as I write this). Just wait till I bring my new moves back to the US.
7. Hindi movies! In particular, "Luck by Chance." I watched it in Hindi (no subtitles) and it is still one of my favorite movies of all time. I have legitimately fallen in love with the lead actor, Farhan Akur. Google him. Amazing.
8. Everything else! I can't think of many negative experiences I have had here. The only ones that come to mind have to do with the tendency for things to be slow and inefficient in India, which obviously irritates me, as Annie Connell would know. I love the Indian culture, the weather and the people! I will hopefully be able to write one more blog post before I leave for China (eek)!
Oh, P.S., one more near-death experience: missing you! Awwww.
P.P.S. Also, my classes, which have such potential, but fail miserably.
Love you all :)
So to start off on a pesimistic notes, as per usual, here are some of my "near death" experiences:
1. My dog bite definitely tops off my list. My host family's satanic dog, Brownie, had a nice little snack on my hand a few days after I arrived at my homestay. To preface this story, I should tell you that Brownie is described by her owners as "moody." Nevertheless when she came up to me wagging her tail, I assumed she wanted to play. But when I reached out to pet her head, I found my hand inside of her mouth instead. Luckily, I was able to pull it out quickly enough to survive with only a few bruises and a little cut. After finding out that Brownie has had her vaccines, I decided not to go to the doctor. But about a week later, when I told my teacher about it, I was rushed to a doctor's office. The doctor, who was trained in allopathy but later decided he agreed more with homeopathy, told me, "If the dog doesn't die in five days, you are fine." Great. Needless to say, being the pre-med, pro-allopathic medicine snob I am, I was a little skeptical, but I decided to let it go. The next day, I fell ill with a high fever and vomiting. This graduated into a chest cold and sinus infection, still with a fever. Now the vomiting has returned. But Brownie is still alive! Super. I have been trying to convince myself that this is just the regular sort of illness that visitors to India notoriously experience, but I am a little shaken by a) the fact that Brownie has fallen ill, b) another doctor was shocked that I did not receive the Rabies vaccine post-bite, and c) I am still sick. So, if I die, I love you all and Annie, you can have Manny.
2. Crossing the street. Drivers in Bangalore are absolutely INSANE. Every time I cross the street, a rickshaw, motorcycle, or other out-of-control vehicle comes close to claiming my life. No joke.
3. In a literal interpretation of the phrase "near death," I have repeatedly found myself in the presence of people who looked like they were on the verge of death. This has been one of the most difficult aspects of being in India. I struggle with walking by the malnourished beggars, some very young children, every day. I usually give a few money or food, but I wish I could do more. This past week, I visited a private hospital that treats patient from very poor tribal and rural communities. While I was there, I saw patients dying of TB and other diseases, along with the thinnest man I have ever seen in my life. The only consoling thing about seeing all of these horribly ill people was knowing that they were in excellent hands-- the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement's hospital, education system, multiple primary health care clinics, and other projects, were all truly inspiring.
My "near life" experiences:
1. In another literal interpretation, and also at the Swami Vivekananda Memorial Hospital, I almost accidently witnessed a live birth. While being given a tour of the hospital, I was led into the labor ward. As I was being brought past curtains intended to provide the expectant mothers privacy, I unexpectedly heard the sounds of a mother giving birth. With American standards of privacy, I, and the other students on my program, quickly turned around and ran out of the ward. The people leading the tour seemed a little confused as to why we did not want to barge in on the poor mother mid-birth. The Indian concept of privacy is absolutely baffling.
2. My trip to the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement was amazing, in general. The rural landscape was breathtaking, particularly the backwaters. Much to my dismay, I did not get to see an elephant, but hopefully I will be able to on my trip to rural Wayanad this week. Perhaps the most "near life" aspect of my trip was meeting all the children from the villages we visited. Each time our bus passed by children ran up to it, waving and shouting "hi!" I felt like a celebrity. Most of the kids didn't speak English, but it was still fun to play with them. They could not get enough of having their picture taken and seeing it on the camera screen. It was so cute! Talking with the adults, always through a translator, was also really interesting. I wish I could speak some Kanada (the local language here), so I could have had more personal conversations. Nevertheless, it was amazing to learn about lives so much different to mine, and to see that these people, who have so much less than I do, were still so happy and so eager to show us their lifestyle.
3. Seeing Strada in Bangalore! Seriously, who gets to casually meet up with their friend for lunch and shopping in the middle of India? It was so great to see her!
4. Playing with my homestay mother's two adorable grandchildren, Thandvi and Arnav. Not to brag or anything, but they are in love with me. (And I am in love with them too). They are both convinced I am coming back to India for their birthdays. I keep telling them I have to be at home then, but they don't seem to understand (they are 4 and 7 years old).
5. The shopping here! I know, that sounds so Greenwichy. But everything-- the jewelry, the clothes-- is so beautiful and the exchange rate makes everything so cheap! I bought a gorgeous ring, designed by my host sister and her husband, for $30...and I am pretty sure it would have been a lot more in the US.
6. The dance party I had with my host sister-in-law, Lavanya (who is incredibly nice and so much fun), the other girl on my program staying at this homestay, and about 7 thirty-year old Indian men. Lavanya, who is a dancer, taught us some Indian, Bollywood-esque dance moves. I, of course, looked ridiculous and felt incredibly awkward at first, but it was definitely a great experience! The music here is so great-- seriously download "Desi Girl" (it is stuck in my head as I write this). Just wait till I bring my new moves back to the US.
7. Hindi movies! In particular, "Luck by Chance." I watched it in Hindi (no subtitles) and it is still one of my favorite movies of all time. I have legitimately fallen in love with the lead actor, Farhan Akur. Google him. Amazing.
8. Everything else! I can't think of many negative experiences I have had here. The only ones that come to mind have to do with the tendency for things to be slow and inefficient in India, which obviously irritates me, as Annie Connell would know. I love the Indian culture, the weather and the people! I will hopefully be able to write one more blog post before I leave for China (eek)!
Oh, P.S., one more near-death experience: missing you! Awwww.
P.P.S. Also, my classes, which have such potential, but fail miserably.
Love you all :)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
First Day in Bengaluru!
I have decided to continue my blog for the sake of Annie Connell, love of my life. I arrived in India late last night! Even walking out of the airport last night, I could tell immediately that I was going to love it here. The weather is warm and sunny, with an occasional breeze lifting the otherwise muggy air. It smells just like what you would picture India to smell like-- a mixture of tropical humidity and spices. We are staying in a Christian seminary for the next few days before I move into my homestay on Saturday. The seminary is near the heart of Bangalore, a relatively developed commercial city. Mahatma Ghandi (MG) Street is lined with various banks, while Brigade street is overflowing with shops that are already tempting my wallet.
I have so far restrained myself from buying the beautiful kurtas (tunics) and salwar kameezes (traditional Indian outfits) because my bank account is temporarily frozen. But hopefully that will be fixed soon, and then I can splurge. My internet is about to run out, so I will write again later.
I have so far restrained myself from buying the beautiful kurtas (tunics) and salwar kameezes (traditional Indian outfits) because my bank account is temporarily frozen. But hopefully that will be fixed soon, and then I can splurge. My internet is about to run out, so I will write again later.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Yo,
I am at the UN right now, mooching off of their free internet. Switzerland has been great. We have gone to a bunch of really interesting talks on public health, HIV/AIDS, climate change and intellectual property rights. More and more, I think that I should go into public health rather than medicine. We went to the Old City of Geneva a few days ago. The architecture there was gorgeous and the history was interesting as well. I saw where Rousseau was born and where the first Calvin church was (Geneva is considered the city of Calvinism).
The adults in charge of my trip are probably the most interesting non-academic part. We have Earl, a 65 year old bald French-speaking Swiss man, who wears a button down Oxford shirt, collar popped, and a cashmere scarf every day. He speaks in a tempo with this adorable little accent. And when he walks, he literally looks like he is waltzing. It sounds like I have a crush on him, which I might have initially, but he has gone down in my estimations. He is OBSESSED with being Swiss and thinks everyone else sucks. One of the first things he told us was "Make sure you do not yell. The Swiss NEVER, EVER, EVER yell."
We also have Steffi, a condescending know-it-all hippie professor who introduced herself as someone who has "always hated American students." Good thing she will be my professor for another 4 months, right? She is very knowledgable. But annoying. Another professor, Chris, is a carbon copy of Greg Anderson. But, no one who would ever read this is a bio major (thank God), so nevermind.
In other news, I have made a bunch of friends. Quel surprise. Every time we go anywhere, you can tell that all the Europeans are looking at our group of 35 students thinking, "Stupid Americans." I feel like we have gained a little more respect as a nation since Obama´s inauguration yesterday. Which was amazing, by the way. Our whole group went to go watch it in an ex-pat bar down the street from our hostel. I don´t think I have felt that proud to be an American ever, except maybe when Obama was elected.
I don´t know how long I will keep this blog up-- I feel like this would be really boring to read, haha. Maybe once I get to India, I will have some better stories.
I am at the UN right now, mooching off of their free internet. Switzerland has been great. We have gone to a bunch of really interesting talks on public health, HIV/AIDS, climate change and intellectual property rights. More and more, I think that I should go into public health rather than medicine. We went to the Old City of Geneva a few days ago. The architecture there was gorgeous and the history was interesting as well. I saw where Rousseau was born and where the first Calvin church was (Geneva is considered the city of Calvinism).
The adults in charge of my trip are probably the most interesting non-academic part. We have Earl, a 65 year old bald French-speaking Swiss man, who wears a button down Oxford shirt, collar popped, and a cashmere scarf every day. He speaks in a tempo with this adorable little accent. And when he walks, he literally looks like he is waltzing. It sounds like I have a crush on him, which I might have initially, but he has gone down in my estimations. He is OBSESSED with being Swiss and thinks everyone else sucks. One of the first things he told us was "Make sure you do not yell. The Swiss NEVER, EVER, EVER yell."
We also have Steffi, a condescending know-it-all hippie professor who introduced herself as someone who has "always hated American students." Good thing she will be my professor for another 4 months, right? She is very knowledgable. But annoying. Another professor, Chris, is a carbon copy of Greg Anderson. But, no one who would ever read this is a bio major (thank God), so nevermind.
In other news, I have made a bunch of friends. Quel surprise. Every time we go anywhere, you can tell that all the Europeans are looking at our group of 35 students thinking, "Stupid Americans." I feel like we have gained a little more respect as a nation since Obama´s inauguration yesterday. Which was amazing, by the way. Our whole group went to go watch it in an ex-pat bar down the street from our hostel. I don´t think I have felt that proud to be an American ever, except maybe when Obama was elected.
I don´t know how long I will keep this blog up-- I feel like this would be really boring to read, haha. Maybe once I get to India, I will have some better stories.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Genève
Hi! So I am in Geneva for the orientation of my trip. I thought I would write a quick blog post because I don`t really have time to respond to individual emails. So far we have just been doing orientation things, like name-games etc. Everyone on the trip is great and I have already started to think that maybe I should go into public health rather than become a doctor. In more interesting news, my baggage got lost between JFK and Dulles, and just made it to Europe yesterday (sadly, not yet to Geneva), so I have gotten an earlier introduction to ruffing it than the rest of the group. I am going on Day 4 with the same outfit. I smell wonderful. But supposedly if it takes a really long time for them to find your bag, you get money to buy clothes...
My internet time is running out but I will write more interesting stories later! Miss everyone and hope those who are abroad are having a blast!
My internet time is running out but I will write more interesting stories later! Miss everyone and hope those who are abroad are having a blast!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Be my pen-pal?
Hello, hello.
Seeing as I will essentially be MIA for the next three and a half months (without a phone, computer, constant address or reliable internet), I thought I would start a little blog so that everyone is aware that I am still alive and well. I leave this Friday (the 16th) for Switzerland, then I am off to India, China, and finally, South Africa.
As I can't really talk to anyone regularly, I would love to become pen-pals with YOU. Send me your address for the semester! Here are mine, for each part of my program:
Switzerland (1/17-1/27):
Mariam Alam
IHP c/o Geneva Youth Hostel
28-30, rue de Rotschild
1202 Geneva – Switzerland
India (1/28-3/5):
Mariam Alam
IHP c/o Environmental Support Group
105 East End ‘B’ Main Road
9th Block, Jayanagar
Bangalore 560069 INDIA
China (3/6-4/3)
Mariam Alam c/o Li Xinhua
International Exchange and Cooperation Office
Central South University
Changsha, Hunan 410083
People’s Republic of China
South Africa (4/3-5/7)
IHP c/o Chris Colvin and Natalie Leon
For: Mariam Alam
7 Alfred St.
Observatory 7925
Cape Town, South Africa
Remember, it takes a while for mail to get to all of these places (at least 10 days). Okay, write me!
Seeing as I will essentially be MIA for the next three and a half months (without a phone, computer, constant address or reliable internet), I thought I would start a little blog so that everyone is aware that I am still alive and well. I leave this Friday (the 16th) for Switzerland, then I am off to India, China, and finally, South Africa.
As I can't really talk to anyone regularly, I would love to become pen-pals with YOU. Send me your address for the semester! Here are mine, for each part of my program:
Switzerland (1/17-1/27):
Mariam Alam
IHP c/o Geneva Youth Hostel
28-30, rue de Rotschild
1202 Geneva – Switzerland
India (1/28-3/5):
Mariam Alam
IHP c/o Environmental Support Group
105 East End ‘B’ Main Road
9th Block, Jayanagar
Bangalore 560069 INDIA
China (3/6-4/3)
Mariam Alam c/o Li Xinhua
International Exchange and Cooperation Office
Central South University
Changsha, Hunan 410083
People’s Republic of China
South Africa (4/3-5/7)
IHP c/o Chris Colvin and Natalie Leon
For: Mariam Alam
7 Alfred St.
Observatory 7925
Cape Town, South Africa
Remember, it takes a while for mail to get to all of these places (at least 10 days). Okay, write me!
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