tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-150810272024-03-07T20:38:54.649-06:00DOXADEO - Glory to GOD"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-42068201079204645682012-05-05T23:56:00.000-05:002012-05-05T23:56:09.891-05:00I'm going back to Haiti!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/PhotosFromHaiti/photo#5067471954572831522"><img alt="" border="1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/doxadeo/RlNG5OGRayI/AAAAAAAAANE/oPuVG68ym9E/s400/100_5393.JPG" style="float: left; height: 319px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-right: 15px; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
Hi there!<br />
For those of you who may not know me, my name is SunMin, and I am a medical student at <a href="http://meded.ucsd.edu/"><span class="s1">University of California, San Diego (UCSD)</span></a>.<br />
This summer <strong>I am traveling to </strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti"><strong>Haiti</strong></a><strong>, from July 21</strong><span class="s2"><strong><sup>st</sup></strong></span><strong> to July 28</strong><span class="s2"><strong><sup>th</sup></strong></span>, to volunteer with an organization called <a href="http://www.cotni.org/"><strong>Children of the Nations (COTN)</strong></a>, which ministers to <strong>orphaned and destitute children</strong> in developing countries. I will be traveling with a team of 15 men from my <a href="http://diveintoflood.com/">church (Flood)</a> to a region called <a href="http://g.co/maps/gvne6"><strong>Leogane</strong></a>, where the epicenter of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake"><strong>2010 earthquake</strong></a> was located, just a few miles from Port-au-Prince.<br />
I've <strong>traveled to Haiti twice</strong> in the past, and spent about <strong>half a year</strong> volunteering in various capacities. <strong>Haiti is very near and dear to my heart</strong>, and I'm really excited for the opportunity to go back this summer!<br />
<a href="http://www.cotni.org/pages/haiti">COTN's ministry in Haiti</a>, which launched shortly after the earthquake struck, is still in its infant stages. Flood recently sent a <strong>large container full of packaged meals and supplies</strong> to COTN Haiti to help get their ministry off the ground. Our team will be there to help distribute the contents of the container. I don't know exactly what else we will be doing while in Haiti, but they will include <strong>building relationships</strong> with the children, <strong>vision-casting</strong> for COTN's ministry in Haiti, and helping with other <strong>hands-on projects</strong>.<br />
To finance this project, <strong>each team member must raise $2235</strong> which covers the cost of airfare, room and board, and travel insurance. <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">I need to raise $500 of this by May 10<strong><sup>th</sup></strong></span></strong> as a deposit for the airfare. The total amount needs to be raised by <strong>June 21<strong><sup>st</sup></strong></strong>.<br />
<strong>Will you consider partnering with me by supporting me financially or by prayer?</strong> Any amount of contribution will be greatly appreciated.<br />
If you can't make a donation at this time, please help me reach my goal by spreading the word to friends you think might be interested in contributing.<br />
Thanks so much for your support!<br />
SunMin<br />
To donate, please click on the donate button on the sidebar or click the link below:<br />
<a href="http://sunmin.stayclassy.org/">http://sunmin.stayclassy.org</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-63177616840907834382011-05-03T07:09:00.000-05:002011-05-03T07:09:26.146-05:00A Way Overdue Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I keep making a mental list of all the things that I want to write about, but then I never have the time to write (or just forget about actually writing), and so the list keeps getting longer without any of them actually getting written. Obviously this hasn't been working, so I'm going to keep this one short, and not write about all the stuff I'd been thinking of writing.<br />
<br />
First of all, sorry for the lack of updates all this time. Has it really been SEVEN months since I last posted anything on this blog? Well, apparently yes. And this post will be one of the last few, if not the last, before I leave India.<br />
<br />
Speaking of leaving India, I will be flying out early morning on Saturday, May 14 (just as it gets unbearably hot & humid here!). After a 23-hour layover in Singapore, I will be traveling to Tokyo to visit my friends for a week. Then I will spend a few days in Seoul to see my relatives, followed by a few days with my family in SoCal, and then off to Oklahoma City to get hitched! Woohoo!!<br />
<br />
To summarize my 9-month experience in India... I'm just thankful for everything. For all the friends I made from all over the world, for all the beautiful and exciting places that I got to visit, for all the fun times I've had, for all the challenges I've faced, and for all the life lessons I've learned, I'm just so thankful to God!<br />
<br />
I realize I never actually wrote what my project is all about... it's a long story, so maybe I'll write more about it in another post. But briefly, things have been going quite well overall. As of today, all the fieldwork has been completed, and now I'm wrapping up data entry before I leave India. I'll let you all know if my study gets published (hopefully!).<br />
<br />
I can't promise anything, but I will try to write about some interesting stories from India, and (more importantly) post pictures! But for now, I need to go take a shower or something 'cause it's so hot and humid here (AC in my room isn't working at the moment).</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-18903392864122587702010-09-28T12:24:00.000-05:002010-09-28T12:24:29.767-05:00My First IRB MeetingLast Wednesday, in the midst of the vaccinology course, I had a meeting with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to get my research project approved. I had never been to an IRB meeting, but from what people have told me about typical IRB meetings, I thought that IRB committee would grill me on every little detail of the project. But then my project is an observational study using surveys, which means no risk to participants, so I wasn't too concerned.<br />
<br />
When I arrived at the meeting place, there were a bunch of people waiting to be called in to get their study approved by the IRB. They all had a copy of their IRB application in hand, which made me realize that I probably should have printed a copy as well. Fortunately, I had a copy on my iPod Touch, so I quickly read through it to remind myself what exactly I'm supposed to be doing with my project. Well, apparently that didn't really matter, because the meeting turned out to be the easiest thing I've done for my project.<br />
<br />
Basically, I walked into the room, which had desks and computers arranged into a very long rectangle, and I sat at the far end of the rectangle while one of the committee members summarized the objective of my study. I simply affirmed that that was what I was going to do by saying "yes." She noted that it's a well written study, another person representing the ethics committee said they had no objections or concerns, and someone at the other end of the room said, "Go ahead with your study." And that was it! It literally took no more than two minutes.<br />
<br />
I wish all my future IRB meetings would be as easy as this one... but I suppose it can only get harder, like the one depicted below:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/03813bb4-fe2c-4f1c-a0b1-9a5019299ecb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/03813bb4-fe2c-4f1c-a0b1-9a5019299ecb.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://ihasahotdog.com/2010/09/15/funny-dog-pictures-thesis-committee-dog/">ihasahotdog.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-67025352046621548282010-09-27T11:29:00.000-05:002010-09-27T11:29:30.106-05:00Three Weeks In Review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=100275382602542074659.000487de2995c1ecf1861&ll=12.946094,78.976378&spn=0.014639,0.01502&z=15&output=embed" width="350"></iframe></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=100275382602542074659.000487de2995c1ecf1861&ll=12.946094,78.976378&spn=0.014639,0.01502&z=15&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">My Vellore Map</a> in a larger map</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Hey Everyone, after three weeks of hiatus, I'm back!<br />
<br />
As I mentioned in my last post, I spent the first two weeks in a rural village called Kuvanur near RUHSA (see map) with the 2nd-year CMC medical students for the Community Orientation Program (COP). I stayed the first night with the guys at a school building, but I couldn't sleep too well because of all the noise they made (watching movies, playing music, etc) until the wee hours of the night. I don't mind sleeping out in remote places, but I think I'm too old for all the youthful late night activities (which I used to do when I was their age). After the first night I went back to Vellore each night with the staff, so I got to shower and sleep in my own apartment. So technically I've been "back" all along, but I just haven't had the chance to update my blog until now.<br />
<br />
As you can see from the map, Kuvanur is a pretty small village. There are 371 households with a population of 1601, according our survey data. From what I gathered, many of them are farmers, but it seems there is a large variety of occupations and a wide range of socioeconomic statuses. This past week, the students analyzed the data that they gathered, made posters of the data, and presented them for the villagers to see. You can see a sample of the posters below along with some photos from COP.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9oFws0qmLttzflnPUpukBZN937o6qX8JbOdMdFVaA9mwLd4LNkxCHpsskq88l83kIGgwR-nSRo89Yihk4SXLU2n7y7h77CqUz01X9xyJ_mbAzW9WcAEnNndRisWc4FI72Hk/s1600/P1030713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9oFws0qmLttzflnPUpukBZN937o6qX8JbOdMdFVaA9mwLd4LNkxCHpsskq88l83kIGgwR-nSRo89Yihk4SXLU2n7y7h77CqUz01X9xyJ_mbAzW9WcAEnNndRisWc4FI72Hk/s400/P1030713.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is where we held our meetings for COP.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpucnthf_7NSdyMj53oDB7bHQi6EAkQg3MdJ32py1H-3zIYxMxUJlLLwVSRZv9-VEEjVVa4M1PnywEnKD987F6NzCV50KfTlPXZFm591lTT89EdEYv1qP7x_PEnKGuo9oQWQ/s1600/P1030731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpucnthf_7NSdyMj53oDB7bHQi6EAkQg3MdJ32py1H-3zIYxMxUJlLLwVSRZv9-VEEjVVa4M1PnywEnKD987F6NzCV50KfTlPXZFm591lTT89EdEYv1qP7x_PEnKGuo9oQWQ/s400/P1030731.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inside of the hut.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6kCxNrL_gWFmbNdSxhypfGgVWlqyFqqtwg-NLVn6WMlSej08njoCTUecGutKjTT2xhxE7s-lzLRZ8oi7DbJ0nFXMhinJjyGOeidFK53ngCX4dxXlfZUQUQGWZ2Bl0qgHj3g/s1600/P1030726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6kCxNrL_gWFmbNdSxhypfGgVWlqyFqqtwg-NLVn6WMlSej08njoCTUecGutKjTT2xhxE7s-lzLRZ8oi7DbJ0nFXMhinJjyGOeidFK53ngCX4dxXlfZUQUQGWZ2Bl0qgHj3g/s400/P1030726.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The school building in Kavanur where the boys stayed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRB6kOhfQXABLSOHI7MmI0t3xPykvQ28pRioN772Jwps5xjS8Qi3wnQ3BAsf6xdtmFm6Eb4ApcuEeJVgbQrkGSFBMg0u3JT8jNabwlpoDltqj8J6zWPYwNQwIeMc7MQTvl_So/s1600/P1030716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRB6kOhfQXABLSOHI7MmI0t3xPykvQ28pRioN772Jwps5xjS8Qi3wnQ3BAsf6xdtmFm6Eb4ApcuEeJVgbQrkGSFBMg0u3JT8jNabwlpoDltqj8J6zWPYwNQwIeMc7MQTvl_So/s400/P1030716.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the school building. The boys slept on the concrete floor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZQN7hZJClivpSDaoZxjMGJmh4EGnSpYxvI4LSUWEY6OCeeoxyavfHbETeBVAt9or9aDxsRDCiIvrgQbUGmzAa5XJnWKSfpaK8LIN2xTJqcJci5d2Wvuha2FxQ5hK1Bl-S1U/s1600/P1030719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZQN7hZJClivpSDaoZxjMGJmh4EGnSpYxvI4LSUWEY6OCeeoxyavfHbETeBVAt9or9aDxsRDCiIvrgQbUGmzAa5XJnWKSfpaK8LIN2xTJqcJci5d2Wvuha2FxQ5hK1Bl-S1U/s400/P1030719.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Believe it or not, this is a woman's bathroom. How do they do it? There's a little hole in the corner that drains out... you can figure it out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw65reNnnkLECfyGcQoa9c6EUZukqh8ZDBGqcTxT2ibjn73_ZYT6lr4jOfO5YHG0YX-iaBPxGml5BRq2Z-06TR14FXQOm6myDCpUVnb9PDgq23lBbO_nySSUrH3xHkv1_dl0/s1600/P1030724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw65reNnnkLECfyGcQoa9c6EUZukqh8ZDBGqcTxT2ibjn73_ZYT6lr4jOfO5YHG0YX-iaBPxGml5BRq2Z-06TR14FXQOm6myDCpUVnb9PDgq23lBbO_nySSUrH3xHkv1_dl0/s400/P1030724.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another woman's toilet. This one is a bit more self-explanatory. Note that neither of the above models are for number 2.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EB2KNO4k9iPUqA-hStH-jBO-LYo34zBKjumkMKSISYp0rhHnX9n6awQ6SaJRx0uvgfxxWytPxcd7HhGZEijiwWED6OGFC00LoESOEbENO4nm0XpIKserMmLkQ22tB8aoV3c/s1600/P1030762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EB2KNO4k9iPUqA-hStH-jBO-LYo34zBKjumkMKSISYp0rhHnX9n6awQ6SaJRx0uvgfxxWytPxcd7HhGZEijiwWED6OGFC00LoESOEbENO4nm0XpIKserMmLkQ22tB8aoV3c/s400/P1030762.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was our temporary garbage disposal and dish washing place.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW_zeykQvl4Cx-donJto-_4BsvWC98lpjMdgZm9oEoOFgzwbEGyjuO0F4YIIxZ-6UtOfNtJG_OHftf7CEAcvs__rsDM374__9GIxc9tSbPyeFDzIubkGv9Zr_Eq65cN1zMx0/s1600/P1030756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW_zeykQvl4Cx-donJto-_4BsvWC98lpjMdgZm9oEoOFgzwbEGyjuO0F4YIIxZ-6UtOfNtJG_OHftf7CEAcvs__rsDM374__9GIxc9tSbPyeFDzIubkGv9Zr_Eq65cN1zMx0/s400/P1030756.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the medical and OT/PT students.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsp_lCyerg2dNhS_7JhmJNYYsZ5XBSpG95sTUZ-0FpNS2jy2H3exo5tiQXv7G5h1ntrcAFl-R4mxAaxtHI6m8rCrq2_eLK83eQRs6LgzNBm59y3I3wbsaeLznBze8rCVNMMI/s1600/P1030787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsp_lCyerg2dNhS_7JhmJNYYsZ5XBSpG95sTUZ-0FpNS2jy2H3exo5tiQXv7G5h1ntrcAFl-R4mxAaxtHI6m8rCrq2_eLK83eQRs6LgzNBm59y3I3wbsaeLznBze8rCVNMMI/s400/P1030787.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids from the village. They are cousins, and live next door to each other.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFeW-CYxZ0WZ-2lYkki95URD8sdb2Bp-9HydHnQlMc0RbSvhjFnx3UBfXdFhwbaNywrsz4AxnDlf30Sk1ljQ4O9WWS8x1gxQ-rU6Onr7dChljCF_F2Ey2ORIwexjP5xen2vw/s1600/P1030738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFeW-CYxZ0WZ-2lYkki95URD8sdb2Bp-9HydHnQlMc0RbSvhjFnx3UBfXdFhwbaNywrsz4AxnDlf30Sk1ljQ4O9WWS8x1gxQ-rU6Onr7dChljCF_F2Ey2ORIwexjP5xen2vw/s400/P1030738.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water tanks like these are spread across the village. They are pumped with drinking water every 2 days for people to come and collect.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJg7oPV1UBOvZSXOE6QtujxnTzpq6Jm6-hHK49N5LV5zv7S8d_7tmkM97kHf6FU4Vd8W3bBUQPYf5_uCaB1OIddZlvCwM3aSRvYLtFYgVcocx_gTXSab_Ze8raEUlWxevf1-s/s1600/P1030780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJg7oPV1UBOvZSXOE6QtujxnTzpq6Jm6-hHK49N5LV5zv7S8d_7tmkM97kHf6FU4Vd8W3bBUQPYf5_uCaB1OIddZlvCwM3aSRvYLtFYgVcocx_gTXSab_Ze8raEUlWxevf1-s/s400/P1030780.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As part of the COP, groups took turns organizing games for the village kids each day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJtpfV5VEIxMzqg1lt5y2AozPAYKrc-J8UBIVu58JqgGmO1dwHXfT6fLbFCzfLRj4z6-4J3TSNbM-F9sIoRYZWQWos9t1JiuasauoyiHCeLCNwhMfgSn6VyHiWR8NVqEfjVg/s1600/P1040012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJtpfV5VEIxMzqg1lt5y2AozPAYKrc-J8UBIVu58JqgGmO1dwHXfT6fLbFCzfLRj4z6-4J3TSNbM-F9sIoRYZWQWos9t1JiuasauoyiHCeLCNwhMfgSn6VyHiWR8NVqEfjVg/s400/P1040012.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As a service to the village, we cleaned up one of their temples one afternoon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJZcqcBjbd8LSwZ2ofDdn1UDYEHo-Z5mu05Od7kGd9kG8-1W0MD08VrmFsP5fFI5i8WbA7sc_pWaJrxgY2QibiYieQ4m1jU5BFDJKOiXRIRAITbeoAP7ezuM6XxSdQojIxos/s1600/P1040047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJZcqcBjbd8LSwZ2ofDdn1UDYEHo-Z5mu05Od7kGd9kG8-1W0MD08VrmFsP5fFI5i8WbA7sc_pWaJrxgY2QibiYieQ4m1jU5BFDJKOiXRIRAITbeoAP7ezuM6XxSdQojIxos/s400/P1040047.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students put up posters they made in the old school building.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nPM_IsZAGtt-tlWzP2ZKAlT67rN3AFwkRmGxcitb3TlDRgdCpB7gbWiSfadkxMKpJTymjjESstvPySgUtwvi4hXFMDw9ymmqkxDBerd-iGRoGR2dxwFSp7hmEiJILd7xYU4/s1600/P1040059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nPM_IsZAGtt-tlWzP2ZKAlT67rN3AFwkRmGxcitb3TlDRgdCpB7gbWiSfadkxMKpJTymjjESstvPySgUtwvi4hXFMDw9ymmqkxDBerd-iGRoGR2dxwFSp7hmEiJILd7xYU4/s400/P1040059.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A poster on population.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUVKDIhJk3lChMdyzeg2Vz2ZnGwjAtTPSe4tfH1Wh6I-YGSnRa9N2JasPN3ZCGhZEFe5psPMsAsxyjbPU5g-IxOa2-2bXCUTCZlTwqg1HTwKKYznei1HGyXcj51BP0CyLl_M/s1600/P1040048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUVKDIhJk3lChMdyzeg2Vz2ZnGwjAtTPSe4tfH1Wh6I-YGSnRa9N2JasPN3ZCGhZEFe5psPMsAsxyjbPU5g-IxOa2-2bXCUTCZlTwqg1HTwKKYznei1HGyXcj51BP0CyLl_M/s400/P1040048.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you guess what this poster is about?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHXB2UmkOE5KmgYT33Bv9Gj3EEeyjVov6YUq5ozmajDVSlJeDNeMAQ5JNMiDXfg_O342UOOPZwZL6RHBu7AHfjxiKLXDgMuhgv5sN_gJx1bp76dyVFfNowMldMc4GLYHN-nM/s1600/P1040049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHXB2UmkOE5KmgYT33Bv9Gj3EEeyjVov6YUq5ozmajDVSlJeDNeMAQ5JNMiDXfg_O342UOOPZwZL6RHBu7AHfjxiKLXDgMuhgv5sN_gJx1bp76dyVFfNowMldMc4GLYHN-nM/s400/P1040049.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can tell what the graph on the left is showing, but not sure about the pie chart... maybe about how many are happy with their toilets?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MW7RHgerWafTRLUwhNg6EV-XXH2V0xmt5m30o-PUmIYs2M3ZCt6rcK52SGXYErLdbEf0EEwRW3qMRaSazbzml5oXPZVNo4Aq9C-y_t3ChpBD4ETOHBlde8P4ekczDJys-aQ/s1600/P1040046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MW7RHgerWafTRLUwhNg6EV-XXH2V0xmt5m30o-PUmIYs2M3ZCt6rcK52SGXYErLdbEf0EEwRW3qMRaSazbzml5oXPZVNo4Aq9C-y_t3ChpBD4ETOHBlde8P4ekczDJys-aQ/s400/P1040046.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birth-control education poster made by some of the CMC med students. Look how happy (and wealthier) the family is with birth control!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocEjWtJApVRusFRqP9yO-w0B1B85ZBHRsrR4_3UvLY5h1LnLwRd3jjM5n8DM6LYtXdSPswgCfirwknGjYYxniIgMtduwmGej51hESrC1oZwk8yGV8eWJJpHb-ApF8Uft4_0I/s1600/P1040079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocEjWtJApVRusFRqP9yO-w0B1B85ZBHRsrR4_3UvLY5h1LnLwRd3jjM5n8DM6LYtXdSPswgCfirwknGjYYxniIgMtduwmGej51hESrC1oZwk8yGV8eWJJpHb-ApF8Uft4_0I/s400/P1040079.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students performing for the village.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfk6B3JC5QQp8MIHd7SEam5_SX_Ln2TFeVrrFBzn_KoQ0M4hwQlYtDgT1GIeo9Cixx4pQcDzWjSosaXKG3jI2g29s7QubDhqqipWf2bSyIpG3GNhLjgY3-dGhBYnSlDxr776M/s1600/P1040083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfk6B3JC5QQp8MIHd7SEam5_SX_Ln2TFeVrrFBzn_KoQ0M4hwQlYtDgT1GIeo9Cixx4pQcDzWjSosaXKG3jI2g29s7QubDhqqipWf2bSyIpG3GNhLjgY3-dGhBYnSlDxr776M/s400/P1040083.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some more dancing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv02UPjf_frz8B7-AjxaKSgiBEhxbmH-iX_GlL1Dx44V9SYVOz5PQq7H6JwCcWDYMLp2CRMh_ri6s_Da-EjLV_2e2gNYD9CVU8k-frke3uBXFrpXDncQECRH5AcAzq1y2B9Nk/s1600/P1030791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv02UPjf_frz8B7-AjxaKSgiBEhxbmH-iX_GlL1Dx44V9SYVOz5PQq7H6JwCcWDYMLp2CRMh_ri6s_Da-EjLV_2e2gNYD9CVU8k-frke3uBXFrpXDncQECRH5AcAzq1y2B9Nk/s320/P1030791.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">My COP group: me, Ranjana, and Nitin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It was a lot of fun going around the village doing the surveys. Each group had a Tamil speaker, and both Nitin (the Tamilian in my group) and Ranjana (from Kerala, but speaks some Tamil) made sure I understood what was going on as we met with the villagers in our assigned area. So I felt very included even though I couldn't speak Tamil (thanks guys!). My group even let me lead the interview with one of the households, and they translated for me. During free times, I read some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Colloquial-Tamil-Complete-Course-Beginners/dp/0415187885">Colloquial Tamil</a> to try to learn the language a little. I discovered that Tamil is surprisingly similar in structure and grammar to Japanese (and Korean). It's definitely a difficult language, but using Japanese as a reference has been quite helpful. Who would have thought Japanese would come in handy in India! Now I just need to find a good Tamil tutor so I can learn to pronounce correctly (assuming that's possible).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=100275382602542074659.000490b3d52843b3e691f&ll=11.75116,75.490108&spn=0.012605,0.012832&z=15&output=embed" width="350"></iframe></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=100275382602542074659.000490b3d52843b3e691f&ll=11.75116,75.490108&spn=0.012605,0.012832&z=15&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">My Kerala Map</a> in a larger map</td></tr>
</tbody></table>During the first weekend of COP, Lucy and I travelled by train to Kerala state (west coast of south India) for Anu Paul's wedding. Anu is a PhD student who works at Dr. Kang's (our mentor) lab, and is also a fellow Fogarty scholar. Her wedding was at St. Theresa's Church in Mahe. It was Catholic wedding rather than a typical Indian/Hindu wedding, so it wasn't as crazy as one might be, but it was really nice. I especially enjoyed the Malayali (Kerala) food. The fish taste so much better there than in Vellore. We stayed the night in Thalassery (8Km north of Mahe), and explored the city a bit the next day before we headed back to Vellore in the afternoon. Check out the map on the right to see where we visited, and below are some photos from the trip.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD7NUeKj90wqIM1q3jaMzH8PkPbcYVLDPdjAKcTYgJhdixTddK0dotVHHlhPDAhR-U4yzFpfjbMm6LDp8LPyEa2L4QT_KJ2rfqa7WnWz1FMU2gcjWsReRa4Clz08N9WKDTxU/s1600/IMG_0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD7NUeKj90wqIM1q3jaMzH8PkPbcYVLDPdjAKcTYgJhdixTddK0dotVHHlhPDAhR-U4yzFpfjbMm6LDp8LPyEa2L4QT_KJ2rfqa7WnWz1FMU2gcjWsReRa4Clz08N9WKDTxU/s400/IMG_0632.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">At Anu and Shijo's wedding, with the newly-wed couple!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPrcWEU20U2oofFYjniryLAr2_WHHNPWyShHaHrwgXVVVMEsKhUD3xZ87JOCDDlfVT4aNVLyuztD60EcVcz4TmECgOr3iM2BE771TwNet4ZITExkkfk76PnVaibN7VBiL-0M/s1600/P1030810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPrcWEU20U2oofFYjniryLAr2_WHHNPWyShHaHrwgXVVVMEsKhUD3xZ87JOCDDlfVT4aNVLyuztD60EcVcz4TmECgOr3iM2BE771TwNet4ZITExkkfk76PnVaibN7VBiL-0M/s400/P1030810.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">My first train ride in India!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwu8xGJbep5J4p-4V798PFHqLu-A0nZSmWxkuFEuBQqx5YM0QhhiXIvwS-8-xpf0R1KjyOg4peP5fKgr9QaRPhAL4u8jq3FOE3GJp3MHVYIss2MlJ1kDtfVQEy6gqqCf-ro4/s1600/P1030815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwu8xGJbep5J4p-4V798PFHqLu-A0nZSmWxkuFEuBQqx5YM0QhhiXIvwS-8-xpf0R1KjyOg4peP5fKgr9QaRPhAL4u8jq3FOE3GJp3MHVYIss2MlJ1kDtfVQEy6gqqCf-ro4/s400/P1030815.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">This is what berths (or beds) in sleeper class look like.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghksIx-snKwmPp0brJv-N6huhgRja_sFpYkq20p3sQsX7aPPrrmNhaVC6COH9qWTGjk4rlorCtVrvWLQC_YwFZtMgarCZCklk9A_5xAqEDShiaqGcD5CA4bO8-UaLG4zytd7E/s1600/P1030976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghksIx-snKwmPp0brJv-N6huhgRja_sFpYkq20p3sQsX7aPPrrmNhaVC6COH9qWTGjk4rlorCtVrvWLQC_YwFZtMgarCZCklk9A_5xAqEDShiaqGcD5CA4bO8-UaLG4zytd7E/s400/P1030976.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Toilet in the train. Everything basically goes straight down to the ground...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuRapwNoxMoTeR0o9zkTO0KO1o34C62t3RiPVmKb-3oYfJXn6F0kgVdFlmPNRTXXIbeXYMXR01xHMJvn251bhqOswQ8v8piv4qPQ3rXVC8e8LESLAhuDjly2Oczy5fEocV3E/s1600/P1030845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuRapwNoxMoTeR0o9zkTO0KO1o34C62t3RiPVmKb-3oYfJXn6F0kgVdFlmPNRTXXIbeXYMXR01xHMJvn251bhqOswQ8v8piv4qPQ3rXVC8e8LESLAhuDjly2Oczy5fEocV3E/s400/P1030845.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Boats in Mahe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuf7HID-yDagj-d-EZzaf5CKB31KACG4ggpCtsYduMn17L5JEC90nyiSnmby7gHecdfCUbWGFt2nduj9K6l8JOaeRWyls6diOiJUyXQS9i1sPBuw20AJ4SGFxqkaTJCGM1Kc/s1600/P1030855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuf7HID-yDagj-d-EZzaf5CKB31KACG4ggpCtsYduMn17L5JEC90nyiSnmby7gHecdfCUbWGFt2nduj9K6l8JOaeRWyls6diOiJUyXQS9i1sPBuw20AJ4SGFxqkaTJCGM1Kc/s400/P1030855.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">I found the Smart School in Mahe, but I couldn't find the other kind.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVjeIiSdH0463ZVwNLQMdMhLyFSwfT9YV9ve0rDL1CCfAqDCzT4R3TO77HqZlxz9ro9OcKl1bl8X7tslFbJXOdhhaAtmcGSJ9VWsejsqqrXZ3UmCXVb9SCvyoNsqeuKMy41E/s1600/P1030950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVjeIiSdH0463ZVwNLQMdMhLyFSwfT9YV9ve0rDL1CCfAqDCzT4R3TO77HqZlxz9ro9OcKl1bl8X7tslFbJXOdhhaAtmcGSJ9VWsejsqqrXZ3UmCXVb9SCvyoNsqeuKMy41E/s400/P1030950.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Overbury's Folly in Thalassery. A nice little park with a cool ocean breeze. Apparently it's a popular dating spot for couples.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirr177SXWPBsYTyua0NRa8SdMYichLia2JQEDCP7PLC72yc2OY0Cf2ydpVRtBilDUhVSUKZLdTDfFGsw5V8fi1HgHvMEkmsCsRGzcMDy55I8hO3fH52YCv0Z00tDSsSYsukc4/s1600/P1030964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirr177SXWPBsYTyua0NRa8SdMYichLia2JQEDCP7PLC72yc2OY0Cf2ydpVRtBilDUhVSUKZLdTDfFGsw5V8fi1HgHvMEkmsCsRGzcMDy55I8hO3fH52YCv0Z00tDSsSYsukc4/s400/P1030964.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Trying out some street food for the lack of better things to do.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3O_Oj2sViP5mU3AWEPOlJs-yXyUQlkRm2en7AAhJHY6HQma-VwWdvJ_yaA861126oCn3oSNwKe6KNL0C7XmMVE3jNTqp43r0kNHEfSRL-y2R84dfqg3Uv-NXQKR3tge8n5R4/s1600/P1030970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3O_Oj2sViP5mU3AWEPOlJs-yXyUQlkRm2en7AAhJHY6HQma-VwWdvJ_yaA861126oCn3oSNwKe6KNL0C7XmMVE3jNTqp43r0kNHEfSRL-y2R84dfqg3Uv-NXQKR3tge8n5R4/s400/P1030970.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">I was told that banana chips are good in Kerala, so I bought a half-kg of them from this place..</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTOvSvCgDvx8QGFQTjmVkK7-UYByk8aK6tgznb-6vgq-IwJgJYSA4AnKTaQYkXD8SAhYDkrWS8R8vArdFkBOf06Uf-dci3s6_3pT6pCDItZyPT0zNbJhzKMNIx_GjLfOetiE/s1600/P1030965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTOvSvCgDvx8QGFQTjmVkK7-UYByk8aK6tgznb-6vgq-IwJgJYSA4AnKTaQYkXD8SAhYDkrWS8R8vArdFkBOf06Uf-dci3s6_3pT6pCDItZyPT0zNbJhzKMNIx_GjLfOetiE/s400/P1030965.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Dried fish at the fish market in Thalassery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>During the second weekend, I went to Men's Hostel Day at CMC, which is the only day during the year where guests (other than family) are allowed inside men's hostel. Last weekend was Women's Hostel Day, which is the same deal for female students (but I was on my way to Kerala then). So each year the med students (all of whom stay in the hostel) put together a show and serve dinner to the guests, and invite them to see their rooms. I forgot to take a picture of their rooms, but here are some photos from the event.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTbCjC1bchjJYI_pBAZYnvxA7Oi4h4eOLrhkFDNxivxRhWj80uBFsioGe5wIvKJttqUwXO0FsM-9eUcgdzFU4iJXQ4YE3kX7_ukhX5KdPTAozRt-M5zM33EVwdNe7SGn1i48/s1600/P1040023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTbCjC1bchjJYI_pBAZYnvxA7Oi4h4eOLrhkFDNxivxRhWj80uBFsioGe5wIvKJttqUwXO0FsM-9eUcgdzFU4iJXQ4YE3kX7_ukhX5KdPTAozRt-M5zM33EVwdNe7SGn1i48/s400/P1040023.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">At Men's Hostel Day, wearing my new dhoti, which I bought in Kerala. People were impressed that I tied the dhoti by myself, thanks to YouTube. In the back is a model of the Opera House made by the male med students as an art project this year.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdwx8p0G9tKgxBdU5eW4O6WHFWB5PNJoP29bPdwagylgY2EE2H5V-NbkkUvQ0LKJzZzBoIgnEcOFpL4JnDRW7J1mx6ELkBss-xyYJCILUb4XQX8Yz2vWaKmXDTG-GQ92hqn4/s1600/P1040027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdwx8p0G9tKgxBdU5eW4O6WHFWB5PNJoP29bPdwagylgY2EE2H5V-NbkkUvQ0LKJzZzBoIgnEcOFpL4JnDRW7J1mx6ELkBss-xyYJCILUb4XQX8Yz2vWaKmXDTG-GQ92hqn4/s400/P1040027.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Some of the male med students performed a short play called Blackadder. Simple, yet quite entertaining, and the guys did an excellent job putting it together in couple weeks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wOiZGyB7nQgCMcseGVMblsOnQcU5MXRB9R2BkBDRXbhYqpUPg7tHIeInhuo1hoqJ837JmPgVmvMHKwBMLHTuTqoiFknJMK8awu124s3KylnVIdHchBL3HBwFwCLwZRoI4Fk/s1600/P1040029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wOiZGyB7nQgCMcseGVMblsOnQcU5MXRB9R2BkBDRXbhYqpUPg7tHIeInhuo1hoqJ837JmPgVmvMHKwBMLHTuTqoiFknJMK8awu124s3KylnVIdHchBL3HBwFwCLwZRoI4Fk/s400/P1040029.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">A scene from Blackadder. The female costume (right) was a huge hit among the audience.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizifAruDEC6n4k5kzxKqGcqMnWsXbttY8jS5VsBeRHD5YH_f7LkzTOrjKaMi8Q0n7RjRtv820CE5bqMUUE8kNx0owoDXC6MleGyobv7of_bkQKHM_tJkO-t9mwX955gfkNRZ0/s1600/P1040087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizifAruDEC6n4k5kzxKqGcqMnWsXbttY8jS5VsBeRHD5YH_f7LkzTOrjKaMi8Q0n7RjRtv820CE5bqMUUE8kNx0owoDXC6MleGyobv7of_bkQKHM_tJkO-t9mwX955gfkNRZ0/s320/P1040087.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vaccinology course lecture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This past week I've been attending the 1.5-week long <a href="http://indvac.org/">First Advanced Vaccinology Course in India</a> at CMC. We have lecturers and students/participants from all over India and various places in Europe and the US. The course covers everything from basic immunology to history to the latest research and policies on vaccines. It took a little getting used to (and lots of coffee) being back to sitting in a classroom and listening to lectures all day, but it has definitely been an interesting and informative course.<br />
<br />
Couple days after we got back from Kerala, I got a bit sick (probably flu or some viral illness), so I missed out on a few days of COP. I didn't feel too horrible, but I had to drag it out for the last week and a half. Thankfully I'm feeling 95% better now, except for the little discomfort in the belly, which comes and goes now and then.<br />
<br />
So there you have it, my past three weeks! Thanks for reading if you got this far, and I always appreciate the comments. Praise God for an amazing experience so far!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-41234949373869103872010-09-05T14:26:00.000-05:002010-09-05T14:26:59.719-05:00To the Great OutdoorsYesterday I finally submitted my IRB application! Hooray! I'm not sure what's going to happen now, but at some point this month it's going to get reviewed, and hopefully it'll be approved. Now I'm working on the questionnaire that my fieldworkers will be using to interview my subjects. I'm really excited about my project, and I can't wait to get things going!<br />
<br />
Today I decided to take things easy since I had been staying up late every night working on the IRB application. So I did some laundry, went to the pool, and joined the church choir at CMC campus. They practice every Sunday from 4pm until 6pm when service starts. I hadn't sung in choir since college (wow, that's 4 years ago...), but I still remembered how to sing and read notes (I definitely felt a lot sloppier though). It was a lot of fun singing in choir again.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsOeX8KHhK-ZvU2HgchkqAiNRt2uXb80ote4okiyTmgGaiczRNbpVo6wBa31h_3P4H51SvY9e-uSmE7kYIrYzSZpzyQXOekGnM4nDmjae8dvLP5LCq20XfCnPfGERJaXinCE/s1600/P1030544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsOeX8KHhK-ZvU2HgchkqAiNRt2uXb80ote4okiyTmgGaiczRNbpVo6wBa31h_3P4H51SvY9e-uSmE7kYIrYzSZpzyQXOekGnM4nDmjae8dvLP5LCq20XfCnPfGERJaXinCE/s320/P1030544.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RUHSA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Tomorrow I'm going to RUHSA (Rural Unit for Health and Social Affairs), which is a department of CMC that is located about 30-min drive from the main hospital. As the name implies, RUHSA serves the surrounding rural areas. (<a href="http://www.kvkuppam.info/ruhsacmc.htm">More info on RUHSA here</a>). Lucy and I went to RUHSA about 3 weeks ago and got a brief orientation there. This time we're going with all the 1st-year (soon to be 2nd-year) CMC medical students and OT/PT students for a 2-week long Community Orientation Program (COP).<br />
<br />
Basically, we'll be spending the next two weeks in a small village called Kavanur near RUHSA. In groups of 3-4, we'll be going door-to-door to collect their demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related information, while learning to build rapport with the people in the community. It sounds like a great learning experience. I'm really excited because this will be very similar to how my research project will be done (although it will be done by fieldworkers that I hire).<br />
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The boys will be staying at the village throughout the week, while the girls will be staying at a hostel in RUHSA. I'm guessing I won't be having much internet connection while I'm out there, so you probably won't be hearing from me for the next couple weeks.<br />
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So just to entertain you while I'm gone, here are some random pictures:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrFlzbirMD4WsKZ4XzuxahJMKkkqlqkwruFbvronNxdeR5znvcMpxBCti_r5RUTMIEFZ9jGM_4gUMb7TE7RtuH1IlMR2wGEexhNbvyayCvTfRlLkVo_6DJn21LQ5G1ZXX3QE/s1600/P1030580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrFlzbirMD4WsKZ4XzuxahJMKkkqlqkwruFbvronNxdeR5znvcMpxBCti_r5RUTMIEFZ9jGM_4gUMb7TE7RtuH1IlMR2wGEexhNbvyayCvTfRlLkVo_6DJn21LQ5G1ZXX3QE/s400/P1030580.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyday, a herd of goats are brought to a patch of land by the main road that is piled up with garbage. It appears that goats clean up all the edible garbage (e.g. paper), while people burn the rest. Hmm... doesn't make a whole lot of <i>sense</i>, but it does make a lot of <i>scent</i> (it smells pretty bad—another good reason to have a bike, so I can zip past it while holding my breath)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIhppoSv2wcPjca-ZcQV28iXTkni_NLFT2yvbwsdEdA3PbicY4NB_Dgjn3Mq73gmiiPa3VjfUkVogVq6UHtNWCO0qYVK2VmA-Pf63TPvYmFqt8qWULZ130SCht272jirzuDc/s1600/P1030581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIhppoSv2wcPjca-ZcQV28iXTkni_NLFT2yvbwsdEdA3PbicY4NB_Dgjn3Mq73gmiiPa3VjfUkVogVq6UHtNWCO0qYVK2VmA-Pf63TPvYmFqt8qWULZ130SCht272jirzuDc/s400/P1030581.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sign in the computer room at CMC campus library. Looks like the Lord isn't the only one who sees what you do there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslIarMGpF06wVvOBzg4mFSvJgBlw8fyZwh4zGZsXqotPg-xPz3H7q9KbbrSXDPEypjCKwZonWE91CvZk3Q0vcfyM_QiG5X1iLUDrZTagMPUNo2ZP5thgBcSoWdyCFIc-729g/s1600/P1030671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslIarMGpF06wVvOBzg4mFSvJgBlw8fyZwh4zGZsXqotPg-xPz3H7q9KbbrSXDPEypjCKwZonWE91CvZk3Q0vcfyM_QiG5X1iLUDrZTagMPUNo2ZP5thgBcSoWdyCFIc-729g/s400/P1030671.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mantis at the pool. This crazy insect attacked me while I was in the pool. It fell into the water, so I saved it. Then it kept following me... it must have thought I was its mate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-29192927258095184422010-09-01T22:57:00.001-05:002010-09-01T23:14:40.162-05:00Four Weeks!Another week has flown by since my last post. I've been pretty much slaving away all week working on my IRB application for the alcohol study... in my air-conditioned room. Okay, fine, it's not that bad. In fact I really enjoy it here.<br />
<br />
IRB application hasn't been the easiest thing, but it's been quite interesting and exciting figuring out how to do the study. You pretty much have to think about everything that could go wrong, and plan ahead. Everyone has different experiences and ideas, so my protocol seems to change every time I talk to somebody. I'll tell you more about what the study is about once I submit the application (and know exactly what I'm doing). It's due this weekend, so I'd better get back to work!<br />
<br />
In the meantime, here's an interesting sign I found at the hospital:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWz4pD7pOoncr909B7aGcp6fhObBlxfyevzfMN4iI4HQX4_m07atoUDWPQodBpTrN0IQglQKo5OyL7Mo3ial5tY7ME6hLlvczLKvqQIrcaNnDInaD9cXdssixZiQqhiRcQbc/s1600/P1030555.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWz4pD7pOoncr909B7aGcp6fhObBlxfyevzfMN4iI4HQX4_m07atoUDWPQodBpTrN0IQglQKo5OyL7Mo3ial5tY7ME6hLlvczLKvqQIrcaNnDInaD9cXdssixZiQqhiRcQbc/s400/P1030555.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoQ2BmfolDFJVNmv3SwNuOE6jJb-r0hk8OCo5P-6UNJg7k5LeqE0xgkds7EGaIoOZ_HzckZ22uZMeWQz5oliHQ0n44KLGmGRoP-E66Zeg5oTmx8-yA0yHPIpw4Ubn64ZDTik/s1600/P1030556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoQ2BmfolDFJVNmv3SwNuOE6jJb-r0hk8OCo5P-6UNJg7k5LeqE0xgkds7EGaIoOZ_HzckZ22uZMeWQz5oliHQ0n44KLGmGRoP-E66Zeg5oTmx8-yA0yHPIpw4Ubn64ZDTik/s400/P1030556.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here's a guard who keeps tender coconuts out of the hospital.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-37942314290858504562010-08-25T01:48:00.000-05:002010-08-25T01:48:22.014-05:00Three Weeks InIt's already been a week since my last update, and boy, does time fun when you're having flies (or vice versa)!<br />
<br />
I've been relatively busy the last several days meeting with people, reading articles, and trying to brainstorm my potential projects. I have two potential projects that my mentor tells me are both very interesting and feasible, so I'm going to stick with them. I won't go into details yet, but one project is a survey on alcoholism, and the other is an educational intervention for diarrhea prevention. I'm starting with the alcohol project, and I have to submit an IRB application (basically to get permission to do research on human subjects) by the beginning of September... which is in one week! So I'm going to have to work really hard the next few days. Hopefully once things get going on that project, I'll start working on the second one. I will talk more about each project as time goes on.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, it has not been all work the last few days. This past weekend I went to Chennai with a bunch of international students to do some shopping, eat at (relatively) nice restaurants, and watch a movie (Inception!) at a movie theater. Chennai is a much bigger city than Vellore, and it can be quite a hassle trying to get around by rickshaws. It seems they are much more used to having tourists and charging ridiculously high rates. If it's raining or late at night they would charge double or triple the normal rate! Thankfully we all got around safely despite the fact that one of the drivers was smoking pot before he drove, and another drove full-speed against a one-way street.<br />
<br />
There were 20 or so of us all together from all over the place (US, Canada, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Nigeria, and Malaysia). It was a lot of fun traveling with them. It's sad that many of them are returning home soon, and some of them have already left. I suppose I will see a lot of people come and go in the next 9 months while I'm here. In any case I'm thankful that I get to meet interesting people from around the world, and make lots of new friends.<br />
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Here are some photos from this weekend:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQtxJsD_YCCoI2lb_L9voGP3OHtZ6RcXMwGQhYE8JQiE1kdDf9cVGZX-g43OPQj_hBwnr0FG79SeaBVnfYCqcZxwqbq5JzzSn_aVNwf_zXrzzEDc4E5v_jgZnb0KVyF0on6U/s1600/P1030582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQtxJsD_YCCoI2lb_L9voGP3OHtZ6RcXMwGQhYE8JQiE1kdDf9cVGZX-g43OPQj_hBwnr0FG79SeaBVnfYCqcZxwqbq5JzzSn_aVNwf_zXrzzEDc4E5v_jgZnb0KVyF0on6U/s400/P1030582.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took a private bus from Vellore to Chennai.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FzzNLOEYOTYAGmji8pNWZAUBT9bHv_6375O2wDWdS3T7CmiMIuJVVfehLDLllB2htxCXHFIyFtblWQ8KGZRJh8r7Mf-aTZ0I3Xqr3yPsr9Kjs4L893yBKN-WYLA-NOkaXGI/s1600/P1030586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FzzNLOEYOTYAGmji8pNWZAUBT9bHv_6375O2wDWdS3T7CmiMIuJVVfehLDLllB2htxCXHFIyFtblWQ8KGZRJh8r7Mf-aTZ0I3Xqr3yPsr9Kjs4L893yBKN-WYLA-NOkaXGI/s400/P1030586.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way to Chennai.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmkbMa362QQpiRwmoH7Z2Fbj29UvAXwMKuINOUd689m8gLk_W1yUddzNvBB9kXjv0JQFz4VRB1G8Cz8gCfordmPPMpuw0gL5giCFzADx58OGVm3eW8fmrL5uAJR54qYIEN4A/s1600/P1030588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmkbMa362QQpiRwmoH7Z2Fbj29UvAXwMKuINOUd689m8gLk_W1yUddzNvBB9kXjv0JQFz4VRB1G8Cz8gCfordmPPMpuw0gL5giCFzADx58OGVm3eW8fmrL5uAJR54qYIEN4A/s400/P1030588.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is where we stayed over the weekend.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWD-WA3lvGf_IFFPi6g8YRN_2ZZK5NrXQWmDQ8fDsNo0lNJcXjomgMVqxgjp1a0iq7_42i4Ttke9uTmydakcIGhBX7hhJezG9PFQf55kaW7hBCL13stzDNcXnBoqu1xEKHlM/s1600/P1030606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWD-WA3lvGf_IFFPi6g8YRN_2ZZK5NrXQWmDQ8fDsNo0lNJcXjomgMVqxgjp1a0iq7_42i4Ttke9uTmydakcIGhBX7hhJezG9PFQf55kaW7hBCL13stzDNcXnBoqu1xEKHlM/s400/P1030606.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric and I shared a room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OBEjsNIBHnr5zOEVPeuvtFiJTiIGbUgGzslJR3EyLmMvhh4s14iMiXnm1Wuq9eu7VMMk2GQUN0oaYufgSz1iA_UsZ6NLDBSQDe0XMJrriXxJpKOn3pACWiYWIfbLLGFKCSI/s1600/P1030587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OBEjsNIBHnr5zOEVPeuvtFiJTiIGbUgGzslJR3EyLmMvhh4s14iMiXnm1Wuq9eu7VMMk2GQUN0oaYufgSz1iA_UsZ6NLDBSQDe0XMJrriXxJpKOn3pACWiYWIfbLLGFKCSI/s400/P1030587.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our toilet and shower for the weekend.<br />
You can't expect much for Rs 250 per night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e98cDi52qCHZAKqQDDGGoab4SfQRYZElk9pnOz9spTPqrS-KF_IKTjEwVJaR8iF6IUnmp3OpIrahHD_tThlywgAKsJi1jMBV_mW25jdOyN9YF8hAJ_qaaSw12CXcPUO_jgk/s1600/P1030595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e98cDi52qCHZAKqQDDGGoab4SfQRYZElk9pnOz9spTPqrS-KF_IKTjEwVJaR8iF6IUnmp3OpIrahHD_tThlywgAKsJi1jMBV_mW25jdOyN9YF8hAJ_qaaSw12CXcPUO_jgk/s400/P1030595.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annelie and Laura, two German med students</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZQzAeHB4vIf6r52CxvyS_9rzp4Ha8ozah5HAVoNvvfw396sdK8qhWRMCoHxLu66Wf9Wu55VDuyKTmn3ffmLSXG1bXEEGFRR7AGZsQtd_J8Xa_9VYe7WNW53ggtygdvSiKRc/s1600/P1030596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZQzAeHB4vIf6r52CxvyS_9rzp4Ha8ozah5HAVoNvvfw396sdK8qhWRMCoHxLu66Wf9Wu55VDuyKTmn3ffmLSXG1bXEEGFRR7AGZsQtd_J8Xa_9VYe7WNW53ggtygdvSiKRc/s400/P1030596.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xin-You and Vicky from UK/Malaysia and Netherlands.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6cZVYsc9qV_6gpgBospPjeOnWh2ZqLoaZSnJaNa1fuUpscyiVpu91xt5ds9BXiWUzSa7hkd2sErm_3OuUS8tSkyE8U0mLTCDudD1Gwy7wRjxgZJrD2Xti07u0irTipz5xi0/s1600/P1030597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6cZVYsc9qV_6gpgBospPjeOnWh2ZqLoaZSnJaNa1fuUpscyiVpu91xt5ds9BXiWUzSa7hkd2sErm_3OuUS8tSkyE8U0mLTCDudD1Gwy7wRjxgZJrD2Xti07u0irTipz5xi0/s400/P1030597.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craig from Canada, and Fiona and Cionr from Ireland.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYaa26J6ZqZdOk0AqbWKQ-eh9D-9fF16mbNw5Aa1fjZYoILIh_rHu56jSRQgInN_z1LaBdaoprV9Gg8NlRsXwGmhSXRO3c8yxwa-uEUCVOXvb-72jhSl-yvYRtI-k0t7vZMA/s1600/P1030598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYaa26J6ZqZdOk0AqbWKQ-eh9D-9fF16mbNw5Aa1fjZYoILIh_rHu56jSRQgInN_z1LaBdaoprV9Gg8NlRsXwGmhSXRO3c8yxwa-uEUCVOXvb-72jhSl-yvYRtI-k0t7vZMA/s400/P1030598.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Khalid from UK.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ2EiYjSG8unMu_SvazJqI4_wDaByWCm71bbLtLfYkeZEa0yFx_8deSOM1fe-WLhfDz7-UWZNvypzPQ8v_PzYSd5hVpr8fsKKwm_cgreag2bHo2W71qNiw12NNlu9y_td-Fg/s1600/P1030599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ2EiYjSG8unMu_SvazJqI4_wDaByWCm71bbLtLfYkeZEa0yFx_8deSOM1fe-WLhfDz7-UWZNvypzPQ8v_PzYSd5hVpr8fsKKwm_cgreag2bHo2W71qNiw12NNlu9y_td-Fg/s400/P1030599.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Idel from Ireland and Malcolm from Scotland.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuN6iYqp1cMlYvkxU5iEvNFx1UeBJhTyrCfIp3VbzMcq7N_PM6JeYVj1Oi-SdoDWR-VP4VwKH_1HUFqhHxtjtd5vWMqcD-JvQOhNhcK3iz3olYl1c-sOd68Gwiz19Mk3rSvo/s1600/P1030600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuN6iYqp1cMlYvkxU5iEvNFx1UeBJhTyrCfIp3VbzMcq7N_PM6JeYVj1Oi-SdoDWR-VP4VwKH_1HUFqhHxtjtd5vWMqcD-JvQOhNhcK3iz3olYl1c-sOd68Gwiz19Mk3rSvo/s400/P1030600.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric from Nigeria.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hMORtNPoWLi2JaqA0RLX40G0ace6Z3RGdyJ1T6GHaO_0YQJHjY2FDDOWQ_T8IX4P2cTBX5SkDhGIHC21Zp9ZPuRUZlYm2JfpdiS86VJ1w6qsEI1BA65BGbKSWay7ZKZB7_k/s1600/P1030601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hMORtNPoWLi2JaqA0RLX40G0ace6Z3RGdyJ1T6GHaO_0YQJHjY2FDDOWQ_T8IX4P2cTBX5SkDhGIHC21Zp9ZPuRUZlYm2JfpdiS86VJ1w6qsEI1BA65BGbKSWay7ZKZB7_k/s400/P1030601.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Nachos" without nacho cheese?... um, yeah, nice try.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohwQQ1xWYvHg2p4iK8Vjx-1sm3XGGW5Zv8ICzhTS2H7Kf2uaUqV-ItzPUy3fGoypMQT9p3h-Q592-586Us9ZkGrm1GZ1LOc3kHHqfSVb0P3ySRdKgQxUQMhU7nIP1PQs3Wio/s1600/P1030602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohwQQ1xWYvHg2p4iK8Vjx-1sm3XGGW5Zv8ICzhTS2H7Kf2uaUqV-ItzPUy3fGoypMQT9p3h-Q592-586Us9ZkGrm1GZ1LOc3kHHqfSVb0P3ySRdKgQxUQMhU7nIP1PQs3Wio/s400/P1030602.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled tenderloin! First time I had beef in India! They used a LOT of pepper on this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQt2ii7XaYsWABG5ht5RR5dM35ao3S9GRPBDabdctB59gtiSKg7kbctxRZVoxVYVtZQ2OiNWBYBLO9YnITKHjLgV_CMj2lPn-8ZSCmCKtNNbdrJnWS95Zm5cFXDFidsKYO2M/s1600/P1030607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQt2ii7XaYsWABG5ht5RR5dM35ao3S9GRPBDabdctB59gtiSKg7kbctxRZVoxVYVtZQ2OiNWBYBLO9YnITKHjLgV_CMj2lPn-8ZSCmCKtNNbdrJnWS95Zm5cFXDFidsKYO2M/s400/P1030607.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shopping at Spencer Plaza Mall</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GBbq3AL17yDRicEaGxN5XJco3_IC2eiEvV-XEaYCH9Wgd1dgf6XNNavN0neHu14h52iVefBT0vfYetINftSzXyq7ASOV_UOnqk49iagqaRxfW4oTIZQ7wfpA-mw1x9KEz1k/s1600/P1030612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GBbq3AL17yDRicEaGxN5XJco3_IC2eiEvV-XEaYCH9Wgd1dgf6XNNavN0neHu14h52iVefBT0vfYetINftSzXyq7ASOV_UOnqk49iagqaRxfW4oTIZQ7wfpA-mw1x9KEz1k/s400/P1030612.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found Subway at Spencer Plaza. They have two separate lines for vegetarian and non-vegetarian.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAeJv1GgIF6lHyK8Wg-R-UXJyCD9SxobD0jwCij_BgO_JlOqMnTNbaAcTXwo0UmvWoE2fPJnli2RfGWgZH3Rp3zaBfwWkmCHey-2xy2VZeSNhKWjtccWhUIbd8lneSFDkoZM/s1600/P1030609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAeJv1GgIF6lHyK8Wg-R-UXJyCD9SxobD0jwCij_BgO_JlOqMnTNbaAcTXwo0UmvWoE2fPJnli2RfGWgZH3Rp3zaBfwWkmCHey-2xy2VZeSNhKWjtccWhUIbd8lneSFDkoZM/s400/P1030609.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiona and Rozemarijn at Subway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWXN06JoZnDSSV5D0geRW5om21sF5p35WDvwIrnSsk8x_ye2DJemikJbZxn65MPC-iuzPBXjyXY_aFIORpjRP936yjqwtlACRael-6rQGRrD8d6nfcnQKwfR8I3qbUVXxA5A/s1600/P1030610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWXN06JoZnDSSV5D0geRW5om21sF5p35WDvwIrnSsk8x_ye2DJemikJbZxn65MPC-iuzPBXjyXY_aFIORpjRP936yjqwtlACRael-6rQGRrD8d6nfcnQKwfR8I3qbUVXxA5A/s400/P1030610.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating my "Italian" sub with lamb salami and lamb pepperoni. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiv4xVHzVttsSOEh0CqpThHRtMbI2ofENVyPQwcqc8T6_jJWN_NZ2byjb_wt4irZDoxamXEbmm_Mukk9J0b8IhCooaN_GccauRI8Ddsz5JJx88T4Eu5eJFgW8NqnfoKeq74E/s1600/P1030613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiv4xVHzVttsSOEh0CqpThHRtMbI2ofENVyPQwcqc8T6_jJWN_NZ2byjb_wt4irZDoxamXEbmm_Mukk9J0b8IhCooaN_GccauRI8Ddsz5JJx88T4Eu5eJFgW8NqnfoKeq74E/s400/P1030613.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying on some hats.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDuKc1gnWJ-4AJDA8likfOtDUQgcV7kQ1pc4hsdvQbzKsdZRALBMLrL6ox6u9ieFwN-6wvD5u66A1uXtKZINg_c0GhxnYTaTlc-veQOeNVHIMotEkL_9fkJTp0KoMLzjEg1Q/s1600/P1030618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDuKc1gnWJ-4AJDA8likfOtDUQgcV7kQ1pc4hsdvQbzKsdZRALBMLrL6ox6u9ieFwN-6wvD5u66A1uXtKZINg_c0GhxnYTaTlc-veQOeNVHIMotEkL_9fkJTp0KoMLzjEg1Q/s400/P1030618.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Danish girls and a German girl traveling by rickshaw.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzD46avbZZ_HBS_7RVNBfpTjXfEB44pNMtWbbfH6qR4_3k6Uf7f7CYCeEn3qTfFcQycTJOLnTRplZ7kRFu6WwYNOzI6gsVVAcrjEH2viCP95NRt8yF6Aurk2ryPXI6gwM5e0k/s1600/P1030630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzD46avbZZ_HBS_7RVNBfpTjXfEB44pNMtWbbfH6qR4_3k6Uf7f7CYCeEn3qTfFcQycTJOLnTRplZ7kRFu6WwYNOzI6gsVVAcrjEH2viCP95NRt8yF6Aurk2ryPXI6gwM5e0k/s400/P1030630.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crammed into a rickshaw. There were five in the back, and I shared a seat with the driver.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDMKy9SPR87kcgaIbm4xc1tfUx-Imjbm-uYxVnEfE18tmcF5ahO3jBHHLImoVjq5FOUYY4XnGAPTS82cugdJzHn4y0VYHR-bKyDuqHbAYk3JCcl8tXAj_W69c7fPtzD51dRI/s1600/P1030620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDMKy9SPR87kcgaIbm4xc1tfUx-Imjbm-uYxVnEfE18tmcF5ahO3jBHHLImoVjq5FOUYY4XnGAPTS82cugdJzHn4y0VYHR-bKyDuqHbAYk3JCcl8tXAj_W69c7fPtzD51dRI/s400/P1030620.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Sofie from Denmark at Copper Chimney Restaurant. Food here was really good. I highly recommend it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vIxzlU21LkiJDr-BiYgHZ5aKF8wQLx9fn7QVw7w_trdGQzRZ5X66jDwf9vJSlKNK2ZRG7ORYYXEeDzVL2lx70Nv6o6lyk0uEqk10wPHzgsn4y7dz9MHi8XonMxmFVEb9EQE/s1600/P1030621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vIxzlU21LkiJDr-BiYgHZ5aKF8wQLx9fn7QVw7w_trdGQzRZ5X66jDwf9vJSlKNK2ZRG7ORYYXEeDzVL2lx70Nv6o6lyk0uEqk10wPHzgsn4y7dz9MHi8XonMxmFVEb9EQE/s400/P1030621.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vigga and Anne from Denmark.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbS5mJCg9WMC-UEZQiUZb70y_BeAKjBt6S_TNu4ggrm7yt_j0TNwMqWGK_ZrsGRwcqRHPm-Fzg9Plo8lyi-Rrckt2sSD7bcV-SRG8bM7ZV_FJ7j18ONVkeXYSvX7oGrEBB48/s1600/P1030622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbS5mJCg9WMC-UEZQiUZb70y_BeAKjBt6S_TNu4ggrm7yt_j0TNwMqWGK_ZrsGRwcqRHPm-Fzg9Plo8lyi-Rrckt2sSD7bcV-SRG8bM7ZV_FJ7j18ONVkeXYSvX7oGrEBB48/s400/P1030622.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric, Idel, and Clionr.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvn5yZMDlQsbv42a4ZMbQ0UWe9znkvU9BtiLT_lGg30nC38lm9HrCaGtXoNh3Atkzge8pvcxp-vO4tHL2XJrceyFc3TL6DH7NkBCG01tdR-GXvFqKXLMFoSOcxnwvUXlJ3U4o/s1600/P1030628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvn5yZMDlQsbv42a4ZMbQ0UWe9znkvU9BtiLT_lGg30nC38lm9HrCaGtXoNh3Atkzge8pvcxp-vO4tHL2XJrceyFc3TL6DH7NkBCG01tdR-GXvFqKXLMFoSOcxnwvUXlJ3U4o/s400/P1030628.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne and her chicken kabobs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbOfd9bVrzR2cGZr4YSjNPMyQjq_ola-m92I7mUY6XxJlBZ4RqQn6rqk4j-Uz0QHqQ0BF3Cgqhc2N_QfvM5y0xuSmFHmBLTKCHeI7bZNYNzEqw3v-0TSFBYmr0sWPMGulkEs/s1600/P1030629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbOfd9bVrzR2cGZr4YSjNPMyQjq_ola-m92I7mUY6XxJlBZ4RqQn6rqk4j-Uz0QHqQ0BF3Cgqhc2N_QfvM5y0xuSmFHmBLTKCHeI7bZNYNzEqw3v-0TSFBYmr0sWPMGulkEs/s400/P1030629.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My prawn curry. It was delicious.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZT-W-lug3ttX4BFiR4H57dBTDZ2KQHmMZyG81I1WrSi_j2WMyWs8WF9gX91wU9-8lptPSOb-6xqE2Gyxriq1MF5BLqi5P-VyIS-eZ-JhzqLuunFCXa5Z2wX18qLpsaL81nU/s1600/P1030635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZT-W-lug3ttX4BFiR4H57dBTDZ2KQHmMZyG81I1WrSi_j2WMyWs8WF9gX91wU9-8lptPSOb-6xqE2Gyxriq1MF5BLqi5P-VyIS-eZ-JhzqLuunFCXa5Z2wX18qLpsaL81nU/s400/P1030635.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brownie with ice cream at the movie theater... yummm...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJwT2jIP5vytMTpzF5oyyTIzjTLCqsgF-EJ-RAaUhpSVm4CAowyucqQRYfdv50fpsnA2qggvpoHBDWwuDRqHzMXMl_E-H60eLM2YXi8WrT0C9AiUEQabrz9U1w0eTjs6UTmA/s1600/P1030636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJwT2jIP5vytMTpzF5oyyTIzjTLCqsgF-EJ-RAaUhpSVm4CAowyucqQRYfdv50fpsnA2qggvpoHBDWwuDRqHzMXMl_E-H60eLM2YXi8WrT0C9AiUEQabrz9U1w0eTjs6UTmA/s400/P1030636.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting breakfast at Vasanta Bhavan on Sunday morning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKK8lhvd6LXs_VtVibUaanZVnGgZCXGIpbBdKSgvozjtNw4VAJonbwb2CnhCaOUCHU7dkjCF5ZIFvxXrcNf0unhMOknAEhfs3lJkiKdldNlIW0fS3f90cdLqltt_iKMUllG0/s1600/P1030637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKK8lhvd6LXs_VtVibUaanZVnGgZCXGIpbBdKSgvozjtNw4VAJonbwb2CnhCaOUCHU7dkjCF5ZIFvxXrcNf0unhMOknAEhfs3lJkiKdldNlIW0fS3f90cdLqltt_iKMUllG0/s400/P1030637.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghee roast for breakfast. It's basically a thin crispy crepe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbfcP32HbaALcwnPFt0-SmUS3EevmXfuA10CLjwCtq13wbG6q_XMB6HRbEroXl04C4nVDVDC9Nmo6Hwq1v02zo8WfyVfZXV96mq3KFnSl-QuJDBS47tmpMfINhpQ3H3A4J68/s1600/P1030638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbfcP32HbaALcwnPFt0-SmUS3EevmXfuA10CLjwCtq13wbG6q_XMB6HRbEroXl04C4nVDVDC9Nmo6Hwq1v02zo8WfyVfZXV96mq3KFnSl-QuJDBS47tmpMfINhpQ3H3A4J68/s400/P1030638.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annelie, Eric, Idel, and Clionr at breakfast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMCUU0mlE7uJb_oO9K4SGcdzLSsoKotJju6ffhidRDGJIAHsMa0_Y68F7isJghhhP2PWQAa2Va8-Zer5MzVB7wK9VNVv1vQkv2TeAxO9ozn13C9deMwxufMyfLRGF_05dn9g/s1600/P1030639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMCUU0mlE7uJb_oO9K4SGcdzLSsoKotJju6ffhidRDGJIAHsMa0_Y68F7isJghhhP2PWQAa2Va8-Zer5MzVB7wK9VNVv1vQkv2TeAxO9ozn13C9deMwxufMyfLRGF_05dn9g/s400/P1030639.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More photo from breakfast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZXq3_65K8yyyO8YrEdBFAhAoxUZGlx5ktHHlkDH0i1WpbjSjhtY-b5rO2VQn92xdfyMmFx-8fatx0C-i_kRGs2BSwOSs_2RWgCamWKh8BhHsGrDeLZoI_hThBOwfXcRLgZ8/s1600/P1030640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZXq3_65K8yyyO8YrEdBFAhAoxUZGlx5ktHHlkDH0i1WpbjSjhtY-b5rO2VQn92xdfyMmFx-8fatx0C-i_kRGs2BSwOSs_2RWgCamWKh8BhHsGrDeLZoI_hThBOwfXcRLgZ8/s400/P1030640.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With David and Warren from Northern Ireland.<br />
This one is for Laura, our mutual friend in N. Ireland, whom I met in Haiti few years ago.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyjSGItslEvcaOGsiCJg549WPQx4l7mOcIALNpn8OEqi8fIlxMyiVn30CWX50-3Eletqtz3B_5jpR4SuTwUCxm6yZ8qL3D9t_6OO7BklIuMSXg5GPrIk4MJhZittBSau6wWQ/s1600/P1030641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyjSGItslEvcaOGsiCJg549WPQx4l7mOcIALNpn8OEqi8fIlxMyiVn30CWX50-3Eletqtz3B_5jpR4SuTwUCxm6yZ8qL3D9t_6OO7BklIuMSXg5GPrIk4MJhZittBSau6wWQ/s400/P1030641.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way back to Vellore.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fJyLXljgV79q9njqPVpYWG_6SIM0qEBbkL8TBc_RwZAQDVIe30xZp2XN2TR_lsf39-QHT_hPsMOt3vUcmWZ5l0w3fBrq5fmWK-qThDqST3M8d0NvxHPV4ptC0WHjVyCSaV4/s1600/P1030642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fJyLXljgV79q9njqPVpYWG_6SIM0qEBbkL8TBc_RwZAQDVIe30xZp2XN2TR_lsf39-QHT_hPsMOt3vUcmWZ5l0w3fBrq5fmWK-qThDqST3M8d0NvxHPV4ptC0WHjVyCSaV4/s400/P1030642.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took three buses to get back home.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibccNYuWU-OMq_tOJ8EtZtnYJ5ssNc-DZ6eioxP7YyB0QwzcvDsWHxZltnhz4aoj4oxPjoNH5nKxmsX6ONIWdqUxWcj2CF4GVLgUHvPUv1wv4fqXlBY4MrkJVoOzdqgYRAtZE/s1600/P1030647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibccNYuWU-OMq_tOJ8EtZtnYJ5ssNc-DZ6eioxP7YyB0QwzcvDsWHxZltnhz4aoj4oxPjoNH5nKxmsX6ONIWdqUxWcj2CF4GVLgUHvPUv1wv4fqXlBY4MrkJVoOzdqgYRAtZE/s400/P1030647.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure who she is, but billboards like these with her faces were everywhere for several miles on our way back from Chennai.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdpS4BRzOzcHR83o3EXUsWOvABCn8cDOfPxibd_iHc1cugarLQ7miUIF8_5S302d6h5ILpf3s5TJG_sWmwTn6_5vtXyQWahU4NXorjkOqYL-8lRMFYpCn8zfxRyHRYU4qaxk/s1600/P1030648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdpS4BRzOzcHR83o3EXUsWOvABCn8cDOfPxibd_iHc1cugarLQ7miUIF8_5S302d6h5ILpf3s5TJG_sWmwTn6_5vtXyQWahU4NXorjkOqYL-8lRMFYpCn8zfxRyHRYU4qaxk/s400/P1030648.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A colorful building with the same lady's face posted all over. Can someone tell me who she is?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Some random signs we found at the mall:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-TiHyOUT1DYSAQTMWl58wtMxkYUD6yjZHXL_myLMR-DxURA0Y2IF30DxocH5UyfZa76ivE46HrPVNHpGAGkcr4AYdxGSaKbEGdKRcWeil9stGYiCyE6RYfpFGQWiULMY660/s1600/P1030611.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-TiHyOUT1DYSAQTMWl58wtMxkYUD6yjZHXL_myLMR-DxURA0Y2IF30DxocH5UyfZa76ivE46HrPVNHpGAGkcr4AYdxGSaKbEGdKRcWeil9stGYiCyE6RYfpFGQWiULMY660/s400/P1030611.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qJNH0WyOgAaPCtWyb3NLqg2jugJJBaEMa6G626OzDb6SYRWqKUtB9QrNlocGuzHfEZA8NjeJ4VCqi-mUlN9QeVwOst_99DY3tGKDPrSr6x0gR-G-PG33-Bh9YQIAsnmVDdE/s1600/P1030615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qJNH0WyOgAaPCtWyb3NLqg2jugJJBaEMa6G626OzDb6SYRWqKUtB9QrNlocGuzHfEZA8NjeJ4VCqi-mUlN9QeVwOst_99DY3tGKDPrSr6x0gR-G-PG33-Bh9YQIAsnmVDdE/s400/P1030615.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-88001764408816222842010-08-17T12:23:00.000-05:002010-08-17T12:23:45.171-05:00Traveling On a Two-WheelerEver since I decided that I would be frequenting the swimming pool (about 15-minute walk from my apartment), I had been on a quest to find a bicycle. I looked around the market near the hospital, and found out that new ones cost at least Rs2500-2800 ($55-60), which is a bit much considering I'll only be using it for a year.<br />
<br />
Then one day I saw a bicycle under the stairs at the apartment, and I thought, "Surely our landlady (who is 93 years old) couldn't use that bike..." So I asked her who's bike it was, and she told me I could use it!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1fYhuZHHv5xX9V1vLd7j0vYMatZrgs3Z69_R1ik8Zfkc_zEtkKhc5k0gIIwfMeVxsOm_pSYZctirhhZdMnroADus131KU1kf0J2ZQz76P5f-XWf5iNQ8Pt0CLhqaGsmHOoQ/s1600/P1030557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1fYhuZHHv5xX9V1vLd7j0vYMatZrgs3Z69_R1ik8Zfkc_zEtkKhc5k0gIIwfMeVxsOm_pSYZctirhhZdMnroADus131KU1kf0J2ZQz76P5f-XWf5iNQ8Pt0CLhqaGsmHOoQ/s320/P1030557.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "new" bike!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The next day I took the bike to a bike shop near the pool. I got the tires pumped, the bell fixed, and the brake pads replaced. The bike mechanic here is quite amazing. He replaced the brake pads in no time, and I was really impressed when he fixed the bell with a hammer and pliers. And he charged me a very nominal fee for everything. My bike is still a bit rusty here and there, so I'll probably be taking it back to the shop soon.<br />
<br />
Traveling by bike here is quite dangerous, or so it seems, with all the traffic and crazy drivers. But so far I haven't felt too dangerous riding my bike around. Everyone here honks their horns superfluously, so I always I know when they are right behind me and about to pass by (although I'm really glad I have a reliable break). Now with the working bell on my bike, I can join in on the "honking" fun and warn the pedestrians when I pass them by (although so far no one has turned around when I ring the bell).<br />
<br />
It's definitely nice having a bike. I can now go to the pool or campus in couple minutes. I could even go to the pool just to take a shower there so I could save water at my apartment (of course I wouldn't do that, but I've been taking a shower there every time I use the pool).<br />
<br />
This evening I went to the pool, and afterwards stopped by the campus canteen and ate dinner with a bunch of international students. You can actually order food from <a href="http://doxadeo.blogspot.com/2010/08/darling-residency.html">Darling Residency</a>, and have it delivered to the canteen every night, so a lot of the students eat at the canteen at 8PM. I'll probably be visiting the canteen quite a bit now that it's a lot more accessible.<br />
<br />
I probably sound like I'm just socializing, going to the pool, and not getting any work done... which isn't too far from the truth, but I am starting to get some really good ideas for a research project. I've been reading some articles and meeting with people, which I'll probably be doing for the next... 10 months or so. Everything's still up in the air, so I won't write about it until things start to take some shape.<br />
<br />
In any case, praise God for a bike!<br />
<br />
And here's one of my favorites:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/1159587965947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/1159587965947.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/01/25/invisible-bike-2/">icanhascheezburger.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-40236966783683016892010-08-14T22:54:00.000-05:002010-08-14T22:54:04.716-05:00Ten Days Down, Ten Months To GoI can't believe I've only been here for 11 days now. Seems like it's been much longer. I've settled in fairly quickly, and I feel pretty comfortable getting around places and finding things on my own. I didn't even feel any jet-lag at all (getting lots of sunlight in the morning really works)! I've seen quite a few things and met many people in the past several days. It makes me wonder how much more there is to come in the next 10 months.<br />
<br />
Although, I have to admit, I don't feel like I've gotten much done in terms of work yet. I only have a vague idea what I might want to research. I still need to meet with more people, read more papers, and figure out what might be a good project to work on with the limited amount of time that I have. I hope that I'll find something exciting, and that I'll have a productive year.<br />
<br />
By the way, today (15th of August) is India's Independence Day. So, Happy Independence Day, India!!<br />
<br />
In a completely unrelated news (or maybe it is related to adjusting to life in India), this morning I had my first formed stool since coming to India. TMI? I know, but it's a great news for me so I had to share it. :P There're always many things to thank God for.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-35585486456754096672010-08-12T10:36:00.000-05:002010-08-12T10:36:32.719-05:00Darling Residency<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWogFCdpWpagIDyKvR1tJsW-5pKKgxkg_z4hccB-9D6qx2uCcMMFj0du0Z6HJ-6p0yQr182GP_lrWEF5MNv0sXq9CbAINwsRw1MLVV4HfQqgdYqhVkby5xkv2MIdUB5UBbXY/s1600/DarlingResidency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWogFCdpWpagIDyKvR1tJsW-5pKKgxkg_z4hccB-9D6qx2uCcMMFj0du0Z6HJ-6p0yQr182GP_lrWEF5MNv0sXq9CbAINwsRw1MLVV4HfQqgdYqhVkby5xkv2MIdUB5UBbXY/s320/DarlingResidency.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darling Residency (photo from its Facebook page).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Every Wednesday night, many of the international students (about 30 or so) gather to eat at a rooftop restaurant in a hotel called Darling Residency. It's another great opportunity (<a href="http://doxadeo.blogspot.com/2010/08/europe-in-vellore.html">other than the swimming pool</a>) to meet with people from around the world.<br />
<br />
This week I met students from Malaysia, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, and Canada in addition to the ones I met last week, who are from Austria, Nigeria, Australia, UK, France, and Denmark. It's been a bit of a challenge learning their names (and I'm sure they have just as much difficulty with mine), but it's been a lot of fun learning about them and the places they come from.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIub7v7g6D5r7MXNPkKRdxLrj82PwvNcbf9453ZgAt2Lu5M7CBtmhLqKobj0qgPSH4dILdj6UQyw4MJWEWNuPkIWCBfoQl1ONzyEvv9ZEJSSFOCr9pONHjFRizs9rwGJMtmiw/s1600/P1030531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIub7v7g6D5r7MXNPkKRdxLrj82PwvNcbf9453ZgAt2Lu5M7CBtmhLqKobj0qgPSH4dILdj6UQyw4MJWEWNuPkIWCBfoQl1ONzyEvv9ZEJSSFOCr9pONHjFRizs9rwGJMtmiw/s320/P1030531.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mixed Sizzler.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Darlings serves quite a variety of dishes (mostly Indian and Chinese), and they are fairly descent (and more importantly, clean). This week I decided to go for one of the most expensive dishes (although it was still only Rs220, about $4.80) called Mixed Sizzler. Basically they put a bunch of stuff (chicken, lamb, prawn, fish) with gravy, and serve them on a sizzling platter. Interestingly, the menu says it comes with "ice cubes & butter" and we were all curious to find out what that was about. That was really the main reason I ordered it, but disappointingly I didn't see any ice cubes or butter. Although, it did make quite a sizzling noise when they brought it. It's a small place, so the entire restaurant could hear it coming.<br />
<br />
In any case, I like coming to Darlings because I get to meet new people, not so much for the food. International students come and go throughout the year, so I'll probably get to meet a lot of people during my time here. By the end of it Lucy and I could be experts on Darling's menu.<br />
<br />
Here are some more photos from the night:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvIpjgEDEPnq0jqHHQcvYuwCqKgoMosNSzabOu9L_RvsAwLXuOm3JrWi8EP880KG_uCo5vTZWCkfto-tc6XBDB6k_NCta2u4IY-jsKNvX4B27hf7Aft7nQBrNuixDLOUODtE/s1600/P1030533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvIpjgEDEPnq0jqHHQcvYuwCqKgoMosNSzabOu9L_RvsAwLXuOm3JrWi8EP880KG_uCo5vTZWCkfto-tc6XBDB6k_NCta2u4IY-jsKNvX4B27hf7Aft7nQBrNuixDLOUODtE/s400/P1030533.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Med students from Malaysia and UK.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqneQxKqcaLP4NnMFpTXajxlFwTJuNdJJmU1czM9b3D3yIctaNpbH9cBKBHN5N71cCU31SnMTnKLxMwpEsjz40-RP2-pdFjYwINjuYHjrGCXERADTEvRjD75j2sYnBs4zwN0/s1600/P1030534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqneQxKqcaLP4NnMFpTXajxlFwTJuNdJJmU1czM9b3D3yIctaNpbH9cBKBHN5N71cCU31SnMTnKLxMwpEsjz40-RP2-pdFjYwINjuYHjrGCXERADTEvRjD75j2sYnBs4zwN0/s400/P1030534.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shellva from Malaysia, me and Florian from Austria.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVADhSbJ3cEiyk0-j2XH8kQopMyDO5vmQ5ukyDeAAM80juOlgN3EqKGTuqmGs_K4bwALVJhSYjX4LQMBZHIpWdIWH0aBE60IiKy-XA0nj2UWy9amKdSKCdethhlwHJgBw0Q4/s1600/P1030536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVADhSbJ3cEiyk0-j2XH8kQopMyDO5vmQ5ukyDeAAM80juOlgN3EqKGTuqmGs_K4bwALVJhSYjX4LQMBZHIpWdIWH0aBE60IiKy-XA0nj2UWy9amKdSKCdethhlwHJgBw0Q4/s400/P1030536.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy from Boston and James from Australia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICewXFtOV-IsXXTEWzrWwHSAmcFgErg701BMlwaUNXf4tH8vcq57XrH80HN78_bR7Fx5xIIkGITBQijsR__LP0TGksDn2JUhe66RpMpZijs2C6V_fCLFF1eIj6zdnBOc8mWs/s1600/P1030537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICewXFtOV-IsXXTEWzrWwHSAmcFgErg701BMlwaUNXf4tH8vcq57XrH80HN78_bR7Fx5xIIkGITBQijsR__LP0TGksDn2JUhe66RpMpZijs2C6V_fCLFF1eIj6zdnBOc8mWs/s400/P1030537.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three midwifery students from Denmark and Craig from Canada. (Sorry Eric, I cut you off accidentally.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-87274277320206706632010-08-10T11:55:00.011-05:002010-08-10T21:49:50.220-05:00Urban Slums<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-ecXLPqly11HOF47W7FCpaVZCe-qqDPURCOlN8o4mYJH55DWnj0CjMGtDnsQANzmukENGOKQGsJitW-U8B9_w7_VvEFJL_mFbVbbNX5ZdMu8ZvSR54o6kfnsqefDoxNEt2k/s1600/P1030518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-ecXLPqly11HOF47W7FCpaVZCe-qqDPURCOlN8o4mYJH55DWnj0CjMGtDnsQANzmukENGOKQGsJitW-U8B9_w7_VvEFJL_mFbVbbNX5ZdMu8ZvSR54o6kfnsqefDoxNEt2k/s320/P1030518.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding in the back of a motorcycle... without a helmet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Most of the morning today was spent in one of the urban slum areas where the two cohort studies on cryptococcal diarrhea are done. Lucy and I had to each ride on the back of a motorcycle to get there because apparently it's very difficult to get around the area by car. We visited homes where children are enrolled in the studies. It was quite interesting to see the environments where people live. Even within the same area, there were big contrasts in living conditions among homes.<br />
<br />
We also spent some time at one of the pediatric clinics, and observed a local pediatrician while she saw some patients. Most of the kids seemed to have upper respiratory infections.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwKXBve2Ucy82nxzA5uT0BrB9-cAy3SYEfxRA6jk-e8TSuaT-zfNBg8ineZj1HpTaANzP0LXtBNPTgfmDWTjJxU7fVY_rM9jIkmNVUR1rjKPcJMeYKAzGsV4wSDkKy_dFs_w/s1600/P1030515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwKXBve2Ucy82nxzA5uT0BrB9-cAy3SYEfxRA6jk-e8TSuaT-zfNBg8ineZj1HpTaANzP0LXtBNPTgfmDWTjJxU7fVY_rM9jIkmNVUR1rjKPcJMeYKAzGsV4wSDkKy_dFs_w/s320/P1030515.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy on a motorcycle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In the afternoon, we went to the Low Cost Effective Care Unit (LCECU), and met with Dr. Sushil John, who is one of the family medicine doctors there. LCECU provides care to the poor in the local urban slum at very low cost, and if they need a costly procedure or therapy, patients pay whatever they can, and the clinic helps find funding for them. Dr. Sushil gave us a little powerpoint presentation about LCECU which got me really excited, because it was all about what I want to do as a physician in the future. So I hope to learn as much as I can from LCECU this year, and apply it to my future practice wherever I may be.<br />
<br />
After the presentation, we walked around the area near the LCECU, and met some of Dr. Sushil's patients at their homes. As we walked, he said things like "That man there has hypertension... this lady walking towards us had a baby with myelomeningocele... the man who lives here is an alcoholic... this boy has seizure disorder..." It was as if he knew everyone in the area, and it seemed everyone knew him too. People came up to him left and right with their charts just to update him on how they were doing, and he explained to us what were the issues with each of them.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCTKTOFfz7Hpt23dlIlBw9NhWKG-PAGNKk9GQta47elBLcsoVlh39Cr_oYrNzMYacp4i-vWbYd-urmVoouv5GsrHLfHs8W45ix_3IkCSflDpRVseh6OuggNzFd56OIyzunrM/s1600/P1030522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCTKTOFfz7Hpt23dlIlBw9NhWKG-PAGNKk9GQta47elBLcsoVlh39Cr_oYrNzMYacp4i-vWbYd-urmVoouv5GsrHLfHs8W45ix_3IkCSflDpRVseh6OuggNzFd56OIyzunrM/s320/P1030522.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Low Cost Effective Care Unit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Interestingly, patients at LCECU keep their charts with them at their homes, so when doctors from LCECU do home visits they would have their charts right there. It also saves the clinic a lot of money by not having to keep medical records. Dr. Sushil admitted that there maybe legal issues elsewhere, but here, having charts at patient's home is a very cost effective way that puts patient's care first. I definitely want to spend more time at LCECU during my year in India.<br />
<br />
The long day was completed with a quick dip in the pool and meeting with some more international med students.<br />
<br />
Praise God for another exciting day!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-19467394427834992062010-08-09T11:32:00.000-05:002010-08-09T11:32:15.328-05:00Shopping SpreeThis week Lucy and I are meeting with various doctors and research officers to get a feel for the type of research projects we might want to work on. In the morning we headed over to the CMC hospital and met with Dhivya Anbu, who is a PhD candidate working on probiotics trial for prevention of diarrhea caused by rotavirus and cryptosporidium spp. In the afternoon we met with Dr. Rajiv Sarkar and Deepthi Kattula at Community Health Training Center (CHTC) on CMC campus. They were Fogarty scholars in the past years, and their research involves cryptosporidium in children (e.g. change in immune response over time in chronically infected children). Because our mentor Dr. Kang is in the gastrointestinal department, much of their research pertains to diarrheal diseases.<br />
<br />
I have a lot of personal experience with diarrheal diseases (parasitic in particular), so I would definitely be interested in doing research in that field. We're scheduled to meet with people from other departments, so I'm excited to see what opportunities are out there as well. I can already tell that I'm going to have a hard time deciding on a project (or two) because there are so many different options here.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71uu-m73aCQxLUORyGQDlKS4IYcP4ZgQz5VPFMAfHlOEBxlGBmoG_8Fd0jMx-KnorIKx2KwG0Cj0WyP19wQM62UPJBGlN0iXA38CVyTFeLnDC8onuEcsnQTnUNC1qcLYb7Bs/s1600/P1030506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71uu-m73aCQxLUORyGQDlKS4IYcP4ZgQz5VPFMAfHlOEBxlGBmoG_8Fd0jMx-KnorIKx2KwG0Cj0WyP19wQM62UPJBGlN0iXA38CVyTFeLnDC8onuEcsnQTnUNC1qcLYb7Bs/s320/P1030506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harish Bakery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After our meeting with Dhivya in the morning, I went to the Eye Hospital to pick up my new pair of glasses (I can SEE now!). Then I walked over to Harish Bakery (my new favorite bakery in town) for lunch and got a variety of savory baked goods to go (I like their "puffs").<br />
<br />
Next to the bakery is the Harish Grocery Store where you can get lots of imported food, toiletries, and household items (at marked up prices, of course). So I bought some food and a bunch of other stuff, such as insecticide spray, body wash, and hair conditioner (yes, guys use conditioners too... right? How else am I supposed to keep my hair nice and silky?).<br />
<br />
One of the surprisingly expensive things in India is toilet paper. Four rolls of TP cost Rs180 (about $4.00)!<br />
<br />
After our meeting with Dr. Sarkar and Deepthi this afternoon, I went over to the CMC College Store for more groceries, and stopped by the street vendors for some fruits and vegetables. I also got a new pair of sandals for Rs150 (compared to Rs180 for 4 rolls of TP).<br />
<br />
One thing I couldn't find anywhere was insect repellent spray. The best I could find was insect repellent cream at the College Store. I'm not too worried about malaria since it's not endemic in Vellore, but I definitely don't want dengue fever.<br />
<br />
I still need to buy some slacks and short-sleeve button-up shirts since a lot of men wear those to work here. I would wear shorts and t-shirts with flip-flops everywhere everyday, but I probably should try not to stand out too much.<br />
<br />
Praise God for another great day in India! I actually felt pretty productive today, learning about all these research projects and getting a lot of shopping done. One thing missing from the day is a trip to the swimming pool, which unfortunately is closed on Mondays.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-27184558250759888902010-08-08T12:23:00.001-05:002010-08-08T12:23:52.540-05:00Europe in VelloreSundays are our days off, so Lucy and I spent couple hours at the swimming pool in the afternoon. It costs Rs200* to use the pool for a day, but we both got a 1-year membership, so we can go there everyday if we had time.<br /><br />The pool is one of the main hubs for the many foreigners that come to Vellore (mostly med students rotating at CMC). So I got to meet several people from the UK, France, and Denmark. It was nice and refreshing to meet a bunch of people from various places. The place is well isolated from the outside world that, with all these Europeans, it almost felt like I wasn't in India any more. It's definitely a nice little getaway (and it's only a 15-minute walk from our apartment!).<br /><br />Since we haven't started our research projects yet, I feel like I've been on an extended vacation... haha. I'm sure I'll get busy with work soon enough. I should enjoy this free time while I can.<br /><br />After the pool I went to church service on CMC Campus. I came in couple minutes late because I thought the service was at another place, and when I sat down, I noticed that everyone around me were female. So for a second I thought I must have sat in the female section (not that I knew if there was one, but recently I found out that the seats on the left side of public buses are reserved for women). After a quick look-around, I realized that about 85% of the congregation were female. So I figured I was in the right place. It turns out all the nursing students were there, and they usually attend chapel at the CMC Hospital (which is different from Campus).<br /><br />After chapel Lucy and I went to Dr. Kang's house, which is on CMC campus, for dinner. It was really nice getting to know her and her husband in a casual setting.<br /><br />It was definitely a nice relaxing Sunday.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />------------------<br /><br />*Rs = rupees; Rs200 is about $4.35.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-48663662552527397852010-08-07T05:30:00.001-05:002010-08-07T05:30:27.963-05:00GlassesSomehow I've had the worst luck with glasses in the past few weeks... (actually I should say worst luck in general, considering my horrible <a href="http://doxadeo.blogspot.com/2010/08/traveler-nightmare.html">travel experience</a> and the incident at the Potomac River).<br /><br />Last month I lost my pair of glasses (along with my camera) in the Potomac while kayaking, so my mom sent me one of my older pairs with weaker prescription while I was in Oklahoma.<br /><br />Yesterday after getting out of the swimming pool, my glasses slipped out of my bag onto the floor (only about 2ft below), and one of the arms snapped off. I have no idea how that could happen, but it did.<br /><br />So after meeting with our PI Dr. Gagandeep Kang this morning, I went to the CMC Eye Hospital, got an eye exam, and ordered a new pair of glasses. It should be ready by Monday. Until then I'll have to wear my broken glasses without one of its arms.<br /><br />I was actually planning to get a new pair of glasses in India, and now that my backup pair is broken, I was able to get a new pair urgently. So perhaps the glasses braking was a blessing in disguise.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-34711282038639702342010-08-06T23:00:00.000-05:002010-08-07T03:28:30.191-05:00CMC TourThis morning Lucy (other Fogarty scholar) and I took the public bus to the CMC Hospital, and had a tour of the place. I was quite impressed with the facility. It made me wonder if I could work in a place like this one day, or even start a hospital like CMC somewhere. It was definitely inspiring.<br />
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In the afternoon we went for a swim at a swimming pool nearby. The place is very clean and well kept. We swam for about an hour, and now I'm exhausted. I'm so out of shape.<br />
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I need to start exercising again now that I'm not in med school... which means I no longer have an excuse (as if I ever had one).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India12.93 79.1312.8463455 79.01327049999999 13.0136545 79.2467295tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-35139401738932208792010-08-05T23:00:00.001-05:002010-08-07T03:14:00.334-05:00LuggageI got both of my checked bags today! I had to take a 5-hour round trip to Chennai on a cab, but clearing customs was relatively painless. They put zip-ties on zippers of checked bags and wrap them in these huge plastic sheets here. I suppose it's to prevent people from stealing stuff out of the bags.<br />
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Thank God I have clean underwear now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India13.013924052026571 79.09400939941406212.93029805202657 78.977279899414057 13.097550052026572 79.210738899414068tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-80411844604811872732010-08-04T23:04:00.001-05:002010-08-07T03:05:44.870-05:00Traveler's NightmareAfter a series of unfortunate events, I'm finally at my apartment in Vellore!! But my luggages are still in Mumbai...<br />
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So the past 40 hours or so of traveling has been an example of what NOT to do when you travel to India (or most places abroad). Basically, I missed my flight from Mumbai to Chennai, bought a new ticket, and waited until morning for the next flight. When I arrived in Chennai I realized that I had left my checked bags in Mumbai! I guess I didn't realize how absent-minded I could be after a 15-hour flight from Newark to Mumbai. So before you ask "What were you thinking?" let me answer you in advance: I wish I knew!<br />
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I'll spare you the details but will share with you some of the lessons that I learned:<br />
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1. Keep your carryon-bags under 40 lb. Otherwise you maybe forced to pay extra and/or get a 5-min lecture on why having a heavy carry-on is dangerous (I got away with just the latter).<br />
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2. Keep your checked bags under 50 lb (or whatever airline's limit is). Usually you can get away with 2 or 3 extra pounds, but some people are very picky, and will ask you to take stuff out until it's exactly 50.0 lb.<br />
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3. Be aware that you can become very disoriented, absent-minded, and careless after a long flight. Try to think straight, and don't assume things. Don't forget common sense.<br />
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4. When traveling internationally pick up your luggage from baggage claim and clear customs at the port of entry (e.g. Mumbai), even if some Continental Airline staff tells you that they will go straight to your final destination (e.g. Chennai).<br />
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5. Don't exchange currency at the first foreign exchange booth you find. Find couple others, and compare their rates. There can be huge differences.<br />
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6. In some parts of the world (e.g. India), you can't checkin to your flight until couple hours before the flight, and some flights have designated counters. But just because the flight doesn't have a designated counter number, don't wait until 30 minutes before the flight to see if you can check in. You have to check in at least 45 minutes before the flight, and you can go to any counter as long as the flight is open for checkin.<br />
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7. Don't put cash in a clear ziplock bag and put it in the outside pocket of your luggage. And don't be careless to think that it won't get stolen, because it will. Keep cash with you.<br />
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Learn from my mistakes and hopefully you won't have to go through what I did!<br />
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In any case, praise God I've arrived safely!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India12.93 79.1312.8463455 79.01327049999999 13.0136545 79.2467295tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-50262543036869110312010-07-25T23:06:00.009-05:002010-07-27T09:08:52.676-05:00ConsolidationNow that I'm about to travel to India, I'm going to start blogging again. I've combined this blog with my old Haiti blog (<a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Zanmi Haiti</a>), and redesigned it to simplify things a little. From now on I'll be posting on this blog for all general topics, rather than making a new blog each time I travel. I never got to finish writing about my Haiti experience, but hopefully I'll be able to keep it up this time.<br />
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I'll be flying to India on August 2, and will be spending about 10 months in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Vellore,+Tamil+Nadu,+India&sll=13.060416,80.249634&sspn=0.261533,0.371475&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Vellore,+Tamil+Nadu,+India&t=h&z=13" target="_blank">Vellore</a> for an intensive clinical research training at <a href="http://www.cmch-vellore.edu/" target="_blank">Christian Medical College</a> through <a href="http://www.fogartyscholars.org/scholars/international-clinical-research-scholars-program" target="_blank">Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars Program</a>. I'm so blessed to have such an amazing opportunity! Praise God!<br />
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Stay tuned for updates!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-57895706571269318572008-08-02T23:05:00.000-05:002010-07-25T19:47:06.783-05:00I'm BackJust wanted to let you all know that I'm now back home in California. I will be working on finishing my blog entries over the next couple weeks, but there will be a little delay as I try to catch up on life back home.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by!<br /><br />SunMinUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-12570258743733988782008-07-27T08:03:00.002-05:002010-07-25T21:49:37.679-05:00Haitian Courier #6: Pieces of My Memoirs[This is a copy of the latest issue of my newsletter <strong><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/haitian-courier">Haitian Courier</a></strong>, which was sent on July 26. To subscribe to the newsletter, please visit <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/haitian-courier">http://groups.google.com/group/haitian-courier</a>]<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225666512079598130%22" style="border: medium none;"><img border="1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIVMAYcosjI/AAAAAAAADmM/iblvgoVvu5w/s800/100_3760.JPG" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-right: 15px; width: 600px;" /></a><b>Bonjou Mezanmi!</b><br />
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My last newsletter was a <b>brief update</b> just to let you know that I'm <b>alive</b> and <b>well</b>. This time I wanted to give you <b>snippets</b> of what I've been doing in Haiti for the <b>past 6 weeks</b>. Throughout this newsletter, you'll see words with <b>web links</b>, which will take you to <b>corresponding entries</b> on my <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/"><b>blog</b></a>.<br />
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<b>First</b> of all, I wanted to let you know that my <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/diphtheria-discussion-hiv-support-group.html"><b>return flight</b> has changed</a> from August 9 to <b>July 31</b>. The reason is that my older brother <b>Sundo</b> is getting <b>married</b> on <b>August 2</b>. So now I only have a <b>few more days</b> before I go home! Seems like my <b>plans always change</b> on the fly (last year I decided to stay an extra month in P-au-P). I can't believe my time here is <b>almost over</b>!<br />
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<b>Secondly</b>, I wanted to put a word out that the <b>clinic</b> here needs an <b>X-ray machine</b> to replace a broken one. <b>Please</b> let me know if you know anyone who needs to get rid of an <b>old machine</b> to replace it with a new digital one or for whatever reason. The one we have here has been <b>broken</b> for a while, and it would help <b>so many people</b> if we had a <b>working</b> X-ray machine.<br />
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Anyway, here are some of the things that I've seen and done so far. During the <b>first week</b> at the <b>clinic</b>, I learned how to do a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/shadowing-hiv-breast-exam.html"><b>breast exam</b></a>, observed a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/oms-tour-prenatal-checkup-vaginal-exam.html"><b>vaginal exam</b></a>, saw a patient with <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/relearning-creole-trigger-finger.html"><b>trigger finger</b></a> and a very <b>sick</b> and <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/problem-case-sick-baby-htn-diabetes-and.html"><b>hyperventilating baby</b></a>. The fist weekend I went to the <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/beach-day-at-labadee.html">beach in <b>Labadee</b></a> with a bunch of people from different <b>mission teams</b>.<br />
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<span class="s3"><b>Second week</b>, I saw several <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/hiv-baby-dementia-by-hiv-and-six.html"><b>HIV patients</b> including an old lady with an acute onset of <b>dementia</b></a>, practiced <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/farewell-phlebotomy-x-ray-clinic.html"><b>drawing blood</b></a>, saw a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/pregnant-hiv-ultrasound-tb-and-french.html"><b>fetus</b> using an <b>ultrasound</b></a>, gave babies <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/prayer-tree-baby-shots-cleaning-creole.html"><b>vaccine shots</b></a>, and heard all sorts of <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/tb-clinic-world-food-program-and.html"><b>lung sounds</b> at the <b>tuberculosis clinic</b></a>. That weekend we went on a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/mobile-clinic-day-1.html"><b>mobile clinic</b> up in the mountains</a>, where I got to draw lots of <b>blood</b>, and we brought down a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/mobile-clinic-day-2.html">girl with a <b>machete wound</b></a> to take care at the clinic.<br />
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<b>Third week</b>, I did some <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/transportation-hyperhidrosis-and-broken.html"><b>manual labor</b></a> at the new <b>seminary construction site</b>, helped reduce a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/tears-baby-fever-ankle-sprain-and.html"><b>fever</b> on a baby</a>, saw <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/goodbye-julie-blood-drawing-car.html"><b>tendons</b> on a torn hand</a> from a <b>car accident</b>, pulled a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/malnourished-baby-hiv-test-wadner-house.html"><b>birthday prank</b></a> on <b>Vicki</b> (another short-term missionary), and took lots of <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/healing-wound-square-one-and-ping-pong.html"><b>blood pressures</b></a> for the <b>hypertension/diabetes clinic</b>. That weekend we went to <b>Labadee</b> again, and I went <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/labadee-kayaking-snorkeling-starfish.html"><b>kayaking</b> and <b>snorkeling</b></a> (for the first time). On Sunday, we saw a girl who had <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/sickle-cell-crisis-cannonball-and.html"><b>sickle cell crisis</b></a>.<br />
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<b>Fourth week</b> started with the most <b>emotionally draining day</b>, where I saw a 6-year old boy with <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/respiratory-emergency-witch-doctor-hiv.html"><b>respiratory emergency</b>, who turned out to have <b>diphtheria</b>, and two little <b>orphaned girls</b></a> who were tested positive for <b>HIV</b>. The boy <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/death-of-boy-booster-shots-and-pubic.html">ended up <b>dying</b></a> at a hospital, so I lost my <b>first patient</b>. We had <b>saved</b> the boy's life by bringing him to the <b>hospital</b> and having him <b>intubated</b> and put on <b>antitoxin</b>, but next day during the night he <b>woke up</b> and <b>took out the tube</b> on his own, and <b>died</b>. It was such a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/tragedy-repentance-baby-hymen-and.html">tragedy</a>. Also that week, I dealt with many <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/underweight-babies-non-patient-parents.html">impatient (and non-patient) <b>parents</b></a> at the <b>well baby clinic</b>, got to eat a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/chapel-blisters-lightheadedness-and.html"><b>cheeseburger</b></a>, and took a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/cap-haitien-tour-bargaining-and-twelfth.html"><b>tour</b> of downtown <b>Cap-Haitien</b></a>.<br />
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During the <b>fifth week</b> I saw a Haitian nurse <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/tragedy-repentance-baby-hymen-and.html">open a closed <b>hymen</b></a> on a 7-month old girl, helped treat a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/tragedy-repentance-baby-hymen-and.html"><b>delirious</b> patient</a> with fever caused by <b>tuberculosis</b>, learned how to <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/baby-jaundice-gunshot-wound-diabetic.html">take out <b>stitches</b></a>, sent <b>Laura</b> (another short-term missionary) on a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/baby-jaundice-gunshot-wound-diabetic.html"><b>birthday treasure hunt</b></a>, <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/baby-jaundice-gunshot-wound-diabetic.html">rode a <b>motorcycle</b></a>, tried to <b>resuscitate</b> a 6-month old boy who ended up <b>dying</b>, learned how to <b>start an IV</b>, and learned how to properly <b>clean wounds</b> and <b>change dressings</b> from a <b>Canadian</b> nurse. On Saturday I went to see the <b>Citadel</b>, which was quite <b>amazing</b>.<br />
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This <b>past week</b>, I learned how to do <b>vaginal smears</b>, saw a <b>lesion</b> on a <b>cervix</b> through a <b>speculum</b>, helped take a boy with a <b>broken femur</b> to a hospital, <b>distributed</b> some <b>food</b> for <b>tuberculosis patients</b>, and attended a <b>funeral</b> of one of the Haitian doctor's mother-in-law. On Wednesday, there was a <b>violent</b> and <b>insane woman</b>, so we had to <b>drag her out</b> of the clinic.<br />
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I haven't written about the <b>last couple weeks</b> yet, but you can see some <b>pictures</b> on my <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008"><b>web album</b></a>. I will <b>continue</b> to write about my <b>experiences</b> after I come back home to the States.<br />
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Since all the other <b>short-term medical missionaries</b> have <b>left</b> as of last Saturday, it's been pretty <b>quiet</b> (and a bit <b>lonely</b> especially during <b>breakfast</b> and <b>lunch</b>), but I'm still <b>enjoying</b> my time here. Of all the <b>mission trips</b> that I've been on, I've <b>seen</b> and <b>learned</b> the <b>most</b> through my trip to Haiti this summer. I want to thank <b>all</b> the short-term and long-term <b>missionaries</b> that I've met here for making this such an <b>enjoyable experience</b>, all my <b>friends</b> and <b>family</b> for <b>sponsoring</b> me and for <b>praying</b> for me, and <b>God</b> for <b>allowing</b> all this to happen and for making this <b>undoubtedly</b> the <b>best journey</b> and the <b>best summer ever</b>.<br />
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<b>Thanks</b> for reading and for all the responses and comments on the blog!<br />
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Bondye beni w,<br />
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SunMin Kim<br />
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<span class="s3"><b>Blog</b>: <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/">http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com</a><br />
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<span class="s3"><b>Photos</b>: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008">http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008</a><br />
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PS. Thanks to Laura, I now have a <b>number</b> you can <b>call</b> or send <b>text messages</b> to: <b>+509-3727-7275</b> (but it's only good until July 31)</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-28270351971239309312008-07-25T07:58:00.002-05:002010-07-25T22:13:25.079-05:00Baby Jaundice, Gunshot Wound, Diabetic Ulcer, Suture Removal, and Laura's Birthday<strong>Monday, July 14, 2008 - Part 2</strong><br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225234691364846802" style="border: medium none;"><img border="1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIPDRG7ZfNI/AAAAAAAADlY/DTwlbCRvLJs/s800/100_3648.JPG" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; width: 150px;" /></a>We saw a <strong>5-day old baby boy</strong> who came in to get his <strong>umbilical area</strong> cleaned. In Haiti, they use <strong>alcohol pads</strong> to wipe it, so it looked painful. The baby was quite <strong>jaundiced</strong> so we advised the mother to let the baby have more <strong>sunlight</strong> (my classmates should know exactly how that works). It was cool to see in real life something that I had learned in class.<br />
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I also got to see a man with a <strong>gunshot wound</strong> that went through his right thigh. The man works in the <strong>Bahamas</strong>, so he could speak some English. He explained that a <strong>thief</strong> had robbed him, hit him on the eye with the butt of the gun, and <strong>shot</strong> his leg. It was <strong>neat</strong> to see a gunshot wound for the first time, but only because it didn't seem <em>too</em> serious... Ok, it would be <em>kind of</em> neat even if it was serious, but I wouldn't be saying that.<br />
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There was an old woman who had been having <strong>chronic skin ulcers</strong> on her legs since <strong>1998</strong>. They were at least 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. Since she had been coming to the clinic for such a long time, she had a really <strong>thick chart</strong>. I wanted to figure out why she was having these <strong>chronic infections</strong>, but the handwritings were <strong>illegible</strong>. So I talked with the patient to get her history while Amy changed her dressing. I was kind of surprised how well I could understand her, but that's probably because she talked <strong>slowly</strong>. <em>Hopefully</em> I might be actually getting <strong>better</strong> at understanding spoken Creole. Anyhow after a longwinded story of how everything happened, she told me that a <strong>white doctor</strong> who was at the clinic long ago told her that she had <strong>high blood sugar</strong>. Well, <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetic_foot">go figure</a></em>.<br />
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Then we saw <strong>Ruth</strong>, one of our Haitian staff from the OMS office, who <strong>lacerated</strong> her right shin and got <strong>6 stitches</strong> a few days ago. The wound was healing well, and it was time to take out the sutures. <strong>Evan</strong> showed me how to take one out, and I took out the rest. I guess taking out stitches aren't that big of a deal, but <strong>first times</strong> always feel kind of <strong>special</strong>.<br />
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For the rest of the day at the clinic, <strong>Laura</strong> and I took turns giving <strong>shots</strong>. <strong>IM injections</strong> are pretty simple, but it was good to get some practice because each patient is different. Sometimes the needle goes <strong>right through</strong>, sometimes you have to really <strong>push</strong> to break the skin, and other times you feel a lot of <strong>resistance</strong> as the needle goes in and it feels like you're <strong>tearing</strong> through the muscle. You may be giving the <em>same</em> <strong>glute shots</strong>, but you will always have <em>different</em> <strong>butt cheeks</strong>.<br />
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Today is <strong>Laura's birthday</strong>, so <strong>Amy</strong>, <strong>Evan</strong>, and I <em>conspired</em> to do something for her. Throughout the day we mentioned "<strong>secretive</strong>" stuff in front of <strong>Laura</strong> just to <strong>psych her out</strong>. But of course the real planning went on when she wasn't around. Now, before <strong>Evan</strong> came to Haiti, Laura's <strong>mother</strong> had sent him a <strong>package</strong> to give to Laura on her birthday. Evan brought it with him, but Laura had no idea. So we decided to send her on a treasure hunt leading to the package. We also decided to make a <strong><a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/06/x-ray-machine-certificate-of-honor.html">certificate of honor and merit</a></strong>, and if you've been following my blog, you know that those are a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/tears-baby-fever-ankle-sprain-and.html"><strong>big deal</strong></a> around here.<br />
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After the clinic <strong>Evan</strong> and I went back to our place to work on the treasure hunt <strong>clues</strong> and the <strong>certificate</strong>. At one point Laura decided to come visit us, so we had to <strong>scramble</strong> and <strong>hide</strong> everything. Good thing I <strong>randomly</strong> looked out the door and saw her coming from a <strong>distance</strong>. Evan entertained her by playing <strong>ping pong</strong> with her while I pretended like nothing was going on. Laura randomly <strong>uttered</strong> that she was <strong>craving</strong> for some <strong>chewing gum</strong>, so Evan got the idea of putting chewing gum with each clue.<br />
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<strong>Wadner</strong> helped us by <strong>wrapping</strong> the clues along with some chewing gum, and <strong>planting</strong> them on corresponding destinations while <strong>Amy</strong>, <strong>Laura</strong>, <strong>Evan</strong>, and I ate dinner at the <strong>Holiday House</strong>. During dinner the three of us psyched Laura out by saying stuff like, <em>"You might not want to be wearing nice clothes tonight, and you'd probably want to wear trousers under the skirt,"</em> or <em>"When you pass the radio station you'll know you're almost there..."</em> as if we were going to <strong>kidnap</strong> her and drop her off somewhere in the <strong>dark</strong>.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225188364033430674" style="border: medium none;"><img border="1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOZIgK3lJI/AAAAAAAADkU/KUoiJf3c5ww/s288/P1010062.JPG" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-right: 15px; width: 200px;" /></a>I had told the <strong>kitchen ladies</strong> that today is Laura's birthday (this time I told them during <strong>breakfast</strong>, so they had enough notice), so they made us an <strong>upside-down pineapple cake</strong> and lit <strong>candles</strong> on it. I brought out the cake <strong>singing</strong> happy birthday, but the <strong>fan</strong> was blowing so hard that the lights were going <strong>out</strong> as I carried them. I tried to light them up again with the candles that were still lit, and I was still holding the cake when the song ended, so we had to sing <strong>all over</strong> again. Amy tried to help me, but we just <strong>gave up</strong> and let Laura blow out whatever that was left of it.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225188315311047442" style="border: medium none;"><img border="1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOZFqqjAxI/AAAAAAAADkQ/Rrp87u0v9ao/s288/100_3684.JPG" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; width: 200px;" /></a>When <strong>Gavin</strong> joined us at the end of dinner, Laura went <strong>hiding</strong> because she thought he was going to take her away. Anyhow, we gave her the <strong>first clue</strong> with the birthday card we had signed (along with some people from the clinic, such as Ms. Ketlye, Ms. Prudence, and Dr. Rodney). The clue said to go to the house with the <strong>number 11</strong> written on it, which is where Evan and I are staying. So Laura left for the treasure hunt with Amy as a "<strong>bodyguard</strong>." Meanwhile the rest of us put the package and the certificate in the <strong>gift shop</strong> in the Holiday House.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225188413465636578" style="border: medium none;"><img border="1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOZLYUbLuI/AAAAAAAADkc/v17ZF1il9fg/s288/100_3688.JPG" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-right: 15px; width: 200px;" /></a>Laura thought she was supposed to go to the place where Evan and I are staying, but Amy convinced her that <strong>Dr. Rodney's house</strong> was the one with number 11 on it. So they walked all the way there, which gave us three guys time to <strong>catch up</strong> with them. Anyhow, she got to house 11 and got her first pack of chewing gums with the <strong>second clue</strong>, which said to go to a building with "<strong>4VEH</strong>" written on the wall. Laura thought she had to walk all the way to the <strong>radio station</strong>, which is about <strong>20 min walk</strong> down the street. We were just walking across the compound when she realized that the old radio station building is within the compound. The building was <strong>old</strong> and <strong>creepy</strong> in the dark, so the four of us stepped back while Laura walked towards the door by herself. Just as Laura got to the door, I couldn't help myself, so I <strong>shouted</strong> really loud, which made her <strong>jump</strong>.<br />
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She found another pack of gums with the <strong>third clue</strong> which said to go where you get your <strong>blood drawn</strong>. Obviously it was the <strong>clinic lab</strong>, but being a <strong>med student</strong> that she is, Laura <strong>overanalyzed</strong> and thought it was the <strong>Red Cross</strong> (where you donate blood), and cross meant <strong>church</strong>, which meant <strong>seminary</strong>, so we took a detour all the way to one of the seminary buildings.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225189484894555042" style="border: medium none;"><img border="1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOaJvs_C6I/AAAAAAAADkg/g_v4fSHwqCk/s288/100_3691.JPG" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; width: 200px;" /></a>The <strong>fourth clue</strong> (found at the lab) lead her to the "<strong>Crazy Canadian's house</strong>" (isn't it obvious that Evan wrote the clues?), so we went to <strong>Amy's</strong> house, where she found a clue that said to go back to where we started, and to look "<strong>among many gifts</strong>." So we went to the <strong>Holiday House</strong> dining hall, but Laura didn't find anything, so she just stood around for a minute until she realized that there is a <strong>gift shop</strong>. So she finally got the <strong>certificate</strong> that we made and the <strong>package</strong> from her mom, which <em>almost</em> made her <strong>cry</strong> when she saw the <strong>handwriting</strong> on the label.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225189560288492850" style="border: medium none;"><img border="1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOaOIkTPTI/AAAAAAAADkk/vcDq93c3uHk/s288/100_3699.JPG" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-right: 15px; width: 200px;" /></a>As a <strong>finale</strong>, <strong>Gavin</strong> decided to give Laura a <strong>motorcycle lesson</strong>. It took a while to get started, but soon enough she was going around in circles on Gavin's motorcycle. Then Gavin asked if <em>I</em> wanted to give it a try, so I got to ride a motorcycle for the first time ever.<br />
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225189650690289042" style="border: medium none;"><img border="1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOaTZVxLZI/AAAAAAAADko/-zE8TCd-n7A/s288/P7140076.JPG" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; width: 200px;" /></a>When it started going, I <strong>panicked</strong> for a second and <strong>twisted</strong> the throttle, which made it go even <strong>faster</strong>, but I quickly regained <strong>control</strong>, and was able to make couple laps around the little loop. It was <strong>fun</strong>, but I don't think I'd ever use motorcycle as a mode of <strong>transportation</strong>... unless maybe if I'm a missionary doctor in a <strong>rural</strong> area where motorcycle is the <strong>best</strong> way to get around. But otherwise it's too <strong>dangerous</strong>. You know what the <strong>doctors</strong> call motorcycle riders who don't wear <strong>helmets</strong>?... <em>Organ donors</em> (That's from <strong>Chaos Theory</strong>).<br />
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Afterwards, we hung out at Amy's as usual, and watched episode 403 of <strong>Grey's Anatomy</strong>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-86079014189655882732008-07-23T22:53:00.001-05:002010-07-25T21:50:01.844-05:00Tragedy, Repentance, Baby Hymen, and Paranoid Fever<strong>Monday, July 14, 2008 - Part 1</strong><br />
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This morning I found out from <strong>Gavin</strong> how the <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/respiratory-emergency-witch-doctor-hiv.html"><strong>boy with diphtheria</strong></a> really <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/death-of-boy-booster-shots-and-pubic.html">died</a>. On Tuesday night, he woke up when he was still <strong>intubated</strong>, and while no one was watching, he <strong>took out</strong> the tube himself, which caused his airway to shut <strong>completely</strong>. By the time someone came, it was <strong>too late</strong>. What a <strong>tragedy</strong>, and such a <strong>waste</strong> after all our <strong>efforts</strong> to save his life. How <strong>sad</strong> that the boy unwittingly killed himself, and that he died without his family around. It's one thing if he had died of the <strong>toxin</strong>, but he still had a very <strong>good chance</strong> of survival. If only he had been <strong>monitored</strong> or <strong>sedated</strong>...<br />
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We also heard a <strong>good news</strong> today. <strong>Ms. Prudence</strong> told us that the man who injured <strong>Madelene</strong> with a <strong>machete</strong> had come out from hiding, <strong>apologized</strong> to everyone at the church, and became a <strong>Christian</strong>! While he was hiding, Ms. Prudence's husband, who is the <strong>pastor</strong> of a <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/mobile-clinic-day-1.html">church up in Souffrier</a>, told him that Madelene is healing well, and that he should <strong>repent</strong>. It was really cool to hear that something <strong>good</strong> came out of what seemed to be an <a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/mobile-clinic-day-2.html"><strong>unfortunate</strong> event</a>.<br />
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Most of our <strong>regular patients</strong> come on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, so we got to see many of them today. And by regular patients, I mean <strong>Madelene</strong> (<a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/mobile-clinic-day-2.html">machete wound</a>), <strong>Augusma</strong> (<a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/goodbye-julie-blood-drawing-car.html">torn hand and broken elbow</a>), <strong>Kettelie</strong> (<a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/death-of-boy-booster-shots-and-pubic.html">pubic sore</a>), and <strong>Acephise</strong> (<a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/underweight-babies-non-patient-parents.html">facial abscess</a>). The more I work at the <strong>treatment room</strong>, the more I become familiar with these patients. It was great to see how each patient was getting better, except Acephise's <strong>abscess</strong> still seemed pretty bad. She had lots of <strong>green discharge</strong> which smelled <strong>awful</strong> as usual. Because the abscess is right on her <strong>cheek</strong>, she could hardly talk. We're still not sure if she's taking the <strong>antibiotics</strong>. I think she'll be coming to the clinic everyday now.<br />
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We also had couple of <strong>interesting cases</strong> today. <strong>Ms. Prudence</strong> brought into the treatment room a 7-month old girl whose <strong>hymen</strong> was completely closed. She wanted to show <strong>Amy</strong> how to open it. Basically she gently rubbed a tip of a <strong>cotton swab</strong> against the hymen until it opened up. It was hard to watch the little baby girl <strong>helplessly cry</strong> with her <strong>weak little voice</strong>. Ms. Prudence put some <strong>draining strip</strong> into the newly formed <strong>orifice</strong> so that it won't close up again. It looked like such a <strong>traumatic event</strong> for the little girl, but I suppose the earlier it's done the better. At least she won't <strong>remember</strong> that she had to get her hymen open. Still, it looked really <strong>painful</strong>.<br />
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Another interesting case today was an 18-year old boy named <strong>Eddie</strong> with a really <strong>high fever</strong> (105ºF) who was carried into the clinic by his relatives because he was so <strong>delirious</strong> and <strong>paranoid</strong> about everything. Whenever he saw <strong>gloves</strong> he'd say we're going to <strong>operate</strong> on him and <strong>kill</strong> him. He was scared of the <strong>thermometer</strong> and would try to dodge it. We <strong>tied him down</strong> on a bed so he wouldn't run away. We had to get three or four guys to hold him down while Gavin gave him shots of <strong>lorazepam</strong> (my class should know what this is and how it works) to calm his <strong>anxiety</strong> and <strong>sedate</strong> him.<br />
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We figured that <strong>Eddie</strong> might not be cooperative enough to take <strong>pills</strong>, so I ran to the <strong>pharmacy</strong> (within the clinic) to get some acetaminophen (Tylenol) in <strong>syrup</strong> form (which comes out to be quite a lot to match his dose). He wouldn't drink it claiming that it's <strong>poisonous</strong>. So we gave some to his <strong>cousin</strong> who had brought him in. Even after she took a sip, he wouldn't drink it saying that she <em>didn't</em> sip it. Then after a while of trying to convince him he finally took it and put the <strong>whole thing</strong> in his mouth. We all <strong>stepped back</strong> thinking that he's going to spit it out, but he <strong>gulped</strong> it all down. We had to repeat the exact same thing when we gave him <strong>chloroquine syrup</strong> (except the syrup was twice as much as the Tylenol) because we thought he might have <strong>malaria</strong>.<br />
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We had to get his <strong>fever</strong> down quick, so we used <strong>cold wet towels</strong> to wipe down his whole body. We kept telling Eddie to <strong>lie down</strong> and <strong>rest</strong>, but he refused saying that he would <strong>die</strong> if he lay down. We left him with his cousin while we went to lunch, and when we came back he was much <strong>calmer</strong> and was even laying down. Eventually his fever went down, so we let him go with an instruction to get <strong>sputum</strong> samples to test for <strong>tuberculosis</strong>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-51689351189574658362008-07-22T07:40:00.000-05:002010-07-25T19:47:06.799-05:00Maranatha, Turtles, and Homemade Ice Cream<strong>Sunday, July 13, 2008</strong><br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225188160704743730"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOY8qtiCTI/AAAAAAAADkI/kNbqAsIz-v8/s288/100_3659.JPG" border="1" /></a>Today we went to <strong>Maranatha Church</strong>, which is a few minute walk down the street from the compound. This is the church that <strong>Scott</strong> has been going to. Scott is a long-term missionary who's been working at the <strong>radio station</strong> for many years, and he's going back to <strong>Alabama</strong> for good on Tuesday. Since this was his <strong>last Sunday</strong> at the church, he spoke to the congregation and bade them <strong>farewell</strong>.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225188224171269442"><img style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOZAXJIXUI/AAAAAAAADkM/K2t85GNkp9o/s288/100_3678.JPG" border="1" /></a>Afterwards, <strong>Amy</strong>, <strong>Laura</strong>, <strong>Evan</strong>, and I went to <strong>Christoph</strong>, took a quick dip in the <strong>pool</strong>, and ate lunch at the poolside. They have a few <strong>turtles</strong> at the hotel, so we paid them a <strong>visit</strong>. Nothing too exciting, and their water needed to be <strong>changed</strong>, but it was cool to see turtles in Haiti.<br /><br /><strong>Amy</strong> joined us again for <strong>dinner</strong>. The kitchen ladies had prepared sloppy joe and <strong>ice cream</strong> for us (they don't work on Sundays, so they made them yesterday). Ice cream was a bit too <strong>sweet</strong> for me, but it was still ice cream, so it was good. Later we hung out at Amy's as usual, and the three of them (<strong>Amy</strong>, <strong>Laura</strong>, and <strong>Evan</strong>) watched another episode of <strong>Grey's Anatomy</strong> while I chatted with friends online. I love Grey's, but I'm not big on re-watching shows unless they're hilarious.<br /><br />It was another <strong>relaxing</strong> weekend.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-54451005699290895582008-07-21T21:31:00.000-05:002010-07-25T19:47:06.801-05:00Cap-Haitien Tour, Bargaining, and the Twelfth<strong>Saturday, July 12, 2008</strong><br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href=http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225234389821828626"><img style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 600px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIPC_jl8LhI/AAAAAAAADlQ/5t-9BtNDwtg/s800/100_3599.JPG" border="1" /></a>Today we went on a <strong>tour</strong> of downtown <strong>Cap-Hatien</strong>. <strong>Amy</strong>, <strong>Wadner</strong>, <strong>Laura</strong>, <strong>Evan</strong>, and I drove over to <strong>Enoch's</strong> house and walked around the city from there. Enoch is a Haitian <strong>ergonomist</strong> who deals with agriculture and works with an organization called <strong>Hope Seed</strong>. He plays <strong>piano</strong> at the <strong>English Bible Fellowship</strong> on Sundays. He was our tour guide for the day.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225175539743180818"><img style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIONeB9zyBI/AAAAAAAADjg/sJel9dmHR5w/s288/100_3581.JPG" border="1" /></a>First we went to the <strong>city square</strong> (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=32.843827,-117.055206&sspn=3.497969,4.405518&ie=UTF8&ll=19.761635,-72.200646&spn=0.007654,0.008605&t=h&z=17">see it on Google Maps</a>), which is between the <strong>Notre Dame Cathedral</strong> and the <strong>city hall</strong>. We went inside the cathedral and looked around for a bit. Then we visited a few private catholic <strong>schools</strong>. I guess it's no surprise that schools and buildings funded by the <strong>richest</strong> church in the world are the <strong>prettiest</strong> attractions in this city.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225176287721423362"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 150px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOOJkZuAgI/AAAAAAAADjo/xcc2jGbLLic/s288/100_3589.JPG" border="1" /></a>We also visited the <strong>Justinian Hospital</strong> (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=32.843827,-117.055206&sspn=3.497969,4.405518&ie=UTF8&ll=19.762231,-72.204841&spn=0.007653,0.008605&t=h&z=17">Google Maps</a>), which is the biggest hospital in Cap-Haitien and the one we usually send patients to in case of <strong>emergencies</strong>. At hospitals in Haiti, patients have to pay for <strong>every single equipment</strong> that is used for them, even <strong>gloves</strong>. With the <strong>food crisis</strong>, <strong>less</strong> and <strong>less</strong> people can afford <strong>healthcare</strong>, and <strong>more</strong> and <strong>more</strong> people are becoming <strong>sicker</strong>. Just when you thought the <strong>US healthcare system</strong> was bad...<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225187678610701202"><img style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 150px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOYgmxWu5I/AAAAAAAADjw/uzZYQb9girY/s288/100_3605.JPG" border="1" /></a>After that, we walked through the <strong>Iron Market</strong>, which is probably the biggest market in Cap-Haitien. If you look up Cap-Haitien on <strong>Google Earth</strong> (or <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=32.843827,-117.055206&sspn=3.497969,4.405518&ie=UTF8&ll=19.758394,-72.203372&spn=0.007654,0.008605&t=h&z=17">Google Maps</a>), you will see a big <strong>brown square</strong> the size of 4 blocks put together. It was so <strong>crowded</strong>, <strong>smelly</strong>, and <strong>dirty</strong> that we were busy just trying to get through, so we couldn't see much of it when we were inside. Watch out for <strong>pickpockets</strong>!<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225187748220045746"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOYkqFhCbI/AAAAAAAADj0/mJHbPhfXppw/s288/P7120025.JPG" border="1" /></a>Then we went to the <strong>Boat Market</strong> (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&sll=32.843827,-117.055206&sspn=3.497969,4.405518&ie=UTF8&ll=19.760625,-72.195743&spn=0.007654,0.008605&t=h&z=17">Google Maps</a>), where you will find a number of <strong>tourists</strong>. There is one long <strong>row</strong> of shops that sell <strong>paintings</strong>, <strong>sculptures</strong>, <strong>jewelries</strong>, <strong>dresses</strong>, and all sorts of <strong>souvenir</strong> items. I wanted to buy some paintings, so I went scouting down the entire row, then went back to the shops that had ones that I liked.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5226052813055281954"><img style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIarWDuXSyI/AAAAAAAADms/mOJtdkfeCtU/s288/100_3983.JPG" border="1" /></a>As usual, I had to <strong>bargain</strong> like no other. The first seller offered me three paintings for 3000 gourds (<strong>$80</strong>), but I bargained it down to 1100grds (<strong>$30</strong>). I probably could have got them for less, but at least it was <strong>quick</strong>. The second seller offered three paintings for <strong>$300US</strong>(!), claiming that one of the pieces was done by a famous painter, which is <strong>total bull crap</strong>, but I didn't want to offend him by calling him a liar (not good for bargaining) After a <strong>long negotiation</strong> he offered them for 2000gds ($53), but I only had 1600gds (<strong>$42</strong>), so he just took that. I probably could have paid less if I had been <strong>carrying</strong> less money... Bargaining takes so much <strong>energy</strong> out of you.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225187806214801378"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOYoCIix-I/AAAAAAAADj4/fDn0OMoESm4/s288/100_3620.JPG" border="1" /></a>Then we walked over to <strong>La Kay</strong> restaurant (where we ate yesterday) and had <strong>lunch</strong>. I got <strong>chicken spaghetti</strong> this time, but it was very salty... I still ate it though. I should have gotten <strong>cheeseburger</strong> again.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5225188008250199410"><img style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIOYzyxiTXI/AAAAAAAADkA/HtgJONIW5XE/s288/100_3652.JPG" border="1" /></a>In the afternoon, <strong>Amy</strong>, <strong>Evan</strong>, <strong>Laura</strong>, and I went over to <strong>Gavin's</strong> house to celebrate the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelfth"><strong>Twelfth of July</strong></a> (an Irish tradition). We tossed around a <strong>rugby ball</strong> for a while, then ate food prepared by Gavin. For dessert we had <strong>caramel ice cream</strong>, which was probably the <strong>best</strong> ice cream I've ever had in Haiti.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15081027.post-46206034629571100472008-07-20T14:53:00.000-05:002010-07-25T19:47:06.804-05:00Chapel, Blisters, Lightheadedness, and Cheeseburgers<strong>Friday, July 11, 2008</strong><br /><br />This morning, instead of having a <strong>devotion</strong> at the clinic, we met at the <strong>seminary chapel</strong> with people from other OMS ministries. <strong>Dr. Rodney</strong> lead the devotion, all the different ministries shared their <strong>praise</strong> and <strong>prayer requests</strong>, and we all prayed together. We have these meetings once a quarter or so.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5226173615657766530"><img style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 150px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIcZNsfMzoI/AAAAAAAADnU/d0lLMe2Ot6w/s288/100_3548.JPG" border="1" /></a>In the morning we saw some of our <strong>regular patients</strong> including <strong>Madelene</strong> (<a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/mobile-clinic-day-2.html">girl with machete wound</a>) and <strong>Augusma</strong> (<a href="http://zanmihaiti.blogspot.com/2008/07/goodbye-julie-blood-drawing-car.html">fractured elbow and sutured hand</a>). Madelene's wound still seemed to be healing well. Last time she was here, we put some <strong>steristrips</strong> across the wound to bring the skin <strong>closer</strong><strong></strong> and make the wound <strong>narrower</strong>. The wound was a bit narrower, but there were a couple <strong>blisters</strong> under the steristrips. It may have been caused by <strong>friction</strong> from steristrips, or she could be <strong>allergic</strong> to them, so this time we just bandaged the wound. We'll see if the blisters are any better next time.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5226173667708670386"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIcZQuZGkbI/AAAAAAAADnY/Ng93gDGCb4g/s288/100_3558.JPG" border="1" /></a>Then we saw <strong>Augusma</strong>, whose hand also seemed to be healing well. So <strong>Gavin</strong> took out the <strong>stitches</strong> while I held Augusma's <strong>arm</strong> so his elbow won't move. After 10 minutes or so I started to feel <strong>lightheaded</strong>, so I got <strong>Laura</strong> to cover for me and <strong>sat down</strong>. Earlier this morning I had some <strong>loose stool</strong> (probably a side effect from <strong>erythromycin</strong>). I hadn't had much <strong>water</strong> since then, and I could feel my heart <strong>palpitating</strong> (fast and hard), so I was probably <strong>dehydrated</strong>. Then my stomach started to feel <strong>queasy</strong> just before I felt lightheaded. Good thing I saw that coming and was able to hold Augusma's arm until someone took over. I sat and put my <strong>head</strong> between my <strong>knees</strong> for a while, went to the bathroom, and then I felt much <strong>better</strong>.<br /><br /><a style="border: medium none ;" href="http://picasaweb.google.com/doxadeo/Haiti2008/photo#5226173792845157122"><img style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/doxadeo/SIcZYAj90wI/AAAAAAAADnc/TqfWqk1TVIg/s288/100_3563.JPG" border="1" /></a>All the missionaries took a <strong>half day</strong> today and went out to lunch as a <strong>farewell</strong> for three long-term missionaries: <strong>John</strong>, <strong>Dorothy</strong>, and <strong>Scott</strong>. We went to <strong>La Kay</strong> restaurant, and most of us got <strong>cheeseburgers</strong> with <strong>fries</strong>. We don't get to eat much burgers in Haiti, so it was a <strong>treat</strong>.<br /><br />In the afternoon I took a long <strong>nap</strong> to <strong>recuperate</strong> from my <strong>illness</strong> this morning. I feel all better now. After dinner we hung out at <strong>Amy's</strong> as usual.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0