I am working on a really long, detailed, informative, excellent blog post that will answer the question of what I've been up to the past 2 and half weeks.
Will be up by Monday.
Thanks for waiting!
-Holly
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
I could get used to this
Location: International Student Hostel
Written: 6/16/09, 2:00pm
This past week was fairly uneventful compared to week 1. At this point, I feel like I am getting to know the little corner of India where I am staying. I am getting used to the oppressive heat and the nonstop sweating. I find myself craving the spicy food that initially I couldn’t stomach (although I am missing the fresh vegetables of home – especially sweet Indiana corn!). I am also getting used to the celebrity-like attention we get for being non-Indian. The other day I was shopping in town and a woman literally ran up to me and gave me her baby to hold. I have also been asked to pose in several pictures with children. These kinds of experiences have made me appreciate the diversity in the US in a way I hadn’t anticipated. While I am more than happy to hold babies and pose for photos, the underlying fixation with light skin is hard to ignore. Billboards rarely have Indian models and every commercial break has ads for skin-lightening cream. The seeming acceptance of these “light is better than dark” messages is both infuriating and embarrassing.
Me with a beautiful baby girl on the streets of Vellore
(photo courtesy of Alicia)
The one thing I will never get used to is the transportation in India. Lane lines are futilely drawn on some roads. The concepts of right of way, one car per lane, turn signals, driving on the correct side of the road, and keeping a respectable distance from surrounding vehicles seem to be lost (although I can’t imagine they were ever here in the first place). Cars share the road with behemoth buses, 3-wheeled autorickshaws, motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, oxen, goats, stray dogs, and pedestrians in a pandemonium similar to the running of the bulls. I manage to survive these rides by holding on to whatever I can as tightly as I can – that combined with the occasional scream seems to be working so far!
Traffic and view of downtown Vellore
On Friday, we finished up our Community Health Program course that we took with the second year medical students. Most of last week was spent doing a “Health Planning Exercise.” My group was assigned the task of organizing from the ground up a health care initiative for the slum-dwellers of Vellore (a population of approximately 100,000 people). The problems that we addressed included: 1) finding an affordable and sustainable way to guarantee clean water access 2) fixing the human waste drainage system 3) increasing institutional deliveries in a population with low access to transportation 4) nutritional programs for children and pregnant women 5) figuring out some ways to end the cycle of poverty-poor health-unemployment. This exercise was a challenging and enjoyable way to wrap up what we had observed during the week of site visits. This week I will be rotating through the Low Cost Effective Care Unit (LCECU). This unit provides care to the poorest people in Tamil Nadu. Tomorrow, I will be visiting a slum with some physicians to provide health care in homes there. I am both excited to see the door-to-door visits and anxious about what is certain to be an overwhelmingly heartbreaking confrontation with reality.
This past weekend I went to Pondicherry with Mike, Alicia, Elwyza (a medical student from Holland), Sharron (a graduate student from Holland doing some awesome research about the stigma and quality of life of patients with HIV/AIDS in South India), and Jake (an economics graduate student at Brown). Pondicherry (or Pondy) is a former French colony that is a beautiful blend of French and Indian culture located on the Southeastern coast of India. We enjoyed spending time of the rocky beach that reminded me a lot of Maine (although the 100 + degree weather sort of throws the comparison away). We also went to a paper factory that sells gorgeous handmade paper products (I basically bought one of everything!). The factory uses recycled paper and plant products to make eco-friendly products.
Hanging out on the beach in Pondy
(Alwyza, Alicia, Me, Mike)
A man cycles in front of the French Consulate in Pondicherry
Pondy is famous for Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a center for spiritual education. The ashram was very peaceful and filled with guests meditating around beautiful gardens. We finished the evening with great French cuisine (including seafood which made all of the Bostonians very happy!). We are planning on taking several more weekend trips including a trip to Dehli and near by Agra to see the Taj Mahal.
I’m craving a samosa and some pineapple juice. Until next time, thanks for reading.
Written: 6/16/09, 2:00pm
This past week was fairly uneventful compared to week 1. At this point, I feel like I am getting to know the little corner of India where I am staying. I am getting used to the oppressive heat and the nonstop sweating. I find myself craving the spicy food that initially I couldn’t stomach (although I am missing the fresh vegetables of home – especially sweet Indiana corn!). I am also getting used to the celebrity-like attention we get for being non-Indian. The other day I was shopping in town and a woman literally ran up to me and gave me her baby to hold. I have also been asked to pose in several pictures with children. These kinds of experiences have made me appreciate the diversity in the US in a way I hadn’t anticipated. While I am more than happy to hold babies and pose for photos, the underlying fixation with light skin is hard to ignore. Billboards rarely have Indian models and every commercial break has ads for skin-lightening cream. The seeming acceptance of these “light is better than dark” messages is both infuriating and embarrassing.
Me with a beautiful baby girl on the streets of Vellore(photo courtesy of Alicia)
Traffic and view of downtown VelloreThis past weekend I went to Pondicherry with Mike, Alicia, Elwyza (a medical student from Holland), Sharron (a graduate student from Holland doing some awesome research about the stigma and quality of life of patients with HIV/AIDS in South India), and Jake (an economics graduate student at Brown). Pondicherry (or Pondy) is a former French colony that is a beautiful blend of French and Indian culture located on the Southeastern coast of India. We enjoyed spending time of the rocky beach that reminded me a lot of Maine (although the 100 + degree weather sort of throws the comparison away). We also went to a paper factory that sells gorgeous handmade paper products (I basically bought one of everything!). The factory uses recycled paper and plant products to make eco-friendly products.
Hanging out on the beach in Pondy(Alwyza, Alicia, Me, Mike)
A man cycles in front of the French Consulate in Pondicherry I’m craving a samosa and some pineapple juice. Until next time, thanks for reading.
Monday, June 8, 2009
It's been one week since you looked at me...
Location: CHTC Guest House (Bagayam, Tamil Nadu, India)
Written: 6/8/09, 8:45pm
After my first week in India, it was nice to have the weekend to unwind and process my first impressions of the country. On Sunday, we went to a beautiful pool located right next to the medical school campus. It truly was a hidden oasis tucked behind the highway next to a shabby church and some deserted land. As you can see from the photos, the pool looks like it belongs in tropical St. Anywhere-but-India Island. It is surrounded by lush foliage and has views of the surrounding mountains. The day was perfect weather for tanning (Don’t worry Mom, I wore SPF 45!), throwing baseball, reading, and hanging out with the international students. They even served pizza and fries which was a lovely reminder of home!
Pool in Bagayam
Nice place to spend a Sunday afternoon (notice the mountains!)
Now I'm just boasting!
On Friday of last week, we went to visit a Primary Health Center (PHC) located about an hour outside of Vellore. India has a very decentralized health system that tends to direct care to clinics and village health centers instead of tertiary care hospitals. Only the sickest patients end up seeing specialists inside of the hospital. Each PHC serves a patient population of around 30,000 individuals. The PHCs provide the following services: daily outpatient clinic, a few inpatient beds (usually only 5-10), prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care, newborn care, immunizations, family planning (BCP, IUD insertion, condom distribution, tubal ligation, vasectomy), emergency ambulance transport, school health programs, lab services and referral services.
On the day that we visited the PHC, they were running their weekly diabetes clinic. Patients received various medication including insulin injections and information about managing blood sugar (which must be difficult considering I didn’t see a single glucose meter). In addition to the diabetes clinic, we were able to see some babies that were born the previous night and their mothers. They were so precious!
People waiting in line at the PHC
We were able to take a tour of the surgical theater (operating room). This was quite a shock for me! I have had the privilege of seeing several surgeries in the US (thanks Dad) and I’m familiar with the extreme emphasis placed on sterile technique. When entering the OR we were asked to remove our sandals and replace them with communal “surgical sandals.” The surgical instruments were sitting on a table in the open air. There wasn’t an autoclave in sight. I imagine that sterilization occurs using bleach or boiling water. I am hoping that I can watch some surgery while I am here (however, I have been told that this may not be an option for international students).
The operating theater at the PHC
The sandals that are worn when entering the OR
One thing that I find fascinating about the Indian health care system is the complete acceptance of alternative medicine. On the campus of the PHC there was a Siddha unit. Siddha is considered to be the oldest system of medicine in the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddha_medicine). It utilizes completely natural remedies to treat disease. Patients are free to use Western medicine or Siddha (or a combination of the two). The incredible thing about India is that both the alternative medicine and Western medicine therapies at the PHC are free to patients. As you may imagine, there are several types of alternative medicine practices in India. Collectively these are known by the acronym AYUSH: Alternative, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy. There are ways for all patients to access these various practices under the umbrella of government-sponsored health care. In the US, most physicians consider “natural medicine” an oxymoron, or at the very least a crock of you-know-what. The positive benefits that these methods have for patients in terms of the mind-body-spirit connection are worth considering. The Siddha pharmacist told us that many patients like to try the natural remedies first because they do not have the same side effects that come with Western medication. If the Siddha meds don’t work, patients are usually willing to add Western practice to their treatment.
Two of the natural drugs offered at the Siddha pharmacy
Following the PHC visit, we went to see a Subcenter (SC). Each PHC is affiliated with 5 Subcenters. These SCs are located within the villages. The role of each SC is to manage the health problems of the village. The SC that we saw was a 2-roomed building. They employ a Sector Health Nurse, a health supervisor, and a social worker. Together these employees keep immunization, birth, death, and disease prevalence records. They also help run a nutritional center where children under 5 and pregnant women receive caloric supplementation daily (a ball of grains for both, folic acid and iron pills for the women). Each SC receives government funding to ensure that all villagers have access to the care they need. If a woman goes into labor in the middle of the night, money from this fund can be used to transport her to the nearest hospital (and pay for the delivery if that hospital is private).
The Indian healthcare system is nowhere near perfect. In fact, I have found myself saying (more than once) “Wow, I would never be treated there.” However, the infrastructure is quite strong. It focuses on preventative services, community education, decentralized points of care, and minimizing expenses for those who can’t afford care. The main thing missing from the system is obviously capital. This is quite different from the US. In the US we spend more on health care per capita (and have more to spend) than any country in the world. We have the best schools, doctors, and facilities, the most modern technology and we’re on the forefront of research in every field. How is it that India can provide some treatment to its poorest citizens while so many in the US go without care (or are put into tremendous amounts of debt accessing it)? This first week has certainly been an incredible learning opportunity. It has also further motivated me to advocate for and support universal access when I return to the States.
Cute children at the PHC
Written: 6/8/09, 8:45pm
After my first week in India, it was nice to have the weekend to unwind and process my first impressions of the country. On Sunday, we went to a beautiful pool located right next to the medical school campus. It truly was a hidden oasis tucked behind the highway next to a shabby church and some deserted land. As you can see from the photos, the pool looks like it belongs in tropical St. Anywhere-but-India Island. It is surrounded by lush foliage and has views of the surrounding mountains. The day was perfect weather for tanning (Don’t worry Mom, I wore SPF 45!), throwing baseball, reading, and hanging out with the international students. They even served pizza and fries which was a lovely reminder of home!
Pool in Bagayam
Nice place to spend a Sunday afternoon (notice the mountains!)
Now I'm just boasting!On the day that we visited the PHC, they were running their weekly diabetes clinic. Patients received various medication including insulin injections and information about managing blood sugar (which must be difficult considering I didn’t see a single glucose meter). In addition to the diabetes clinic, we were able to see some babies that were born the previous night and their mothers. They were so precious!
People waiting in line at the PHCWe were able to take a tour of the surgical theater (operating room). This was quite a shock for me! I have had the privilege of seeing several surgeries in the US (thanks Dad) and I’m familiar with the extreme emphasis placed on sterile technique. When entering the OR we were asked to remove our sandals and replace them with communal “surgical sandals.” The surgical instruments were sitting on a table in the open air. There wasn’t an autoclave in sight. I imagine that sterilization occurs using bleach or boiling water. I am hoping that I can watch some surgery while I am here (however, I have been told that this may not be an option for international students).
The operating theater at the PHC
The sandals that are worn when entering the OR
Two of the natural drugs offered at the Siddha pharmacy
The Indian healthcare system is nowhere near perfect. In fact, I have found myself saying (more than once) “Wow, I would never be treated there.” However, the infrastructure is quite strong. It focuses on preventative services, community education, decentralized points of care, and minimizing expenses for those who can’t afford care. The main thing missing from the system is obviously capital. This is quite different from the US. In the US we spend more on health care per capita (and have more to spend) than any country in the world. We have the best schools, doctors, and facilities, the most modern technology and we’re on the forefront of research in every field. How is it that India can provide some treatment to its poorest citizens while so many in the US go without care (or are put into tremendous amounts of debt accessing it)? This first week has certainly been an incredible learning opportunity. It has also further motivated me to advocate for and support universal access when I return to the States.
Cute children at the PHCFriday, June 5, 2009
Holy Hindi it's HOT!
Location: CHTC Guest House (Bagayam, Tamil Nadu, India).
Time Written: 6/4/09 10pm (Assume India time unless told otherwise)
We have officially arrived in India and have settled in quite nicely. We are staying on the CMC medical school campus in Bagayam (about 15-20 minutes outside of Vellore). The campus is fairly large and filled with beautiful trees, flowers, and lots of animals (including a bat tree!). It houses the medical students (and possibly the nursing, pharmaceutical, and PT students as well), some full-time staff (senior professors), as well as 2 libraries, several dining facilities, a store, an international hostel, lecture halls, and a mental health hospital. I am staying in the CHTC guesthouse with Alicia as my roommate. We are quite lucky, as our room has A/C.
Bat Tree
Bat tree, close up
The first two weeks of our trip here are being spent in a course with the second year medical students.* The course is in Community Health. It is an intensive course (2 weeks, all day every day except Sunday). The course consists of lectures about the health care delivery system in Tamil Nadu and India as well as multiple site visits. The aims of these site visits are to gain an understanding of the interrelatedness of each components of the health system.
On Monday, we visited a small village in Vellore. The students conducted morbidity surveys in homes there. They surveyed the total number of people in each household, those who were sick and causes of illness. They also inquired about recent pregnancies and deaths. We served mostly as observers since the villagers did not speak English (Tamil is the native language in Tamil Nadu). I've posted some photos from that village.
Photos of some houses in the village near Vellore
Man with a cast walking his bike up a hill
Kitchen in one of the houses we surveyed (no running water)
On Tuesday, we were supposed to go to a different village to conduct more detailed morbidity surveying. However, due to some unexpected stomach illness, we decided to skip out on that trip. The food in Southern India is quite delicious. However, it is also quite spicy and takes some time to adjust. I think we were a little over zealous with some of our food choices. Luckily the illness seemed to last only 24 hours.
Today was the best day yet. We went to visit several different sites. First, we saw an Urban Health Center located in a predominantly Muslim part of Vellore. This health center is government sponsored and also receives support through the Rotary Club of Vellore. The clinic mostly handles the prenatal, natal, and antenatal care of this community. Additionally, they help run school health check ups, have a 3X/week outpatient clinic, participate in DOTS (direct observed therapy – short course), run STD clinics/screening, provide family planning options, and immunize the children in this community. The clinic serves a patient population of about 46,000 individuals. The amazing thing about this clinic is that all care is provided free of charge. It is paid for by the government (and also through some donations by the Rotary Club). Another thing that I found astounding is that this center (via the government) actually pays individuals below the poverty line about 6000Rs ($120 USD) to deliver there. This was enacted because many of these women were delivering without the aid of trained workers. This leads to increased risk of maternal and neonatal death.
Birthing room in the Urban Health Center
Muslim woman walking in Vellore
As nice as the clinic is – it is easy to recognize points of weakness in the system. First, this clinic that focuses on maternal health is not equipped with a laboratory, a full-time physician, or an ultrasound machine. After giving birth, a woman is given a 1 night stay in the clinic. If an episiotomy is performed, a 3 night stay is allowed. There are limited resources available for women with anemia (pretty high – especially in this region). Patients who are considered “high-risk pregnancies” are referred to hospitals that are better able to handle these cases. My question is what if a delivery is expected to be normal and midway a complication arises? The nearest hospital is about 15 km away. Given the terrible driving conditions here and the lack of access to vehicles, the chance of this woman receiving adequate care is pretty low. Nonetheless, given adequate resources, the system of public health established in India is in many ways better than the US. The care is focused in community clinics and then diverted to the hospital in complicated cases. The idea of the government actually PAYING women to deliver in a care setting is completely unheard of in the US (and may cause a politician to lose his seat!).
One of many great pictures from this day
Following the Urban Health Care Clinic, we went to visit a nearby preschool and elementary school. Members of the Urban Health Care Clinic go to the school once per week to perform health check ups on the children (height, weight, nutrition). Additionally, the government pays for nutritional supplementation every day through age 5 as well as lunch during the day. Since this program was implemented, the children have gained weight and their parents budgets are freed up. The men in this town made about 130 Rs/Day ($2.60, unskilled) and 250 Rs/Day ($5.00-skilled). Women in the same jobs make much less.
Visiting the school was a great time. The students were quite happy to see us. I imagine that this was their first time seeing foreigners. We took loads of pictures, which really pleased them. They loved to look at the camera screen after the pictures were taken. I am definitely planning on doing a 1 week rotation in Peds while I am here.
Cute toddlers from the preschool in Vellore
Following our 2 week Community Health course, we will be allowed to choose what rotations we want to complete. I am planning on doing: CHAD (Community Health and Development hospital), LCECU (Low cost effective care unit), Peds, Ob/Gyn. I suppose that I will wait to decide what my other rotations will be.
I am glad that we are able to take part in this course. In the US, we have studied public health methods and theory for about a year. However, this is my first time actually going into the field and seeing how public health is done on extremely limited resources. I find it pretty incredible that the entire medical class goes on each of these site visits. It would be amazing if US med schools implemented similar field trips. Additionally, students at CMC have a mandatory 2 year service requirement (servicing a population in need). I think that this should definitely be incorporated into the US training system (especially with our huge focus on specialization – a focus that also exists in India).
Keep the emails coming. Until next time, enjoy the photos.
* In India, medical school begins directly after high school. It is a 6 year program followed by internship. The students that we are studying with are between 19 and 20 years old.
Time Written: 6/4/09 10pm (Assume India time unless told otherwise)
We have officially arrived in India and have settled in quite nicely. We are staying on the CMC medical school campus in Bagayam (about 15-20 minutes outside of Vellore). The campus is fairly large and filled with beautiful trees, flowers, and lots of animals (including a bat tree!). It houses the medical students (and possibly the nursing, pharmaceutical, and PT students as well), some full-time staff (senior professors), as well as 2 libraries, several dining facilities, a store, an international hostel, lecture halls, and a mental health hospital. I am staying in the CHTC guesthouse with Alicia as my roommate. We are quite lucky, as our room has A/C.
Bat Tree
Bat tree, close upOn Monday, we visited a small village in Vellore. The students conducted morbidity surveys in homes there. They surveyed the total number of people in each household, those who were sick and causes of illness. They also inquired about recent pregnancies and deaths. We served mostly as observers since the villagers did not speak English (Tamil is the native language in Tamil Nadu). I've posted some photos from that village.
Photos of some houses in the village near Vellore
Man with a cast walking his bike up a hill
Kitchen in one of the houses we surveyed (no running water)On Tuesday, we were supposed to go to a different village to conduct more detailed morbidity surveying. However, due to some unexpected stomach illness, we decided to skip out on that trip. The food in Southern India is quite delicious. However, it is also quite spicy and takes some time to adjust. I think we were a little over zealous with some of our food choices. Luckily the illness seemed to last only 24 hours.
Today was the best day yet. We went to visit several different sites. First, we saw an Urban Health Center located in a predominantly Muslim part of Vellore. This health center is government sponsored and also receives support through the Rotary Club of Vellore. The clinic mostly handles the prenatal, natal, and antenatal care of this community. Additionally, they help run school health check ups, have a 3X/week outpatient clinic, participate in DOTS (direct observed therapy – short course), run STD clinics/screening, provide family planning options, and immunize the children in this community. The clinic serves a patient population of about 46,000 individuals. The amazing thing about this clinic is that all care is provided free of charge. It is paid for by the government (and also through some donations by the Rotary Club). Another thing that I found astounding is that this center (via the government) actually pays individuals below the poverty line about 6000Rs ($120 USD) to deliver there. This was enacted because many of these women were delivering without the aid of trained workers. This leads to increased risk of maternal and neonatal death.
Birthing room in the Urban Health Center
Muslim woman walking in VelloreAs nice as the clinic is – it is easy to recognize points of weakness in the system. First, this clinic that focuses on maternal health is not equipped with a laboratory, a full-time physician, or an ultrasound machine. After giving birth, a woman is given a 1 night stay in the clinic. If an episiotomy is performed, a 3 night stay is allowed. There are limited resources available for women with anemia (pretty high – especially in this region). Patients who are considered “high-risk pregnancies” are referred to hospitals that are better able to handle these cases. My question is what if a delivery is expected to be normal and midway a complication arises? The nearest hospital is about 15 km away. Given the terrible driving conditions here and the lack of access to vehicles, the chance of this woman receiving adequate care is pretty low. Nonetheless, given adequate resources, the system of public health established in India is in many ways better than the US. The care is focused in community clinics and then diverted to the hospital in complicated cases. The idea of the government actually PAYING women to deliver in a care setting is completely unheard of in the US (and may cause a politician to lose his seat!).
One of many great pictures from this dayVisiting the school was a great time. The students were quite happy to see us. I imagine that this was their first time seeing foreigners. We took loads of pictures, which really pleased them. They loved to look at the camera screen after the pictures were taken. I am definitely planning on doing a 1 week rotation in Peds while I am here.
Cute toddlers from the preschool in Vellore
I am glad that we are able to take part in this course. In the US, we have studied public health methods and theory for about a year. However, this is my first time actually going into the field and seeing how public health is done on extremely limited resources. I find it pretty incredible that the entire medical class goes on each of these site visits. It would be amazing if US med schools implemented similar field trips. Additionally, students at CMC have a mandatory 2 year service requirement (servicing a population in need). I think that this should definitely be incorporated into the US training system (especially with our huge focus on specialization – a focus that also exists in India).
Keep the emails coming. Until next time, enjoy the photos.
* In India, medical school begins directly after high school. It is a 6 year program followed by internship. The students that we are studying with are between 19 and 20 years old.
Getting there is half the fun
Note: This entry was written on VERY VERY little sleep and after many hours of traveling. It is unedited and in its original form. For that, I am sorry. Enjoy. In case you are interested, the entire trip took 44 hours and 48 minutes.
Location: Indira Ghandi International Airport, Delhi, India
Time Written: 2:15 am Saturday May 29, 2009 (local time), 4:45pm Friday May 28 (Boston time)
I’m new to blogging (specifically, I’m currently writing my first sentence as a blogger). Please keep this in mind as well as my severe jetlag, sleepiness, and remaining travel (see itinerary), don’t expect miracles with this post. Before I talk about my travels to India (thus far) I’ll give you a bit of info about myself and my reasons to write this blog.
Who: My name is Holly. I just finished up my first year at Tufts Med. It was certainly an interesting year – and perhaps if this blog survives past the summer I’ll discuss it further. In addition to getting my MD, I am enrolled in a combined degree program in public health. When I graduate in 2012 I will have both an MD and MPH. My current trip to India is fulfilling a field experience requirement of my MPH degree.
What: This is a blog about my 7 week summer trip to Vellore, India. Vellore is home to the Christian Medical College (CMC) and its hospital (http://www.cmch-vellore.edu/t_main.asp). CMC is one of the top hospitals and medical schools in India.
Where: Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. Southern India about 150 km southwest of Chennai (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/India_population_density_map_en.svg).
When: Now through mid July-ish (currently no return flight!)
Why: I am choosing to write this blog for a few reasons. First, to let people in the states know how I’m doing. Second, to document my trip so I can look back on the trip with specific fond memories.
Okay – that’s pretty much enough details to get you pseudo-oriented. Now let’s talk about what’s happening right now. I have been traveling for 32 hours and 52 minutes. This isn’t a joke – I started my timer when I got on the train in Boston. I am currently sitting in the Indira Ghandi International airport (Delhi). I’d take a picture of the newly powerwashed sign – but once you enter the building, you can’t leave. I’d test that theory, but there are armed guards at the entrance. My travelling companions are fellow MPHers Mike and Alicia. Since arriving, we have rotated between the following activities. Sleeping, eating, meeting young Indians and asking them about cool things to do in India (currently topping the list: houseboat in Kerala, beaches of Goa, lots and lots of shopping, Taj Mahal…) and then sleeping again.
Armed Guards at the Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi
I must admit, I expected to walk of the plane into 120 degree heat with 98% humidity. Surprisingly, it’s fairly comfortable temperature and the humidity isn’t so bad. Then again, it’s evening and we are in an air-conditioned building. I am certainly waiting for the endless summer of sweating to begin when we leave the airport in Chennai.
The travel thus far has been pretty painless. On both of our flights we managed to have pretty ideal seating (exit row – no chairs in front of us – thus plenty of room to stretch out). There was a slight logistical snafu in Frankfurt involving getting new boarding passes for approximately 250 passengers 30 minutes before the flight was supposed to board (think slow lines, lots of miscommunication due to a 3 way language barrier, and no time for restroom breaks between flights). But everything worked out.
Recap: lots of traveling, still not there, so far so good. Once I am rested, I will post more details about what I will be doing this summer at CMC, why public health is pretty awesome, and what I hope to get out of this summer.
Travel Itinerary from Boston to Vellore
Location: Indira Ghandi International Airport, Delhi, India
Time Written: 2:15 am Saturday May 29, 2009 (local time), 4:45pm Friday May 28 (Boston time)
I’m new to blogging (specifically, I’m currently writing my first sentence as a blogger). Please keep this in mind as well as my severe jetlag, sleepiness, and remaining travel (see itinerary), don’t expect miracles with this post. Before I talk about my travels to India (thus far) I’ll give you a bit of info about myself and my reasons to write this blog.
Who: My name is Holly. I just finished up my first year at Tufts Med. It was certainly an interesting year – and perhaps if this blog survives past the summer I’ll discuss it further. In addition to getting my MD, I am enrolled in a combined degree program in public health. When I graduate in 2012 I will have both an MD and MPH. My current trip to India is fulfilling a field experience requirement of my MPH degree.
What: This is a blog about my 7 week summer trip to Vellore, India. Vellore is home to the Christian Medical College (CMC) and its hospital (http://www.cmch-vellore.edu/t_main.asp). CMC is one of the top hospitals and medical schools in India.
Where: Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. Southern India about 150 km southwest of Chennai (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/India_population_density_map_en.svg).
When: Now through mid July-ish (currently no return flight!)
Why: I am choosing to write this blog for a few reasons. First, to let people in the states know how I’m doing. Second, to document my trip so I can look back on the trip with specific fond memories.
Okay – that’s pretty much enough details to get you pseudo-oriented. Now let’s talk about what’s happening right now. I have been traveling for 32 hours and 52 minutes. This isn’t a joke – I started my timer when I got on the train in Boston. I am currently sitting in the Indira Ghandi International airport (Delhi). I’d take a picture of the newly powerwashed sign – but once you enter the building, you can’t leave. I’d test that theory, but there are armed guards at the entrance. My travelling companions are fellow MPHers Mike and Alicia. Since arriving, we have rotated between the following activities. Sleeping, eating, meeting young Indians and asking them about cool things to do in India (currently topping the list: houseboat in Kerala, beaches of Goa, lots and lots of shopping, Taj Mahal…) and then sleeping again.
Armed Guards at the Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi
The travel thus far has been pretty painless. On both of our flights we managed to have pretty ideal seating (exit row – no chairs in front of us – thus plenty of room to stretch out). There was a slight logistical snafu in Frankfurt involving getting new boarding passes for approximately 250 passengers 30 minutes before the flight was supposed to board (think slow lines, lots of miscommunication due to a 3 way language barrier, and no time for restroom breaks between flights). But everything worked out.
Recap: lots of traveling, still not there, so far so good. Once I am rested, I will post more details about what I will be doing this summer at CMC, why public health is pretty awesome, and what I hope to get out of this summer.
Travel Itinerary from Boston to Vellore
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