i leave for india on august 13... its coming up quick! (i will return to the states on September 14th)
My india travel visa is secured, one of the longest applications ive filled out!, an appt has been made for a few vaccinations, and im currently researching the things i want to see and do when im not in clinic. (ie taj mahal)
people have been asking me about:
the weather- it will be monsoon season - something to look forward too, haha! so it will be hot and wet!
i will mainly be in northern india, in the foothills of the himalayas. there will be mosquitos and i plan on swimming in deet regularly to keep them away!
the food - i love indian food, but the area is mainly vegetarian, so i am a lil worried i will starve to death with no meat ;-)
the water - we will have filtered water in our host homes and im well aware of water purifying methods and safety. apparently the indians like to reseal water bottles with super glue so that it makes a cracking sound as if it were properly sealed when you twist the bottle open. im not worried!
will i get to see any births - i really hope so, but it will depend on what 'happens' the particular days im in particular clinics. 'anything goes' as far as i can expect as to what i will get to see.
luggage - i will be carrying all my gear and any medical supplies i take on my back, which means im spending lots of time at REI debating over which backpack to buy.
souvenirs - yes! i absolutely plan on bringing home some beautiful reminders of my time in india. I plan to get a sari, but it will be hard to decide on the color of fabric!
safety - dont worry! it will be safe. i will not die (which my baby sister is absolutely convinced of). i will be traveling with a male classmate before and after the clinic rotations. while we are in the care of nature quest, we will have cell phones provided to us, and explicit directions and guidance of where to go and how to get there, etc. i will be in good hands and i am a smart savy experienced world traveler!
sickness/disease - we are all expecting diarrhea at some point on our trip! and weve all planned accordingly with supplements, probiotics and plenty of tp! lets hope that no one experiences anything else in the 'under-the-weather' dept. knock on wood!
*scroll down to view new posts*
click on pictures to see 'some' of the 2400 pics i took!!
Hello family and friends.
I have some exciting news! But first, a brief update. I just completed my third year of study in naturopathic medical school at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Last August, I sat for the NPLEX basic science board examination and found out in October that I passed! After 2 more years of intense study, along with numerous clinical rotations, and another seat for the three-day clinical board examinations, I will be a doctor! I have also been working on the didactic curriculum to earn a certificate in obstetrics/midwifery.
Now for the exciting part! I have been selected, along with a small handful of my colleagues, to travel on a medical volunteer trip with Naturopaths Without Borders [NWB] (in conjunction with Nature Quest India) to Northern India. For three weeks in August and Sept, we will be rotating through villages and clinics providing healthcare support. We will stay for one week in Thangaon village, where we will experience the Himalayan medicare at a grass root level, one week in Dehradun city with the urban Indian medical system, and one week in Rishikesh Ashram where will be exposed to Ayurvedic Medicine.
NWB’s mission is to provide naturopathic health care to impoverished communities, while empowering those communities through education, supporting growth and cultivating sustainable resources. The Nature Quest India mission is to provide very basic health care and build a community health care infrastructure for all the surrounding villagers.
I have created this blog to journal my trip and to post pictures so that you may follow along and share this adventure with me. I will update it as often as I can while in India. I hope that I will be able to accurately capture the experiences, sights, sounds, and feelings of this trip! Please share the blog link with those that you feel would enjoy it.
Over the last three years of my medical studies (and various international pleasure travels) I have found myself to be more and more drawn to global health and the opportunities that lie outside of our prosperous country to bring health, education and much needed compassion to my beautiful brothers and sisters in need. This experience in India with NWB will no doubt be a determining factor in how I choose to use my gift as a doctor after graduation. I am beyond excited to venture on this journey. I know that no matter what, it will be a life changing experience that I will always treasure, and that I will come back from India with a renewed spirit, a fresh perspective, and a deeper appreciation for what I have been blessed with. I will be staying with a host family and I cannot wait to be immersed in their wonderful culture.
If you find it appropriate to help support me with this unique opportunity, I will gladly accept your gracious donations. Click on the donate tab above for more info! Any amount will help! The cost of the trip is $1500.00 and the cost of the airfare is $1500.00. The money that we pay as volunteers goes directly to the clinics and host families, as well as the public health needs for the communities that Nature Quest India primarily works with.
Thank you endlessly for your support, love and encouragement. namaste ~desha
