Of course I believe that the key to world peace is for cultures to focus on their similarities rather than their differences...

But one of the fun thing about different cultures are the things you find curious because they would be so out of the ordinary within your own place and time. These things are best seen when brand new to a place; when I get home, i'll dig out some of my pictures from previous visits to india, which mostly consist of pictures of cows in the market place. anyhow, here are a few things I have enjoyed thus far in vellore (some things never get old) just while meandering about. Please forgive the size, you try downloading with 512 speed internet.


the friendly neighborhood goat. Also responsible for waste management.

One step ahead of the game. They are against all forms of tobacco pollution, not just smoking.

I would think there would be many other things you might want to ban from the hospital premises, but this is the only restriction I found.

It is a lovely hospital with lovely plants. Apparently, people have been trying to take them, since there are commandments every few feet prohibiting it.

Carla and my first ride in the back of an "autorickshaw"

Me in ethnic garb outside the biochemistry labs (!) garden. If only our campus were so lucky.

My favorite thing about india is the vast array of colors (yes I know, ironic for a black and white photographer). No better place to spot it than at a tailor.

Hopefuly more (and larger) pictures to come.

Today was the last day of my pediatric rotation at the main CMC hospital. Yesterday and today, I enjoyed talking with Dr. Moses, the director of child health. He is an excellent teacher, compassionate, patient, and articulate. (I believe he is an idealist at heart; perhaps it was that, that reminded me of William Wimsatt when he was talking). From my last post regarding all the talk about payment--he summed up his philosophy on money and health care. He notes that everyone is poor, to a different extent. And if those that have the ability to pay, get away without paying and going on the hospital's handout, it takes away the funds available for those who truly cannot pay. Sorting out who is who can be difficult, hence the need to discuss it ad nauseum with the families, and to gain an accurate social history for each patient. I tried to think about why it was that it did not bother me when he talked about money, compared to some of the other doctors. It was really his attitude that was so different. I try to take into context the fact that as director, he probably has alot more experience and distance, making it easier for him to deal with limited resources so maturely. Perhaps the other doctors are as flustered by the whole complexity of it as I am--the difference is, they have to live it day in and day out. I have to flag this little section about my frustration to reread during those difficult times as an intern next year. It could be so much harder than what I will face. It is so much harder over here. On Monday, I will start my rotation at CHAD, a community hospital. Till then, I have the weekend to figure out how not to keep waking up between midnight and 3AM, and then being utterly exhausted by dinner.

Dr. Moses told us about the history of CMC, started by a little girl who was here because her parents were doing missionary work. She was approached by a muslim man who asked her to come and attend to his wife who was in a difficult labor. She replied that she was not a doctor but her father was, could he attend instead. The man replied that it was strictly against his beliefs for a man to attend to the birth, only a woman could do it. She refused as she had no medical training, after pleading with the man to let her father help. Later that evening, she was approached by a Hindu man in the same situation, once again, she could do nothing to help. Yet a third man (I forgot the religion) was in the same situation that evening. She was upset throughout the night at her helpless situation. In the morning, she heard the bell toll for the three mother's who had died in child birth. It was then that this little girl decided she had to do something. From this story, comes the beginning of the Christian Medical College. From her feelings of helplessness, she empowered and served so many; she continues to do so through her legacy. Inspiring. to say the least.

Carla and I have been a bit adventurous and testing of our limits when it comes to food. So far, we are in the clear. We have been eating at many of the different little restaurants along Ida Scutter Road, the main street in front of the hospital. This weekend we are going to Pondicherry--it is a little coastal town that has French influence, according to our almighty guide book. We also arranged for our travel after our rotation at CMC, we will be going to Goa--the other coast that has Portuguese influence, and then to Jodhpur and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, thats right, where I will finally get to see the palaces of the great maharajas (I have wanted to forever, why I haven't yet? we'll get to that in a moment...) and Carla will get to fulfill her long unfulfilled wish to ride a camel on a night safari! Afterwards we will head to Delhi where we will stay with my masi (that is an aunt on the mother's side, "masi" means "like mother"... a heart warming term isn't it? I much prefer it to "aunt".), see the taj mahal as a day trip to agra, and partake in some serious shopping. Should be lovely?

So back to this travelling bit. I've been to India for two big trips in my life (in my memory). Why have I never seen Goa or the palaces I've always longed to see? Well, it has something to do with the Great Relative Tour that happens on India Standard Time (IST). IST (at least in the north), is pretty much two hours after the time that is agreed upon or greater. The Relative Tour? If you are of indian decent. You could spend three full weeks, three to four meals a day, visiting with relatives in mass quantities at each meal, and STILL have forgotten or missed someone--combine that with IST, and you have a synergy that is unconquerable in the proportioned time that American School Systems like to hand out as vacation (most of you know my qualms with the System--you couldn't possibly learn something outside a sterile room, with books so edited that there is no life left to them, between the hours of 8-4. Right?). Sorry for the aside. Well, on this trip, I will not be making the Relative Tour (I hope there is no grudge held for twenty something odd years, finger's crossed).

My grandmother lives in Shillong; it is a Christian state close to China with a more (indigenous?) population of people that descend from a mix of Indian and Chinese--with their own language, customs, etc. I always found this fascinating as the only other aspect of India I knew was the predominantly Hindu, huge city of New Delhi. That always kept me wondering, if this is so different from the "India" I know, what else is there? On my last trip to India, my brother and I disappeared to Kerala for three days--it is at the Southern most tip of India where the three oceans meet. It is beautiful. It is a matriarchal system, where property is passed from mother to daughter and has one of the highest literacy rates in the developing world (coincidence? my guess is no;) This made my curiosity grow further. That is why I am excited to live here in Tamil Nadu, with a large Christian population (yes, in another life, I would have been a full fledged anthropologist), then see a town with French influence, and then another with Portuguese influence! I'm so excited. So why the fascination with palaces? On my last trip to India, I picked up a book by Gita Mehta called "Raj". She is a historical fiction writer. I became enthralled by her description of not only the physical brilliance of the palaces, but also the history of their fall. At the rate our world is going, I feel the need to see them now rather than later.

This is also the first time I would say I have actually "lived" in India. Where not everything is arranged for me, bought for me, cooked especially for me, booked for me during my whole stay. I like it. I think I grew up scared of the "differences" in India compared to the states--don't eat the street food, watch your purse at all times, let so and so take you shopping, take a hired A/C car everywhere. Not that these aren't all valid concerns. But even after travelling to the other parts of the world and managing on my own, I guess I didn't know I could do that here. Maybe I pay a few extra rupees, sweat a few more drops, and risk my stomach (hope I don't regret this later)--but I'm having a blast figuring it out. Obviously, its about the journey, my destination is intangible.

whew. if you made it this far, good work;)