The Ways in India, by me

By me. not to be taken seriously, meant to entertain, not offend or document or impress! This is not a travel guide!

Jan 21, 2009 Being the professional travelers that they are, my classmates loaded their one piece small suitcases on the cart, while I thrust my 20kg lugguage on my cart. The security officers pulled me aside, while the rest of my travel buddies continued through the gate. The security officer flipped through my laisse passé, asked me about my parents, about living in East Jerusalem ( even though I moved out almost four years ago to live in Beer sheva), my studies in the States, in Beer Sheva, reason to my departure to India. My group had arrived to the airport later than we expected, and there was only one hour left before the departure. Was I going to catch the flight before telling my life story!?Two security officers escorted to me to the departure area; one of them talked about how hungry she was, how much she wanted to eat Hummus. I, too, was hungry, so we continued the conversation to topics of falafel and shawrmah, laughed and I went through the gate. Technically, this is my first trip to a third world country. I count being in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as third world country set up, but perhaps it is not. And yet, isn’t India a world on the way to being considered developed? Anyway, whether it be developed or developing or in transition, it will be my first time there! I have two things i want to do: to go to an Indian wedding, to learn to dance like an Indian.

Jan 22, 09 Well, my classmates and I exited Chennai airport to set our foot on Indian soil, to a different world…of cars, cars that I only saw in movies back in the 1920s! The hospital sent a driver to pick us up. I never thought that being jet lagged is something to be thankful for, and yet I actually was today in the car! I don’t understand how people drive here, there is no two lanes, or three or four. It all depends on who decides when to over take the other car, autorickshaw, the motobikes, bicycle or bull pulling a cart. I was asleep on the way, and was sure that the next time I was going to open my eyes, I was either going to be in the hospital, and not as an observing medical student, or in heaven, or hell. This ride could be a swift introduction to emergency medicine or the ICU in Indian hospitals! First impressions: there is more than one way to get anywhere here, not just vehicle wise! There are cows in the street. Women wear saris. If you are a passenger, not a driver, it is better to travel with your eyes closed while also praying to your god.

Feb 2, 2009 They are hills people"They are hills people and are stubborn," the intern explained to me, rushed to see the other children on the ward, before the pediatric morning rounds. 24 beds, one intern, and a long list of pneumonia, nephrotic syndrome, malnutrient, meningitis, gastroentertitis at this community health hospital. I had asked her about a 4 year old was malnourished, he looked like he was 2, what his mother fed him, if it was explained to her what he should eat. "Where did the baby go?" I asked another intern in the labour and delivery ward after he delivered the mother. I did not see any pediatricians to take the babye to weigh him. "The mother in law took him outside to show him to other family members," a nurse explained. "Well, I thought you would give the baby to the mother to see," I said. "It is hills people, they proud its a son," was the explanation I got. I am still not sure I know who the hills people are. They have sons, and they are malnourished.