5:00 pm, 6 July 2006
We were supposed to go out today to help with eye screenings in one of the local schools, but apparently the headmaster was sick and canceled. So instead we ended up at a gynecology clinic for women in the rural areas. I don't think we were very much help, but one of the physicians was a fantastic teacher with decent English abilities, so we learned alot about each patient that came in. There was a woman with hypothyroidism and a boy with bilateral direct hernias. These were pretty cool for me, since I have learned so much about them in class.
In the afternoon, we also went to a nearby lake to take pictures. It was gorgeous with a public park and a dam to walk across. Interestingly, you have to pay to enter the parks in India. It was only 5 rupees (the current exchange rate is about 45 rupees to the dollar, so about 2 cents) which is not much for us, but probably is for the local poor communities.
However, the funniest thing that happened to me today was during breakfast. I feel (and probably act) like an idiot pretty much all the time around here, but this was pretty embarrassing. Most Indian food they eat with just their hands, and there are places to wash up right before you eat. So, this morning, I wash my hands and get my cafeteria-esque breakfast which consists of short, thin noodles and a sauce on the side. I'm thinking, ok. . . messy. I dig in with my fingers anyway because I'm trying to respect the culture, but mainly because I don't see any silverware. After I'm about halfway through, one of the cleaning women walks up and hands me a spoon. I don't know where she got it, but I'm sure she had been watching me and laughing hard at that dumb American. I think this was one of those dishes you are supposed to eat with silverware (who knows how many of those dishes I've eaten so far with my fingers and who knows how many people have watched and laughed). Oh well, I'm sure that's not my first mistake, and it definitely won't be my last! At least I can laugh at myself too!
We were supposed to go out today to help with eye screenings in one of the local schools, but apparently the headmaster was sick and canceled. So instead we ended up at a gynecology clinic for women in the rural areas. I don't think we were very much help, but one of the physicians was a fantastic teacher with decent English abilities, so we learned alot about each patient that came in. There was a woman with hypothyroidism and a boy with bilateral direct hernias. These were pretty cool for me, since I have learned so much about them in class.
In the afternoon, we also went to a nearby lake to take pictures. It was gorgeous with a public park and a dam to walk across. Interestingly, you have to pay to enter the parks in India. It was only 5 rupees (the current exchange rate is about 45 rupees to the dollar, so about 2 cents) which is not much for us, but probably is for the local poor communities.
However, the funniest thing that happened to me today was during breakfast. I feel (and probably act) like an idiot pretty much all the time around here, but this was pretty embarrassing. Most Indian food they eat with just their hands, and there are places to wash up right before you eat. So, this morning, I wash my hands and get my cafeteria-esque breakfast which consists of short, thin noodles and a sauce on the side. I'm thinking, ok. . . messy. I dig in with my fingers anyway because I'm trying to respect the culture, but mainly because I don't see any silverware. After I'm about halfway through, one of the cleaning women walks up and hands me a spoon. I don't know where she got it, but I'm sure she had been watching me and laughing hard at that dumb American. I think this was one of those dishes you are supposed to eat with silverware (who knows how many of those dishes I've eaten so far with my fingers and who knows how many people have watched and laughed). Oh well, I'm sure that's not my first mistake, and it definitely won't be my last! At least I can laugh at myself too!
posted by Amy M at 6:30 AM
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