Day Two

Hi everyone! So I haven't updated in a while. Like Pithi (Aunt) says I seem to be on a schedule similar to that of the Princess of Wales. But here are the happenings here in Hyderabad. At the Sweekar Upkaar facility I switched to the OPD (Out Patient Department). It was very interesting there as the patients an their families discuss their symptoms and problems with one of the staff members. After the staff member has recorded their problems they are sent to the appropriate department. I was exposed to so many different cases and patients in this environment and it was fascinating to observe their behavior and speech. Although I do not speak the native language, I was able to understand most of it because the staff records the patient’s symptoms on a computer in English. After the patients have been sent to their appropriate departments they spend about ten days there. Then they are sent to the actual clinic where they see the doctor. He observes them as well and prescribes different medication based on what their symptoms are. This was also extremely interesting because I was able to get an inside look on what a doctors thought process is while they are diagnosing a patient. It was interesting to listen to the advice that the doctor gave the patients because it seemed as though the simplest advice achieved miracles. For example, one patient was having chest and back pains. He was a very young man and it is peculiar to have these types of pain at such a young age. The doctor asked him about his schedule and he said he woke up every morning at 3 am to study and then drive two hours to attend his engineering college. The doctor immediately knew that this was the cause of his problems: not getting enough sleep. It was amazing to me that such a simple thing like not sleeping enough can lead to severe chest pain. I will spend one more day in the clinic on Monday and am looking forward to being exposed to more cases. On another note, we have been looking for a Physics tutor here. I have to take physics next year and seeing as I have no prior knowledge about the course, this was the perfect opportunity to get a head start. After a few failed attempts at finding a tutor, we finally found one, who just so happened to be head of the physics department at a renowned college. Imagine our luck. And imagine our luck when we discovered he only lives 5 minutes away from our house. I was thrilled to have finally found someone capable of teaching me. He was able to transfer difficult concepts to me in an interesting way by showing me real life examples. He was extremely eccentric and obviously passionate about Physics and this excitement was contagious. I found myself actually interested and listening attentively to everything he was teaching. He made some of the most difficult concepts easy to grasp, something that only a truly a great teacher has the ability to do. I look forward to attending more sessions with him and enhancing my physics knowledge. I am sure that this will make my life much easier next year when I have to take the course at school. On a lighter note, some of the fun things I have been doing around here: yesterday we went to a wedding, I've been spending quality bonding time with Ammama, Padma Auntie, Thata, and Nalin, I've been visiting the club, reading, and shopping. Since I've gotten here I've had an extremely packed schedule, but I find myself enjoying every minute of it. The volunteering experience is fantastic and being able to do this in my own country while spending time with family makes for an unforgettable experience.

Shrikar! One of the wonderful students I had the opportunity to work with in the CLD.


Sai! Another one of the fabulous students I got to work with!


The kids had such a great time taking pictures of each other! It was an incredible feeling to see their faces light up when they saw a picture of themselves!



The remarkable staff and students I had the pleasure of working with in the CLD.


The marvelous Sweta who patiently endured getting me ready for the wedding and ensuring that every safety pin and item of clothing was in the perfect spot!


I love you Ammama! Thank you so much for taking so much time to ensure that I have the most enriching and enjoyable experience here in Hyderabad. My trip has been incredible so far because of all the great things you have managed to get me involved in!


Thata! Thank you for all the informative lectures. Whether it was how the brain works or how to land a plane, they were all so interesting and it is a pleasure to talk to you!