LIVEALITTLE

Deepak and Rishi are not bad men. They are actually pretty cool. The problem is they are married with children yet they still insist to hang out with us, volunteers. When I say 'insist', I mean, calling the guesthouse every night to see if we (at least Maggie) is available. Their over-the-top friendliness makes me defensive somewhat. I've decided to take a different approach today and leverage them to find out more about the Indian culture such as the dowry and caste system. The caste system still exists, but the government is making appropriations to give equal opportunity to lower caste members as the US has for minorities in schooling. Typical government workers make 75 ruppees a day (That's about $1.50US). Finally, in a marriage, typical dowry given by a women's family is 1 laak (written 10,00,000 or 100,000 ruppees or $2222US.). Depending on the family, there is a 'bargaining' between the families for the dowry amount.

The guys bought us beer in the car tonight. It's significantly cheaper buying your own alcohol from a liquor store than from drinking at an establishment. So, we drank and chatted in the car. I must say, within a month, I have lost ALL my alcohol tolerance. I only had one beer tonight and felt extremely flustered after it. Hopefully Sydney will help my tolerance again although I should watch my savings. Maybe I'll have a bottle at home and take a whiskey shot every night.

Pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/1669566/

I guess I've always been in a Christian country for Christmas. Life today seemed particularly BLAH. I fully expected no hoopla but apparently there is an internal clock within me hankering for just a bit of caroling, lights, presents... the little things that makes Christmas such a happy time for so many. The bombardment of lights gave me an other-worldly loving warmth feeling that was lacking today... never thought I'd say that.
We did do something different today (as if every day is not different, right?). Maggie's family gave her about $200US to buy food for the shanti towns in our area. These people live in huts covered with old clothes and a dirt floor. It's an extremely difficult life. Maggie and I spent the morning at a store repackaging rice so we can distribute them in 5kg bags. Ultimately, the $200US was able to get 60 bags of: 5kg rice, chili bags, 1kg dahl, 1kg lentils, 1kg salt. AND she STILL has money left over! It was difficult to tell who we handed provisions to since everyone wore rags and were dirty but they seemed grateful nonetheless. Hopefully their Christmas day (even though they had no idea why we chose today to do this) is a little happier. Thanks Maggie for making the day happen and giving so many a little magical Christmas spirit!
We'll be swinging by the Mother Teresa orphanage for Xmas mass tonight. That should definitely satiate my Christmas hunger!
What'd you do for Christmas? I need to live vicariously through someone!
Merry Christmas... I mean, HAPPY CHRISTMAS (that's what they say here) to all and to all a good night!

I did the rural village medical truck run today. I've always enjoyed it because Dr. Sharma is such a wonderful, supportive, sharing doctor and I get to interact with villagers. I'd always only participated as an observer and listener. Today, Dr. Sharma actually let me take the blood pressue of a vertigo patient and state my diagnosis! I was actually able to whip out my fancy schmancy Litman stethescope (that impressed Dr. Sharma! Thanks, Justin!) to find that her blood pressure was 90/30. WAY Low! I didn't come up with "hypotension" until an hour later, but I felt very capable. Medical professionals probably think "Phleph, that was a no-brainer diagnosis". I think "Hey, I'd never done this before! I feel capable!". Does this qualify me to give injections tomorrow? :)

I knew she was going to die. She came in her father's arms totally emaciated, totally exhausted, totally out of breath. She was 9 years old and she had tachycardia. Noone had to tell me if she didn't get immediate assistance, her heart would give out.
The doctors seemed to take their time to admit her into the hospital. Maybe they had to finalize the payment schedule. Maybe they knew she wasn't going to make it. In any case, noone was very specific in their response to my questions (typical India).
An hour into her admission, I felt hunger pains and was called to lunch. When I got back in 15 minutes and rushed to see how she was doing, there was already a blanket over her head. She had given up. Maybe it was good I didn't see her last moments. Watching her writhing in bed even though she was too weak was gut-wrenching already.
Not sure if the doctors here did really give their best efforts. Regardless, I would not want to die here...

Been reading a Richard P. Feynman book and the following affected my thoughts for today:
"Learn what the rest of the world is like. The variety is worthwhile."
What an amazing character he was. There was definitely variety, exuberance and curiosity in his life which I hope inspires others as well. Sad to read he died of cancer in 1988. Actually he chose to die with dignity when his cancer worsened and take any treatment. Imagine having to make such a decision! I bet he even analysed his last moments as he had analysed his path to slumber. Wish I could read that too...

In any case, on a happier note, I took a trip out of Gwalior today. Actually about 4 hours away to a town called Orchha. It's a quaint town of temples and a fort. It was very comfortable actually because sellers stopped selling and auto drivers drove away when you told them 'no'. We were not harrassed at all... or at least to a minimum. This town made me notice the beauty of India... specifically the Indian people. I particularly took note of them when our Tempo driver passed a weekend trippers homeward bound migration of at least 50 people. The women were extravagent in their multi-cultured saris. I love that there is such a love for vibrant colors. It made me wonder if the human race is the only species where the females are more colorful than the male. Anyone have faster internet connection than me to do some investigative work?
(19/12/05: Thanks Frank for doing the legwork! I knew I could count on you! If only you could have counted on me to do more work for HFH! Sorry...
"looks like the baboon fits your "female as the more colorful" request:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/monkeywire/2001-March/000066.html
and it appears the more colorful female has the advantage in the competition of spotted gobies (fish)
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=00042255-EEF3-1C63-B882809EC588ED9F")

It's been so frustrating in India to rely on electricity being up, the server at the internet cafe being up and the streets being open that I think I will just update the blog for now and include pictures later. Believe me when I say all my blog information is updated and safely on my laptop and I'm sure it will crap out the day I get my ass to the internet cafe (with wifi) and everything works for once.

Well, I was close to getting to the internet cafe today until we were told all roads in town were closed since the Prime Minister was in town. Everyone was evacuated off the streets. Even stray dogs were evacuated for fear someone would strap a bomb to them. I wonder if the sacred cows were moved off too. There must be huge piles of crap whereever all these vagrant animals were relocated to. So, what kind of visit is it if there is noone on the streets to allow the prime minister to see the horrible conditions people in this town live in? Why can't he have a pope-mobile?

Sorry. A bit annoyed that I am trapped in this house for another day... :) Well, I caught up with my email, some reading and my pictures. "No tension. No problem."

I took a ride on the Mobile Hospital today. We drove 2 hours to get to the village of Nonera. Once there, Doctor Goswami stationed himself and took patient complaints. He then proceeded to write a prescription without touching the patient nor validating the ailment. The patient passed the prescription to medical assistant/nurse/pharmacist Kalas who filled it. Typically, the problem was a cold or cough (though I didn't hear any sniffling, sneezing nor coughing). Kalas would pour from a bottle of red syrup (seemed like Robitussin) into a smaller bottle the patient brought from their homes. At one point, the red syrup came close to running out. Kala filled the red syrup bottle back up with tap water...

Not sure if this is the best way to treat people but I guess it is the most efficient. Since they come to this village on a weekly basis, those who have a serious condition can be brought into town. So far this service seems to be the most effective out of all GCH run ones... It gives me a little bit of hope.

Pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/1612830/

What an appropriate name, "Mercy Home". The children here have been abandoned by their families, then abandoned by previous orphanages. This government orphanage is the last stop before the street. Most of these children have epileptic seizures so it is understandable why they are being neglected by society. The government staff assigned to monitor them have been demoted to this position hence the lack of dedication. The Gwalior Children's Hospital (GCH) staff are lazy and uncaring as well. We believe GCH staffs this orphanage to get charity kickbacks from the government. Volunteers have cried out to BK Sharma (the head of the GCH organization) to replace the GCH staff but to no avail. The kids here are in a feral and wild setting. They live like animals with the stronger stealing/beating the weaker. Luckily there are some kids who feel obligated to take care of some of the weaker and maintain a slight balance within the orphanage. But the government staff who walk around with sticks make the last call... and they usually steal volunteer donated clothing, food and supplies as well. What a sad sick world we live in... And it's funny how the oldtime volunteers tell me I will get accustomed to the conditions of Mercy Home.

Pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/1612684/

I had such mixed emotions on this goodbye-hello day. I'm somewhat glad I had a chat with myself about staying composed and staying content with my future decision rather than let the current situation make a whirlwind of my emotions. George caved me in a little bit when he turned and made his last statement to me of "Hope you find what you are looking for". Gladly that built me up to confront Andras, Csilla, Ajay and Keiko to see me off. I had to seriously force myself to think about the great times we'd had together and how they'd contributed to make me the more satisfied person I am now. I just hope I'd made them love their lives a little more as well. It doesn't seem appropriate to say I am "moving on" because I am not leaving anything behind. Maybe it is more appropriate to say I am "complementing" my existing life...

I had a 48 hour day so it justifies a double entry. Well, maybe it was the Dubai stopover that spoiled me, but Delhi seemed horribly unsanitary and backwards. It's hard to tell if there is ANY sanitary services in the city or if the entire population is plain lazy about disposing of their rubbish properly. People piss and shit on the sidewalks as well. While sitting stationary on the train awaiting imminent departure for Gwalior, the site of the children's hospital, I am smacked with periodic whiffs of human waste. I am later to find out sanitation services definitely DOES NOT exist in Gwalior. Even though we have trash buckets throughout the guesthouse, the housing staff would empty these bins over the wall beyond the house into the vast wasteland behind us. The wall and our higher elevation block the stench below, but it does not block the mosquitos. Apparently a number of volunteers had come down with malaria. Luckily some volunteers had left their extra pill stashes at the guesthouse because the pills from the Gwalior pharmacy don't seem kosher. Despite being labelled as daily pills, the pharmacist vehemently insisted they can ALSO be taken weekly. That's what you'll surely get in India... a different story from every source.

Pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/1612571/

This "L" is for livealittle.
This "L" is for the lust of life.
This "L" is for the love I have for my friends and family.
Thanks Kevin and Tom. It will always remind me of this special day and the home I will always love in New York City.

Thanks to everyone who showed up and signed the best photo album anyone could receive. You guys inspire and motivate me just being you!


Pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/1500695/