Thank You India, Hope to see you again soon!

I came to India with a plan. I quickly learned that India is a place that rarely adheres to planning; it is in constant motion, always changing and so alive. The sights, sounds, and smells are overwhelmingly powerful and unavoidable. The many senses evoke emotion that I have found you have to openly embrace to prevent them from consuming you. From the moment the wheels hit the tarmac in Delhi, the chaos began. Standing at my seat patiently waiting to deplane, I watched in amazement as the crowds of people anxiously rushed past me. Suddenly, I was pushed out into the exiting parade of passengers, struggling to keep my balance and stay on my feet. What I realized that day was something that held true for the entire ten weeks: if you do not jump in and become part of the craziness, it will pass right by and you will be left behind. As I was forced into the crowded aisle, I was swept into everything that is India.

The whole time in India I was learning, whether it was learning to take blood pressure, to be more patient, about the rich Indian culture, or more about myself. I spent the first five weeks in north eastern India visiting a wide variety of clinics. Each week was spent in a different location shadowing cardiologists, OBGYNs, general physicians, and surgeons. Some days were spent hiking to remote villages and setting up a medical camp. As we hiked further into the wilderness, it was like going back in time. The villages were completely isolated, the people lived off their land, and they were very curious of us outsiders. Other days were spent in doctor's office observing and taking notes of outpatient walk-ins and appointments. I'll never forget witnesses my first birth in the third week of the internship. It was graphic and fascinating, the sounds and smells are forever etched into my mind. The last five weeks I was in Pune, an established city four hours east of Mumbai, shadowing OBGYNs. While here, I saw either a birth, surgery, or direct doctor-patient interaction everyday. I was amazed to learn that for such a well 'educated' city, forty of the four million people lived in slum areas. I got to spend a week participating in activities at these undeserved areas. Cooking classes, health awareness, eye clinics and medical camps were just some of the projects taking place.

Being in a place with so many senses activated, made me feel more alive and aware of the new world around me. Because there is so much going on, my mind was activated all the time. Whether or not I had my camera out, I was mentally storing images all day. Cows wandering carelessly through traffic, families of three to five riding on scooters, women dressed in colorful saris, and fruit vendors lining the streets were all part of the normal daily scenery. Of all the senses that India provokes, sight was the one that effected me the most. My eyes were constantly accosted with vibrant colors, beautiful landscape, and startlingly poverty.

I found that it was not so much of seeing the poverty, but the contrast that was the most difficult for me. Things seemed to be in a state of development or in disrepair; the people had plenty or nothing. A brand new shiny skyscraper protrudes out over millions of people living in the slums below. I left lavish wedding reception and walked out onto the street where a family and all their possession are gathered under a tarp tied to the concrete barriers outside the magnificent hotel. At the reception, waiters were scrapping left over food off the already overweight individuals plates and throwing it into a huge garbage bin; while there are starving people right outside the gates. These extremes around me, penetrated into my own experience as well. Personally, I was either constantly surrounded by people with all of my senses on overload or I was removed from it all in a secluded, self-created bubble. Emotionally, I either was on a high and was loving the whole experience and other times I found my self becoming cynical of the world around me. Physically, I either felt great or I felt like my body was revolting against everything in India. As an outsider, I was able to step back and recharge myself before facing it again. However, I realized that so many of these people never get that break and live in such extreme situations every day.

I came to India for a professional, medical internship, but leave with so much more than what I learned within the walls of the clinics. There was never a dull moment and I was daily challenged either mentally, physically or emotionally. There were so many wonderful, eye opening experiences and memorable moments. The constant state of senses in heightened awareness was contagious and I leave feeling invigorated, concerned, sad, appreciative, and focused to name a few. Everything that happened, all that I learned and everyone I met were all part of India's plan for me. While traveling through Goa, I met a fellow traveler, only he was much older, wiser, and probably knew the secret to life. He poignantly put into words my experience while in India when he casually stated, “As you travel more, it's not what you do; it's what the trip does to you.”