Day 16

On our way back from Pondicherry we did not take the National Highway but rather back roads.  Despite the bumpiness and the aggressiveness of the driver, it was an amazing way to see the country.  We drove on paved roads and dirt roads while seeing monkeys, goats, cows and so forth. We passed through big downs and small towns, green area, rice fields, and drove next to a damn. For the first time of this entire staged and organized program, I felt like I was seeing India for what she truly is. 

            One of the things that stood out to me the most about our time in Pondicherry was way the caste system still manifests itself in contemporary Indian society.  For a grand total of 222 dollars, our driver drove us from Thanjavur to Pondicherry, slept in the car (a Tata Wingate), and waited around the city for the 72 hours we were frolicking around to pick us up whenever we pleased.   As a result, I felt that the least we could do would be to take him out for a nice dinner one night as I noticed he was constantly chewing tobacco to suppress his appetite (I presume to conserve money). After insisting that he join us that was accompanied by the peer pressure from the other nine persons who were with me, he reluctantly agreed.

 Yet, what stands out to me is the way in which the people of India (or at least the once with which I have interacted) understand that they are poor and that there are always poorer and so they will do whatever they can to help spread the wealth.  For example, the driver stopped and bought flowers from a poor child on the side of the road on the way back not because he needed the flowers but because he wanted to help out a fellow citizen.  Similarly, the bravery in which a 6-year-old girl—especially in such a patriarchal society—approached a big 10-person van and conducted a business transaction with a 30-year-old man was breathtaking.

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It is now 10:25 on Monday evening and I have a terrible confession: I cannot count… there are actually 40 days left from today before I head back to the US.  While it is not that important of a point, I figured I would clear the air.

            As for the reason I am ACTUALLY in India, the coursework has kind of reached the nadir. Truth be told, I am a little frustrated/disenchanted with the work.  Hopefully it will pick up soon.

 I have come to realize (and I can only speak for my group) the work that we are doing is not as valuable as I understood it to be.  Despite the fact that cardiovascular diseases are the biggest problem that community worker’s are facing, they only affect 30-40% of the village.  Out of that percentage, people that have a blood sugar of 120 are included. Therefore, I wondering if it is as truly bad of a health issue as it has been made out to be.   More specifically, it seems that the common treatment is giving patients pills and telling them to come back in a month in a half to get their blood sugar checked—there is no advice about changing one’s lifestyle.  If this really is this case, it seems more to me of a problem with the training doctors receive in medical schools and the doctor-patient relationship rather than an uncontrollable health issue.  Moreover, as a public health official, it is ludicrous to think that we can enter a village and have them change their lifestyle.  Therefore, I think the best idea would be a school-based intervention informing children about risks and helping them minimize and eschew risky behaviors.  More to come on this topic as the intervention develops (Also feel free to leave comments!)

While I do not mean to be comparing this experience to Mexico, I saw patients with blood sugar levels over 400 and no running water or electricity who are subsistence farmers. When comparing their living conditions to those of the people in India who have electricity, carved wooden trim on the exterior of their home and tile floors, the Indians look like they are living like Kings--it is hard for me to think that this is really the most pressing public health issue in this region.

Finally, there is not much to do in this region.  Our schedule seems to be class from 10:00-12:30 (even though the syllabus only says 10-11), lunch, and then either heading back to the guesthouse or a field visit depending on the day.  On Wednesday they scheduled a “BLS” class [more commonly referred to as First Aid and CPR in the United States]—considering I teach this class in the United States, I feel like this will be just stalling/killing time.  In the evening people like to go to a hotel for drinks, and an occasional fruit run might fill in all the time in between. Other than that, there is not much (anything) to do.   If anyone has any suggestions of what I can do (besides read) PLEASE feel free to let me know!

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In other news:

HAPPY (BELATED) BIRTHDAY SHAWN! Shawn (my roommate and only other male companion) turned 23 on Saturday.

On the same note, Dessa’s Birthday is tomorrow So HAPPY BIRTHDAY DESSA!

 I bought a book to teach me Tamil. While my Tamil lessons have become more sporadic, I want to keep pushing and studying so I can have a broken/basic conversation by the time I leave!

            Father’s Day is Saturday so if you have not bought a card yet and sent it to your dad, make sure to do it soon (sorry dad, yours will be via email)