Entry #3
May 4, 2014
I must admit this day started off horribly. We went to bed around 10:30pm and had to be up and ready by 5:30. This would have been a piece of cake had I gotten one wink of shut eye. I spent the entire night tossing and turning, feeling nauseous as I sweated my nonexistent balls off. I finally relented at 3am and got dressed for the day. I read until Greg woke up at 4:45. The entire morning, I felt nauseous and unwell. We arrived at the train station and before the train even took off, I jumped out of my seat and ran to the nearest waste basket (or dust bin as they are referred to in India) to purge myself of whatever bug was afflicting me. Unfortunately this was not enough to cure my discomfort as I had another round of purging in the overwhelmingly pungent Indian-style washroom about an hour later. For those that do not know, an Indian-style toilet consists of a hole in the ground. That is all.
Throughout the remainder of the 6.5-hour train ride to Dehra Dun, I slowly regained energy and felt slightly better. I was able to fully immerse myself in the sights and the conversations around me by the end of the train ride. The local coordinator Mayank Vats picked us up at the station and proved to be a very friendly, entertaining individual. He actually walked up just as I was telling Greg a story that involved jumping up and down. He mistakenly thought I somehow recognized him and was jumping up and down in excitement at seeing him! We all had quite a good laugh at that. He drove us to the homestay, which exceeded every one of my expectations. I am beyond thrilled to stay in the accommodations for two weeks due to the kind and understanding homestay mom and dad, the close and diverse town, the luxurious furnishings that remind me of a hotel, and the pet rabbit that gladly ate my leftover food.
Mayank returned to the homestay later that night to walk us through orientation. It was very comforting to have an available and well-knowledged source for answers to all of our questions, which seemed to never end. The information was incredibly helpful. After walking through the month's plans and covering all details, I am confident in my ability to handle the entire month and still accomplish the three weekend outings we plan to make. I am so grateful to Mayank for the effort and willingness he exhibits in assisting us with any and all needs.
I discovered I enjoy cold tea and can mostly stomach sweets. This is helpful in knowing and communicating what I can and can not eat. My only fears for the rest of the journey are eating enough food without needing to puke, adequately performing clinical duties, and surviving the long hikes I will be expected to make. I hope that my stomach feels normal by tomorrow so that I can fully enjoy the drive to Patti, yoga, my first day at clinicals, and any other events I encounter. I will be extremely embarrassed if I faint due to dehydration or lack of food. We shall see!
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