19-24-FEB-2008 WORK I pick up Shelkar's eyeglasses via Tuk-Tuk and grab a couple samosas en route back home. She is so excited when I drop them off, jumping up and down and hugging me for an excessively long time- she is such a sweetheart and tells me she'll be sad when I leave. I've updated vaccination records and put together the numbers for next month, seeing that I will no longer be around. One of the other volunteers skips out on the health talk she's supposed to give- I haven't seen her essentially since I met her a few days after [View Full Entry]

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12-18-FEB-2008 MONTHLY HEALTH CHECKS, FUN DAYS, AND VACCINATIONS As a result of the diesel shortage, the jeep is unavailable for health activities. M.B. (VSN's transportation officer) takes matters into his own hands and borrows a friend's taxi to facilitiate the fourth round of vaccinations and the Shining Stars health check and fun day. We pile the vaccination, health check/fun day supplies into the undersized boot and head off on our way. We pick up the nurse with a random white girl (her apparent assistant) and head to four of the six VSN sponsored homes to inject meningitis [View Full Entry]

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06-11-FEB-2008 WORK I head to the hospital for a follow up visit for Bijit (8)- the young boy that had been having debilitating headaches and stomach cramps. It seems that whatever meds they'd prescribed for him are working their wonders, and he's feeling much better now. While I'm there, I arrange a next-day appointment for Pawan Raj's (13) chronic right ear infection. He's completely non-responsive to antibiotics. The next day, we trek the 1-1.5h journey to the hospital only to discover at the check-in desk that the ENT doctor is on leave. As if no one was aware of this the [View Full Entry]

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27-JAN --> 05-FEB-2008 WORK We postpone the remaining January health fun days because unfortunately Daniel (the other health team member) is sick, and I surely cannot handle all these kids on my own. I manage the Charity health files in the office so that they're all in one place and attempt to type up the health check and last two monthly reports every night for about a week, but the power is consistently off in the evenings. Makes running the organization very difficult. My patience with the kids is dropping exponentially by the day. Because of the number of them at [View Full Entry]

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19-26-JAN-2008 It rained all night on the evening of the 19th for the first time in two months. So I woke up in the middle of the night completely confused with the noise I was hearing on the roof and windows. Amazing the things you forget when you lose regular exposure to them. But this resulted in the most amazingly fresh, crisp, clean air. I couldn't fill my lungs with enough of it. And I did not realize how much I missed that fresh scent. If only there was some way to store it... And about a week later, I notice [View Full Entry]

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11-18-JAN-2008 I planned out Round Three of the vaccinations and managed health fun day preparations. Our first health fun day of the month went well with the children coloring in their renditions of healthy and unhealthy people. There was also a hygene and layering talk, and duck duck goose and pin the tail on the goat (regardless of the relatively insignificant goat tails). The difference between the kids in VSN vs. non-VSN homes is astounding in terms of their personal contact, discipline and overall personalities. At Charity, a case of lip impetigo completely cleared in response to [View Full Entry]

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04-10-JAN-2008 Since the Charity kids are out of school for an entire month, I no longer have to rush over before they head off right after morning daal bhaat. This is a good thing, because I am sick of my feet freezing in the frigid early morning temperatures with me in flip flops. I have not worn proper shoes yet this year. I refuse. Then again, It's really not much of a challenge as long as I don't venture outside before 8 or 9am. In an attempt to blend a bit more, I purchase fabric for and head to the tailor [View Full Entry]

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01-03-JAN-2008 On New Year's Day I first woke up at exactly the time corresponing to midnight at home- I must have subconsciously realized what I was missing. Because everyone at reception knows me by now, I was granted the permission to sleep well past check out time to when I felt comfortable enough to function. I head to my new host family for absolutely AMAZING daal bhaat- no lie. They asked me my preference on spiciness and the baa (father) even brought home pizza for the New Year, making me eat a couple slices. PIZZA! The baa is eager to advance [View Full Entry]

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26-31-DEC-2007 Ben has purchased the box set of Scrubs. We cannot resist. The day after Christmas, we indulge in an all-day Scrubs marathon- first in the lounge room of the office and then in the hotel after we get the boot (after renting a DVD player and all!). So nice to Westernize and veg every once in a while. Miss just being able to lay on the couch all day during the weekend when the mood strikes and I don't feel like doing much else. However, we take things a bit to the extreme and the marathon goes on until 7am [View Full Entry]

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24-25-DEC-2007 It is Christmas Eve but it certainly does not feel like it. I opt to push the shower back another day because it will make it even more special being on Christmas. And besides, the water is not hot. I speak with Emma (the founder of VSN) about the prospect of switching families. After seeing how welcoming and sweet other families are, I will do whatever it takes- I am ready for a change. It will make my experience that much more meaningful. Paul is dressed up as Santa in the office- I about have a heart attack due to [View Full Entry]

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