It is Wednesday morning, 6:15am. I share a little room with Duana and she is such an early bird, so often I find I wake up when she does. Whenever I wake up around this time I go put water on to boil first thing. That way I can have the maximum amount of hot water for my bucket shower! Sometimes I get back into bed for 15 minutes, but normally I either catch up on some blog writing or read my book. I am reading a really, really good book which I would thoroughly recommend. It’s called Shantaram, by Mr. Gregory Roberts and is about his crazy life escaping from Jail in Australia and coming to live in India. It’s a War and Peace-level fat book, but I like that as its not finishing too quickly. I am really glad that I decided to read it while I am here as it is so funny to read about his observations and compare them to my own- for example with regard to the Indian head nod or ‘wiggle’ which I have been practicing. If you know a genuine Indian or have been to India or have read Shantaram, you will know what I am talking about! Actually, I first learnt about it when I did my paediatrics attachment at Eastbourne DGH as the doctors in the department were mostly 1st generation Indian and they did the headwiggle often and very well. It was confusing at first…I was never sure whether it meant yes, no, maybe or something else entirely, but I believe I have come to master the translation of the Indian head nod!
Yesterday was a good day. We had lots of teaching on cases and on seizures and we spent some time clerking a patient with cardiovascular signs. She was a tribal lady and was so patient with us. It was the first time I have really felt like I could take my time and properly listen to the heart sounds and it was a great learning experience for me as she had two classic murmurs (although I only managed to correctly identify one of them!) Afterward, Dr Abu (remember, the one with the amazing laugh?!) gave us some teaching on murmurs and it was super. It all made so much sense when he talked it through, and I hope it still makes sense back in England when I am frantically auscultating a relatively unwilling patient on a busy ward! I took a photo of Dr. Abu because I actually love him. As a doctor/teacher/pal that is! I don’t want him to get the wrong idea if he reads this! We met his wife at the party last night and she was so sweet. They are only recently married and the medical students who were here at the time got to attend the wedding. I’m so jealous. I really, really want to go to an Indian wedding! Preferably with an elephant!
I have made two new friends, Arti and Upant who are postgraduate medical administration and management students from Mumbai and who are posted here at the hospital for the next two months. They are so nice and friendly and we get on really well. They are also both soon to be engaged and I have been informally invited to both their weddings! (I am hoping to have a formal invite before I leave!) Upant is really ‘tech savvy’ (I love how they say that) and has helped us download films off the internet. We watched ‘A Little Princess’ last night and it was so amazing. Mona and I have really been wanting to watch it the last few weeks. I don’t know if you have seen it…if you haven’t you most definitely should as it is a beautiful film…but it is partly sent in India and tells the story of Rama intermingled with the story about a young girl brought up in India but who then has to go to a strict boarding school in America. It is excellent!!! I watched it so many times when I was little. It took Mona, Upant and I several hours of back and forth to the computer room in the office in order to download it, and we then needed to download some special player (not sure what, I’m not tech savvy(!)) but it worked out in the end and me, Mona, Duana, Julie, Alice, Alan, Arti and Upant sat down and watched it yesterday. Almost everyone cried, obviously, even Alan!
Anyway, back to the party! I think early morning writing allows me to stray off topic and get carried away as I have lots of time on my hands! But Duana has just informed me that my water is boiling so I need to have my shower soon! The party was really good. It was nice to hang out with everyone and my dip went down really well! Dessert was also terrific. Main course was a little bit of a disaster as Duana didn’t know how to cook the instant noodles to go with the stir-fry and they are the only kind of noodles you can get in Gudalur! But it was still tasty :)
I have to go and shower now, and also put some washing on so that it has enough time to dry before we leave Gudalur- you have to allow a few days at least, I think I am cutting it a bit fine! I just can’t believe how fast time has passed and that is our LAST WEEK in Gudalur :( I know people say that, but really, it feels like we have been here a week or two…not four!
Must go- water is boiling over!
Will write again later!
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