
Picture Please
When one envisions travelling to a new country in a new conti they imagine gawking at spectacular sights and taking pictures at every possiblen tourist attraction. I did not imagine, however, that people would stand and gawk at me, oftentimes amazed by the texture of my hair. Nonetheless everywhere the cohort traveled we were stared at and asked for photos. We were basically treated like celebrities especially those of us with braisded hair. This star treatment carried on throughput the entire trip at times it fun and exciting and at other times it was quite overwhelming and tiresome. It came to a point where if you saw someone reaching for their phone, you knew the phrase "Picture please!" would soon follow.
Cervical Cancer Screening Camp
On May 31st, the cohort attended a cervical cancer screening camp hosted by PHRII for the local community. The purposes of this event was to screen for cervical cancer in populations that usually does not have access to proper healthcare or transportation to travel to medical centers.
Cultural Shock and Humility
India is a beautiful and historic country with genuine people, rampant streets filled with rickshaws and bikes honking, loose cows, and the smell of curry in the air. Vibrant colors are proudly on display and can be seen everywhere in the delicate silk sarees worn by its woman, the massive red clay infrastructures, the generously seasoned food with its rich flavors, and in the markets, with every piece of jewelry, fruit, spice, or silk you can imagine. I experienced the rich culture of India as soon as I landed and reveled in exploring more of it each day and every day. The differences in culture, beliefs, and religious practices from America were uncanny. I was in awe of all the cultural differences and admired the sanctity of their practices. With a few photos, I hope to capture a small snapshot of my experience in India.