The following 6 chapters are excerpts from my travel journal during one of my very first international projects about 8 years ago.... These are unedited personal reflections on our experience....not always articulate, but we hope that students new to international health and development will be able to take something from these entries, and that they may inspire you to keep journals of your own during your adventures in public health and international development....Please feel free to share your entries on this blog.
15 hours after departing Toronto, flying over Russian airspace for the first time since the end of the Cold war, we arrived in Delhi.
Just wanted to let you know we have arrived safe and sound in Hyderabad. The plane took off from Delhi a bit late, and we arrived a little after 6. Rajashekar had arranged for a driver to pick us up. Youssuf, A super nice guy, was waiting with a sign that said LV Prasad Eye Institute outside. We were a bit concerned when we walked out of the airport because there was, what seemed like, utter chaos. But of course, it was just India.
In fact, one of the newly elected politicians was returning to Hyderabad from Delhi
on the same flight as us, and it was basically a welcome back party/celebration....Tons of people, music, banners.....It was crazy....A great experience for all of us.
Youssuf then helped us put all our stuff in the TATA and then took us on the scenic
route the Kismathpur Campus of the LVPEI. Hyderabad is gorgeous. Extremely well laid out, nice new buildings, and gorgeous natural surroundings. Rock, a lot of rock....Like mini Grand Canyon type look...if that makes any sense. He really went out of his way to show us the city. Showed us some of the big touristy spots, drove us through Banjara Hills, Jubilee, and Film Nagar. Hyderabad is basically like a Hollywood type city...well, some of it..... Lots of Movie producers and film shootings go on.....The used to be fairly poor, but then the film industry moved in and have put a lot of money into the city....you can tell... In some parts anyways.... We also got to see GolKonda fort from outside and the 7 tombs of the past kings of Golkonda Kingdom.....Amazing to say the least.....all caught on Video so no need to worry...
We got to the Bausch and Laumb School of Optometry at about 8ish..... we signed in
and were helped with our luggage. Kinda dark so it was difficult to tell....but not so
difficult that we don't realize the campus is beautiful. The buildings are too. They took us up to our rooms which are on the second floor of a hostel. Not regular rooms (so we are told by some of the students) but guest rooms. Much more then we could have expected. Very neat, tidy, clean, and convenient. 2 beds, attached private washroom, desk, night side and wardrobe with lock and key. 4 star accommodations at least. Towels on the ends of our beds, bars of soap, toilette paper rolls......Very impressed.
We got settled in, spoke with some of the students and the "Warden". "Impressed" them with our Hindi (meaning they laughed at me and called us cute) and then settled in. Freshened up...unpacked....had a bit of a scare when Dave thought he lost his passport, all of his travellers cheques, etc....BUT THANK GOD....We found them under Jenna's backpack.
We then came down for dinner.....really spicy, but really good. Sambar, rice, and channa... Ice cold bottled water (Mahanandi) to help deal with the fire in our mouths. Nodding and smiling at everyone......people seem really nice.
Initially they had put Dave and I in one room, and Jenna on her own in the room next door, but for comfort reasons....I'll take the lone room and Jenna and Dave are right next door.
The cell isn't working....I'm going to have to look into it and figure out what the problem is....it says "contact service"..... If someone could figure out what this means that would be great and I will look into it too......not a problem..... Ok...thats it for now. Much love. Will talk to you soon.
15 hours after departing Toronto, flying over Russian airspace for the first time since the end of the Cold war, we arrived in Delhi.
Just wanted to let you know we have arrived safe and sound in Hyderabad. The plane took off from Delhi a bit late, and we arrived a little after 6. Rajashekar had arranged for a driver to pick us up. Youssuf, A super nice guy, was waiting with a sign that said LV Prasad Eye Institute outside. We were a bit concerned when we walked out of the airport because there was, what seemed like, utter chaos. But of course, it was just India.
In fact, one of the newly elected politicians was returning to Hyderabad from Delhi
on the same flight as us, and it was basically a welcome back party/celebration....Tons of people, music, banners.....It was crazy....A great experience for all of us.
Youssuf then helped us put all our stuff in the TATA and then took us on the scenic
route the Kismathpur Campus of the LVPEI. Hyderabad is gorgeous. Extremely well laid out, nice new buildings, and gorgeous natural surroundings. Rock, a lot of rock....Like mini Grand Canyon type look...if that makes any sense. He really went out of his way to show us the city. Showed us some of the big touristy spots, drove us through Banjara Hills, Jubilee, and Film Nagar. Hyderabad is basically like a Hollywood type city...well, some of it..... Lots of Movie producers and film shootings go on.....The used to be fairly poor, but then the film industry moved in and have put a lot of money into the city....you can tell... In some parts anyways.... We also got to see GolKonda fort from outside and the 7 tombs of the past kings of Golkonda Kingdom.....Amazing to say the least.....all caught on Video so no need to worry...
We got to the Bausch and Laumb School of Optometry at about 8ish..... we signed in
and were helped with our luggage. Kinda dark so it was difficult to tell....but not so
difficult that we don't realize the campus is beautiful. The buildings are too. They took us up to our rooms which are on the second floor of a hostel. Not regular rooms (so we are told by some of the students) but guest rooms. Much more then we could have expected. Very neat, tidy, clean, and convenient. 2 beds, attached private washroom, desk, night side and wardrobe with lock and key. 4 star accommodations at least. Towels on the ends of our beds, bars of soap, toilette paper rolls......Very impressed.
We got settled in, spoke with some of the students and the "Warden". "Impressed" them with our Hindi (meaning they laughed at me and called us cute) and then settled in. Freshened up...unpacked....had a bit of a scare when Dave thought he lost his passport, all of his travellers cheques, etc....BUT THANK GOD....We found them under Jenna's backpack.
We then came down for dinner.....really spicy, but really good. Sambar, rice, and channa... Ice cold bottled water (Mahanandi) to help deal with the fire in our mouths. Nodding and smiling at everyone......people seem really nice.
Initially they had put Dave and I in one room, and Jenna on her own in the room next door, but for comfort reasons....I'll take the lone room and Jenna and Dave are right next door.
The cell isn't working....I'm going to have to look into it and figure out what the problem is....it says "contact service"..... If someone could figure out what this means that would be great and I will look into it too......not a problem..... Ok...thats it for now. Much love. Will talk to you soon.
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