Archives
Dr Esther
Wow I havnt done this in a while and now there is So much to write Im bound to miss something out. Here goes...
So after the Sphere course my focus was the 1st aid course, we had to translate 150 slide into Hindi which sounds simple but it is everyones 2nd language as most speak their stats tongue first. So the we had to make sure it wasnt posh Hindi but usable Hindi and then some conditions dont translate from english but anyway. We also had to get Hindi fonts onto all computers and the computers we would be taking, basically it was stressful. We had 7 people in the office working on it and me getting frustrated as I couldnt help. SO we spent a stressful week in the office. However we got it finished with an hours to spare at which point the laptop broke dow, God was testing us!
The one advantage of not being able to help meant I was free to go to the other side of town for Chunkah celebrations with Chabad, I helped make doughnuts, its crazy to think this time last year I was in Israel! After Praveen sacrificed his new laptop Sameer left for Kashmir where me and Dr. Bali would be working. Sameer is not used to winter and so Im worried about him suffering from Frostbite, its cold in the Himalayas! Anyway I had to think about packing myself as I was off with the other team to Lucknow after meeting a friend for coffee I met the Dr's for our midnight departure down to Mumbai.
Dr viveck and I had worked together on and off for the last month but it had always been business discussions. However on the journey to Mumbai we talked and realised we had the same sense of humor, which was wicked! So we talked through the night and when we finally made it onto the plane we conked out. Dr Mahesh had not flown before and enjoyed the whole experience!
Once we finally made it to Lucknow we had and huor and ahlfs journey to the site we would be based at. Once there the guys were in the nice guest house and i was somewhere else. I asked to move to the guest house with sky tv, a real toilet and a lounge room. I later found out I was in a house with the only female engineer onsite, had they have said that I wouldnt have asked to move!
Anyway I much enjoyed the luxuries of the guest house. Once on site all my concerns went away. It did not feel as unsafe as I thought it would. In fact the complete opposite. The officers and engineers had a nice community of about 40 families and the bachelors in the area it reminded me of he pre-war villages in the UK with a tight community where the men worked and the women just pottered during the day.
So after sleeping and planning with Mr M K Singh we made arrangements for starting the next day. We were expecting to teach two batches of 50 everyday, however the reality was different. The first batch was in English so I could teach, we had 30 people. It went well. The second session was in Hindi and we had 20 ppl. This was not how we planned it. We were also falling behind as each session was starting late which meant we were finishing late, which meant less time on the sofa! Anyway we decided to change the session times and start at 7.30 and the second session at 6.30 giving us 6 hours during the day to sleep and recover. Me and Dr Vivek however were here to teach so after doing a session we asked for a car to go out to the laborers on the road and conduct some sessions in the field, it was very cool and much fun! So after a second day of less numbers were decided to do a public demonstration with some people who had already done te course. Our idea was a small demonstration. However Mr Singh had other ideas. We set up a scenario with some plants in the audience. Then Mr Singh set of the emergency siren which meant ppl had to assemble and be counted. At this point someone collapsed and we waited to see plls reactions. We as the medical team came with the ambulance, lifted him and took the casualty to ‘hospital’ at which point the ambulance came back and we explained what had happened. It was a success 200 ppl thought it was a real situation!
The following session had 56 people at it. However after that numbers dropped again. I asked to do a session one afternoon with the women and children from the site which was great fun. We had around 20 kids and 30 women. We covered less but I enjoyed the challenge as for many they relied on home cures which are massively unfounded. It was interesting that the women were reluctant to try CPR on the manikins. I conducted this session in basic English with help from Mrs Singh. It was an experience. That evening we had another English session with the PM (project Manager) the highest person on site, so there were a lot of photos!
An idea surfaced that we should go to the crushing plant (6 hours drive away) and do a session for the 200 workers there. Of course Dr Vivek and I jumped at the chance (we were loving our work) and as we functioned well as a team, even me without Hindi we decided to go. Dr Mahesh had support from Mr Singhs No 2 who was a natural teacher and had picked up the concepts quickly and we went off on our mission. Mr Singh brought his 2 girls and wife along which I was confused by until someone showed me what was near by! Some of the most famous temples in India were 40km from the site so he planned to tke them on Sunday.
We finially made it to the crushing site, even after a 6 hour drive me and Dr Vivek wanted tot each a session. We were told to clam down and have a night off, so we got a tour of the quarry. It would make an awesome sat for a james bond film and my engineering side was loving every second. After this I was introduced to carron, a bit like tiddly winks crossed with pool, I was rubbish but it was a lot of fun trying!
The next morning we did our demonstration for 150 people, which was received well and some of the feed back was very touching, I will never forget the gun man who spoke perfect English! Of course I had to do my duty and spend some time with the few women onsite. They were all wives of the engineers but I was something new to them. I have never drunk more tea tan this last week! I also received a number of gifts and a marriage proposal for one women’s 8 year old! After this as it was Sunday there was a game of cricket I was given the honor of batting, while I tried I still stand by being a professional spectator! However It was pleasant to watch for an hour. Then we headed on the 2 hour drive to the temples.
I have never felt so dwarfed by a building. There were 25 temples over the site and the detail in the carvings was stunning. The temples are famous for their naughty scenes, but it was done in such a way that it was not tactful but not crude either. WE spent ages just walking around. I really enjoyed it, especially with the Singh family of which I am now a part and I am also very grateful. After the temples we went shopping, which was great fun with Dr Vivek and Mrs Singh as I got India prices and not tourist prices! We then went to the light show at the temples which was disappointing but also surreal. The English they used was crazy. Considering for most people there English is their 2nd or 3rd language they used words like circumambulate (used 4 times) to say they walked round, it was funny but I was sorry at the same time that I had trouble understanding so the Singhs were lost. After this we went back to the site for an anniversy party and dinner and more carron. On the way there was a fight over money was my entry for the temples had been more than everyone combined and no one would let me pay the difference, I had to threaten to give the driver the money if no one took it, they then got into trouble from Mr Singh for being forced to take it!!
The next morning was an early start and out car wouldn’t start, which I found very entertaining. I don’t think I have mentioned that it was on average 4-7 degrees at night and during the day from 10-20 depending on the sunlight! So the car was too cold to start. But eventually it did. On the way back Mrs Singh made us stop in Lucknow as I had commented on her clothes so she bought me one ready made suit of Lucknow speaclity work an another piece of material of stunning Kashmir work. I was so frustrated that they wouldn’t let me pay. So me and Dr vivek asked our driver to stop in town while we bought cake and thank you presents for the Singhs and the site.
After delivering our last session and realizing we were 500 ppl behind we had a farewell dinner and cake with the PM and Mr Singhs team. It was very plesant. After this we had a team meeting and around 2 we made it into bed. At 6 we were up again for coffee at the Singhs before I got a car to the airport and the other 2 headed off to the next site 2 hours down the road. My bag was 1/3 full when I left Pune on my way back it was full and almost over weight, I didt too much shopping! After a delay I made it back to Pune, I was so exausted. I went to the office then slept for 14 hours.
The next few days are being spent on writing reports coordinating with Kashmir and generally checking the course is going well. I am now gearing up for my holiday as mum gets here on Sunday with Laura and so I am not doing any work for 2 weeks, im on holiday. While I am exhausted it is good to see how well the course is being received and that it is working.
I have just had a call from Dr Vivek about how well it is going on the second site. The contact guy there met me earlier in the week and assumed I was a Dr as I am working with Drs. When I said no I asked y he was a dr he said it was an engineering dr, so I asked if I could be called a non medical dr, so now I am known as Dr Esther. It is polite to call women their name and madam, so I am either Esther Madam or Dr Esther, see Ruth it dosent take 5 years! However Esther Madam always makes me think of mum calling me a madam as an insult. The other option is Auntie which is wat all the kids call me, it is an informal formal title, it just makes me feel old! argh all the titles!
I have an oddly satisfied feeling about the whole thing. So that’s it, sorry it took so long.