First Three Days Elaborated

Here is Joseph Highsmith(BL), Sam Veal(BR), Andrew(TL) and Mark Jensen(TR) in Raipur. I am still catching up on the blog since we have been so busy. Here is more from our first three days here.

The experience of India instantly initiates when you get off the plane in Raipur. When we were at the first airport in Delhi for five hours, we still had our American conveniences: KFC, Pizza Hut (I got a pepperoni pizza), internet, and safe drinking water. However, it wasn’t until we got to the airport in Raipur that we began to notice with all five senses the diverse cultures that are present in India. Our flight from Delhi was quite interesting. When we landed in the international terminal from Amsterdam, we had a five hour layover in Delhi before our flight to Raipur. But to get to the domestic terminal, we had to take a twenty minute bus ride with armed Indian soldiers to the other Indian of the airport. Originally, our flight was scheduled for 5:40, but due to some intense fog during this dry season, our departure was delayed until 6:30, or so we thought. We get on our Boeing 737 bound for Raipur, finally a plane that wasn’t over booked, or even half-booked. So Mark and I to full advantage and finally got to stretch out our 6’4” bodies. However, the hour and a half flight transitioned to approximately a three and half hour ordeal once we boarded. I have probably flown about twenty flights in my twenty three years, and I have never had an aborted takeoff. Fortunately, we were unharmed and after an hour back at the terminal for maintenance we were able to fly on to Raipur.

I like to call the first chapter of our time in India as “The Great Escape.” I’m sure that doesn’t sound reassuring to our loved ones back home, but the title appropriately describes what occurred during our first true hour in India. Our group exited the simple Raipur Airport with our twenty plus bags collectively to wait for Dr. Anil Henry to pick us up in the hospital ambulance. When he arrived, our film crew wanted to document our departure to Mungeli, but that only drew some uncomfortable attention from the twenty or so Indian men waiting in the parking lot. We quickly departed as some Indians came to the front doors of the ambulance asking for money.

The three hour ambulance ride from Raipur was interesting to say the least, but before we left Raipur we stopped to pick up some produce at the market and grab a bite to eat at a South Indian restaurant. The market was an eye opener to say the least. It was so expansive as about a hundred stands were set up that sold both familiar fruits and vegetables like cauliflower and mango, but was also filled with exotic fruits like guava and bar. Regardless of whether we knew these fruits before or after our trip to India, one thing is for certain: the produce here is way better than you can get at any supermarket in the states. The food, in general, contains a wholesome goodness that is rich in flavor and spice. We then went and ate at the South Indian restaurant. India is a mix of so many diverse cultures. Not only is there a variety of religions practiced, but there are fifty spoken languages that compliment Hindi. Apparently, each region of India has different cooking customs. At this particular restaurant, we ate dosa, masala, curds and other foods. Curds are used as a neutralizer to the spiciness that is so prevalent in Indian food (Watch out).

The ambulance ride was a crazy experience and something I never expected. I figured Indians, like Italians (the other country I have visited), would not respect the appearance of their car as much as Americans, but their driving and highway systems were completely shocking to this American. Basically Indians drive in an organized chaos manner, where the largest vehicle gets the right of way. So if you are on a rickshaw or bicycle, watch out! Also, the use of car horns is always present, even from the compound you can hear them blend with the Muslim loudspeaker messages. During the ambulance ride, our group even compared Anil driving the ambulance to car racing video games of our youth, and we thought how we could make a game called “Cruisin’ India”, where we progressed from traveled on India’s road from a simple three year old pedestrian to driving the infamous and massive Tata trucks. There were multiple times when I thought we were about to collide with other cars, but Anil would turn quickly. There are so many unfamiliar and different ways of doing things here in India, but their system works for them for the most part.

We arrived in Mungeli just before dark, got settled in, and headed to Dr. Henry’s house for dinner. We had a wonderful meal, and I realized that unlike American meals, if meat is present than it is to compliment the meal, rather than serve as the main entrée. After dinner we all participated in one of Anil’s favorite activities, karaoke. Sam mastered some Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, I tried my hand at some country, and Dr. Henry rocked some oldies but goodies. Anil lives with his wife Terry, his father and mother. Terry is a remarkable woman, an anesthesiologist, who serves as a doctor at the hospital, as well.

The next morning we went to chapel, morning rounds and then eventually to school. We had a great time at chapel, as we worshipped in both English and Hindi. It was overpowering, and at the end of the service we introduce ourselves to the congregation, mostly comprised of hospital staff. After our introductions, a few nurses presented us with a marigold necklace that resembled Hawaiian laihs. We also ate some mouth watering deserts. We then went on our first morning rounds. Though, the hospital and its equipment was primitive relative to American hospital standards, it was far nicer and modern than I expected. Anil has made so much continual progress not only to the hospital, but to the entire compound and school as he carries out his vision for the center to be a beacon for hope in the region.

More to Come Soon! Peace.