Student International Health Initiative (SIHI)

Goodbye!

2009-06-11T11:20:00.002+05:30

Sihi group safely returned from the trek and has left for Delhi this morning around 8, in two cars, with Anil. Safe and happy return!

Yoga and Meditatrion

2009-06-05T07:10:00.001+05:30

Update!

2009-06-01T11:28:00.012+05:30

Some pictures taken over last few days:
31st May: "Informal" presentation by the group; Certificate distribution from the hands of Ms Suchitra and Ms Maragaret. Followed by a Talent show..and some Black magic!
Visit to Renuka Temple and lake.. etc. etc.

Family Interviews

2009-05-29T11:24:00.002+05:30

The group interviewed some families which had a child with special needs. They also visited a Gujjar (nomad) family.

Sihi Update

2009-05-28T18:59:00.003+05:30

Some pictures from the visit to Mrs Jain, Gram Pradhan, Eden bagh;
A trip to Aravali, a voluntary agency working in Timli village;
An interaction with Gujjars (Nomadic tribe in this part of Himalaya)..
Below: Anasuya, the Jungle girl!

Cool Stuff.

2009-03-12T01:37:00.003+05:30

Hey guys!

Everyone's topics sound really interesting ... I can't wait until we actually start interviewing people and doing more research - I'm sure we will be so surprised at how different health is in India versus North America.
Oh, and I looked at that Benjamin Button thing, it's pretty neat. I had been wondering for a while how they made him short and old, hehe. It reminded me of a Dove commercial I saw a few years ago, which is also really cool. The beginning is makeup, but at the end they completely computer modify her, and it's interesting to see how much they can change someone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyAJOSW8U

-Cassie

Research topics

2009-03-09T04:40:00.002+05:30

Hi everyone!

First off, I'm also interested in staying in Delhi for a few days after the trek (I am NOT leaving India without seeing the Taj Mahal {side, side note - listen to Sam Roberts' song called Taj Mahal. It's not about India, but it's really good!})

Okay I do actually have something significant to post...

Research topics! Originally I wanted to look into traditional medicine and how people use it and perceive it. However, I think I would be more interested exploring spiritual health (i.e. health of the spirit - not necessarily religious) in the region we will be visiting, noting how people feel about spiritual health, the institutions that cater to a person's spiritual health, who attends to their personal spiritual health (the rich? the educated? young people? old people?), and how the recognition of spiritual health is incorporated into the daily life of the individual, family and community. Those are just a few of my questions :). I find spiritual health particularly interesting because of how differently we care for our spiritual health in North America (or arguably, don't care for it at all). During my stay with an aboriginal family in Ecuador, one of the most noticeable differences between our societies was their recognition and respect for a person's emotional component. In fact, one of the trip coordinators had done an exchange in Canada and absolutely hated it! He said that he felt like people closed away their emotional part, and he could not live that way.

I would love to share more with you later, but I have to go meet you all now :D

Lots of Love,

Meghan

Hi everyone!

2009-03-08T20:49:00.006+05:30

Sorry I've been late to post - my laptop died the other day and I've been scrambling to get it fixed (I'm at the Apple store right now actually for the 2nd day in a row).

I'd just like to say hi again to everyone - I'm super-excited about the upcoming trip. I'll be modifying this post later today with my research once I have access to my computer again... As for research topics, I'm interested in developmental disabilities in children and what the community does to help them, and family medicine/surgery in a setting that is so different from what we are used to in Canada. I intend to modify and specify my learning goals as time goes by, especially after I learn about who is actually available for interviewing/study.

Also, I would very much like to stay in Delhi a few days after the trek (to make it back to Toronto by the 14th), so it would be great for those also interested to express your interest/let me know so we can plan away!

-Jessica Truong

Hey

2009-03-08T09:12:00.002+05:30

Hey guys,Soooo... I was just studying for my econ test and figured now would be a good time to make my first post on the blog. Just like everyone else, I now have extra incentive for wishing the school year to be over... I really can't wait to go to India. I'd really be interested in learning more about the homeopathic vs. allopathic way of approaching medicine. I just find it interesting how homeopathic styles are virtually non-existent in NA, but appear to be predominant in northern India. My main focus is going to be pertaining to this area... I may refine it from there.

I thought I'd post a really cool video too...
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ed_ulbrich_shows_how_benjamin_button_got_his_face.html
it`s really cool... kinda gives a new appreciation for the movie..

Adam Parry

Hey!

2009-03-06T03:25:00.003+05:30

Hey everyone!
I'm really excited to be going on the trip ... it was really nice getting to know all of you better at the fundraiser this past Saturday. As for my focus, currently I would like to look into how speech therapy works in India, as well as the social and educational programs provided for children with special needs.
See you guys Sunday!

-Cassie Cetlin

Great Guys !

2009-03-05T10:03:00.002+05:30

Hey Sihians

Some of you may be wondering what kind of .... you are fated to meet in India, this summer. So, here are the three you will meet and interact on regular basis while in India: Vijay, Anil and Parmanand (from left to right). You can see they have put on their best Canadian promo tea shirts and the best smile.. to welcome you. There are couple others too, you will be seeing- Ms Suchitra, Ms Gina Devi and sachin. Now let me tell you briefly about these three guys:

Anil is the overall manager of the residential facility (Samagra ashram). He oversees kitchen, turns out great dishes. Parmanand is accountant and oversees computer use. He will show you how to log on and check your emails (in India, it can be tricky and needs mastering). Vijay is the Speech Language Pathologist cum Audiologist and will happily give you a free consultation- just in case.. :-)).. All three of them speak functional English with lot of 'yea' 'yea' thrown in for good measure. They are good learners, so this summer I am sure they will pick up rest of the conversational English skills from you.

Finally, Gina Devi is a lady from nearby mountains (Jaunsar)- a very fine person and with a lot of insights on life. She helps to keep the place clean.

Hey!

2009-03-03T09:06:00.002+05:30

Hi everyone!

I first of all want to say that I am really excited for this trip to India and can't wait for it to be May! I think we are all really excited to meet everyone there!

Just out of curiosity, I am planning on focusing my question on mental health and the potential social stigmas attached to it. I am really interested in a career involving this area and seriously want to advocate destigmatizing mental illness, however would like to learn more of its reception in areas like Uttaranchal. Do you have any suggestions with a topic of this nature? Also what types of mental illnesses would I be able to focus more into?

Thanks
Anasuiya

Hello Blogspot

2009-03-03T03:34:00.002+05:30

Hi everyone,

I'm really excited to be going to India with the SIHI group. I'm doing a research project on the disparity between rural and urban healthcare in India if anyone is interested in knowing more about that topic, I'd be happy to share my findings. I'm really looking forward to learning more about such an interesting and beautiful place! I'll let you know if I stumble apon anything neat!

Meghan Dertinger

SIHI Students 2009

2009-02-24T01:42:00.001+05:30

Hey everyone!

The SIHI Students are now logged in and ready to post on the blog, so look out for their messages from now on!

-Simran

Posting to your blog

2008-11-30T00:27:00.002+05:30

Feel free to share your comments about the blog set up. Yes, there are couple of ads- I could not help. Just ignore them. If any one wants to tinker with the basic design and set up- please let me know. I will pass on the admin access. To begin with, tell me what you think of the poll!

Now about how to put your posts: If you are on this page, it means that you know its address, which is:http://tohimalaya.blogspot.com/On this page, on top right corner, click the link: "Sign in".You will be taken to blogger page, which is-http://www.blogger.com/startOn this page, look on the right hand top margin for-“Sign in to use Blogger with your Google Account" Here under, provide the username and password, provided by Simran Ohson.

Now, Dashboard will open up. Notice on top right - satksri@rediffmail.com, which is your log in. Now, if you click on "New Posts" you will get the window where you can type or paste your new post. Link next to it, is meant to edit older posts. There is extensive online help if you need. Always append your name to your posts, as there is no other way of identifying the author. If you forget first time, you can always go back and edit it. Happy sharing!

Welcome to SIHI 2009

2008-11-29T22:52:00.006+05:30

A warm welcome to SIHI 2009. This is the first post for SIHI 2009. The posts before this belong to SIHI 2007. You are welcome to browse those older posts. This is the blog set up for SIHI's use. As you add your posts, they will appear above this one, with appropriate links in the monthly archive in the left column. The purpsoe of this blog is to promote sharing and collaborative learning. This process of documentation will also facilitate reflection on our field experinces.

You may get the username and password from Simran Ohson and start using the blog. Since it will be same for the entire group, it would help if the writer will put her/ his name at the end of the post in parenthesis like this-

(sachin)

Access to resources

2007-07-11T22:29:00.000+05:30

Medical care and education in Jaunsar Bawar and markets in Chakrata

The Jaunsari community, a scheduled tribe recognized by the government, lives in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. The SIHI Group 2007 stayed at S.M.T.A. Hostel and worked with Dr. Sachin, Maggie Furtado, Belamji and Dhaneshwariji, two local health workers for S.M.T.A. in order to understand how these people in the mountains live. The terrain here is very difficult for travel and villages are located very far from one another. Immediately, we experienced the trouble locals have to endure to commute through a terrain mixed with hills, mountainous, rocky areas, and streams, with the added complement of immense heat in the summer and cold winds and ice in the winter. With this, we quickly learned that locals face many hardships in accessing resources in the area, including health care, education, and marketing among other things. At the Panchayat workshop hosted by S.M.T.A. on May 19 -20^th, 2007, the concern of improper roads construction was brought up. Perhaps this is one of the few areas of improvement that is necessary to highlight, which will improve the setbacks of accessing medical care and education in the Jaunsar Baur as it is well deserved.

Education - Students

Students of primary and inter-college level have to travel long distances to gain education, if the respective educational institution is not located in their village. The villages we visited that had primary education were, Majgaon, Jakhadar, and Tumroli. The two inter-colleges we visited were in Quashi and Myrawana.

In Tumroli, we met Sanjay Singh, who was deaf and mute but was able to study until class 5 because his primary school was located in his village. He would like to continue further studies, but his disability discourages his parents to send him far from Tumroli. For Sanjay, his mother mentioned, there is a school located in Vikasnagar or Dehra Dun specific for students who have special needs. A resource exists at a far distance. However, there is no hostel facilities, meaning the family would have to relocate to Vikasnagar. This option is not feasible for them. He is very intelligent and has adapted well by completing fifth grade in his village primary school. His next option would be to go to Quashi, but this is too far, claims his family.

A young girl we met thrice named Neelam attends Myrawana inter-college, and walks to her home in Fediyana everyday. This is very common. In fact, we saw children from Jakhadar and near by area (including Tumroli) walk all the way to Quashi to seek education. Quashi intercollege does have student housing for rental. The teacher there told us that groups of girls from faraway villages live together in these houses for about 500 Rupees a month flat rate. In fact, a small girl we met in the Aryan family in Thanta lives in one of those housing complexes. Though options and alternatives have been made possible at this inter-college to make education accessible, it is still not feasible for many children. In a remote area like the Jaunsar Bawar, where literacy rates are lower than the national average, the limitations are still not being dealt with strongly enough.

In Fediyana, Julla Devi, a girl who grew up with cerebral palsy, was described by her father as being very intelligent. She did not ever attend school. Her father claims this was due to a lack of facilities that could aid in transporting her to an educational institution.

Besides access to education, students are not fully experiencing education in totality. The inter-college in Myrawana is a temporary building, which has yet not implemented the Science stream for students interested. This is in part due to a lack of laboratory facilities. In fact, we observed that the sports education needs work too. The field basketball poles had been raised, but had no nets or back board. Fortunately, the new inter-college is being built. The old building is speculated to be used as a teachers’ residence, a benefit to the local community.

Education – Teachers

Commuting in this region is not only difficult for students, but also for teachers. A good educational system requires for consistent attendance and capacity of teaching staff. The intercollege we visited in Bamrara village (name changed) luckily hired a female teacher, Ms. Kamla (name changed), almost three months back. This has been the first female teacher in this school’s history.

In Myrawana, all the teachers are male, a few of them living nearby to the school. This was convenient for them and their students. We asked if they see any issues that can arise in logistics with a female teacher at the school, as they too agreed that this was a void that they would be happy to have filled by the government.

They explained that teachers are assigned positions by the Education Board and female teachers are less likely to be placed in remote villages like this due to traveling distances and such logistics. Many female teachers may have families, and need to return home to them early and stay home more often. This results in increased absenteeism amongst female teachers, though this is a general trend seen in most education givers due to the fact that schools are located so remotely.

Health Care – Children’s Health Care

The father in Fediyana of the deceased girl with cerebral palsy said that there has been improvement in the area with respect to nurses giving polio vaccinations to newly born children. If his grandchildren were not given vaccinations, he would some how make arrangements to seek this medical care. What is most troubling is the traveling expenses that would result. So, would he really go?

In Senjaar, we spoke to Jeet Singh’s eldest son, who has a daughter with a disability. To take her to a hospital, he says, he has to a take a day off from farming. He handles his father’s fields as well, because he can no longer work due to his handicap. Losing a days wage is a great loss for this family, especially with the loans they have to pay back from the father’s treatments. In these communities, this scenario is common, resulting in diagnosis of treatable childhood illnesses and disabilities at a later date – a harmful alternative.

Health Care – Illnesses and Complications

In Senjaar, we spoke to Jeet Singh, a man whose one leg due to an injury was affected with Osteomyelitis. His leg had been infected and at Leman’s hospital was gradually cut off at the sites of infection in the bone. He moved to a private doctor in Dehra Dun because of dissatisfaction. We asked him how he traveled there.

He described how he has to rent a car, which costed him about 250 Rupees to go to Dehra Dun. Specially, he is adamant about booking the front passenger seat in order to comfortably place his leg that wears a brace. There is simply lots of trouble he says, in just making arrangements to see the doctor to get his monthly medications. The Dr. will not give the medicines to anyone else but the patient. He was recently recommended to go to another government hospital in Chandigarh because the fees of his private Dr. were also getting to be too high. Again for affordable health care, people have to go far distances.

This was a common story that we found for people in the Jaunsar Baur seeking health care. If not found locally, with the non-governmental organizations and government clinics (i.e. Kilkari), they would seek help in Chakrata. If not there, they would move to Vikasnagar or Dehra Dun. This traveling is troublesome for families who have incomes lesser than that of the national average.

In Thanta, we spent some time with a faith healer who had both legs amputated due to a cause similar to gangrene. It was hard for him to travel to the hospital. Usually, a few members of his family would need to take a day off of work from their farms to accompany him to see the Dr. in Chakrata. Due to travel issues, had to suffer income loss for one day’s work.

In village Dundyara, we met a herbalist, a Nepali who has settled in the Jaunsar Baur for a very long time. He initially learned about herbs in Nepal from his father. He says, it is more difficult to retrieve herbs and roots in these terrains than it was in Nepal. The Himalayans span both areas, but this area in particular does not have as high peaks as Nepal. This is a minor setback, but it gives another perspective on the way this terrain affects the people in this region.

In Fediyana, we met another adult man, who was a local blacksmith. His left leg was limp due to polio. He did not think his disability was an inconvenience, but using a crutch in the unsteady terrains to commute was rather difficult. As a young child, he used to travel over 200 yards away on his crutch for schooling. He explains that traveling in general in these mountains is hard and is not a limiting factor for only those who have disabilities. “It is hard to travel in the mountains, but for anyone in the mountains, it is hard.”

Marketing

Chakrate, a small town, is a great resource to even shopkeepers; yet the same problem still stands. Our very own experience with nearby local shop-owner illustrates the problems in communication due to the far distance of Chakrata from the Jaunsar Baur and the set backs poor traveling means to this nearest town creates for locals

For weeks, we have been asking the owner to order chocolate bars and he said there is a contact there who will get them for us, but everyday there is no news from the man he has given the order to. He was supposedly going to order them from Chakrata. Any small shop owner here, has to get his merchandise from Chakrata and it may take 3-5 days for the products to arrive if not more.

Housing Construction

In Majgaon, we interviewed some contractors who told us that slate for roofing comes from far away village Quashi and sun-heated bricks come all the way from Vikasnagar. Even housing materials are not available easily. This is a high expense to construction workers. Materials need to be carried up from the valley where most of the wood is found. Material transport is a barrier due to poorly developed roads and access to different areas in the mountains.

Recall, Jeet Singh, whom we met in Senjaar. His leg injury was caused because he fell off a truck while getting supplies for the construction of his house. He owns many fields, but due to his transportation and ofcourse medical care costs, he had to sell some land. This was the only example we had of selling land and taking loans for health care, but it would not shock us if this was common amongst other families.

Services and resources are slowly being integrated into this area for the Jaunsari community to reap benefits of. Many locals have expressed to us their happiness with development, but also still see areas for improvement. Perhaps due to communication barriers such as distance, the information is not being delivered to them as efficiently as it could be. Nonetheless, it is still an issue for these people that for basic health care, marketing and educational purposes, they have to commute long distances which discourage them from accessing these resources. Perhaps it is an instilled characteristic of mountainous regions, but I have learned so much by listening to the way the men, women and children of the Jaunsari community live. I also been able to appreciate greatly what they do, and be grateful for the lifestyle we take for granted in the West.

(Mohini and ?)

Sachin’s favourite pics

2007-06-23T12:12:00.000+05:30

Well- that is just a title for the blog. Doesn’t mean that I don’t care for other pictures taken by me or others.. But since, I dare not turn an AI collaborative blog into a personal picture gallery of sorts- I am posting just a few of the pictures, which, to my mind, give the glimpse of the vast expanse, space, which last few weeks have been- both in physical and psychological sense for me..
Well- the small comments about the pictures - I just dont know how to align them with the pictures. So let us turn it into a guessing game and see how many you get correct.. Just needs a little bit of Yoga concentration!

Rope trick by Jon on an Indian Road

Someone is homesick and writing feverishly under a beautiful sky..

Nishu in an inhospitable canada (role play)!

Shepherd keeping an eye on his flock!

A shepherd sleeping in forest..

People from a different world..

A picnic at the top of the world..Was it worthwhile?

Vast mind in a small body- Vaster Spirit behind a small mind..

Hope you all have moved in a new space, new rhythm, equally vast, equally fun!

sachin

MEMORIES LAST FOREVER

2007-06-18T01:05:00.000+05:30

My trip was started with lots of apprehensions, whether I will be able to live up to the expectations of being a translator or not or will I’ll be able to overcome all language and cultural barriers or not …but I tried. In jakatar I found my unknown India and love it too much .The whole group including Madeleine, afrousheh, Nora, sara,john,trish, raman,abhishek,Chelsea,Lauren,mohini,nishu I really love them all. As you all were curious about India, I was too curious about you all. I really loved the Canadian culture. I still remember once Chelsea telling me that she feels really awkward wearing such colorful and nice clothes in front of the jaunsari villagers, this showed her love and care for jaunsari people. I was also touched by the ‘thanks and sorry culture’ of Canada. I never been so close to everyone but I was always showered with love and care. Trish and Madeleine always used to encourage me during hikes.Jaunsari culture is very rich in every aspect. They shower love and affection even to strangers and they all are always ready to give their precious time to us. It always been a good time asking them questions like “are you married? Or how many children you have? Being a translator, I enjoyed every translation because of huge support from my team member including Jonathan who was always used as bouncer (I am sorry john).during translation whenever I found problem with special keywords, dr.sachin always used to help as Google search engine. It was always been a wonderful time walking with nishu and Dhanehwari ji and sometimes with Belum bhaiya in group called “slow walkers but first coming group” it sounds weird but only this title came to our mind during walking uphill… Mohini was always been a great bunch of interesting talks. Nora was always been a sweet little princess with a beautiful boon of sketching and drawing .Sara always ready to help everyone as a beautiful nurse but with brain and golden heart. Lauren: a bold and beautiful girl with a power to judge every situation very correctly. Raman: he has beautiful style of saying ‘namaste’and off course he has done a good work as editor.
Every SIHI accepted me whole heartedly and I am really thankful to them for their enormous love and support. By the way my engineering entrance test and my UGAT (under graduate admission test) is over and I had cleared them all. Sometimes it was hard to enjoy beauty near me because of nostalgia, but when the time arrived to go home, I felt nostalgic about SMTA. A tight hug from afrousheh brought tear to my eyes. A lovely and warm farewell from SIHI made me touched deep down at heart. I am thankful to Dr. Sachin and Maggie aunty for their love and care towards me. You all became my second family there. I apologies for any mistake during trip and bloging.

Lots and lots of love to everyone
PRIYA (Your translator)

Reflection: Education In Jaunsar

2007-06-17T18:59:00.000+05:30

Education in the Jaunsari Region

Education is an essential component to the growth and progress of any society. The World Bank reports that an educated society has fewer child marriages, better family planning, better hygiene, and more political participation. Over a period of 3 weeks the SIHI students have been able to get a first-hand perspective of the education system in the Jaunsari region and compare it to the education system back in Canada.

Boys and Girls

The SIHI students encountered many differences between the education of girls and boys in the school system of the Jaunsari region. In a typical classroom in the region, boys and girls sit separately on different sides of the room. This may lead to fewer behavioral problems. In Canada, on the other hand, boys and girls mix freely in most schools, and many obedience problems there can be found within boy-girl interactions. In Canada, single sex schools are becoming more and more common.

We were also surprised that in many schools we visited, girls rarely or never option for the math field. At one school that has been running for almost 30 years, no girl ever opted for math. On the other hand, no boy at that school ever took Home Science. This is not necessarily because of the education system; the teachers at the school expressed that they believed that girls were as capable of mathematics as boys, but that many girls feel uncomfortable in a classroom of mostly boys, because of the boy-girl separation that Jaunsari culture encourages.

Instructional Methods in the Jaunsari Classroom

Most Jaunsari schools are forced to operate on a small budget while teaching hundreds of students. In many of the classrooms, a teacher supervises 40 or more students at one time, putting a strain on how much time she can devote to each individual student. In one village school that we encountered, 2 teachers supervise 70 students, and when one teacher goes on leave, the other is forced to manage all the students. In contrast, Canadian classrooms usually do not exceed 30 students.

Many Jaunsari teachers employ a “repeat-after-me” approach to teach a large number of students at once, either writing on the blackboard or saying something that the students are then expected to repeat. The lesson plans move in a methodic and predictable manner. There is some interaction between teacher and student, when the teacher may call upon a student to answer a question or read a passage. There is rarely misbehavior in the classroom, and if it appears, the misbehaving student is warned for his behavior. If he continues his misbehavior, he may be reprimanded physically with a light slap.

In Canada, the classroom instruction often involves more classroom interaction. Students are often asked to give presentations to the class at an early age, such as putting together a poster board with information about a certain subject, such as different countries in the world. There are also activities that are considered fun and relaxed, such as “story time” (where the teacher reads a story to the class) and “show and tell” (when students bring in something to class and talk about it). There are often more behavioral problems among Canadian students, as there is less of a sense of respect that a student has towards his teacher. If a child misbehaves, the teacher will usually give him a warning, and if the behavior is repeated, send the child to the office.

Access to Resources

The SIHI students found that many Jaunsari schools are lacking the resources to provide a quality curriculum in the higher grades. Many schools were lacking toilet facilities, and the students and teachers were forced to use the bushes. Some schools were not able to offer higher-level science courses because they did not have the necessary teachers or laboratory equipment, dissuading many students from eventually going into professions such as medicine and engineering.

By doing this, the girls feel more comfortable in their group and the boys feel more comfortable in theirs. In Canada, on the other hand, boys and girls mix freely in the classroom.

The Jaunsari Area in which the SIHI Program has conducted an appreciative inquiry has an extensive educational system including Grades 1 to 12, allowing students to meet the prerequisites for higher education such as medicine, law, and engineering.

By SIHI 2007 (student?)

Refelection: The Games children play!

2007-06-17T18:39:00.000+05:30

SIHI 2007: The lessons that come from playing games

After experiencing the SIHI 2007 core module in a rural area of the Himalayas I leave with new experiences, memories, friendships, lessons, and discoveries, all of which have changed the perception I have of myself, and the world. Flying across the globe from Canada, I came expecting to be immersed in a culture where everything would be different; language, customs, traditions, beliefs, values, relationships, livelihoods and so on. It is true that differences do exist, but differences provide terrific opportunities for us to learn from each other. I have learned a lot about Canadian and Jaunsari cultures through cross cultural interactions in the form of recreational games and I will summarize my observations and personal lessons in the discussion to follow.

The first aspect of Jaunsari culture that struck me is the unwavering level of acceptance amongst the Jausari people toward everyone, outsiders and insiders alike. This is especially true for playing games. Despite our entire SIHI team’s inexperience with various Indian games such as KhoKho, Pithu, Indian style hop scotch and more (see the explanations of the games below this reflection) we were enthusiastically welcomed to play and treated with patience and understanding. At any time during the core module there was never any hesitation in the villages to let us participate in their games. When we would make mistakes they would never get angry, there would only be laughter and further explanation. Although many of the tribes are fairly isolated in the Himalayas, we were always welcomed with open arms. This may be because SIHI has been operating in the region for several years and has been able to develop a rapport with them, it may also be because we are white, but I feel the main reason is rooted in the Jaunsari culture of respect, love and community that extends across racial, cultural, religious, ethnic, economic and national boundaries. Although there are always exceptions, this starkly contrasts from my experiences in Canada. In Canada you can’t go up to a group of people playing basketball, hockey, hop scotch, tag, dodge ball etc. and receive the same level of acceptance and non-judgmental attitudes that you find in the Jaunsari culture. We like to associate ourselves with our circle of friends and are often hesitant to expand that circle outward especially if it means inviting differences in.

Secondly I have learned the tremendous value of time. There is a lot of material poverty in the area but it is made up for in the spirit of hospitality, community and friendship prominent in the Jaunsari culture. They offer us the gift of their time. Despite their grueling work schedules in the fields, schools and homes, it all stops when we enter a village. We are given no limit for how long we are able to interact; they stop when we stop. This gift is given in many forms, including through games. We visited a variety of schools and at each school, lessons would stop and the entire school community would gather around as we learned how to play their games and reciprocated by teaching them some Canadian games. When playing, it is easy to loose track of time, and differences and get caught up in a transcending spirit of sportsmanship. In fact even when school would end and children were allowed to go home, they still stayed to play with us until we were ready to stop. The gift of time is so precious, yet rarely given in Canada. We often seem to be in a rush for various appointments and daily tasks that we can only manage to give someone 10 minutes of our day. How often do we see someone and ask “How are you?” as we walk past them and don’t wait for their response? I know I am personally guilty of this. Has it ever happened that a group of people visit a Canadian school and all classes stop to meet and interact with them? If it has, it is very rare. Interacting with the Jaunsari culture through games as well as other means has made me very aware of our fast paced individualistic society. One way to change this is to try and practice giving the gift of time.

Lastly games provide a great opportunity for bringing people together. For instance, before interviewing a group of students we would try and learn to play a game. This would often act as an icebreaker and result in much more fruitful conversation since we were all more comfortable with each other. Games are also a great strategy to surpass the language barrier we were up against since most of us don’t speak Hindi. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words and interacting with the children through games reminded me of the myriad forms of communication beyond speech.

Games bring out the kid in everyone, and this experience has reminded me that we all need to take time to play and have fun. It doesn’t matter what resources we have available, with the right attitude we can create a fun time out of anything. For instance, here rocks and compressed plastic bags or socks are often used as toys needed for some of the games. A principal at one of the village schools warmly welcomed us saying that ‘When the Ganga and Yamuna rivers meet, it becomes a Holy place; this is also true when two cultures meet and we are very glad you are here”.

Through recreational activities I was able to enjoy cross cultural interactions, where we could learn from each other’s differences. The more I learned, I realized that we share many commonalities simply because of our human connection. I look forward to making changes in my own life and sharing my experiences with others.

Indian Games We have Played

1) Hop scotch Indian style

l There is a rectangle made of 6 squares

l the first person will take a stone and move it to each sqaure by standing on one foot. They will move in the length wise direction. When you get to the fourth square you can take a break and stand on two feet, but then you must continue on one foot again and finish to the end.

l The difficulty of this game is that both the rock and your foot cannot touch the lines and your foot can’t move to another square until the rock has.

l Once you have finished one round successfully you will throw the rock to the second square and start from there and then third and so on!

Similar to Canada’s hop scotch!

2) KhoKho

l There are two teams. One (let’s call them Sitting Team) sits down in a long line. The other, Standing team, runs around- avoiding being tagged by one of the members of the sitting team. Once tagged the players are out. Whichever team lasts longer is considered the winner.

l Several kids (approx. 6) of Sitting team squat in a line, facing opposite directions to the people on either side of them.

l Standing team kids can run around and through the sitting line, to avoid being tagged. But the one kid (of sitting team) who starts tagging them, is not allowed to run through the line. S/he must run around it. S/he runs short distances and quickly touches one of his squatting colleagues, who in turn gets up and tags any one close by. Their aim is to tag the other players standing up and running around them.

l The trick to this game is that the person who tags is not allowed to run between the people squatting- unlike the other players. S/he can only run around the entire group; however, s/he can trade places with anyone of the people squatting to help tag the other players out.

l This game takes some strategy, short bursts of intense energy and is a lot of fun!

No similarities that I can think of in Canada

3) Pithu

l There are 2 teams: 1 team throws a ball at a stack of rocks and tries to rebuild them, and the other team tries to peg members of the other team with the ball before they can rebuild the stack of rocks.

l The team throwing the ball to knock the rocks down in the first place has three chances to try and hit it. If they miss after the third try they are out.

l The team trying to peg members of the opposite team before rebuilding can occur can move about, and pass the ball to each other, but who ever has the ball in there hands is unable to move.

l If a person gets hit with the ball before the stack of rocks can be rebuilt they are out. However, if they get hit after the rocks have been rebuilt they are safe.

Similar to Canadian dodgeball!

3) Duck Duck Goose Indian style

l Everyone sits in a circle. Their focus should be on the middle.

l One person will walk along the parameters of the circle with a hanky in their hand. They will secretly drop the hanky behind one of the player’s who is sitting. If a player is suspicious that it is behind their backs they can look behind them. If the hanky is there, then they must chase after the other player and try and tag them. Once the first player reaches the open seat they are safe.

l If someone doesn’t realize that the hanky is behind them and the person who dropped it makes a full circle, they can beat the person with it.

Similar to Canadian duck duck goose!

By Patricia Golesevic (Trish)

Reflections: Disability group

2007-06-17T11:20:00.000+05:30

Reflections: Comparison of Disabled Children in Jaunsaur and Canada

Disability is one of those unique happenings that transcends borders. Whether you go to the richest communities in the Western World to the poorest communities in Africa, disabled children are found all over. In accordance with appreciative inquiry, one of the two groups in the Student International Health Initiative (SIHI) focused their attention on disability. The definition of disability was kept quite broad to include anything that really stood out about an individual which was different from the rest of the village population – physically or mentally. Coming into this study, most members of the group, if not all, had painted quite a different picture of disabled children than what was really shown to be in the villages. The typical stereotypes that were the norm all surrounded the idea that disabled children in India probably do not get treated very well by society, by their families and many thought that poorer families would see disabled children as a burden. However, visiting the different villages in the Jaunsaur region proved that many of our initial perceptions and stereotypes were wrong. By examining a few disabled children in Jaunsaur, showed us that the way disabled children are treated here is not an accurate reflection of what people think of disabled children – in fact these are two very different things.

The treatment of disabled children in the villages of Jaunsaur is quite favorable and certainly beyond the expectations that many group members had. About five days into the core module, the group was able to interview the teacher and mother of a boy named Sanjay Singh. Sanjay was an 11 year old boy who had been deaf and mute since birth. He was studying in grade five and was quite capable of doing any basic things that a non-disabled child his age could do. He demonstrated to us that he could write down the names of children in his village and the days of the week as well. Right away it was very apparent that the child had built a very strong bond with his teacher (who was also his cousin). The teacher had given him extra time and attention that was needed for him to learn how to read and write. We also got to see Sanjay play a game of ‘Kho-kho’ (a popular children’s game in India, similar to tag) and it was very rewarding to see that Sanjay’s disability did not keep him from interacting with the other children. On the contrary, none of the children discriminated against him in any way and treated him like any other student. In comparison to Canada (from my experience), children with disability do at times face hardships when interacting with other students. At younger ages, children tend to be meaner and it is quite possible that a disabled child like Sanjay might not be so well received in Canada by other students of his age group. Although, there is no evidence to confirm this, it is possible that due to his disability, children in Canada might view his disability as a serious limitation for certain games. However, from what we saw from Sanjay’s friends, teacher, and mother, his charismatic smile and loving personality made him no different than any other child in the village.

As mentioned previously, the treatment of disabled children in India was certainly a surprise for most SIHI members, however the perceptions of disabled children in some ways did match the stereotypes we had. When speaking with Sanjay’s mother, we were saddened to learn that despite Sanjay’s ambition and desire to keep studying, his fate was destined to be a tailor master! His mother had decided that unlike his older brother (who was in Dehradun studying in grade eight), Sanjay would stop his studies after completing grade five. There were many reasons given for this. One being that since Sanjay’s teacher was his first cousin, his mother did not think that another teacher would be as patient or as caring with her child. Another reason was that due to his disability, he would have to go to a special school for the disabled which is in Dehradun and this would require a parent to attend school with him. However his mother let us know that this was not affordable for the family to do. This had really saddened the group because from what we saw, Sanjay was quite an intelligent boy who had a lot of potential.

Upon visiting other villages, we learned that many of the schools in Jaunsaur (mostly government schools) said they did not have disabled children; however these were very open to accepting them if parents would register them. Quashi, a village which had a large government school (500 students) reported that it had no children with disabilities. However upon further interviewing a few boys, we found out about two children with disabilities – one student who was partially deaf and one who had a club foot. When speaking with these boys, we asked what their initial impression of children with disabilities was and they all seemed to agree that children with disabilities were treated no differently in school.

However, we also quickly learned that when asked what disabled children would do after finishing schools, the boys seemed to agree that they could not do anything but continue to work the fields. It became quite clear to the SIHI group, that the general population had undermined the potential and capacity of these disabled children. Although society does not treat these disabled children harshly, they still do think that their role in society has been marginalized due to their disability. In Canada, this is quite different. Because there is so much focus and studies done on children with disabilities, more and more Canadian teachers are being trained on how to work with disabled children in order to make sure that their education and role in society is not diminished due to their disability. The perception of people with disability in the Jaunsaur area is quite sad. Many people, including parents of disabled children and teachers, do not see the potential that these people carry and thus do not give enough attention and resources to teaching them.

As one can note, the treatment and perceptions of disabled children in the Jaunsaur area are two different things. Speaking with the village head of the Jaunsaur area during an interview session, we learned that disability was a new area of focus for them and that they were starting to make people in the area more aware of how to deal with disabled children. They had planned on training schools in the area on how to work with children with disabilities and also try to deal with other problems that people with disabilities face in Jaunsaur. This assured me that there is something that is trying to be done and although it is not easy, it is a start! Hopefully within the next ten years or so, we will start to see the perceptions and attitudes of society towards disabled children change!

(Nishu, Disability Group)

For Nishu and Trish

2007-06-17T11:18:00.000+05:30

Dear Nishu

Thanks for the hand made pressed flower greeting card you left behind- great sentiments, which will tower above my head constantly, as beautiful Goals to keep working to. I have put up your reflections on disability. This is a good analysis and deep perception of what is not so obvious at first glance.

Sachin

Dear Trish (Krisssh)

Thanks for the hand made pressed flower greeting card- and the beautiful words. I was about to put up the card in my drawing room at a very prominent place. But my cousin, as usual, smiled wryly- “Not there; keep it in your heart!”

Your intelligent company was a pleasure on the eco-trek.. Looking forward to more of your Dad’s quotes!

Sachin

Safely Back from the Abode of Siva!

2007-06-14T18:11:00.000+05:30

Everyone is safe and fine and back from trek. The group left for Delhi this morning. Raman for Ghaziabad.
I am back in an urgent meeting (- dont ask with whom).
Here are two pictures embodying the ethos of Himalayas (for me) ..

I saw a shepherd sleeping with a baby goat- I didn't have heart to wake him up for the water (I was thirsty and without water)..
Second pic too is that of a shepherd carrying a very young baby sheep, that was unable to walk. People care so much for animals! There is hope for us! This is what I thought, when I saw this.

Hey everyone- Madeleine, Raman, Loraine, Sarah, Norah, Chelsea, John, Trish, Afrousheh, Nishu, Mohini- thank you all!
Have a good time!
sachin

Mountain reflections

2007-06-13T01:54:00.000+05:30

I have been thinking of you trekkers each day, as you approach the end of this extraordinary journey. Whenever I have hiked in the Himalayas, I have found it an unforgettable experience. I hope you have a stash of great memories, and lots of photos, too!

Thanks to each one of you for your reflections and thoughts about the SIHI trip...each year we make changes based on student feedback. This year, with the blog and my frequent emails to parents, I think we did particularly well on communication with families and friends.

Looking forward to our annual Potluck at our home in the fall, where we get to share photos, experiences and reflections.

Sachin, thanks for all your hard work!

All the best for the remainder of your trip!

Karen and Pradeep

Reflection time!

2007-06-03T14:45:00.000+05:30

Reflections: Sihi 2007

Everyone is safe and back in Vikasnagar. Tomorrow we leave for Eco-trek. Here is my reflection piece, as agreed.

‘Posing as a Teacher!’

‘Leading’ a group of young people is both a privilege and a serious responsibility. One has to constantly challenge oneself to meet the same standards, if not higher, as the ones expected of the group. But at the same time, you know that you must not submit another individual to the same standards as you would apply to yourself, because of cultural and generational differences. For example, I can squat on the ground, eat rice and daal with my fingers and feel quite satisfied. Can I expect the same from a young Canadian? On the other hand, if I can walk 16 km to a mountain village, shall I not expect the same from a fit young Canadian less than half my age?

Both these approaches are valid and require a fine balance. I was fortunate that I had almost seven years to get the hang of this balancing trick. Nevertheless, I still suffer from ‘self-doubts’ sometimes :-(

Maybe this is a healthy kind of self doubt which keeps us open and alive to every moment of learning from life. And my learning comes from observing interactions within and without:

Within: interactions between my various ‘selfs’- the “organizer”, the “facilitator”, the “communicator” and the “witness”- which just observes and wants to do nothing else! When I organize or facilitate, I expect certain outcomes. These outcomes are influenced by my culture and their (students’) culture. This expectation is almost unconscious on both sides. The ‘witness’ cringes whenever I pose as the ‘teacher’ or the ‘leader’; both are difficult jobs for anyone. But while doing this- this posing as a ‘teacher’- I become aware of all those little ‘kinks and bends’ within, which are normally invisible to myself, when I go around just doing my own thing.

Interactions in the outside world include those within the group, among members, between the group and my Indian colleagues, local rural community and finally between the group and myself.

One of the worthwhile lessons learnt in this process is: culture deeply influences our communication, our perspective and our responses. Profoundly so. A facilitator caught in such a scenario has to anticipate, act proactively and go out on a limb to get the meaning across. She or he also needs to learn to listen with the whole body and mind rather than just ears. When we listen in that fashion, we know how much structure versus spontaneity is called for in a given group situation, for example.

On the other hand, exercises like “Authentic self” challenged me and took me beyond my comfortable corner of the swimming pool!

Lastly, can you EVER take a group of young people for granted, no matter how many years you have been running the course?

This is what renews my faith in myself as a learning individual, even while ‘posing as a teacher’- as my cousin would phrase it.

Lastly a quote from The Prophet:

“Verily, you often make merry without knowing!”

Sachin

21st to 25th, 28th to 29th

2007-06-02T08:45:00.000+05:30

May 21, 2007

Today we went to Myrawana village. It’s a village we can see from SMTA hostel in Jakhadhar, where we’re staying. So you can picture how far of a climb that is. First we had to climb downwards to the stream we love so much. And then followed an intense 2000 ft climb steadily upwards to the village. I think its about 6000-7000 ft. This walk I will never forget. We crossed potato farms and on the way had to ignore many barking dogs. They really don’t do any harm. We also saw the biggest pine-cones… some I swear the size of footballs. There was lots to see in Myrawana, but we spent our time in the intercollege (Grades 6-12). Our SIHI boys taught the local boys how to play baseball. It was funny because the boys they were playing with were used to playing cricket. Instead of leaving the bat after they batted, they’d run with it in their hands to all the bases. And they also assumed that they could make infinite rounds around the bases to gather many points if they hit a homerun. Finally, there was a Kho-Kho showdown that ended it off. The SIHI girls learned a traditional Jaunsari/Garwali dance called Jhumela. We all formed a semi-circle and did a fine job getting a hang onto the intricate footwork. We taught them some classic country line-dancing steps and shared a bit of the Spice Girls “Stop Right Now” dance. Haha! The girls also enjoyed some Stella-Ella-Olla with them. Some of them knew it already because a past SIHI group taught them. Their memory really impressed us! We shared the Canadian national anthem and the entire school together and shared with us the Indian national anthem. The hard trekking we did to get to the village was forgotten when we met with their kindness, love and high spirits. It was an awesome day! We learned that by sharing our childhood with the students we met today allowed us to form a relationship with them. Sharing and exchanging is another scope of what we are doing here, and an important aspect of what appreciative inquiry is all about. J

“Don’t let the world define you.”

Loving the people here and missing the ones back home.

Muah,

Mohini

May 22, 2007

Today is Lauren’s birthday. That’s her 19c birthday (aka 21^st) !!!

So Dr. Sachin let her decide what we would do today, and we reached consensus on visiting Tiger Falls.

After breakfast, we hiked to the falls, which were about 5km away. The trek consisted of climbing up and down hills and ridges, and over irrigation channels and past cactus trees, fig trees, aloe vera plants, rice fields and through jungle-like forests.

At the falls, we spent about an hour of bliss. To try to describe it is next to impossible, but here’s an attempt:

Three waterfalls, one on each side of an alcove, and the 4^th side is an opening through which we entered the mini-paradise. Lush greenery, hanging vines, rocky cliffs, and the powerful sound of water crashing into a small pool, a stunning place which I wish I could take home with me and place into my own garden J

So we rested here, taking photos, reading, journaling, sketching, relaxing. We enjoyed cold drinks that were bought from a local man … not cold from a fridge, but cold from the cool river.

Everyone was very reluctant to leave Tiger Falls, and the trek back was especially long because we knew what we were leaving behind L

Returning to SMTA was a huge reward indeed, finally able to sit, change, drink, and eat. Hiking through the Himalayas is exhausting, in case anyone was wondering!!! But reaching the destination and overcoming a challenge results in a feeling of huge accomplishment and satisfaction, a happy feeling indeed!!!

The afternoon was spent reading, relaxing (again) and basking in the sun on the roof or in the orchard.

Sara and I went to help Maggie make a special birthday dinner for Lauren… Dumplings!!! So much effort went into preparing them, but the result, as agreed by everyone, was well worth it!

It was a wonderful day, who wouldn’t want to celebrate their 21^st birthday in India by a waterfall?!!!

Xoxo

Nora

May 23^rd

Hello everyone!

We are well into the core module at this point of the trip, and still learning each day. Today we revisited a village we had felt a particular connection with earlier in the trip to have further discussion with a group of school girls. We started off by playing an Indian game called Pithu, which was a lot of fun once we understood how to play! However, as usual, we are always beaten by the Indian students! We had a really interesting conversation with the students afterward and discovered that there are no washroom facilities at the school for students. They must depend on the bush. We also realized that we both experience winter (up in the Himalayas it snows) and they do many of the same recreational activities as us, such as snow-ball fights and tobogganing. A few of us also had some pictures to show them of our lives in Canada. They really enjoyed this and were very surprised at how clean our houses are and how we dressed (it is not custom to show your shoulders or cleavage). We also asked about birthday celebrations since they started singing a song related to this occasion and we got mixed replies. This is because of the caste system; the higher up you are, the more likely you are to have the privileges of celebrating a birthday. Each society has its upper and lower limits, including Canada, this one way it is played out in India.

We then Walked the 8 km distance back to our home base and called it a day!

Lots of Love to Canada

Trish

May 24^th

This is my second assigned entry on the blog thus far – and what do you know – another rest day! I don’t have any crazy adventures to tell you about because just like my last entry (which was also a rest day) – we basically just relaxed! Some of the group went on a two and a half hour hike while the rest of the group stayed back and relaxed. Most often a typical rest day around here includes laundry, sun bathing, card playing, lounging, journaling and reading.

This afternoon I helped Maggie out with lunch – cleaned up the rice and made roti (similar to a pita bread) from scratch!!! One things for sure – it’s not as easy as it looks – kneading the dough is pretty tough – great way to let off some steam though if need be ;) haha. Mohini helped us cook the roti’s – the three of us had quite an efficient system going! We ate after the rest of the group - I got to be the roti girl (you serve the roti’s to the table as soon as they are ready – hot and fresh – mm mm mmmm). Mohini, Maggie and I ate together and Mama Maggie shared some more of her crazy stories. Today she told us about the building of this Jakhdar location of S.M.T.A and what herself and Reuben had to give up in order for it to all happen. Basically they relocated from the comfort of their home. They traveled by bus which could only take them so far because of landslides occurring in the area. The bus took them as far as it could at which point they had to continue on foot with their luggage while dodging landslides – CRAZY! When they arrived to the building site – their living arrangement was an old cow shed which was full of dung and was so small they had to crawl on all fours – they lived in this shed, a tent, and in nearby villagers homes for an ENTIRE YEAR! Maggie shared how hard it was at times for her and the moments she asked Reuben if they could turn around and go home – his response: “You have lived a great life for so long can we not give back to others now?” This totally stopped us in our tracks and challenged us to stop and think. The lessons here never end – there is always another challenge awaiting us – and on so many different levels!

In the evening Mohini and I headed back to the kitchen to help Maggie out with dinner – with the addition of Trish this time around. Believe it or not we made samosa’s for the FIRST TIME in India – yes that’s right today was the very fist time we had eaten samosa’s this entire trip!!! This was an exceptionally special occasion for Trish because not only was this her first time making/eating samosa’s in India but also her first time to EVER try a samosa J It didn’t take long for us to understand why it was our first samosa thus far – they are NOT easy to make – but it was well worth it – everyone left the table with a smile!

So that pretty much wraps up our day off – everyone is good here – we are all LOVING LIFE !!!

Food for thought: “In order to keep something you must give it away”

~ Peace and Love ~

Chelsea

May 25^th

Today the SIHIs woke up at the crack of dawn as usual (well, maybe not the boys) and wolfed down a yummy breakfast by Maggie before heading to the home of a traditional herbalist near SMTA. The herbalist was a man who had immigrated from Nepal when he was 25 (roughly 30 years ago) and he settled down in the Jaunsauri area, marrying a local Jaunsari woman. The herbalist described the details of his remedies and even showed examples of the herbs that he uses to treat a variety of ailments. He treats arthritis, jaundice, pregnancy problems, and many other ailments with herbs that he collects from the mountains.

We were surprised when the herbalist told us that he does not make any money or get any gifts when he treats a patient. The man said that if he charged, his remedies would lose their effectiveness. Why does he do it then? “Out of the love of God,” he explained.

Although he is a herbalist, the man’s main profession is farming, and he only treats 2 to 3 people a month with herbs. The SIHIs got to have a first hand experience at farming when they cleared two of the herbalist’s crop fields of stones so that the crops could grow better. It was hard and tiresome work, but extremely rewarding because it taught us how hard the Jaunsari farmers must work. And plus, we were rewarded by a great lunch back at SMTA once we returned.

It was a great day!

- Raman

(PS: Class 12 results are out; Both Priya and Abhishek have passed with good marks! Congrats to both of you! Editor)

May 28^th, 2007

WE CAME. WE SAW. WE CONQUERED!!! Today was a great day for the SIHIs. We decided to dedicate today towards having a real outdoor picnic. We had prepared the night before of what we were going to bring with us and cook there. We had planned to leave at 7:30am but as usual became late rushing to eat breakfast and get ready and ending up leaving around 8:30am. We did not reach our final picnic site until about 2:00pm. THAT’S RIGHT, WE HIKED FOR FIVE AND HALF HOURS WITH VERY LITTLE AND SMALL BREAKS!!! Congrats to everyone. We had our doubts and many of us complained but in the end, every SIHI, Dr.Sachin, Bailum Ji, and Danishuri Ji did it. We reached a respectable peak with a great view and set up to eat. Danishuri Ji, along with some volunteers made a great pullhow dish (rice with vegetables) which we all quickly ate. Most of us then decided to take a nap or enjoy the view for about 45 minutes and then would start heading back for the long trek back to SMTA (in order to make it home before the sun went down). However along the way Afrousheh’s ankle gave way and got locked and so she needed to wait until it unlocked in order to go back down the rough terrain. The rest of the group had to proceed back and we made it back in three hours (we definitely rushed back as quick as we could to beat the sun going down). Many of us ran straight to the store to grab cold drinks. HOORAY FOR COKE!!! To our delight, Afrousheh, Dr. Sachin, and Bailum JI were not too far behind and reached home about an hour after us. We then had dinner right away and then went to bed almost immediately after, preparing ourselves for sore legs the next day! Definitely a very accomplished day for all the SIHIs! Congrats! Was it worth it Afrousheh?? HUH? (Inside Joke).I wanted to end this blog off by finishing off with a famous saying I heard from Nora, “An unsharpened pencil is like a child without a bald head.”

- Nishu

May 29^th, 2007

This morning quite a number of us woke up to discover new aches and pains, our bodies having been pushed to the limit by the previous day’s picnic/hike/mountain climbing expedition. Today we enjoyed some much needed r & r. The only structured component was a morning meeting with Sachin to learn more about the structure of the core module which we had just completed, as well as some of its history and future directions. We were encouraged to provide feedback about how to improve the core module, as well as think about what we, as Canadian students, could do to promote a sense of continuity between the various SIHI groups that come here year after year. The feedback processes will be slow but thorough. We really want to make the trip as good as it can be for next year’s batch of SIHI’s.

After lunch, we lounged around: did our laundry, tanned on the roof, played cards, etc. I tried to use my newly-acquired Indian flute playing ability to charm Tommy the wonder dog, who always greets us with barks and growls but runs away on approach. We (or I) call him wonder dog because when he comes with us on our hikes, he always finds his own way home, often over treacherous terrain. I held Tommy’s gaze for a brief moment and was sure I had him spellbound, but alas, I failed - the wild could not be tamed! Just before dinner, we met up on the roof to plan our ‘presentation’. We decided to divide the presentation into six general topics, with a more-or-less equal distribution of factual information and audience interaction/participation. It’s still rough, nay course, along the edges, but hopefully it’ll come together in time. After all, we’re university students. When it comes to procrastinating and succeeding, we’re the best in the business!

Festina lente [ do it quickly, but slowly ]

Peace out,

- Jonathan

Just a few pics

2007-05-19T10:47:00.000+05:30

Belam- the steady local staff
A preschool in Majhgaon
Dogs, goats, cats, human beings- they all live happily together..
Ancient identity; ancient woodwork
Priya, the translator

Some pictures from Jakhdhar, Chakrata

2007-05-19T10:16:00.000+05:30

The Jogio village Devta (Deity) is brought to the fair grounds and his Doli (tabernacle?) is made to dance..
Red Jollyboys (Jalebis)- a country sweet, being made on the Fair grounds on top of a mountain..

Flies, babies, courtyards, caring and communication
Post interview debriefing among the participants and translators
The group talks to a man who has some deformities of hands and a lot of hesitation about meeting starngers.. (Probably Leprosy?)

May 15th to May 19th in Jakhdhar, Chakrata

2007-05-19T10:14:00.000+05:30

May 15^th 2007

The day started slightly strangely as we woke up and slowly came to realize that the usually excited voices of the children were not present. SMTA was very quiet. We wondered why but neglected to ask anyone where all the children were. As we climbed the 2000 ft to Thanta where we would continue our appreciative inquiry for the day, we came across a few men making brightly coloured sweets and preparing for a fair. We could feel the excitement grow as we entered the village. That’s where all the children were!

The disabilities group went to see a spiritual healer who had lost his legs due to a narrowing of the blood vessels. He was however relatively comfortable with his disability and attributed to something he may have done in a past life. He now serves a great purpose in the village. He showed the group how he would diagnose people with the use of a long dice, and an old book written in ancient sanscrit.

It took time for the women’s health group to assemble women from the village as they were all dressing and preparing for the festival. Once we were all gathered, they were very open. After a while, a man came in and offered us a special treat – snow! Everyone else was excited, but we were a bit iffy about eating unknown water; so we politely refused by saying that in Canada we see too much snow and we want to get a break from it!

Quickly it became time to go to the fair, so we were ushered out of the village and joined the flocks of people eagerly going to the fair. This is a special time for all villagers as it is a time when they can gather all together in one spot. With all the mountains and hard work they do, it can be very difficult to visit daughters and sisters who have married into another family and now live far away. There was music and dancing and people selling sweets and jewellery and cold drinks and fruit. We all just wanted to soak it all in and enjoy their culture; however we quickly found that we were becoming the spectacle. Wherever we went there was always a crowd of people following us and watching our every move. A little intimidating at first, but we are now somewhat used to being stared at, so we gave some children stickers brought from Canada, and shared a watermelon that we bought. It was also nice to see some of the people we had met on previous adventures. A special moment for me was when a girl named Neelum came running up and tugged on my shirt with a big smile on her face. It was nice to see her up on the mountain, because when we had visited her a few days ago, her ankle was all swollen and infected. She was feeling better she said, and was proud to be one of the few people who knew us strange foreigners!

What a great day! Although, what day hasn’t been?

Hope everyone is doing well in Canada!

-Madeleine

May 16, 2007

After feeling so tired from our uphill hike the day before, we took a longer but flatter walk to Qwansi village, 8 km down the road. The women’s health group was able to visit the hospital there, which was run by an NGO. It was inspiring to talk to the doctor there, who had grown up in the area and wanted to return to give back to his people rather than work in the city which pays more. It is also really interesting for all of us to learn about the relationship between the different types of health care here. Allopathic, or Western medicine, is not seen as better than others but just different ways of healing. It seems a lot more holistic, to use both Allopathic and Ayruvedic (traditional medicine). The doctor even referrs some patients to an Ayruvedic practitioner for things such as chronic pain, which are little understood in Western medicine.

The Disability group also throughly enjoyed their day in Qwansi, and had the opportunity to talk with the students and staff at the local school. They really felt a bond with many of the people they met, and are eager to go back at another date to continue their discussions.

Just as we were leaving, it began to pour, so we all bundled into out high tech rain gear. Of course, the storm was over in ten minutes, and we were left sweating under all our layers. I guess these suits weren’t made for Indian weather!!

Best wishes to all!!

- Sara

May 17, 2007

Wow what a relaxing day!!! Today was our second day off and boy was it needed. Today was spent recovering from those long hikes to the villages and different group members decided on participating in various activities. The boys started off the day by playing cards while the girls did various things such as laundry, playing cards, reading, and journaling. Later on people helped Auntie Maggie in the kitchen with cutting vegetables and fruits. Jonathan says “they taste really good when you cut them yourself.” The rest of the night was spent doing some good old fashioned group bonding. This was the first night where the group really meshed together on the trip and we spent a part of the night on the roof star gazing and telling ghost stories – BOO! Also I just wanted to leave an inspirational mark on the blog from one of Aristotle’s famous quotes “A jug is to pour water, BUT it depends on how many cups you have.” If you don’t get it right away – search harder for the meaning it will come. (I know you love this one Dr. Sachin).

- Nishu

May 18, 2007

Today we hiked to the town of Majgawn. Upon arrival, one group interviewed a group of workers who were constructing a building, which was to serve as the town hall. The other group interviewed a group of students, grades 1-5, and learned the game “Coco”, as well as the Indian version of duck-duck-goose, with a handkerchief. Interesting! Next, we split into our women’s/traditional medicine and disabilities groups and interviewed some of the local women. On the way back to SMTA, we stopped at a house along the road to interview a “dai”, or traditional birth attendant. The rest of the day was spent recovering from the long hike and debriefing with Dr. Sachin. No ghost stories today. :p

- Jonathan

19^th May, 2007

Priya left today and this is what she thinks of this experience as translator to SIHI during core module:

“I am going to miss all this- all the love I have received; I have discovered that English as a spoken language is much more than I have read or was taught in school. I have also discovered that when we talk- our culture, our past, everything around us becomes a part of that communication.. I have also discovered the diveristy of my own country.

I also discovered that you can start late, walk slow and still end up first in any race- Don’t you agree Nishu?

Thanks everyone and best wishes to all of you!

Priya”

May 11th to May 14th in Jakhdhar, Chakrata

2007-05-19T10:12:00.000+05:30

Friday, May 11^th, 2007:

This morning, a few of us did yoga on the roof with Dr. Sachin, from 5:30-6:30am. The sun rose at about 5:40am, and was breath-taking, or perhaps that was the yoga pose at that particular moment J

For breakfast we had roti, bananas, sweetbuns, and black tea, and it’s amazing how much more hungry we feel up in the mountains; must be the fresh air!

At 8am, we left SMTA, and had our first hike down the mountain. One word to describe the climb? Steep. Upon reaching the village called Fediyana, the group split into two subgroups, one being disability and the other being traditional medicine & women’s health. We each went to separate houses and conducted separate interviews. I could describe our findings and what we learned, but that would take up about 4 pages J

After completing the interviews, we met up again and rested at a stream, soaking our aching feet and cooling off. Surrounded by rice fields, whose colour is the most vibrant green I have ever seen, and banana trees, and singing birds, and of course the immense mountains, the whole setting was surreal, like out of a national geographic documentary. I’m in love with the scenery!!!

The climb back up to SMTA is a whole other story. It took about an hour, and may have been one of the biggest challenges ever! Shortness of breath, backs soaked in sweat, legs aching… no amount of time at the gym could have prepared us for this! Many of us find ourselves doubting our ability to do this every day. But, according to Dr. Sachin, we will all be ready (physically fit) for the Himalayan trek that starts June 5^th. At least he has hope in usJ

Upon return to SMTA, Maggie had lunch ready for us, and after lunch we had 3 hours to rest. Some chose to rest on the roof, others in the room, but we all appreciated the time to just relax. This is definitely NOT a carribean holiday!!!

Post-dinner, we debriefed for about 2 hours, and each group shared their findings. It was a long first day, but very exciting and I feel so priviledged to be able to learn about the health system and methods of healing of the Juansari people, as well as share my own medical insights with them.

I hope everyone is doing well back in Canada,

Lots of love,

Nora

May 12^th

Hello everyone! Before I begin to tell you what are second day living in the Himalayas has been like let me say a huge HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY on behalf of all SIHI members to all of you awesome moms out there!

The scenery here is incredible, everytime we open our eyes we can’t believe to we get to live in such a beautiful place like this for the next 20 days! Imagine the prettiest movie backdrop of mountains that you’ve seen, this is a small taste of what we get to experience! This beauty also has its downside, climbing them to get to the villages is very physically demanding! We are all managing and getting fitter each day and also gaining insight and appreciation for the lifestyle of the people here as they walk these mountain trails everyday!

It was the second day of our interviews. The physical disability group met a man who had been in a trucking accident and as a result has a severe bone infection in one leg. We also met a man and his family who deal with the challenges of living with epilepsy. The other group met with a variety of women and learned some very interesting ideas surrounding women and children’s health. For instance what do you think about the notion of the more painful a woman’s labor, than the more beautiful the child will be? Or the less a woman works during pregnancy, the lazier the child will be! Has anyone ever sacrificed a goat when they have a son? These are some of the practices and beliefs of some village people that we have discovered through our interview sessions! There are also opportunities for us to share about what we do in Canada surrounding disability and women and children’s healh as well as other areas! This makes for much more interactive dialogues and learning opportunities for everyone!

Hope everyone in Canada is doing well!

Trish

May 13^th 2007

Today, as usual, began with yoga for the majority of us – minus the boys – we can generally always count on them to sleep until the food is ready (haha). India has a 6 day work week and today (Sunday) is the day off for everyone – including us J. As a group we decided to get a little hiking to practice for the trek – after breakfast we made our way up the mountain. Those who were feeling ambitious hiked for half the day while the rest of us went back to the hostel and had a laundry party, and also bathed for the first time in a long time (haha).

One of today’s highlights was today’s afternoon surprise – French toast! It was minus the syrup, but we used ketchup instead. Every day Maggie makes us a pot of tea – today we had tea and French Toast.

- Peace and love, Chelsea

May 14^th, 2007

Today was a very promising day for both groups. The name of the village we visited was Tumroli.The traditional and women’s health group learned lots about the different customs surrounding pregnancy (ie – birthing customs à cutting the umbillical cord is different for boys and girls). The disability group had its first encounter with disabled children. We learned about Sanjay (a deaf and mute child since birth) and Sunil (a child who stammers) and their lifestyles. Mohini absolutely fell in love with the boy and wanted to pack him in her suitcase and take him home! The group was really enlightened on how well disabled children were treated in these villages, something that many of us did not expect. Overall a very productive day for both groups – a very productive and learning experience.

- Nishu

May 7th to May 10th in Jakhdhar, Chakrata

2007-05-19T10:09:00.001+05:30

May 7, 2007

Today we visited a Tibetan settlement in Dehradun. The feel of this place was very different from that of Dehradun – cleanly swept streets, gardens, Asian-like architecture. Obviously, the people living here took great pride in their culture and tried their best to preserve it. The representative who welcomed us was very friendly and hospitable. He showed us around, first taking us to the textile factory, where a bunch of women were weaving colourful bags and rugs, then to a room where incense was being made. We also paid a visit to the school, where the children proceeded to sing us some Tibetan songs. This was a touching moment for many students. Four students felt sick at this point, so they were allowed to stay in the settlement and partake in the weaving and incense-making. The rest piled in the jeeps and traveled to Mussoorie (which to me sounds a lot like Missouri). The road was bumpy and winding, and upon our arrival, I was in no condition to see the Tibetan settlement here. I ended up spending the afternoon in a hotel room. From what I gather from the other students I talked to, the settlement was similar to the one in Dehradun. Even so, it’s a pity I didn’t get to go. I suppose I’ll end off with a comment about the culture we saw today. To me, it seems to be one of modest living and extreme politeness. For example, they didn’t have much, but even so, they offered us refreshments of water and cookies. One student put it this way, saying something like – “we have a lot to learn from these people… every country would benefit from having a few of them around”. Indeed, this culture is unique and fascinating. The more I see of it, the more I tend to agree.

- Jonathan

May 8^th, 2007

By today the first wave of sickies had overcome the worst of the “Delhi Belly”, so we had a very relaxing and fun day.

First we went to a Sikh temple, Ponta Sahib, in Himanchal Pradesh (a neighbouring state). The people were very welcoming to us even though we are foreigners. They welcome people of all religions and make sure everyone is fed while they visit. Next we went to small lake and rented paddle boats for a calming tour of the area. The calmness eventually turned into bumper boats, but don’t worry parents, we were all wearing life jackets.

After a breat in Vikasnagar for lunch, we did some more sight-seeing to a big rock and an ancient horse sacrificing place. A highlight of these places was a mango orchard that walked through. There we finally answered a question that was on all of our minds: “How many SIHIs can you fit in a mango tree”? You’ll have to wait for the pictures to find out!

Overall, a great bonding day, kudos to Nishu for an awesome Punjabi soundtrack!!

-Madeleine

May 9, 2007
First and foremost I would like to say hello to everyone reading this! I have been appointed to write about May 9ths adventures! So I shall begin by saying that May 9^th was the last day in Vikasnagar before we left for Chakrata! We had a special visit from very honorable guests on that day! Doctor Leman and his family joined us in S.M.T.A. He shared with us the historical background of Medical practices in India, as well as his own experience as an American Doctor in India. We found his speech very informative and inspirational! Later on in the afternoon, we met our wonderful translator Priya, who had travelled a long distance so she could accompany us for the trip to Chakrata and help our group with translations! That evening we made one last trip to the market in Vikasnagar and prepared for next day’s long trip to Chakrata! By the way, we can be reached at Chakrata, however we cannot make any international phone calls! Hope you are all doing well back home!
-Afrousheh

May 10^th 2007

Finally at Chakrata where we will be spending the next 20 days. The drive here was supposed to be 6 hours but thankfully it turned out to be only 4 hours. The view was amazing: mountains, valleys, lots of greenery and blue skies! We were quite excited about our stay admist the Indian Himalayan mountains for almost a month. We are completely surrounded by mountains, that have never-ending terraces with all sorts of crops: pototoes, rice, wheat.. the list can go on forever. There are all shades of green here!

We are staying at the SMTA hostel in a village called Jakhadar. We arrived as the primary school just ended. Little children in their red and white uniforms greeted us with great delight. After unpacking, we spent our afternoon on the roof of the hostel admiring the beauty of the mountains. I cannot believe how picturesque it is here. I feel like the mountains and trees we see is like a backdrop, a painting, but in fact, it is quite real! We have been basking in the sun on the terrace, and absorbing the sounds of the life around us.

Later that night, Dr. Sachin led us up a nearby mountain to see the sunset. We were a few minutes late, but we all found a comfortable spot and were told to simple listen to the sounds of the sunset! Its astonishing how well sound travels here.

After dinner we got right into our Appreciative Inquiry, starting with mock interviews with the SMTA staff. For the next 20 days we will be learning about the Jaunsari people, a tribe that lives in these mountains. We will interact with them to understand their traditions, culture and way of living, with a specific focus on women’s health, the use of traditional medicine and perspectives on disability. As part of the module, we will by foot visit atleast 8 villages, interviewing villages, teachers, priests/pandits, midwifes, women, men, villagers, doctors, and children. We have to make at least 15 visits for the 20 days we are here! We will definitely come out of this experience being more physically fit if anything! (Way better than the Pulse!!!!!!!)

The boys have their own quarters, and so the girls. We live simply. Have cots with bedding to sleep on, indian style toilets and bathing facilities. It feels like a long sleepover, especially in the girls room. We’re having lots of fun and its only the start!

What I have learned in the mountains: There is noise in silence…

Peace out!

Mohini

Trust walk! Just walk!

2007-05-09T18:42:00.000+05:30

Some pictures:
1. Morning over the mountains and some yoga..
2. Trust walk: Are we just to research disability or try to understand it from an insider perspective? How does one get under someone else's skin? in someone else's shoes? How do you appreciate and inquire? The group gradually dealt with such questions. A trust walk to understand the emotions and issues faced by visually challenged, followed by "Unspeakable"- a movie on stuttering.

Priya, female translator joins.

Jimbo the Olephant..

2007-05-09T11:36:00.000+05:30

Here are some pictures form Haridwar- Rishikesh trip.. worth thousands of words.. One is that of a Tibetan child; Other one shows Swami Bill and Swami Susan..

6th May- Haridwar & Rishikesh

2007-05-07T11:37:00.000+05:30

May 6^th

Today the SIHIs went to Haridwar and Rishikesh, two beautiful Indian cities. On the way to Haridwar the SIHIs were extremely impressed by a man who was riding not a bike, not a motorcycle, but an elephant! They stopped to pat the elephant and take pictures. In Haridwar the SIHI participated in a classic Indian pooja by the bank of the river Ganga, and then visited several Indian mandirs (temples). They moved on to Rishikesh, where they explored some of the city’s beautiful sites. Another highlight was their chance to meet with Swami Bill and Swami Susan, an elderly Canadian man and his daughter who moved to India from British Columbia 30 years ago. It started down pouring then, and the SIHIs made their way back to SMTA in a pair of TATA SUVs.

A good day!

RAMAN

Blog Roster

2007-05-07T11:34:00.000+05:30

Blog Roster

The group has agreed to write a brief reflective piece for each day and put it on the blog. Here is the roster:

For the month of May

4 – Lauren (completed)

5 – Raman (completed)

6 – Raman (completed)

7 – John

8 – Madeline

9 – Afrousheh

10 – Mohini

11 – Nora

12 – Trish

13 – Chelsea

14 – Nishu

15 – Madeline

16 – Sarah

17 – Nishu

18 – John

19 – Lauren

20 – Afrousheh

21 – Mohin

22 – Nora

23 – Trish

24 – Chelsea

25 – Raman

26 – Madeline

27 – Sarah

28 – Nish

29 – John

30 – Lauren

31 – Afrousheh

For the month of June

1 – Mohini

2 – Nora

3 – Trish

4 – Chelsea

5 – Raman

6 – Madeline

7 – Sarah

8 – Nish

9 – John

10 – Mohini

11 – Nora

12 – Trish

13 – Chelsea

14 – Raman

15 & onwards – optional (share your other-India experiences!)

end of 22^nd - Summary from Sachin

5th May

2007-05-07T11:28:00.000+05:30

May 5^th

Today the SIHIs arrived in Vikasnagar and proceeded to the SMTA hostel, where they were welcomed by Maggie and Reuben, the husband and wife who run SMTA. They explored the SMTA campus a bit and then relaxed in their lovely new dorm rooms! The SIHIs then met up with the translator, Abhishek, and later in the day went to the Vikasnagar market to buy Indian garments. The girls went wild over the silvar curtas while the guys were content with the more simple kurta pajamas. After getting a good deal, the SIHIs headed back to the hostel and met with Dr. Sachin. Each of the SIHIs had to sing a song and were given a nickname based on that song:

Mohini – Frauleine

Madeline – Ozzy

Afrousheh – Pisa

Trish - Newfie

Allison – Chelton

Sarah – Ribbit

Lauren – Genie

Raman – Mr. Sub

Nora – Poka/Poca

Nishu – Belter

John – Rain

Abhishek – Romeo

The group is supposed to use these handles.

Next round of ice breakers was: "What is in a Name?" Here, everyone had to explain the meaning, little histories etc. behind their names. People with triple barreled names had the toughest time! But on the whole it was fun and full of subtle learning.

RAMAN

4th May- Arrival

2007-05-07T11:26:00.000+05:30

May 4^th to arrival at the hostel

The flight from Toronto to Newark was pretty short and enjoyable. When we arrived in Newark we met Nishu and got our last taste of North American food. The flight from Newark to Delhi was almost 14 hours and we were all happy to get off the plane by the time we got to India. It took us about 2 hours to clear customs, get our luggage and exchange currency. When we got out of the airport some of us were confused about who our drivers were and we accidentally let some of the locals take our bags and walk with us to the van. Dr. Sachin cleared up the situation and we all piled into the air conditioned van with nice comfortable seats and got ready for our 7 hour journey to the SMTA hostel in Uttaranchal. We drove throughout the night and saw the sunrise as we were driving up the mountain. When we got to the hostel Reuben and Maggie (the couple who run the hostel) were waiting for us and showed us to our rooms. The girls were put into two rooms of 4 people and since there are only 3 guys they were all put into the same room on the main floor. Each room has its own washroom and they are really clean and spacious. (And there are no gas heaters! Ed.)

Lauren

Hello - a little belated

2007-05-03T21:53:00.000+05:30

Hello!

I am sorry to be posting so late, I was actually away on a trip right after exams! But I would like to say hello to everyone and express how excited I am for today and the month to come! I am actually leaving for the airport in less than two hours! It all seems so real now!!!

I would like to tell you a little about myself! I am in third year Psychology, specializing in Evolution and Social Behavior! I love travelling and experiencing new cultures! Some of my hobbies include reading, dancing, yoga and swimming!

I am very excited to see you all very soon!!!

Afrousheh Amini

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

2007-05-03T04:43:00.000+05:30

Hello All,

So, tomorrow is the big day!

How exciting for you! I know you've all worked hard at preparing for this...but...EXPECT the UNEXPECTED, as they say!

I bought another brand new tent the other day and am sending both tents with Chelsea. When Sachin is checking all the trekking equipment with you, he can figure out exactly how much tent accommodation will be needed...but I think we'll be fine now, with this additional tent.

I've got all your parents' emails for use if necessary, but do encourage them to visit the blog and mountain diary.

Take care...enjoy that loooong flight!

Karen T-K

Welcome aboard!

2007-05-02T13:00:00.000+05:30

Dear Students
Raman and I will be there to welcome you at the airport. While you may have seen me in some old pictures, you may have seen Raman hanging out somewhere near “Westdale”! But don’t worry, we will have no difficulty spotting you! So, here is an advance welcome to all of you..

You will have an hour or so to relax at the airport and then transfer to the Mini-bus and then a drive through the plains of northern India to the Himalayan foothills- through sleepy towns, villages, fields etc..

The first thing in Vikasnagar as soon as you have rested and settled in- we will have a detailed planning session, where we will try to answer your questions and plan various events- especially departures, since travel has to be booked in advance to avoid inconvenience at the spur of the moment.

As to Mohini’s query- 16th June, you will be in Vikasnagar (SMTA hostel) and by same evening / night, you all could be in Delhi, if you desired so. So, catching a train in Delhi on 17th June, should not be a problem. But if you all agreed, we can start the trek one day earlier, so that you had more leeway at the end of the trek.

15000 ft is an obvious mis-reading. Most of these popular trails are around 14000 ft. Don’t worry about it anyway. Since you will have enough time to acclimatize. If you don’t, I will know what to do, since I did study Mountain medicine some years back when I was climbing. Problems are rare if you follow the established protocol. The purpose of the one day “test” is to discus these things and to offer individual counseling if needed.

Now, just one thing: How many of you are actually coming? Is there anyone left whose intro is not up?
Sachin

Happy travels!

2007-05-02T05:17:00.000+05:30

Hi SIHI 2007!

I just wanted to send out one last "good luck and have fun" message before you embark on your upcoming Indian adventure. I've been talking to a couple of you throughout the last few weeks, so I know that you have all been preparing extremely well and are obviously very excited! I'm excited for you! I don't have any new advice to give so just consider this a recap of all of our meetings together...

You have all worked so hard to become this prepared. I am certain that you will find this trip to be thoroughly enjoyable, eye-opening and rewarding. And yet, there will undoubtedly be situations that no amount of planning will prepare you for. These experiences will constitute the true excitement of this trip! Try to leave your Western ideas of an organized, scheduled "vacation" behind and drink in the essence of your surroundings. If you like to write, keep a journal. If you like to draw, sketch your surroundings. Take pictures, play with the children, talk to your mentors, try new food, learn new words and traditions. And most importantly, live in the moment - breathe in the cold mountain air, let your senses become overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, smells of the cities - be amazed by the vast uniqueness of each place you visit!

Safe travels, group. I look forward to hearing about all your adventures when you return!

- Robyn

Madeleine - I'm here!

2007-05-01T22:34:00.000+05:30

Hello everyone!

Sorry for not posting sooner, things have been CRAZY!! But now (2 days before we leave) I have time to post... better late than never, right?

I'm really excited to be going to India, although it still hasn't quite sunk in yet that we're going:)

A little bit about me: I'm taking Health Science at school, and I want to go into Dentistry. I'm interested in all aspects of healthcare, so I'm really excited to experience different perspectives on health and ways of living. I love languages, so I'm hoping to pick up a little Hindi in the next few months. In my free time I like to play games with friends (cards, boardgames, hide and seek:) ), play and listen to music, read, and just do "whatever".

I can't wait to finally meet everyone in India, see you all soon!!!

Madeleine

Excited! Countdown 3 more days!

2007-05-01T08:15:00.000+05:30

Hey SIHI 2007 TEAM!

Im totally excited about this trip. Countdown is at 3 days!

Thank you Dr. Sachin for posting the Schedule. Where will we be at the end of the 16th of June? My uncle and cousin are coming from Gujarat to see me. They will reach Delhi by the 15th.

Hopefully there will be no delay, but I will tell them to expect a day atleast if any.
We have a train booked to leave on the 17th for Darjeeling from Delhi. This is why I am concerned. My relatives are waiting on me to confirm the dates. I think we were planning on hanging around in Delhi anyway, until our leave to Darjeeling.

Also, Dr. Karen, thank you for the heads up for the translation. I've been practicing ;) my Hindi.
It'd be awesome to actually use what little I know.

Everyone I have been telling about the trek have been asking how high we will be trekking. I saw on Greggs picture comments one height to be of 15,000 ft. But I dont think its the same trail?
So what exactly will be the highest elevation?
(P.S. This Eco-Trek Fitness Test is making me nervous .... haha)

Finally, we were told to save atleast 100USD for the trek. Could we perhaps confirm this or tell us a rough estimate of how much money we need for the trek. And the money that past SIHI
students brought with them, were they traveller cheques or cash?

THANK YOU!

Mohini

Hello from Nishu (finally..sorry!)

2007-04-30T10:59:00.000+05:30

Hello Everyone,

First off, my sincere apologies that this is late. This is my first time blogging and I hope that I am doing it right :).

My name is Nishu and I just graduated from McMaster in Economics and Political Science. I am starting my Masters in September at Carleton University in Ottawa. I am a pretty simple guy (I hope) who is very close to his family and friends - and always looking for new adventures.

I have just finished reading all the blogs and am so excited for the trip! Everyone sounds like such an interesting bunch that will bring something unique to the group. This SIHI trip will be my third time to India, the last time I went was 11 years ago and it was to Punjab state (where my parents are from). I am super excited to visit the different places in Uttranchal and for the hike as well. This will be my first time hiking, so this will definitely be a new experience for me! I have a few close friends who have been on previous SIHI trips and they definitely have felt that it has been a life changing experience - so I am really looking forward to the whole experience and to making some new close friends.

I will see you all in less than four days!

- Nishu Gulati

Message from Abhi the Translator & Chief safety Officer

2007-04-25T14:48:00.000+05:30

Here is a blip from Abhishek, your translator:

My name is Abhishek Elias. I am 19 and love Basketball. I did my 10+2 in 2007. My results will be out by end of the May – and I hope they are good :-(

I love reading, listening to music, playing cricket. I have done some trekking too. And I guess, I will be joining you on the Eco-trek too, as a safety officer!

I grew up in Delhi but now live in Vikasnagar- the place where you begin your core module. I have a younger brother and father in my family. I wish to become an Engineer in life- let us see! Right now, I hope to be able to translate with fairness to both parties and accuracy. I believe some of you know Hindi. I am sure you will help wherever I am stuck. I also hope to learn from you all in this process.

Safe and Happy journey from all of us!

Abhi

Important contacts

2007-04-23T21:30:00.000+05:30

Dear Students, Parents and Friends

Here are the important contact details; please see this in conjunction with the tentative schedule in an earlier post:

(a) Cellphones with the group:

(0091)-9897730641

(0091)- 9211384441 (with Raman, a participant)

(b) Sachin & Marian

Sachin’s cellphone: (0091)- 9412058272

Marian’s cellphone: (0091)- 9917078033

Fixed phone at home: (0091)- 1360-250600

Fixed phone: (0091)-1360-260450

Ruben and Maggi’s cellphone: (0091)- 9412409954 and 9319955916

(d) Field location in Mountains (Jakhdhar, Chakrata)

Fixed phone: (0091)-1360-262230

Cellphone services are patchy in the mountains and sluggish during peak hours (9.30 am to 11 am in the morning and late in the evening 5 pm to 9 pm- Indian time). But they do work!

(e) Email contact for emergency:

satksri@rediffmail.com

satksri@gmail.com

(f) During eco-trek, contact with students will be difficult since there is no cellphone coverage in the higher mountains. But at the beginning and at the end, the group will phone home.

(g) Above all, please bookmark this blog for latest updates. Students will be regularly posting to it!

sachin

Hello All

2007-04-19T17:32:00.000+05:30

Well, the countdown begins!

Pradeep and I met with the second group last night, the one focusing on Traditional Medicine. Looks like all of you have some good ideas. Mohini, you may be needed from time to time by Group 2 for interviewing some women...i.e. traditional birth attendants.

We'll keep in touch.

Don't forget to let your parents have our phone number- 905-522-1386- and we'll also have an email list to let them know in case of anything unexpected in India.

Karen

2007-04-18T14:08:00.000+05:30

Tentative schedule

Core module (30 days)

Arrival 4^th May night, 8.15 pm at Delhi Airport; Two hours to freshen up, exchange currency, phone home etc. Then departure for SMTA hostel, Vikasnagar near Dehradun by road (7 hour journey)

5^th May: Rest and marketing: Purchase Indian garments and other supplies in Vikasnagar market

6^th – 8^th May: Local day trips to places of cultural importance

(6^th May - Haridwar, Rishikesh;
7^th May-Mussoorie, Dehradun;
8^th May - Paonta sahib, Asan Barrage, Asokan edict)

9^th May: Preparation for field phase (Marketing, documentation, rest)

10^th May: Travel from Vikasnagar to the Field center (Jakhdhar near Chakrata) and stay there till 31^st May; Visit to villages and other institutions of interest (health centers etc) as per feasibility/ availability. Schedule will be discussed and finalized once there. Around 28^th May: Fitness test for Eco-trek will be conducted and relevant details will be discussed.

June 1^st : Travel back to SMTA hostel, Vikasnagar

June 2^nd : Presentation of findings (for validation) and lessons learnt to a selected audience, if AI course requirements met. Else, the group can have an internal sharing.

June 3^rd : Core module ends. Dispersal. Travel back to Delhi or wherever students wish to go. Eco trek group will stay back in SMTA hostel.

(Eco trek group will have a final check up and rehearsal of their equipment, supplies etc on 4^th June in SMTA hostel)

Optional Eco-Trek Module

Ten days eco-trek in middle Himalayas.

5^th June, 7 am: departure by road for Uttarkashi; camp beyond Saura village

6^th June: camp at Belak Pass

7^th June: camp at Jhalla chatti

8^th June: Visit Budhakedar Temple, Binak khal village, camp in the meadow above

9^th June: Camp at Bhairo chatti; (half day for rest)

10^th June: Cross Ghuttu and camp near the temple

11^th June: Camp at Maatya bugyal (=pasture)

12^th June: Camp at Panwali kanta (half day rest)

13^th June: Camp near Maggu chatti

14^th June: Cross Triyuginarayan, Walk to road head at Gaurikund (near Kedarnath).

15^th June: Drive back from Gaurikund to Vikasnagar (10 hour road journey)

16^th June: Students give a photo-session on ecotrek in the morning and disperse in the afternoon.

NB: General situation in the country may change without notice due to strike or other kinds of unrest or events. In the mountains, there are other uncertainties like landslides which can block traffic for hours and sometimes, for days. Please keep these in mind while planning your movement or telling others about your expected time of arrival/ departure. Please get back if you have any questions.

response to nursing post

2007-04-15T08:45:00.000+05:30

I also havent quite mastered reading Hindi, but I will take a guess and respond to your previous posting for the nurses towards the first aid kit! I think that it is a good list for a team kit, since a few of the medications are some that we would not take individually. The most commonly needed ones, such as immodium, analgesics, and gravol i think will be enough because people will bring their own as well, but it is good to have a couple in case people need more or we are on a group outing. Being a nurse, and of course believing in being prepared, have my own little first aid kit, and of course being a student too, i have less of the medications and more of the little things that might be needed, such as gauze, tape, tweezers, adhesive moleskin (for blisters), band aids, safety pins, and polysporin for cuts. So i will be bringing those things for the team as well! If there was another question in your posting that i am missing, let me know!

Sara

Second try!

2007-04-14T00:16:00.000+05:30

Thank you Sachin for reposting my message on the CORRECT blogging account .... I don't even know what I did wrong/right!
As for your last message (see below), I realize we're supposed to pick up some Hindi, but I cannot read it yet... : ) What does the blog say/mean ?
Anyways, now it's only 20 days away (yes, I'm one of those people who LOVE to count down, haha)
Take care!
*Nora*

For Sara, Nora and any other Nursing student..

2007-04-13T10:42:00.000+05:30

डियर सारा और नोरा
आप दोनो नर्स हैं - क्या आप दोनो नीचे फर्स्ट एड वाले पोस्ट को देखेंगे? और अपनी राय देंगे? डाक्टर प्रदीप कि मदद ले सकते हैं इस पोस्ट को पढने मे !

सचिन

Sara's Greeting!

2007-04-13T00:08:00.000+05:30

Hello Everyone,

This is my first experience with blogging, but it definitely looks very useful to get everything organized for us and get a chance to get to know everyone before we go! My names Sara Coles, and I am a third year nurse, who will be going into my last year of school next year. I agree with Nora… scary!! But it is also very exciting, since I really love nursing. As well, I also considered Med School very seriously, however I have now decided that I want to stay in Nursing and go farther in this profession. This decision is mostly because I wish to become much more involved in International Health, which interests me much more than continuing in school for so many more years. I hope to get much more involved in overseas projects through organizations such as MSF once I graduate and have a few years of experience.
As for a few things about me, I am originally from Toronto, where I grew up with my mom, dad, and older sister. My favourite hobbies include drawing and painting, unfortunately since I’ve been in university I never really get a chance to keep it up because I’m too busy. I love reading any kind of books, fun fiction novels or interesting books on international social justice and health issues and other cultures, which are topics that I am passionate about.
I am very excited to be going to India, I love traveling and India has always been high on my list of places that I wish to see. I love different cultures, climates, customs, food, and I can’t wait to experience the Indian side of this. Last year I went with a different Mac team to Peru, where I loved every minute of it. The main things we did were learning about different social justice groups, working with children’s organizations and helping to build a community centre. I definitely feel that I changed for the better because of this experience, not in who I am but on my outlook on life and what I want to be in the future. I really think that anyone who is going to India for this purpose will experience the same change, so never fear!
I can’t wait to continue my exploration in understanding more about the world, understanding myself and my beliefs, and having broader perspective of life. The more experiences I have, the more it seems to strengthen my passion for continuing to work internationally in health, poverty, other global issues. I am also excited to meet everyone, it won’t be too long now!

See you soon,
Sara

Namastey, Finally!

2007-04-12T16:37:00.000+05:30

My name is Nora, and I am so excited to be going to India in ... 23 days!!!
I am a third year Nursing student at McMaster, and will be graduating at this time next year ... which is something that I find frightening! As difficult as it is at times, I find comfort in school.I realize I will have a secure job waiting for me before I even graduate, but I find myself wondering if the nursing profession is the path I that I truely want to follow. Yes, I know it's a little late to doubt my career choice, and I realize that it is a much respected career, but I know I want to go further. I see myself in McMaster's medical school in September 2008; I can also see myself in the Nurse Practitioner's/Master's program after a few years in the field of nursing.I suppose what I am trying to say is that I am very ambitious, and have many dreams and goals.
Aside from Nursing, I am also minoring in French, which I hope to use in my future, perhaps moving to Quebec, or France? I am also part of the Mac Flute Ensemble, having played the flute for 11 years now. For the first two years at Mac, I was on the Nursing Student Council, which helped me gain appreciation for the political aspects in nursing student life.
This year I volunteered in a neonatal reserach project on RSV (which is a neonatal respiratory virus), run by an RN at the McMaster Hospital. Paediatrics and Neonatology is a sector of health care which I very much enjoy working in.
As for my intentions with SIHI, I am looking forward to discovering India, through its culture, landscape, health beliefs, religious beliefs, ... I am not limiting myself to what I want to learn about! I would really like to learn about the health care system of India, because I feel I have gained a somewhat of a good understanding of that system here in Hamilton, and Canada. By learning about health and provision of healthcare on a more global level, I hope to become a more well-rounded health care professional, not with blinders limiting my views to what I see in front of me, here and now.
Anyways, wow this is long! (this is my first blog ever, so excuse the ranting, haha)
I look forward to meeting Dr. Sachin & Raman, and to all the adventures ahead of us.
All the best until then!
Love,Nora

Pictures too can be used..

2007-04-11T23:47:00.000+05:30

Dear Students
Please feel free to upload pics too..
I am attaching this picture just to show that it is quite easy. This picture gives you some idea of the towns you will be passing through..
sachin

Hello from Lauren

2007-04-10T22:40:00.000+05:30

Hey guys,

So its getting down to crunch time where we are all so busy with studying, exams and then on top of it thinking about the trip and packing. Im sitting here in the library on one of my study "breaks". I use the term break loosely because I have a terrible time trying to concentrate during the day so I usually find that my most productive studying happens at night. However, due to massive time contraints during exams I really am not left with any other choice lol. Anyways, Im a third year student with so many different insterests that it has been increadibly difficult for me to find my place academically here at Mac. I am primarily a Geography major, however I am also studying for 2 other majors at the same time. It is a lot of work but I love every second of it. I know it sounds strange but I thrive on the pressure to get everything done in short periods of time and then later the feeling of accomplishemnt when I know I have succeeded. That is partly why I love particiapting on trips such as this one. As some of you know, I did something like this last year when I went to Kenya for a month with a group of students (mainly from Mac but about 7 from across Canada and 2 from the US). We went there to build a school in the Masaai Mara. It was honeslty the best experience of my life. I made some of the best friends I could ever wish for, I got to meet a community and interact with them on a daily basis to the point where at the end I could have lived there for the next year and loved it, and I got to teach kids their school lessons and about myself and the Canadian culture. I cannot even begin to describe the rest of my trip in writing as it was such a changing experience of my life and I have not been the same since I got back (in a good way of course). I know this trip with all of you is going to be such an adventure. I can't wait to really get to know you all and for our group to really bond. The next few weeks will be hard with everything that is going on but in the end, when we are all sitting in the airport alone as a group after our families have said goodbye, we will all be rewarded with the start of one of the best experiences of our lives. I can't wait!

See you all soon, Lauren

First Aid Pack for Eco-trek

2007-04-10T21:13:00.000+05:30

Dear Students

(Dr Karen- your opinion also requested..)

While some of you may wish to carry your personal first aid kit, I was thinking of having one common pack too; those of you who are nursing students can respond to this and tell me if the kind and quantity are enough. The pack will be carried by students in rotation.

Crepe bandage (6 inches) – 2

Bandaids- 6

Cotton bandage (6 inches)- 4

(Next three for anaphylactic shock / acute allergies)

Injection Epinephrine- 2 phials

Injection Hydrocortisone- 2 phials

Injection Avil- 2 phials

Tablet Diclofenac Sodium (analgesic)- 10

Tablet Paracetemol (Anti pyretic)- 10

Tablet Digene (antacid)- 10

Tablet Lomotil or Imodium (diarrhea)- 10

Tablet Gravol (vomiting)- 10

I have been conducting first aid training in voluntary agencies: the guiding principle is to use locally available material rather than carry every conceivable supply- which would be impractical. Lastly, if people are fit, warm up properly and take other well established precautions -we will be discussing these- I expect no injuries or problems.

Feel free to give me your feedback..

sachin

Hello from Jonathan

2007-04-10T11:01:00.000+05:30

Usually I take a walk around my suite, cook, or take a shower for my study breaks, but this time I get to do blogging! Ok so first of all I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Jonathan Fan and I'm a second year student in Health Sciences. At this point in time, I'm considering medicine [Western] as a career choice, although I also have a hidden passion for certain types of psychology. Maybe I'll end up being a health psychologist? Who knows. As for things I do, I play this funky-looking double-reed instrument called the bassoon (google is good if you've never seen it) in the Mac orchestra. It used to be something I did at a fairly high level, but now it's just a hobby. I'm also on the Mac badminton team. We didn't win this year - in fact, we lost every single one of our games. Haha. However, looking at the bright side, I got to travel to a few different Ontario universities and being on the team forced me to stay fit. On that note, and since Raman mentioned weightlifting and recommended we hit up the gym during our exam period, I'll admit that I've been doing quite a bit of that lately. I'm very fidgity and need to channel my restless energy into something, otherwise I can't concentrate. Also, I've decided to try and gain as much weight as possible in preparation for India, especially the trek, where we'll be eating one powerbar per day.... :( Okay, so another thing you should know about me, and what I usually tell people soon after meeting them, is that I'm from Vancouver. It's.... not that that fact is a particularly striking thing to remember me by, but it's important to my sense of self. Please don't think I'm weird. Living far away from home is a really big thing that I think about almost every day. Why? It's not that I get homesick, but just that the decision to come to Mac was entirely my own. Therefore, depending on the good things/bad things that happen to me here, I'm in the constant process of re-evaluating whether or not it was the correct decision. When things go well, I'm happy with my decision; I only really get homesick when I'm having a miserable time, which, thankfully, hasn't happened too often. Nevertheless, it's impossible to say if coming to Mac really was the right decision (I think I could have done very well at UBC) . The decision was mine, though, and that's what's important. As for why I decided to come to Mac, there were two driving factors: (a) getting away from my parents and (b) it was a growth choice. What do I mean by growth choice? Quite simply, when given, it's the option that you think will be harder, but more rewarding in the end. I gave up the support of parents and the luxuries of homecooked meals and idyllic weather for what I thought would make me a more rounded person in the long run. According to the humanists, striving to make growth choices is one of the ways to achieve self-actualization. This is an interesting justification to my otherwise seemingly irrational choice, although I'll admit that self-actualization wasn't one of the reasons I came to Mac. Okay so back on track, clearly I enjoyed my personality psychology class a little too much. What I'm trying to get at is the biggest reason I chose SIHI over other overseas trips is that it presented more potential for growth. A friend of a friend reported it to be life-changing. I'm kind of embarrassed to say, but I admit I wasn't piqued by Indian culture or alternate forms of medicine (although I am excited about learning about these things now). It was the growth choice alone and in itself that made me choose SIHI. However, I'm still a bit apprehensive at the moment. I know the trip will be great, but will it be life-changing? There's no way to guarantee that. After all, the trip may have been life-changing to the person who recommended it, but will it be for me? Experiences can be totally different, and so can our interpretation of those experiences. My only consolance is that if I come back disappointed with the trip, maybe my experience will take on a new meaning later on. Perhaps I shouldn't ruminate on this. I'm really excited to meet you all, and despite all the uncertainty, I'm sure it will be fantastic trip! I'm greatly looking forward to it.

- Jonathan Fan

AI course details

2007-04-08T12:49:00.000+05:30

Hi all!
Here is the address of the source documents, which define in great details, all about core and eco-trek module..
Please Check it out..
http://www.samagrapath.com/global_synergy.shtml#thematic

Raman

Hi! This is your "Would be Translator"

2007-04-07T10:35:00.000+05:30

While the other incoming SIHI students are all at McMaster University in Canada preparing for their exams, I am a SIHI participant who is currently volunteering in Herbertpur, only a few minutes away from the SIHI hostel. Temperatures hit about 30 degrees in the day time and cool down a little at night, but the plains are slowly heating up and by the time SIHI starts, temperatures could soar into the high 30s. I find that the best way to battle the heat is to always keep a bottle of cool water near me and drink continuously. It is also important to cover any areas of your body that are easily burned – I’ve found that my neck gets scorched quite quickly.

As I’m sure everyone is aware, living in India and completing the SIHI core module requires a certain level of physical fitness. I am training for the core module by biking several kilometers every day, and I have also joined a weightlifting gym (yes, they have those in India too!). It is important to start training early and consistently, despite distractions such as essays and exams. The next step is to prepare yourself mentally – ask yourself honestly, why is that I am going on the SIHI? Perhaps it is to discover something new about yourself, or perhaps it is just to go on an amazing adventure. Whatever it is, you must prepare yourself so that you are ready to achieve your goals without small botherations holding you back. Some mosquito bites, a different style of toileting, and the lack of TV are minor problems that you will encounter, but if you do not prepare yourself mentally then they can seem much worse than they actually are.

Exactly 30 days left before the SIHI – let the count down begin!

Raman Kumar

Countdown: 26 days

2007-04-07T08:43:00.001+05:30

Namastay to each and every one of you(I spell it like it sounds - probably way off but its worth a shot and I know the SIHI group will get it thanks to our advanced Hindi lessons) So... I just got in from a Friday night waitressing shift at the wonderous Valentinos in Westdale where I live - such a slow night - its Easter weekend so it makes sense. I came home to check my email and found one about the blog - I had forgotten ALL ABOUT this - so cool - Im so sorry I didnt get to this sooner! I've gotten to it now (thankfully) so Ill let you in on me and my exciting life. Life is zooming by right now - so full of excitement on so many levels - I cannot believe that India is soooo soon:) Exam mode is setting in and India is still somewhat sureal - but it is constantly turing in the back of my mind. I am really looking forward to our appreciative inquiry - I am a member of the disabled group. I am in my third year of kinesiology and as a kin fanatic, rehabilitation, accomodation, and adaptation were my first personal underlying interests in choosing this perspective of appreciative inquiry. Secondly, I grew up in a "hippie" type of environment, and as a result am really into alternative methods, medicines, and practices - I am interested to see how these are implemented if so and what kinds of alternatives are being used. I am also really looking forward to the personal journey that India will encourage - I recently came across a LONG list of "life"questions to ask yourself periodically throughout your life and I plan on journaling about them during the trip. I would like to incorporate these into my inquiry and really learn about life from different persepctives as well as share life from my own perspective!!! I can't wait to meet everybody and get started on this journey. I am looking forawrd to a culture shock...simplifying life (taking a break from the fast paced, material driven, health defined as the absence of disease vs. healthful lifestyle practices to prevent disease kind of world Im living in now)...authentic Indian cuise (we have heard all about how great it is)....trekking and roughing it...fully emerging myself in the culture and ways of life and soaking up as much as I possibly can...practicing yoga (as it mentioned we will in our course outline - which I hope we get to)...learning new traditions, religious practices and beliefs.....
HHhhmmm what else...Im from a small town called Brantford just half an hours drive from Hamilton. I live in Hamilton with six other girls who go to McMaster during the school year. I belong to a family of four - Moms Pops and Nick who is my younger brother (we're really close). I have been dancing since I was two years old competitively in jazz, acrobatics, ballet, tap, and modern. I was in the McMaster Dance Company for my first and second year of university - I decided to stop dancing this year and change my focus - I have been volunteering with pediatrics at the hospital on campus as well as with a cardiac rehabilitation clinic on campus. Next year is my last year at Mac and Im torn between pursuing traditional medicine or naturopathic medicine afterward - I am leaning towards naturopathic more so because it is something that I feel I implement in my life already (you've got to practive what you preach in medicine in my opinion - this is very important) and I am SUPER passionate about it so...we shall see. Anywho I think I have rambled more than enough for now...I am going to go for a jog to clear my mind so that I can get some more studying in before bed - then Ill get up and do it ALL OVER AGAIN in the morning :) haha Looking forward to our meeting and exploring together!!! Peace and Love~ Chelsea Sek

Tester

2007-04-07T08:43:00.000+05:30

Just wanted to test if this was the right place for posting before writing you my life stories haha

2007-04-07T02:57:00.000+05:30

Hi everyone!

Hi posted this same message today in a different place because I did something wrong the first time, sorry if I confusd anyone!
Dr. Sachin and Raman, sorry for not posting on the blog, I have been accustomed to learnlink and forgot about blogging!

I am really excited to come to India in less than a month! It is hard to concentrate on exams right now with the trip approaching so quickly and me growing more and more excited each day! I guess I will provide a little intro about myself....My name is Trish, I come from a family of five plus one chocolate lab, who I will get to see very briefly before the trip! I am in my third year at McMaster in the bachelor of health sciences program and am also minoring in peace studies. Although next year is my forth year, I am not sure what I will do afterwards. I have strong interests in international health and development and hope to pursue a career that incorporates these. I applied for the sihi trip because of my interest in international health but also because of the tremendous learning experience that the trip provides in terms of experiencing Indian culture, and embarking on a journey of personal growth!

Other interests of mine include outdoor activity such as jogging, various water sports, ultimate Frisbee, and hiking (I am really excited about the trek, i just got my Backpack last weekend!). I also like to read when there's time...the last good book I read was pathologies of power by Paul Farmer! Lately in my spare time I have been trying to learn Hindi by listening to a "learn to speak Hindi cd" my mom sent me....I have a long way to go haha!

I guess that's all I'll say for now... I should get back to studying!
Trish
Bye the way, thanks for posting the different reading material!

A HELLO from Mohini

2007-04-07T01:33:00.000+05:30

Hi Sachin and Raman,

This is Mohini. I am sooo sorry that I have not been using this very cool site.
In fact, the bios that you both wanted, I have them all (just waiting on one more person
to give me theres). Its in a word document. Once I figure out how to post it, I will :D

I am soo excited about coming! And 9 of us (I believe) are coming on the trek! So it will be lots of fun!!! As Sachin knows, it will be my first time. My only trouble is getting all the trek gear. Hopefully, I can borrow off my friends/family here. This is the shopping weekend for me!

I have a question regarding carbineers. How many do I need to buy?
And also, what did the students do last year about money. Should I bring travellers cheques? If I do, which banks would cash it. Should I just bring cash? And the fee for the trek... is it 100 USD for sure? I just want to make sure my budgetting is on the ball.

A little more about my stay in India...
After the trek, I'm going back to Delhi and then going to Agra with my uncle who will meet me in Delhi. After Agra I will be coming back to Delhi and then going to Darjeeling/Kalimpong/Sikkim for a few nights, then back home to Gujarat to stay with my family.

I am veryyyy excited!!!

Hide and seek...

2007-04-05T22:48:00.000+05:30

A sweet little parable..
There is an old Hassidic tale attributed to Rabbi Barukh.
It is said that the rabbi's own grandson was once playing
hide-and-seek with a friend.
He took great care in hiding himself and
waited for a long time for his friend to come and
find him.
When he finally came out of his secret spot,
he discovered that his friend was nowhere around.
Then he realized that he had not been looking for
him at all. Weeping at his friend's faithlessness,
he ran to his grandfather to complain.

Tears filled Rabbi Barukh's eyes also as he said,
"God says the same thing: 'I hide, but no
one wants to seek Me! '"

kwunki mera Hindi aacha hey!!

2007-04-04T22:55:00.000+05:30

Hello all,

My name is Raman Kumar and I will be a participant in this year’s SIHI, including the core module and the trek. I am the son of Pradeep and Karen, whom you all have met, and I sort of fell into the SIHI last minute. Last June I graduated from Westdale high school and decided to take a year off between high school and university. I have spent this time working in Canada and have volunteered in India for almost two months with mentally disabled children. I wasn’t sure how I would spend the rest of my “gap year” and when I realized that the SIHI trip was about to happen, I jumped on the bandwagon! I will be serving as a translator as well, kwunki mera Hindi aacha hey (because my Hindi is good!). I am looking forward to meeting you all!

Raman

Introduce yourself please!

2007-04-01T11:34:00.000+05:30

Dear students,

Some of my friends active in the field of social development will be spending some time with you as in past years of SIHI. These interactions are planned to give you different perspectives on various issues which are relevant at the grassroots. Some of these friends would like to know briefly about you. Therefore I would suggest everyone to put up a few lines about themselves. It could be your introduction to the way you see yourself. Just in case anyone is wondering – you could mention a book or movie that you could not forget… games you like and hobbies you may have… your courses in university… you may even talk about your parents and siblings… your pets as well! I have two dogs!

To start this process, here I go.

My name is Satyendra Srivastava. Sachin for short. I have been working in the field of community health and I am the coordinator for the sihi group in India. I am a medical graduate with training in health management and work in the voluntary sector as an independent consultant. I have been quite impressed by two movies: Dr. Jhivago and Unspeakable (by CBC). This last movie is about stammering – suffering involved and attitudes of the society. I am a recovering stammerer. I have just completed a primer on stammering, to promote awareness and understanding. I love to trek and meditate (not at the same time, because that can be dangerous!).

sachin

PS: Use a new post, instead of commenting to this one, while putting up your intro. I will request everyone to put up their brief intro over next 7 days..

God men!

2007-03-29T21:12:00.000+05:30

Dear Students
India has often been portrayed as a land of mystical, charismatic, strange god men..
During Hippie movement and even later, many western tourist came to India looking for men and women of realization. Many went away disappointed. Many, including Indians, think that it is just a touristy gimmick. Many people know what qualities a God man should have. But few know, the qualities you yourself should have, if you ever go on such an expedition. I came across this small but telling story; Interestingly, writer is from west- not India! Good read!
Here is the link:
http://mountaindiary.4000webs.com/pages/holyman.pdf

Keep your search on!
sachin

Tonight's meeting

2007-03-26T22:29:00.000+05:30

Hi guys,

Tonight's meeting agenda:

- Inquiry proposals (please come with them FINISHED)
- Selecting next year's trip coordinators
- Learning how to use the SIHI blog page
- Figuring out all your trekking/core module supplies
- Answering any questions you may have from last week's "Cultural Sensitivity 101" session
- Maybe some Hindi lessons... if there's time!

See you tonight - MUSC 220!

Robyn

passport number!

2007-03-26T12:13:00.000+05:30

Dear students
To apply for permission to visit Jakhadhar, which is under Chakrata Tehsil, we need promptly:
Name, sex, age, passport number (that's all; not visa details at this point)

So far, I have received this info for 6 :
Patricia
Nora
Nishu
Mohini
Elizabeth
Jonathan

Please help Robyn pass this info ASAP..
sachin

Great! It worked!

2007-03-25T22:56:00.000+05:30

Hello All,

OK, that posting has worked! Now I can start posting messages for you.

Don't forget the immunization clinic next Saturday at 10 am at the West End Clinic, 690 Main st West. Come in the patient entrance off Macklin street. (The Main st entrance will be locked). If you can't make it on Sat, make an appt with me at the office for an alternate time (905-521-5015)

Karen T-K

Hello from Karen T-K

2007-03-25T22:52:00.000+05:30

Hello All,

This is a test message to see if I can get this system to work...have not used a blog before!

It will be a useful forum for me to post info for you.

Karen Trollope-Kumar

Pot pourri

2007-03-21T11:04:00.000+05:30

Friends, I recently came across a very good article on evolution of brain. This theme has always fascinated me. I have put up the whole article as a PDF file and the link is at the bottom. Here is the intro from the write up itself, to get you going:
"Can the mind change the Brain?
Latest Research in Brain Plasticity Suggests Potential for Continuous Brain Development Through Life-
By Sharon Begley Wall Street Journal..."
http://mountaindiary.4000webs.com/pages/mindbrain.pdf

If you have any problem accessing it, please let me know.
sachin

An interesting article on life in Himalaya

2007-03-08T22:25:00.000+05:30

Guys- It is so easy to put a page up on the web and then forget all about it..
I just saw a write up by Vinai Bhagirath (sihi 2002); it is interesting:

"In the morning, we ate khir and chappatis with khoya. The grandmother of the family was roasting salt to give to the buffalos. She said if the salt wasn't roasted, the buffaloes may catch cold/fall sick.

We left Kuini at 8:30, climbed for several hours in thick mist (visibility about 20m) and arrived at a huge bugyal known as Maatya in which there were hundreds of sheep and some shepherds, a small shelter, small cairns and a mandir..."

Please read the complete article- replete with such small, strange but insightful observations - made thru Canadian eyes..

http://mountaindiary.netfirms.com/terk.htm

happy reading!

2007-03-02T22:21:00.000+05:30

Guys- Milli Gazzette is an e-magazine taking up issues of Indian Muslims- a large presence in almost every part of the country. The magazine often provides an interesting perspective.. Here are three interesting articles, which will help you to understand the diversity, this country presents:
1. Examining the Religion Building Enterprise http://www.milligazette.com/dailyupdate/2006/200612033_blaming_islam_islamophobia.htm

2. AMU Students Union condemns the decision of an Iraqi Tribunal
http://www.milligazette.com/dailyupdate/2006/200611091_AMU_condemns_%20Iraqi_Tribunal.htm

3. Don't We Muslims Need Some Self-Assessment?
http://www.milligazette.com/dailyupdate/2006/200610301_Muslims_terrorism_self_assessment.htm

Happy reading..

India's nutritional crisis

2007-03-02T22:08:00.000+05:30

Friends, here is something on nutritional status..
"The fact sheets of the third round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-III), conducted in 29 States in 2005-2006, indicate that the health and nutrition status of India's women and children is in vast and systemic crisis. At the all-India level, 45.9 per cent of children below the age of three — that is, about 45 million little girls and boys — are underweight or malnourished in terms of the standard weight-for-age criterion. The corresponding proportion in 1998-99 was 46.7 per cent. The change over the intervening seven years in this key indicator of child malnutrition has thus been negligible. Among married women in the 15-49 age group, the prevalence of anaemia has risen from 51.8 per cent in 1998-99 to 56.1 per cent in 2005-06. No less than 57.9 per cent of pregnant women suffer from anaemia, which has also risen among children aged 6 to 36 months — 79 per cent were anaemic in 2005-06 compared with 74.2 per cent in 1998-99. There are of course wide variations across States in both levels and trends in indicators of health and malnutrition. While Punjab and Kerala report the lowest proportion of underweight children (27 per cent and 28.8 per cent respectively), in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh more than 59 per cent of children below the age of three were underweight. Child malnutrition has actually risen in seven States, most rapidly in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana..."

For more see:
http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/02/stories/2007030203151000.htm

Bits and bobs..

2007-02-24T15:19:00.000+05:30

Hey students, I was browsing through the news and have clipped a few interesting bits and bobs; most of it is about this part of the wolrd.. Just follow the link to see these clips; Let me know if you have any problem with the link..
http://clipmarks.com/clipmark/CEB5C2DF-62B5-4CFE-BE22-B8221BC20D80/

happy browsing!

Apperciative Enquiry

2007-02-22T13:00:00.000+05:30

If you want to know more about AI here is something for academically minded (!):
http://www.appreciativeliving.com/files/Kelm_AI_Principle_Summary.pdf

May I quote just a few lines form this document:

The Constructionist Principle
• Reality and Identity are Co-created
• Truth is Local. There is no absolute truth5
• We See Things as We Are
• We Are Deeply Interconnected
• Words Create Worlds. Reality is constructed through language

Happy browsing!

Testimonies from Himalayas

2007-02-21T20:41:00.001+05:30

Friends, here is a very interesting site: it has put up transcripts of interviews of common (but very AUTHENTIC) people from remote villages of Indian Himalayas on diverse topics. I sampled some and found them to be quite good; don’t seem to have undergone any loss during translation or transcription.

http://www.mountainvoices.org/india.asp (see local themes on left column like- Culture & customs, Spiritual beliefs, Health etc)

For example this excerpt, I find quite interesting. I realize that same (as below) explains reluctance on the part of local (Jaunsari) people to talk about polyandry. Outsiders’ adverse reactions have changed their perception of their customs and practices. They have become wary. Jaunsar is the region, you will be visiting.

".years ago people used to [wash the feet of their guests].the guest was also given a foot massage. Nowadays a bucket of warm water is given [to a visitor] to wash their hands and feet by themselves. No one does the massage anymore. People from outside spoke badly about the people of Jaunsar because of this custom. Now we offer hospitality, but not by washing the feet."
Prabha, F/54, India 36

http://www.mountainvoices.org/Summary.asp?id=30 (summary of one interview)

Look at some of the health testimonies. This can help you to decide what questions to ask, when you are in the region two months hence.

http://www.mountainvoices.org/i_th_health.asp (health testimonies)

Happy browsing!

In the cauldron!

2007-02-20T22:29:00.000+05:30

Friends, we are having elections; It is like getting a ring side seat during one of your bull riding carnival in Montreal-
Lot of noise, politicking going on all around; By the time you come dust will be settled but you might get some tail end action to see! here are some picks from the news:

1. State of Despair - why bigger states should be divided in to smaller ones like Uttarakhand (old name- Uttaranchal)..
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1556367.cms

2. Inflation zooms to 6.58%- inflation and politics on the eve of elections
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1587098.cms

3. Election drama now gets a touch of cloak & dagger- elections in sleepy Uttarakhand has become high tech!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1488995.cms

By the way, Uttarakhand is the name chosen by the people of this Himalayan state; It was used in ancient scriptures to refer to this part of India
Take care

Flowers from Summer 2006

2007-02-18T22:51:00.000+05:30

May I request everyone to post a picture of their's? and a brief bio?

Welcome SIHI2007

2007-02-18T22:44:00.000+05:30

Dear Students
Maintaining MD on web was not as easy as a blog. Blog is certainly more collaborative and quick, since you don’t have to use FTP. And more than one person, in fact a whole team can keep posting to it; and uploading pics and other interesting links too. Getting into a private network like LL also was not as good a solution as a blog for some of us. If I don’t make mistake, this idea (blog) was actually started by either Kati Smali or Kimeberley Kitoo in 2005. But never took off.

So, I think let us have this year’s daily summaries and discussions prior to AI course on this blog in a much more intuitive and fun way. I will be putting up more tidbits, links etc. besides my comments to your posts, whenever I can. You too are requested to do the same. If you have any problem let me know at satksri@gmail.com freely.

Welcome to Indian Himalayas in advance!
Sachin