For Mom

My mother loves traveling. However, she hates dirty bathrooms. To show her what she's missing here, my post today is on the upscale (and not so upscale) loos of India.

So, I've had a few people ask me what a soilet is, and why it's needed in India. Well, first off, let's start with the basics.

In our house we have a nicer toilet and system. However, even still, we have to put the toilet paper in a trash can so that it won't clog up the drains.


Note: This is an upper scale bathroom (see the shower is attached to the wall)

For the normal person, they have something like this:

If they're more westernized (the little bucket is to scoop into the toilet to make it "flush" also alternatively the shower)

But most people here in India are used to this:

Called a "squatter"

But these are people who live close to towns who have these kind of toilet systems that are relatively sanitary and safe.

One big problem with these systems is that they use a septic tank. But it costs a lot of money to get the waste taken care of every few months or years.

So for most of the Indians who can't afford this kind of care, they use something like this:

Yes, that's the bathroom, and no there's no door

Obviously this creates problems with waste getting into the same groundwater they use for drinking and cooking along with various other public health issues.

Enter the soilet. A soilet is a system that is similar to a septic tank except for the fact that it needs no maintenance. It utilizes earthworms to get rid of the solid waste (which they do in nature anyways) and it gets rid of the liquid waste through several filtration systems that can go into a drainage pit or siphoned to help give nutrients to trees and gardens (Underground).

This system helps to provide a more sanitary way for people to dispose of waste and can be especially helpful in areas of high concentrations such as slums.

We've been lucky that we've found a group to work with to build a soilet in a slum! We're so excited. These people literally are walking in their own excrement so this will give them an opportunity to have better health.

Isn't service work great? We're so excited that we get to help these people out! Let the work proceed!

Leia Mais…

Update on health

So... for the past two weeks I have been sick as a dog. The problem with the sickness, was that I would throw up multiple times, be sick for a few days and then seem to get better. I'd even be able to keep down a meal or two. As is evidenced by my posts here, here and even a bit here. Progress seemed to be made! But alas, things were not better, and I kept getting worse.

I went on a trip to visit the site of the Polavaram Dam and see the Koya people (more on them later) and seemed to get somewhat better. I wasn't eating much because it was a lot hotter there and the traveling throws off my schedule. But since coming back last Wednesday (one of the reasons why I'm so behind on my blog) I have gotten progressively worse.

It's generally not a good sign when I've lost 10-15 pounds... in 2 weeks. That's NEVER healthy by any stretch of the imagination. So I kept trying to take care of myself, keep it easy, and limit my diet to juices, vitamins and rice (or chipati). Pretty bland, but safe. Unfortunately this didn't prevent me from getting really sick on Sunday. This proved to be the encouragement I needed to finally go to the doctor.

So, today I had my first-hand experience of the Indian Health-Care System. Or at least the private healthcare system. So I went to the lovely Apollo Hospital in my part of town and spent the day navigating the different aspects of the hospital. First we got checked in and did the usual waiting for a doctor. Then when I actually got in to see a doctor he started asking my symptoms, how long they had been going on, etc. Then he did a blood pressure reading (boo... not normal for me) and started palpating my abdomen which was not fun because whenever I said something hurt he poked it again. :(


Getting my blood pressure taken, ignore the grossness

So after that initial examination he sat down and started writing out a. prescriptions and b. tests to be done..... 5 tests to be exact. And 3 prescriptions. X.X

And he wanted me to go see a specialist. Yeah... no bueno. So I saw the specialist in what was one of the most unpleasant and violating experiences of my life and got another 3 prescriptions, none of which seem pleasant.....

After this I went downstairs to do testing. Only to find out that in order to do the ultrasound testing I need to a. have an empty stomach (check-the whole throwing up thing takes care of that) and b. have a full bladder (not check.....) so instead I went and had my blood drawn (which always makes me freak out) and then go upstairs to wait and get water to fill me up.

That was a fun experience going up and sitting and chatting with Melissa. She's become my pseudo-mom/super good friend since coming here. It's just a bonus that she's my country director. We're kindred spirits. :)

So after waiting, we FINALLY were able to go downstairs and wait in line for the ultrasound.

While waiting we saw this picture:

Did you know that in India it's illegal to ask to know the sex of the baby or to promote finding out the gender because so many female fetuses are aborted? Sad but true....

So... the ultrasound requires a full bladder.... which stinks when someone is SHOVING something hard all over your tummy and organs. That lady was MEAN.

So finally after all of the poking and prodding and stripping of my dignity, I'm finally about ready to leave. I wait for my prescriptions and a friendly family says hello



And because of the violation from today I treated myself to my first Cadbury Chocolate Bar.


Mmmm

So after all of that, I found out that I have to come back tomorrow to get an "official" diagnosis since my lab results weren't going to be back until too late for a doctor to look at them. So we decided to leave and took our printouts that we had and had lunch before going back to the house.

It was funny because on the way back we were stopped at a light and beggars came up to us. But instead of being the normal, I'm lame or a child, it was the third gender beggars. These are the men who dress as women and there's some other connotation to it that I'm not quite sure, I think they're supposed to be a God's consorts or something. Either way, they're pretty interesting. They came up to us and were like, 10 Rupees! And so Melissa starts joking with one going, No! You give ME ten Rupees! And so they're joking back and forth and finally before we leave because the light turns green, he/she puts a rupee in Melissa's hand and blows her a kiss. It was by far the funniest thing all day.

We get back and Melissa needs to get ready to pick up Mindy from the airport (one of our Help International board members) and I get to catch up with everyone from the day. It was funny because I had THREE different people go, "so, are you pregnant?" And the answer is NO. I am 100% not pregnant. But it took a few minutes of teasing to convince them otherwise. After looking through my test results and the ultrasound tech's write-up, I looked up the condition she put up and it was Cholelithiasis which means gallstones. Woohoo! An answer!

And what did my mom ask about this morning? "Make sure to ask about your Gallbladder!"... Moms always know.

So yeah, I'm on a ton of pills right now and I've still got another round of doctor's visits, but the end is near. There is a diagnosis!


Yay pills....

So I'll make sure to definitely update on the outcome of this saga and the next step from here tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Leia Mais…

Amazing day

So last Friday went to Kowdipally to see the site for CARPED's Quarter Acre Project. The project is taking a quarter-acre of land and showing ways that a family can live safely and improve their overall health by diversifying their diet and improving sanitation. Some ideas for the project are a soilet, a sanitation system like a septic tank except it doesn't need to be drained, it drains naturally. Another idea for the building is having an adobe stove. Did you know that the World Health Organization lists indoor fires and cooking over an open flame the number two preventable cause of diseases and death in third world nations? I didn't either until looking it up! So an adobe stove creates a way to create a stove that funnels the heat and channels a fire so that it can have more pots cooking over a hotter flame and it reduces risks associated with indoor fires because it minimizes the size of the flame and funnels the smoke outside. Another part of the quarter acre project is setting up gardens and trees to create a sustainable and nutritious way for a family to live. Most families only grow one crop and as a result are malnourished A square foot garden or many small gardens can help a family diversify their diet. Another part of the project is helping to set up a chicken pen or a place for cows or goats for milk. It's an interesting project that is going to be awesome if it can go through all the way! But anyways, enough about the project! On to the day!

It was so amazing to see the rural areas for the first time!

And it was the first day that I was able to keep down water! Woohoo!!! India + stomach issues = great weight loss plan?

So we went on a bus for like an hour ride. It was pretty fun except the whole nauseated + moving vehicle + stuffed with people + hot = green Casey.

Thankfully I was able to get a seat by the window. And I'm glad that I did. Look what I found at the bus stop!

The American flag! (The kid's kerchief has it...)

So after two hours riding on a bus we finally get to Kowdipally. What do I see?

Mmmm... trash! (And the first pigs I've seen in India)

It's also fun to see different vehicles here. They always seem to be loaded to bursting.


So we get to Kowdipally and meet up with our local contact at the CARPED office.

Tada! CARPED office complete with Hindu deities on the balcony! While our guide was Muslim....

Yay diversity! Oh and continuing with things you didn't know, apparently tobacco will cause a scorpion to kill you with cancer

See? So random....

So we got into the autos Indian-style. What is Indian-style you ask? Why it's the most safe way of traveling! You see, autos have no seat belts, so the best way to travel is to pack it in. So we did. :)

The back:


The front:


This was the first car. I hopped in the second one. So of course I hopped in the back. :D


Melanie and Eunyhe! (She just got here two days before this picture was taken)

Trying to get that angle in a moving vehicle is hard....

So it was fun being in the back because I could take fun pictures of the road and the fields despite the bumps and lack of good quality roads.


Cows carrying straw.


There was a random band playing. So fun!

So we finally get to the quarter acre plot and get out and see some men chilling underneath a tree.

People here sleep EVERYWHERE

So we're excited to see the plot of land because all around are fields.



See? nice fields


Other nice fields

And then we get to our plot of land where we're going to revolutionize this village and help teach them how to live a more sustainable life!


After we figure out a way to clear the land....

Cows maybe? Water buffalo? Strong manly behavior? Yeah... it's a problem.

So after seeing the site, we went to a village to see how the people lived and to see where they had meetings for the women. It was SO much fun!


Cricket, I swear kids EVERYWHERE in India are playing this


so cool to see such balance


walking out to see the villagers. I love Ale's bookbag. She's traveled around Europe and has the patches to prove it. :)

So we go out into the fields and meet up with the women. Oh. My. Goodness. They are absolutely GORGEOUS! They have the most beautiful outfits and jewelry. And it's so great to see them smile and laugh. :) We took a few shots with them.










Proof that I was there :P It was a little chaotic taking pictures with the kids


And yet I still got some awesome shots.


Cooking over an open flame


The main house


Some of the older women


Making chapati


And Melissa making her second baby cry...

The funny thing with babies in these remote villages is that the first time they see white people they don't know what they're seeing so they cry. It's kinda funny/sad at the same time.


Sitting outside a hut


The beautiful decorations of the doorways


Grinding grain (love that I caught her smiling... the people here don't smile at cameras)


So striking.


Cutting up garlic and ginger


I got her to smile! :)


The houses


A few generations apart

It was fascinating to see this village where they had electricity for cell phones and yet no running water and the bathroom was little more than a hole in the ground. That plus the way they cooked food was so primitive. It was great to see and learn.

But about the time we were leaving the temperature dropped ten degrees and started getting super windy and thundering. On the way back it started raining. That's not the best for when you're in the back of an auto. I didn't get too terribly wet, but enough to be grossed out from the dirt.


Rain

We finally got back to the bus station and then it cleared up as we rode back. I got a seat by the window and was able to take a picture of a monkey! We've seen them before but I've never had my camera around.


These things are mischievous.

Overall it was a great and informative trip into the lives of rural Indians.

Leia Mais…

Progress

So... today was the first day that I really felt human. Yay stomach sickness!

So remember how I ate beef the other night? Yeah... I spoke too soon when I said I kept it down.
Which was a shame, it was quite tasty... if a bit chewy.

So I FINALLY had a morning where I didn't throw up and I was able to eat something!

Huzzah!

So what did I eat?

This:

Glorious, wonderful naan...

And what are those chunks in it? Garlic. Mmmmm.... There seriously must have been at least 2 cloves of garlic in the bread. So. Unbelievably. Yummy.

And the sad thing is that those two pieces of naan are the biggest meal I've had all week... combined. Don't you love sickness? I've felt like a zombie.

And for the record, no it is not related to the E. Coli breakout in Germany *coughMOMcough* I don't even think we get anything imported from Europe besides Nutella. And if there's something wrong with the Nutella, well, them's fightin' words!

So anywho, it's just run of the mill, I'm-in-a-foreign-country-getting-used-to-the-minerals-and-strange-bacteria-sickness. That and lack of sanitation. It's mostly clean right?

Anyways, so today was also the first day I've been out of the house since sunday. (Wohoo!) I went to get stuff to make spaghetti for sunday dinner. (Why are you making sunday's dinner on Thursday?) Well, since spaghetti from scratch takes a bit, I needed to have at least 4 hours to work on it (darn chopping veggies). I won't be at the house that long for the next few days with the exception of sleeping. Tomorrow we're going to Kowdipally to look at the site for CARPED's Quarter Acre Project.

I'm actually really excited to go for a few reasons. a. I'm in charge of this project and need to see the layout of the land before I can go further b. it's getting out of the city c. it's getting out of the house which given the past week is fantastic.

In addition to that, my other project, the Polavaram Dam project, is having a huge meeting on sunday. The guy in charge of it would like me to be there for that and also on monday to see some of the villages. It'll really help to solidify the project and see what we can do to help. Also it's an 8 hour journey, so once again getting out of the house. It's also neat because this is really getting out into the countryside. I'm super excited for it. :)

So today was fun and I felt human again. It was also kinda special because today was Brandon's birthday (Hurray!) and he got to see his (soon-to-be-within-the-week) fiance Sirisha. It was cute. We got him a cake and sang to him and then he went off to hang out with her after he had done all of his meetings and he's going to be with her family all this weekend. They're so adorable. And it was nice to see Sirisha. When I came into the living room she was like CASEY! and jumped up and gave me a big hug. It was much appreciated. :)


Brandon eating the rose


Cutting up the cake for everyone... it wasn't that good. Cakes here are SUPER watery and this one was soggy. :( But cake is still cake and Brandon was happy for the birthday surprise.

I hope tomorrow continues to be better as I recover. One bonus though is that all of my clothes are looser now! I guess that's one way to lose weight? Oh well, off to Kowdipally tomorrow!

p.s. If you are into gardening/sustainable living whatsoever, get this book. It is AWESOME. I've read it cover to cover and it's inspiring. And it's the basis for the CARPED project. :)



Oh, and look it's on sale at Amazon!

Leia Mais…