Monday, 1 February 2010

Hello to everyone! Apologies this is my first entry onto the blog. We have done so much in the short time we have been here and every day has been packed with activities as you can see from the previous entries.

The day we arrived in Chennai was in fact my birthday, it will be one which I will never forget. The second night I had a cake at the rotary introduction meeting. I had a whole school of boys sing happy birthday to me on our trip to boy’s town.

I have been made to feel so welcome by everyone I have met. The two families I have stayed with so far have been so hospitable. I have been taken to temples and attended two Hindi weddings. My first hosts wife Menna, especially took me under her wing. We attended several temples together and went sari shopping. Together we chose a beautiful emerald green and gold one, which she then organized to be tailored. I have so far had two opportunities to wear it, on both occasions feeling very special. The family also took me to visit the five Rathas, which is an amazing site. These are five temples carved from a single rock. They are larger than life and were excavated 200 years ago. The craftsmanship is absolutely incredible.

My first vocational trip was to a sports physiotherapy clinic. There I met the owner who is a sports physician. He was very passionate about what he does, and really connected with his team of physiotherapists. They treated sports professionals and general public with the same principals of taking a full history of the patients conditions. They also considered the psychosocial approach of treating a patient, which many doctors in England do not fully accommodate.

My second vocational visit was to the Ambattur Rotary Hospital. This is a hospital on the outer edges of Chennai, which is completely funded by rotary. They have a casualty unit, very different from any at home with two beds in one small room. The hospital is home to a cerebral palsy unit for rehabilitation of children with the condition. This was very well equipped with knowledgeable staff and facilities. They also had a plastic department and I was shown some of the surgeries people had previously had done. The hospital was basic in comparison to ones in the UK, but well equipped to meet the needs of the people.

I have also achieved a life time’s ambition to ride a horse on the beach. It was not quite the experience I had imagined, but very special all the same. We have the district conference soon which I still consider with nervous anticipation. At present we are staying in a beautiful resort and I have had the opportunity to experience an ayurvedic and meditation with a yoga master.

Sending love and best wishes to everyone at home

Zoe

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