Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Doctor Doctor Give Me a Cure!

Today, my parents assigned a lesson of math and one hundred pages of reading.  My personal goal, was to finish my work in time to help out with the clinic and to document the clinic’s work.  I was allowed thirty minutes before starting my work to take pictures of the opening ceremony.  Outside the building was a large group of patients waiting for the clinic to open.  I grabbed my camera and started documenting.
Setting up for the clinic.
Outside, I saw people standing in long lines waiting to register.  I saw beautiful women in saris carrying babies and men in colorful turbins with long, curly mustaches.  Having registered, the patients sat on the ground outside waiting for the clinic doors to open.  We were waiting for a religious hindu man to cut the rope for the opening of the clinic and to bless the day.  He arrived dressed in orange and white robes and he received the tiki blessing himself.  He then cut the rope to the clinic and focused all of his energy on a picture frame inside the building.  In the frame, was a picture of a person unknown to me.  The man gave the tika blessing to the man in the picture.  He actually put the dot  on the glass between the pictured man’s eyes and wrapped the flower neckless around the frame.  I thought this was interesting, but shortly after this I had to start my school work.  Arrrg.

I finished reading the Jungle Book and took a break from my work to take pictures of the clinic before I started my math.  Thank goodness I took that opportunity.  Outside of my room, it was extremely interesting.  The organizers of the clinic had split the courtyard up into six stations, each station operating in a certain specialty of medicine.  In the middle of the room patients would sit and wait.  I climbed up to the second floor to get some good shots through a tree looking down on the clinic.  I had a blast taking in the culture through my camera lens.  I was walking around the clinic, when Will (another photographer) came to me with a message from Mom.  Gulp, pencils to the paper! 

I focused and had all my math completed by 3:00.  I was feeling the urge to help out the local culture, so I offered to help Kate (Rob’s girlfriend).  Her station was focused on recording blood pressure and oxygen saturation, the percent of oxygen in the patient’s blood.  I had fun listening to all the patient’s stories and helping them with there health problems.  Tomorrow I will help Dad and Mom with some more urgent problems.  I am excited to work with my parents and help the culture in a new way.   

Thank you for reading Rohan Geographic!   
     

10 comments:

  1. Cool, Rohan great shots! I am in transit to Buenos Aires and then on to Patagonia. Killing time at the airport(s). Thanks for your reply on my post. I agree that photos should never be enhanced to look better than they are. The camera, however, often doesn't capture what the human eye sees and the ability to increase light in dark areas and make the colors appear as they were is a blast. I am an amature, however, although my brother is a very famous photographer (Jock Sturges) and I taught him all he knows. Just kidding! cheers rohan peter

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  2. Rohan, you are a very lucky young man! What interesting things you are seeing and doing - and documenting for the rest of us. Thank you for expanding my world as you are expanding yours.
    Love, Grandma Doris

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  3. Cool Rohan! Great pictures - very good eye I think! Say, can you get any of the fabric so that you can make some outfits for yourself? Deck yourself out in local garments?

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  4. Peter,
    thank you for your reply on my post! I did not know that your brother was a famous photographer. Was he taking pictures when he was my age? Has we given you any tips on your photography! Keep posting comments,
    Rohan

    Andrew,
    I talked to my parents about buying local garments but they did not seem so keen about the idea. I think they think it is just extra stuff in our bags for the month.

    Cheers all,
    Rohan

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  5. I am guessing that these people speak English (since you are able to hear their stories)? Fabulous photos and beautiful colors. What a book you can write! Love, Grandmalish

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  6. great photo day Rohan, again, I am Shelly & Denny & Patricks friend..
    I have a friend from India who is a sikh.. they wear the turbans.. it may be interesting for you to understand the difference in the reason people wear what.. Hindu vs. Sikh and what this means.. i.e. colors sometimes mean something to them..women marry in red in Hinduism, noting their red for the clinic day seems significant.. multi colored turbans are simply fashion. Also, the value, design of saris tells a region of India.
    many you depict I can tell are VERY poor, however very colorful..Have you noticed how they, the nylon saris, hold the smell? not so great!
    enjoy!! and Thank You!

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  7. the Dalai Lama said in some speeches that the Sikhs and Hindus are..and should behave like cousins, siblings..
    India has had some history of being somewhat downcast on Sikhs.. their holy Earth place is the Golden Temple in Amritstar.. sort of like Mecca for the Muslims.. my Sikh friend says the history of contemp is due to envy that the Sikhs own so much of Indias richest land..something to inquire about on your journey.. I love India! glad I can see your journey there!

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  8. Hey Rohan ! great description there... If I could add that traditionally, along with the "tika" thats put on your forehead, you also stick rice on the tika as it is a symbol of god.. I would be keen on finding out out what fun stuff you get to do next.. Take care !

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  9. GrandmaLish, the people do not speak English, so we use translators. Debi, I did not know about the Sikhs. Indian cow, thanks for joining and commenting! Moooo!

    Rohan

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