Gopalganj

So for the past two days we have been doing field visits in Gopalganj, a district which is northwest of Patna about 3-4 hours. However, the roads there are pretty great. Great in terms of I felt like I was on a road most of the time, which is pretty great.
The first day was a short day going around the District Health Society offices and the second day was a monster day trying to fit in interviews at 2 blocks. At each block to really do it right I’d need to talk to at least 8 people and to REALLY do it write probably more like 15. Usually with time and people not being where they are supposed to be, it turns into 6. Yesterday we did two blocks and 11 interviews.
My favorite experience of the day happened in a village about 1 hour from the district capital. We were walking around and Sanobar spotted a woman making a straw basket. On the way back she decided to find the woman and buy it. It turns out that the women in this village make these baskets for their daughters to carry their things to their husband’s households. They wouldn’t sell them because they just make them with grasses and wouldn’t take our money. So they gave Sanobar one, and then gave me one, and then someone else wanted to give us one, and then they couldn’t let visitors go with three presents so they gave us another one. It was so touching and I really wanted to give them something in return.. By the time we left most of the neighborhood and come out to see and send us off… :)
This morning we are headed up to West Champaran. This is the NW most part of Bihar and I’m kind of excited because it was part of my fake proposal to go here so now I really am going. :)
YAY

Gopalganj Visits

Now where's that CARE office?


Found it!


Pani puri!


On the street where the CARE office is... FANCY.


Sup Soup! :)

Patna Visits 4

Hanging saaris out to dry.. and my interpreter's dupatta.. :)


I thought some of the doors and walls in this village were really pretty.



Found some iron and folic acid pills!


New friend! I got to use all my Hindi phrases with this girl who was not a beneficiary or anything but got so excited that she invited us in for chai and chuda.

Patna Visits 3

Out the car window...



Looks like a village, right? Nope, it’s how they store the hay so it doesn’t get wet. :)

Patna Visits 2

In the village scouting out beneficiaries...





Who's that strange lady?

Patna Visits

We left town around 7am to do some interviews in Patna district. You’d think this would be close by as we live in Patna district but no… it was still almost 3 hours to get out to the field and this was not the farthest one, the ones that are farther the district team will spend the night half way and do work there and then continue on the next morning for the farther ones to get a full day’s work done there too.
This long journey did involve breakfast out at an exciting restaurant:

Thirumalai excited about his chole bhatura breakfast on the way to Belchi block in Patna district!



और Puri Padjhi for me! :)



By the primary healthcare center where we did the interviews there were many farms. I liked this guy because of his bright white ‘stache…



Outside the PHC... at least it’s easy to get people to look at me for a picture!

Interview Pictures

Some kids hanging out while we were interviewing..