Gudwara Patna Sahib

Ha. Forgot to upload some pictures!

These are from a Sikh temple in Patna. It was the birthplace of the tenth Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji who was born on December 22, 1666. It was also visited by the first and ninth Gurus and the commandment of valiance and fearlessness was issued from this place to the Sikh fraternity. (Citation!)

The service that was going on while we were visiting. Two men were sitting behind the fenced area reading from the texts.

Palace exit & good wishes :)

Pretty window!

I liked the contrast between the hanging clothes and pink archway against the white. :)

On the way back through the market...

Madhubani artwork is famous in Bihar. I took these clandestine photos in a shop selling Madhubani silk for saaris.

Back in the U. S. of A.

I’m in the USA! Crazy pants… well, actually no crazy pants today… I’m just wearing jeans… :)


It was weird, I was really looking forward to the different foods awaiting me in the U.S. and then when I got here around breakfast time and passed all the Starbucks, Coffee Beans, and general coffee shops full of sugary scones and muffins… I was really craving some kachori padjhi. Dang, that stuff is good… :)

I was able to finally find something though in the shape of breakfast TACOS at Chilis (so not quite your authentic Mexican cuisine but hey, I’m in Chicago at an airport…)


Other surprising things for this Bihari girl:

1) Central heating. It’s COLD in Chicago. Or at least it looks cold from inside this really warm airport. Dressing for spending all day in an office with no heat means that I was actually drenched in sweat by the time I passed customs!

2) SPANISH. Got on the concourse to go to my gate. So did a Spanish family. They were trying to get to terminal 3… and kept telling their daughter to grab onto the pole instead of her suitcase as the train started moving. What? People speaking in another language AND me understanding them? Hooray! :)

3) BLACK COFFEE. I ordered coffee and got it straight up black. No questions asked. Boom.

4) TIME ZONES. Almost missed my flight because my laptop was on Bihari time. Oops! :-O


One last unrelated commentary:

Once you get on the flight and it actually takes off…. Air India is where it’s at. Flight from Delhi to Chicago has fun movie/tv screens with an ample supply of Bollywood movies with English subtitles. I loved every one of them…. AND I loved the Indian woman next to me. Throughout the trip I helped her open her water bottles, peanut packages, and fill out her US entry form (hopefully correctly?) And I scared the bijezis out of her when I decided not to wake her but just crawl over her instead when I needed to go to the bathroom (PS – not recommended!)

False Alarm

Today I was supposed to have my big presentation about my findings… So I worked all yesterday and night and today until I found out… postponed ‘til tomorrow… So, I went to the fair! :) It was quite exciting. Unlike fairs I’m used to, this had nice items at good prices… so much so that each shop quoted the same prices and no bargaining allowed. It was kind of refreshing considering I usually get told a price far higher than other people to start the negotiations…


Shopping done, I went back to the office (yes, it’s a Saturday… and yes, that means my meeting got postponed until Sunday…) But I’m actually pretty stoked to be working all the weekend. I was going to anyway, so now I get to do it at the office with CHAI. :)

Last field visit! :(

Wow, I can’t believe all the field visits are over! No more MO/ICs, CSs, DPMs, DHMs DCMs, DAMs, MOs, BDOs, BAMs, BHMs, BCMs, ANMs, AWWs, or ASHAs. No more going to DHs, DHSs, PHCs, HSCs, APHCs, SHSs, or AWCs. Now all I have left this trip is to share my findings with the COP, DCOP, and others at CARE and work on pilot testing my questionnaire for the ANMs to be given by the BCs. Simple stuff, no? :)


I have had a great time learning about the CARE interventions and the healthcare drug delivery system here in Bihar and am looking forward to using all my newfound acronyms in the spring!

Random Pictures...

On the walk to work...

Also on the walk to work...

Riot control outside the CARE office?? Well, as it happens Shahrukh Khan was supposed to make an appearance at the one and only mall in Patna that day... and then didn't show up. Riots ensued...

This goat was so freakin' cute. He was drinking out of his little bowl with his little orange coat on...

Oh the crowds at an outside interview. So interesting talking about iron and folic acid... everyone wanted a listen!

Tournaments and Shows

It wasn't all work at the retreat... Each night we had a different festivity to keep Amanda from getting her reports written! :) First night was VOLLEYBALL... which means, I was pretty much real excited. Unfortunately for my girly arms the "volleyball" was actually a sorta flat soccer ball so no jump serves but the "practice" ball WAS a volleyball (go figure?) so I tore it up over on the practice field. Boom.

The second night was CRICKET. I don't know how to play cricket. I guess I should have printed up a shirt stating that fact because no one on the team knew this until I was on the field. I still was allowed to play though and fielded a couple balls, even scored two runs! My first hit, however, will stay the most memorable as I was so excited to hit something that I reacted on instinct... and instinct is... baseball :-0 So, I dropped the bat and ran like the wind. Unfortunately the guy running from the other side of the pitch was so confused by my antics that he got tagged out.. :(

Third night was talent show night. True to form I did NOT participate (have any of you all ever seen me participate in one of these? Nope..) :) But did witness many a new experience.

1. There are THREE (and perhaps only three?) things that you can do at a talent show. Singing, dancing, and mimicry! (Doing impressions of other people in the group.) I was quite used to the first two but though it was interesting that A) it seemed to be only those 3 and B) mimicry was clearly something everyone expected as part of a talent show.

2. The MC is called the comparer. Also, no one seemed to know what an MC was.

3. Dance parties: In India it would appear the guys are the ones gettin' down while the girls are on the fringe. Completely the opposite from what I was used to... though probably a good thing given the girl : guy ratio was probably at least 1 : 10.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience and I'm SO glad I went!!! :)

More Bodhi Temple Photos

One of my favorite pictures of the temple.

Some of the offerings presented for Buddha near the steps of the temple.

It was actually quite busy at the temple, even though it was so early!

Anisha and Jaspreet at the pond.

Meditation time next to the pond.

They say if you can walk all the way to the Buddha and touch the statue with your eyes closed your wish will come true!

Worshipers near the Bodhi tree...

Meditating under the Bodhi tree...

Favorite picture #2 of the Bodhi Temple.

Foggy days make for mystical photos!

Favorite photo #3 of the temple!