First day in Nepal

Arrived safely in Kathmandu after a 30-hour trip via Amsterdam and Delhi. Travel went smoothly for the most part. I did't get much sleep on the trip because I ended up watching three movies - Star Trek (twice actually), Marley and Me and Taken. In Delhi I had to transfer airlines. I was told they would bring my bags for me to identify and my boarding pass. So I spent the night in the transit lounge waiting for the Jet Air folks to come and reassure me I was on the flight to Kathmandu. They came 40 minutes prior to departure. But my bags and I arrived with no problem.

Kathmandu is charming - lots of old and new buildings, mostly 3 or 4 stories, with temples mixed in on every corner almost. Traffice is typical of a third world country. People walking, bikes motorcycles and cars all trying to get through very narrow streets. No traffic lights of course. Add to that the fact that they drive on the left here. So crossing the street is quite an experience - I have to remember to look the right direction and try to weave my way through oncoming vehicles who don't stop and give no indication if they will go around you or not.

Kathmandu

Last night I met a group of New Zealanders here on a mission trip. They invited me to join them for dinner, which is good since I wasn't keen on trying to find a place on my own. I had "mo-mo" - sort of like Chinese dumplings, with a curry sauce. Yum.

I am staying at a Christian guest house close to a commercial center with lots of shops. Actually I am sitting at a Christian coffee house called Higher Ground with free wireless connection overlooking the main street in the neighborhood. Just finished a cappucino and banana smoothie for breakfast.

This morning I met Alice and Ben from New Zealand. Alice is in her final year of medical school and they will be going to Tansen with me. We walked around the neighborhood and found our way to Durbar Square, where there a number of Hindu and Buddhist temples and a palace. Quite interesting. Well, all for now.

Bon Voyage!

I'm leaving for Nepal tomorrow!!! The day is finally here. Tonight I'm busy trying to cram everything possible into my suitcase and see how many books I can fit into my carry-on to entertain me on the 30-hour trip. Am I excited? Yep. Definitely. This is going to be quite an adventure. Mostly, I'm just glad my psychiatry rotation is over and I just took my last shelf exam EVER! (For you non-medical people, a shelf is a national standardized test we take at the end of our clinical rotations.)

My flight leaves at 3:30 PM tomorrow, and I arrive in Kathmandu at 8:00 AM on Monday, August 31st. Of course, Nepal is 10 or 11 hours ahead of Houston, so I guess technically I arrive in Kathmandu at 8 PM on Sunday night. I'll be in Kathmandu for a couple of days before taking a 9-hour bus ride to Tansen, my home for the next two months. At any rate, you probably won't be hearing from me for a few days. Once I get settled and have internet access, I hope blog every week or a couple of times a week. So stay tuned!!

My First Blog

I'm just getting started with my blog, so bear with me. For starters, I am a fourth-year medical student getting ready to do an eight-week medical rotation in Nepal. My future posts will chronicle my adventures and experiences in this exotic and beautiful land.

Many of you already know of my interest in international medical missions. It all started with a degree in public health, followed by a four-year stint in Bolivia as a health volunteer, where I helped communities improve their health through clean water, sanitary latrines, and nutrition-related projects. Once I got back to the U.S., I convinced my dad to start making some medical mission trip, and we have taken a medical/construction team to Bolivia for the last 10 years. Our last trip was this past June (after three years of not going due to medical school). It was so good to see friends and reconnect with our partner organization. And for the first time, I was able to work with my dad in a student-preceptor capacity - a little daunting, I have to say. Do you know how many different kinds and causes there are of vomiting in children? Yeah. Neither did I. It was awesome to watch my dad sort out the subtleties of each case just by asking questions about the history of the symptoms. Maybe one day I'll be as good a physician as he is!

Bolivia Medical Mission Trip 2009

Nearing the end of my medical school training, I am getting more and more excited about graduating and starting residency. I will be going into family medicine, a three-year residency program. It is a great fit for my broad interests and public health background. Already I am beginning to feel more like a doctor, like I actually know something. People at church are already asking me medical questions, like "I have this bump on my foot, can you look at it?" The scary thing is that I actually try to make a diagnosis! Of course, I can't prescribe anything yet, so I'm not really dangerous. And there is always the fallback of telling people they really should go see their doctor. More importantly, I love the fact that I get to be involved in my patient's lives in a very personal and caring way. Most patients I see in the hospital are really sick and vulnerable. They truly appreciate having someone listen to them, explain things in simple language and help to allay their fears. This past week, I had the awesome experience of being able to pray for a patient. She was so grateful for someone to take the time to lift her up to the greatest healer of all. What a privilege! I never cease to be amazed, joyful and thankful for the opportunity to become a doctor. God is good!