From Indiana to India

This summer I will be interning with the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India. Yes you read that correctly, INDIA. I'll be leaving the flatlands of Indiana to spend eight weeks in the hills of southern India. Most people, including myself a few months ago, have never heard of Kodaikanal or the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and are left to conjure up images of more widely known parts of India such as the city of Delhi to imagine where I am heading. However, Kodaikanal is far from and far different than cities such Delhi. 

The "A" marker is Kodaikanal. Notice Delhi is located in the north practically opposite of Kodaikanal.

It is a hill station in southern India, which is actually a used as a retreat from the extremely hot summers of northern India. Kodaikanal really seems like a beautiful place and is known for multiple natural attractions. I feel so lucky to be headed somewhere that does not have 115 degree weather daily! I a little over a week, I will be packing my bags and hoping on a fifteen hour flight to Mumbai. Thankfully, I will be picked up from the airport by friends of my grandma who live in Mumbai and they are kind enough to house me for the night. The next morning, I will be flying out of Mumbai to Madurai a small airport a few hours from Kodaikanal. In Madurai, I will be picked up by someone from FIMRC and will drive up into to mountains to Kodaikanal... I'm sure the drive will be something to remember! I will be staying in FIMRC's volunteer guesthouse attached to their rural clinic. Besides operating this clinic, FIMRC's Project Kodaikanal also works with local crèches (which are essentially day cares) providing medical care for children in the crèche system. I know I will be helping at the clinic and with visits to the various crèches but I will find out most of the details concerning my responsibilities as an intern when I arrive!

Here's some additional info about my trip:

• departing May 18th, returning July 22nd
• Kodaikanal is ten and a half hours ahead of EST
• will have access to wifi at the guesthouse, not sure how reliable it will be
• should be able to use iMessage, email etc... I would love to attempt to stay in contact with friends and family from home!
• will be posting on this blog every couple of days, maybe more often so if you're interested in my whereabouts book this page now! 
• interested/confused/had no idea this happening/just want to say hi? feel free to post comments and i will try to respond!

For everyone's entertainment, here is some advice from Julie, a friend from home of the one and only Mary Helen McStravick:
 

#indiaproblems

This probably was pretty disorganized, but I just finish my last final less than an hour ago so my apologies! Also I have never blogged before so we shall see if my attempts at formatting, links etc. worked. More to come soon as I head back to Virginia tomorrow and begin packing for my trip!

Liz