2012 BN Duke International Summer of Service: Madurai, India

Sasha McEwan, Class of 2013

The Internship: A Typical Day

At around 9:00am every weekday, I would leave my accommodation and walk two miles to my placement at Nithila Nursing Home, a private hospital. I say 9:00am very loosely, as Indian culture adopts an entirely different concept of time – if I was an hour late, it would have been of absolutely no concern to my doctor (in fact, there were a few days where he failed to show up at all). On days where I did not feel like making the walk, I would take the over-crowded, six rupee bus, which in itself is an essential Indian experience.  Once I arrived at the hospital, myself and the other intern, Andrew from Germany, would sit in Dr. Gopalakrishnan’s office and await his arrival. Dr. C. Gopala Krishnan, M.B.B.S., M.S., Dr. Gopal to us for ease of pronunciation, is a general physician and a general surgeon who concentrates in urology. He started the hospital jointly with his wife’s father, and his wife, Dr. Jeya Chitra, M.B.B.S., M.S., specializes in obstetrics and gynecology and is his partner at the hospital. So, in general, when I shadowed Dr. Gopal, I saw male patients, while I saw only female patients when I worked with his wife. This separation is highly reflective of the Indian culture, and it was illustrated not only in the hospital, but throughout all aspects of day to day life.  When Dr. Gopal arrived, he would immediately begin seeing patients. Consultations were almost always in Tamil, the local language, however Dr. Gopal would frequently translate for Andrew and I so that we were always aware of what the patient’s condition or complaint was. We saw many examinations (I was allowed to witness the male exams, but Andrew was forbidden from being in the room with a female patient) each day, and he encouraged us to actually lay hands on the patient to feel exactly what he was feeling. We would also get up periodically and shadow him on rounds in the emergency area. After about four hours of consultations and rounds, we got a break to go home for lunch. We returned in the afternoon to watch surgeries, often up to three in an afternoon. Because Dr. Gopal specialized in urology, I saw quite a few hernia repairs. However, I was also able to witness orthopedic, obstetrical, respiratory and ENT procedures. We stood right beside Dr. Gopal (or the performing surgeon) in the operating theater, and watched as they performed the procedure. Healthcare in India runs on what was to me, an ideologically foreign system, and I thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to witness it firsthand. State: Tamil Nadu

Official language: TamilReligion: Primarily Hinduism, although Christians and Muslims are also present in strong numbersEconomy: Traditionally an agrarian society with paddy, cotton, and flowers as primary crops. In the past few decades, rubber-based industries have become unique to this area.Attractions:•Meenakshi Amman Temple: a historic Hindu temple located on the river Vaigai•Gandhi Memorial Museum•Thirumalai Nayak Palace: a 17th century national landmark with Islamic architectural influences

A Quick Guide to Madurai

I would first like to express my extreme gratitude to the Benjamin N. Duke program and The Duke Endowment for allowing me to experience this wonderful opportunity. I would also like to thank Minda Brooks, Sarah Stacke and Jenny Wood Crowley for their guidance and support as I planned this project. Finally, I wish to thank the Projects Abroad team in India and the Saratha family for giving me a home, a great workplace, and help traveling around the country during my time in India.

Special Acknowledgements

I stayed with Mrs. Saratha, a retired sports education teacher, and her husband Mr. Panner Selvam, a retired transportation officer. Mrs. Saratha and Mr. Selvam insisted that I call them “Amma” and “Abba,” (the colloquial phrase for “mother” and “father”), respectively. Amma and Abba had two grown daughters that were both married and working in the nearby city of Chennai, and the elder daughter was expecting her first child at the beginning of August (right after I left). Amma and Abba employed a cook to help cook for the slew of volunteers that came in and out of their home, and I would be remiss if I failed to mention her here as part of the family.

At any point in time I was staying in the house with at least two other female volunteers. Amma and Abba rented a separate neighboring house for the male volunteers. Each volunteer served at a different placement, so it was always interesting to hear about their experiences in teaching, journalism, veterinary hospitals, etc.

The Saratha Family

A patient awaits amputation at the leprosy clinic.

Week 1: The Backwaters of Kerala We traveled by overnight train and arrived early Saturday morning on the western coast of the Indian peninsula. We went on a 24-hour houseboat ride, during which time we took canoes through the tropical backwater canals, watched local villagers make twine from coconut flax, and sampled traditional Keralan food.  Week 2: PondicherryThis time we took an overnight bus to the town of Pondicherry, an area that has retained much of its culture from a time when it was colonized by the French. We visited the rocky beaches and stayed in a youth hostel run by a local Frenchman.  Week 3: Kumily We went back to Kerala and spent a rather outdoorsy weekend hiking through the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, touring tea and spice plantations and riding elephants. On the full day trek through the sanctuary, we rode on a bamboo raft down a river and saw Asian elephants, Indian bison, and other large animals up close.  Week 4: Kanyakumari  Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, this town is known for its forts, temples and statues. We watched the sun rise over the famous Thiruvalluvar Statue, crossed a bridge made famous by its many Bollywood appearances, and visited a Gandhi memorial.

Traveling around South India

The Saratha family and volunteers.

Visiting the local fire station in Pondicherry.

The “Monkey Temple” in Madurai. On the shore in Kanyakumari.