Our group, Nonspec, came to the prosthetic lab first and foremost, to observe what the current process was to create a limb for a patient.  We were honored to be able to observe a pivotal moment in a young man’s life – his first step on a prosthetic leg.  This man, just 19 years old, was in an auto accident which resulted in the amputation of his right foot several months ago.  (As an aside, 2/3 of amputees in India are men, and most of these are the result of trauma, most often road accidents).  He was a mason, living with his family.   However, he has been unemployed as a result of this accident.  The family is poor, and cannot afford the articulating limb that would allow him to return to his profession.   However, this less functional limb will allow him to walk – which is a dream when compared to using a wooden cane to ambulate.  Once his prosthetic leg was finalized, it took him only seconds to rise up and walk in the gait training room with the supports of the railings.  Soon, he was ambulating with just the support of a cane to stabilize him.  He and his brother walked to the bus to take the several hour trip back to their home town.

I will think of this young man often – what could have been done differently, so that he could not only survive his injury, but thrive?  Was the amputation necessary, or were the injuries costly to repair and the less costly amputation chosen?  What if he had an articulated leg – could he be a mason again, far more productive for his family, and more readily able to support a wife and children in the future?  How will his new prosthetic work – will there be pressure ulcers that form, causing pain with each step, or infection?  Without training, how will he learn to navigate the rough Indian terrain without injury?

Even though it was breathtaking to see him take his first steps, I still feel we have fallen short in our care for this man.

A roller coaster is an understatement; my time in India has been quite the ride. Remembering to pause and take it all in has been difficult, but the calm has set in before the flurry of energy before departure.

This has been foreign territory in more ways than one. Not only in actual land, but in the environment, and testing my engineering toes in the business water. All things new and exciting in their own ways. Though I must say I don’t think I’ll miss Indian food other than naan, every meal has been highly entertaining with its spices. Plus, the people have been an absolute joy, getting to visit multiple homes with arms open to us has been such a comfort, and opened the doors of the India culture.

But not only has the culture been an exploration, but the business as well. I love interdisciplinary work as an engineer, so I was eager, but much to my surprise, we went to a business with only a group of engineers and technical majors. But that offered an amazing challenge as we all learned how to address business needs while utilizing the problems solving skills we are ingrained with. I felt useful, helpful, and I learned at every turn. Now it is time to wait to see how this learning help me in the future, and to hope I can savor all these thrilling moments forever.

-Marcelle Durrenberger

Imagination is one thing, perception is another.

If you talked to me a year ago, I was wild with the desire to travel, happily settled in Scotland for the semester. A year ago, I would have never thought I’d be sitting in India, hard at work, patiently waiting for the power to go back on.

Before, I could only see the preconceived notions of poverty, danger, and lack of health imminent on every corner. Now, I have entered a world that I could barely imagine, one with the most welcoming individuals imaginable, where the culture is rich and vibrant. The desire to help is stirred up, as is the guilt, with the exchange rate favoring the dollar to 1 to 60 rupees. I feel like a wealthy and poor student at the same time. The more time here, the more the little things matter to me.The importance of family, the luxury of fresh water, and clean air. I appreciate my life more, but realize that since they do not know any different, many people in India have the same appreciation regardless of their conditions. I’ve rarely met happier people compared to who I have found here.

India’s facade may be gritty, grimy, and rough around the edges, but it is beautiful on the inside in its own way. The colors are stunning, the clothing is beautiful, and the smiles from the local school children charm your heart. There are the sprawling fields in the countryside, and the winding roads through mountains and valleys, reminding you that though millions of people are in this country, there is still so much openness. So many people do not embrace the innovations and technologies visible in the U.S today, but then you remember that simple ways are sometimes the most effective.

Every day has been a new exploration, and though our time is dwindling, the learning shall continue beyond this. But for now, I will happily appreciate the regular power outages and soak up the sun as I sit here in this fascinating country.

-Marcelle Durrenberger

I wish I had more time in India. The people here are much friendlier than the average American and even though I have only had about a week and a half with my Indian counterparts, it feels like I have known them for years. They have invited me to their houses, out to dinner (Where they insisted on paying… Ugh) and out on the town. I’m not quite sure anyone was expecting this kind of chemistry. Although I have made promises to see many of my indian friends again, it is with great regret that I must face reality, there is a very good possibility I won’t. I will miss my new friends greatly and sincerely hope that they will make their way to the United States if they so chose. I have even promised some of them that I will be the first to greet them at the airport should they come to the States and that, is a promise I will keep. I have also begun making playlists of American music for some of my friends and I can only hope they will remember me when they listen to them. The last week or so has truly been like living in a fantasy world, the problems of my life have seemed to melt away into complete oblivion and my “other life” seems so far away. I have taken off my armor and I can not even imagine going back to my daily routine of homework followed by quiet reflection in the absence of company. Facing such a reality makes me depressed but I know that I must keep working  – for in America there is still a dream, a dream that anyone can make it if they try. That dream lives in me and drives me to the point of insanity, but to me it is everything. The dream that I can be something much more than I could ever imagine is why I wake up every morning and why I am willing to sacrifice everything for my personal success. I believe in the American Dream and that is why I am looking forward to going home. Leaving India is bittersweet, but It is time to strap on the armor again and go back to battle.

– Christopher R. F. Lentricchia

Only 2 days left in Hubli. As my time here is coming to an end, I am feeling sad to be leaving all of the new friends I’ve made in BVB College. While visiting here, I’ve tried to take advantage of every free moment to have different experiences around the city.

In only 9 days, I have seen three hilltop sunsets, rode on mopeds, motorcycles, and cars through the “organized chaos” traffic of India, visited beautiful temples in Lakkundi, had two birthday parties with dancing and cake, went shopping in the street markets and two malls, had ice cream and cappuccinos, ate a delicious home-cooked meal at a BVB student’s home, and even learned a few words in Kannada.

What made these experiences especially enjoyable was not simply the food, sights, or sounds…it was the people that were with me. We have been welcomed with open arms by the BVB students, who are all as eager to share their culture and traditions with us as we are to learn and try them. I never could have predicted the connections that I’ve made with people here. It feels like we have been knowing each other for much longer than 9 days. As these final two days approach, I hope to add to the many shared experiences that have already occurred.

Also, we have some work to do with a team project. This is still technically a class, after all.

After only a week and a half in India it somehow felt like we had been here for at least a month or longer when one of the Indian students, Siddarth, invited us over for dinner.  He welcomed us into his home where his mother fed us until we could hardly move and later taught us how to make dosas and chai.  This turned out to be one of the most fun and relaxing experiences of the entire trip.  Despite the distance from our own families and homes, being in his house and experiencing the connection between cooking, eating, and family was a comforting reflection of home.  Sid’s mom also said I look like a Bollywood star so…

Don’t wait up. Not coming home.

The open concept buildings with indoor gardens are beautiful.

Today we went to an NGO known as Akshaya Patra Foundation. At 6.15 am we were all set and ready in the bus to visit this unique NGO. Akshaya Patra is a non profit organization that provide lunch to poor students of government schools. The Dharwad district center covers whole Dharwad-hubli area and provide free lunch to approximately 800 government school.

The way this organization works is truly amazing. Inside the kitchen they maintain complete hygiene and cleanliness. At a time they have stores 14 tons of rice and 15 tons of water is used in preparation of lunch. In total 350 employees work in this center. They clean all the food materials properly in heavy machines and make sure that no foreign element is mixed in the food. They have a multilevel kitchen where food is chopped, prepared and packed on different levels. Government provide them milk powder, which they convert into milk and send to children with the lunch. The organization gets funds from various sources like corporate, individuals, and government. The thing i liked the most was, in just Rs.750 or $12, the organization makes food for one child for entire year. Therefore if a person donate that amount he can feed a needy child for a complete year. They prepare lunch each day 24×7, and 365 days and they change the ingredients and spices of their daily lunch so that children don’t get bored of the same food. The chairman of Infosys, N.R Narayan Murthy says, “Akshaya Patra is a success story of hope, fairness, justice, and opportunity for all children.”

India is the world’s largest democracy, a growing economic power, and yet hunger affects over 40% of her children. This blog is more of an informative one for everyone reading it.

Yes, you can and yes, you should..!! DONATE..!!

http://www.akshayapatra.org/

Here are a few of my favorite images from the trip so far.

Mehndi, also known as Henna, graciously provided by the sister of one of our classmates, Prerana.

This picture was taken at a KFC in the local mall. Experiencing an American food chain in a foreign country was definitely interesting. The menu was different (tailored to local eating habits) and the portions much smaller. The only other American chain we have encountered in Hubli is Domino’s Pizza.

One of the many, many cows we’ve seen on this trip. I enjoyed the fact that this one is underneath a palm tree in Goa.

Peeking out at the Agra Fort, located about 1.5 miles from the Taj Mahal.

A few of my favorite people on the way to Lukkundi.

This picture really doesn’t do justice to how beautiful the scenery was in Goa, but if you look closely you can notice how tropical the flora looks.

The Taj Mahal, commissioned in 1632 and built over the next two decades. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the most popular attraction in India. The day we visited was foggy but it was magnificent nonetheless.

Schoolchildren are often seen walking through the BVB campus. They wear the cutest uniforms, smile, giggle, and wave at us whenever they pass.

I snagged this image while a group of us were visiting “the hill,” a well maintained park that provides a beautiful view of the city of Hubli.

Most of us have loved the experience of riding a motorbike through Hubli. The traffic in India is much different than the traffic back home, so it is almost like an amusement park ride. Traveling by motorcycle is especially fun when you do it in a group!