Too cute!

DThe first group of volunteers are here and have been for three days. They are an amazing bunch of young people.  Initially tired from the trip but all have blossomed even over the last few days.  Just being around them made me realise that I was no longer really a young person I'm an adult!! It was beautiful talking to them and    expeiencing all thier different personalities!!! I saw myself in quite a few of them, a couple are really confident and outgoing and I thought good for you! And some others were quite reserved and shy and on the peripheries.  As a youngster I would have wanted to hang out with the loud lot but I found myself drawn to the quiet guys, it is envietable that they will come out of thier shells at the end of 10 weeks and become amazingly life experienced human beings but until then they do need support and I can't wait too see the quiet ones start leading!!!

The are all like sponges from a million different backgrounds. I really enjoyed getting to know them during the one on one medical interviews. It was pleasing to see that many of them had completed degrees and wanted life experience and some of the others had just finished sixth form and were on gap years. Seriously I can't emphasis how soul cleansing it is too be around young people who want to better themselves by joking raliegh. They all had to raise £2000 each to be here and organise thier kits, jabs and get here. It is impressive that an 18 year old would have the foresight to organise all of that.  It is also nice to stick two fingers up at the red top with thier "feckless youth" titles. Don't get me wrong some people in the group are well off and organising the money may not have involved raising money and daddy may have contributed but a lot of the young people come from ordinary backgrounds and did a fund raising activities over the last year. 

I have a presentation yesterday on health and hygiene.  I bloody really love being a doctor.  I love give presentations and thoroughly enjoy teaching. I think the group were captivated?? I bribed them with Oreo busicuits when they answered questions right. I got to talk about the tropical diseases I had I the last and show lots of gross pictures.  

During the evening I was really pleased that some of the group came up to me and were like they had been using the hand washing technique I had taught them as they were afraid of getting the "Shites" as I emphasized would happen if they were not fastidious about thier hand hygiene.

That night as one of the group - a sweet black girl called Simone braided my hair (bloody hurt and I took it out this morning) but I found myself surrounded by at least 15 girls and we went round and discussed our fears and what we were excited about. Some fears where not making friends, some were about cultural differences and one one was about not knowing how to use a long drop lol. Girls are soconsciencious the hour we spent together was lovely. I hope that I have a positive influence on some of the girls. 

Speaking of girls my tent mate is support and admin for raliegh. She is a fierce strong Indian girl. She get things done and is a no funny business girl. Last night we were disscussing the difficulties that can occur because of our no nonsense personalities. She has definitely had more drama to contend with than me.  Being a female in an Indian culture surrounded by men had made her very strong and she is utterly determined. Fortunately our INDIAN CEO (born in India, studied in the uk, married a white women and now they both live in India) is very pro women, he really wants to recruit as many women as he can, my tent mate is responsible for recruitment also and really try to get women to become volunteers.  It is difficult because she comes from a liberal background and has a boyfriend - her parents seem very forward thinking.  However many young girls who join raliegh need permission from thier parents especially thier father which can be difficult. Also young Asian girls aren't as confident as young British girls so there is slot of apprehension in regards to leaving their family and coming to Mysore.  However, those that so come blossom into amazingness after 10 weeks.  I can't wait to see how the Indian girls here evolve.

Erm what else...oh yeah we also discussed how amazing (my tent mate and I) that two of the country leaders here are female and are amazing.  They have got utter control of the organisation here and command control.  They don't take non sense from the Indian men and shite gets done.  This is a brilliant picture for the Indian people to experience as they can see that women can have roles if authority and can do it well.  My tent mate said she looked up too the two English country leaders, I think she will be going far if I'm honest.  She is being taken to Thailand by the Indian CEO to consider setting up a raliegh in Thailand!!

(I AM SO GONNA BE THE MEDIC THERE)

Tomo I go to Bangalore with four others to meet the second batch of English volunteers who are landing on Saturday. 

Yay, can't wait too see thier lovely faces. 

It's around 36 degrees here now.  Lovely and hot in the direct sun. So glad I packed sun block otherwise I'd be a wrinkly rasin.

Oh I forgot to add that I'm in charge of the tuck shop. Bloody love it. We sell cigarettes though and it has been decided that I won't sell them and someone else will have too as it's not really ethical. anyhow loving shop duty.

Roll up!!