1-3-2010

This morning the group talked out their proposals and what each plans on accomplishing in the next 6 days. I was very interested and surprised by the similarities than ran through each idea but am very excited that we are making a difference. Coming from a large family with three girls and one boy and living on a farm for most of my life, Jackie could relate in ways I could not imagine. She is from a small town in Iowa, grew up on a farm and has three siblings all in which are girls. She has voiced many stories and exciting information about her life growing up and I felt like I could connect on several levels. I am overwhelmed with excitement while projecting how our implementation will progress. I am very blessed to be working with such an amazing person with the same values I have developed from my family as well.

Jackie and I plan on working with the Mahaseman women, rural women and also women coming into the Mission Hospital in order to get a wide array and high number for our test group. We will be working specifically on Cervical Cancer awareness and knowledge for such women. The access, barriers, need, knowledge and such are all areas we would like to research through our study in order to accurately decide what the needs of the group are. The needs assessment will be done this week with each group of women and we will hopefully be working with a translator in order to get our questions across accurately, this is very important. Exploring more into the project will be done through a proposal, fact sheets, and through a PowerPoint presentation delivered at the end. I would love to deliver all this information to my blog but find it hard to condense the information so if anyone would like more information, the PowerPoint etc. after we have completed our project feel free to let me know! This is all I have for now to inform on our project but will have day to day facts and information I have learned along the way, so keep reading!

January 2, 2010 was the travel to the Western Gods and the lake view shopping etc. I was thrilled today due to the fact that I did not have to be ready till 10:00 a.m. The hotel we slept in last night was not what I would call “nice”. Our bathroom window did not shut (leaving mosquitoes in), the pillows were as hard as a rock and the room smelled of moth balls! How exciting, right? I could not wait to get out of there, to say the least! The group as a whole decided to not stop at any locations along the way home due to the severity of everyone’s sickness and the need for sleep! This did not upset me considering I had, had enough of driving on those ridiculously bumpy roads! Although, the experience down the Western Gods was more exhilarating than the one up! Going downhill allowed for less jerky movement and more of a cruise motion! I sat in the front this time allowing me to view the road and I felt well the whole drive home. We viewed amazing sights on the way home though. Things such as cows, men carrying babies (which is rare), the Sunday markets and many many monkeys! The monkeys were very beautiful and are such elegant creatures but I none the less did not want my bad to be stolen so I stayed away! We left the mountains around 11:30 and arrived in Madurai around 4:30. The drive was not terribly long but long enough. I am very exhausted and could use some sleep.

Tonight we plan on eating dinner as a group at 8 on our roof top restaurant and I am going to order these amazing noodles that remind me of Chinese food! (I am not sure what they are called but will find that out) Oma, Anne and Matt will be accompying the group through out this week, working on our projects and Jackie and I have many questions to be answered before we complete our final draft as well as begin research. I am planning on showering a relaxing the rest of the night! I would enjoy shopping but my bank account, not so much! I believe I have millions of presents/fun little scarves for many back home and do not think I need anything else! Haha I will be back with more information but am very excited to explain what we will accomplish tomorrow. I do miss home, my family and my friends, though. I am very happy I was able to skype Amber after her New Years Eve (that is a whole other story)!