India: The first few days

Posted March 2nd, approx 8am Delhi Time, copied from a Word Doc.??


March 1, 2010, London
If someone could please explain to me why employees at Heathrow Airport are so rude, I am listening. I know, I know, in the back of your mind, maybe you’re thinking that it is us, the Americans, that are rude. I swear to you, I smile and ask nicely, and yet every time I have been to Heathrow Airport (several times now) I am treated with disdain and my requests are always ignored with a sneer. So it should have come as no surprise when I needed to clear security today, and asked to have my film hand checked, that they pretty much told me to F*off. “There’s more radiation on the planes than there is in that machine” is what I was told repeatedly. And then “Miss, this is only 120 speed. It will be fine.” Uh…that is 120 film. Not 120 speed. Not surprisingly, they won the argument. I don’t think I ever really stood a chance.

To get to the aforementioned security check, I had been dutifully following signs that said “British Airways Terminal 3”. There were several such signs. And after getting thru the security, having my film blasted with radiation, and finding the British Airways check in, I was (condescendingly) told that I should be in Terminal 5. They haven’t used Terminal 3 for British Airways in 2 years. Perhaps someone should change the signage? Just a thought. I had to retrace all of my steps, and as I passed back thru the security check, a girl was emerging from the area in tears. I guess I’m not the only one to be treated rudely.

March 2, in the air
I am writing this from the back of the plane, next to all of the toilets. Foot traffic is high, but I had to get out of my seat, even if only for 10 minutes. This particular leg of the trip is 8 hours, between London and Delhi. Oh, wait? Had I forgotten to mention that the whole flight plan got a little…messed up? No? Let me quickly summarize the situation. I was supposed to be on 2 flights- one from Boston to Chicago (3 hours) and another from Chicago to Delhi (about 15 hours?). I got to Boston very early. I am always cautious like that, after all, I wouldn’t want to miss a flight. So I get to the gate and park myself right in front of the window, to position myself so that when my plane pulls in, I can’t possibly miss it. Brilliant plan, except for the part where the plane didn’t come in. Well, it did but it was 2 hours late.

Now…if it had been on time, I would have had just an hour between flights. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do the math here. By the time I got to Chicago, my other flight was long gone. They gave me a couple of options…stay in Chicago for 24 hours and catch the next days flight (same time every day) or catch a flight to London, then another flight to Delhi. I took the latter option, as sitting in a hotel room (alone) in Chicago (what would I do in Chicago??) was not terribly appealing. Except, of course, for the time it would have given me to edit wedding photos. But I can edit wedding photos later, right? I figured that as long as I was in travel mode, I’d keep on going.

Which brings me to hanging out in the toilet section of the plane. My ass is killing me! I have been sitting in my seat, squirming around for 7 hours now. And before that for another 7 hours! And before that for 3 hours! And a few hours in between each flight on cold hard floors in the airports. I have watched 2 movies on this flight and was about to watch a third when the man next to me noticed my squirming. He offered a suggestion…that I get up and walk my poor wee ass around a bit. Much better. And I am so revived by this activity that I am writing.

Total time:Left Worcester 12:00pm
In Boston 1pm to 6pm (6hrs)
Fly 6pm to 9pm (3 hrs)
Sit 9pm to 11pm (2 hrs)
Fly 11pm to 6am (7 hrs)
Sit 6am to 9am (3 hrs)
Fly 9am to 5pm (arrive in Delhi) (8 hrs)
Customs probably 2 to 3 hours
Then to a hotel…after travelling for 32 hours.

Now that I add it all up, that’s exactly how long it took me the first time I came here. But coming home was 40! Let’s hope it stays at 32 or below for the return, hmmm?

March 2, from the hotel

Knowing what to expect at the airport this time made it 10 times easier. I breezed thru customs, happily gabbing away to the man that had been seated next to me for the flight. (By the way, I don’t talk to people on planes. I gave it a try this time, and I enjoyed myself very much. He and I will keep in touch.) Then we drag ourselves over to baggage claim. Anyone want to take a guess at how this went? Bingo! My other bag is still in Chicago. Mmmmmm. Gotta love it. So now, instead of camping out in Delhi for a day, I need to camp out for at LEAST 2 days, or until the bag arrives.

Despite having just been in constant motion for about 35 hours, I am wide awake, it is 7am here in Delhi, and I am without several main components to my wardrobe and personal items. Notable among them would be underwear. I know, I know, why weren’t they in my carry one? Well…I thought they were. Turns out, what was in that ziplock bag that appeared to be black undies was the black bag for changing film. Heh he he. Priorities. J I have managed to shower and brush my teeth, and am bopping about the hotel in surgical scrubs- sans underwear and sans socks. The ones from travelling will need to be handwashed and hung to dry for awhile.


I have managed to find the proper power converter for my laptop…no more watching the power level indicator plummet. Nice. (Thanks, dad!) Now I need to go down to the front desk and ask about internet, so I can post all this lovely stuff that has been getting logged into a word document. It will be nice to feel like I am in touch with everyone once I can get online!

Nicaragua January 14th

This is the field along the driveway up into the Bradley House. Horses graze here, and today and yesterday, a few guys were hand cutting the grass for hay- with machetes. I can see what backbreaking work this is, and wonder why they don't use the scythes (?) with long handles, so that they wouldn't need to bend over to cut the grass.

The same spot, but with me turned and facing the opposite direction. The pink house is rented out, the yellow building in the back is Bradley House.

The driveway up into Bradley House. it is only wide enough for one vehicle, and today as we were leaving, we had to pass a small horse drawn carriage. Luckily, there was one small pullout area for the horse.

This girl was being asked to stand and turn. It was very difficult for her, and she was starting to cry.

The staff at Bradley House.

Lunch break is from 12 to 2. This is one of our translators at lunch...taking a bit of a nap on one of the floor pads/mattresses.

Nicaragua: January 13 Bradley House

Nicaragua: January 12 Bradley House

My day was split between La Chureca (see previous post) and Bradley House. Not quite as many photos taken today, I wasn't feeling well, but still, many images that I am proud of. I cannot WAIT to get home so that I can see these photos larger. My laptop has worked out very well, but the screen is not so big for vertical images- and I have noticed that I shoot many more verticals than I do horizontals. Interesting. Anyway, a few photos from the afternoon...the photo above, by the way, is a mom who walked 10 miles to bring her child there for an evaluation. 10 miles! And then 10 miles home! And all she asked for were some bandaids for her blisters. This appointment took her all day to accomplish.

Most of the moms come in with several children, I think. Even if only one needs therapy or an evaluation, there are several others prancing around having a great time with each other. Clearly, parenting is approached differently here. The kids are much freer to wander where they want, play as they want. It's not that they aren't attended to or cared for, that's not it at all. Small children toddle around, without direct supervision, and it all seems to work out just fine. Of course, I have always thought that most parents are a bit TOO supervisory with their children, but as I am not a parent myself I do try to keep these complaints to a minimum.

I can't wait to see this photo bigger. I love the little hand reaching out and holding her moms hand.

They have horse therapy at Bradley House, too.

Nicaragua: January 12 La Chureca

Manna Project had their milk and weighing clinic today at La Chureca (Managua's city dump). The last time I was here, it was a holiday week and the schedules had been changed, so although we got a tour of La Chureca, I didn't get to see any of the programs in action. On Milk Day, the moms that live in the dump bring their kids to get weighed, measured, given a supply of milk, vitamins and oatmeal. More info about La Chureca http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Chureca

This little girl had just had a tooth pulled, and was holding a bloody cloth between her lips.

Manna keeps careful records of the progress that each child makes. They compare this week measurements and weight to the last one, and then might make adjustments to the amount of formula/food they give.

This baby was born last week.

Everyone waits out in the front area until they are called in- most are there for the milk day, but several have come in for the clinic hours, and to see the doctors that are working that day.

Nicaragua January 11th

Today's photos are all from our work at the Bradley House of Hope. It is a school/clinic a few miles away from Manna that is open during the week. They operate in 2 shifts- 8am to 12, and 2 to 4. The plan is for the WSC students to be at the clinic today thru Thursday all day, and then Friday in the afternoon. They are working with WSC professor Jackie Brennan and the staff at Bradley House- evaluating children, observing therapy sessions. The children are from the area, and each child is on a schedule- my understanding is that they come in twice a week, for half a day. Coincidentally, we are also working alongside another team made up of a doctor, a nurse practitioner, and a speech language pathologist. This week, the clinic is seeing 10 new children, and evaluations need to be done for each child.

An aberration in the series of kid photos...a dog photo. I met this dog today, as I sat outside eating my lunch...a ham and cheese sandwich. She was desperately hungry, and sat very quietly, staring at me while I ate. I gave her some of the sandwich. (This could partially account for my hunger later on...but then again, I am always hungry.) Just looking at the dog made me almost start to cry. I wanted to feed her, clip her nails, worm her, and nurse her back to health...the vet tech experience runs deep. Although I was photographing the people all day (and some of those kids had really amazing, debilitating, disfiguring conditions) it is with the animals that I feel like I could actually help. My photos of the kids will be useful...to tell a story about our experiences here, and perhaps help by bringing awareness to other people...people that otherwise would never know that Bradley House was here, and that they need grants and donations to survive. But I can't help the people. I am not a nurse, I am not a doctor, I am not a therapist. I am a photographer. A photographer that had a previous career as a vet tech, and knows exactly what the animals need. And so, I get teary when I see these dogs. It's something I can relate to in a much more concrete sort of way. Anyway, on with the rest of the blog...more photos from the work we did today...