Why I Feel Safe in India

One thing I feel in India, which might not jive with my descriptions of illness and monkeys, is a particular sense of safety which I have trouble getting at home in the US. You see, in India, even with an address and GPS and heck, even someone giving you directions, it’s near impossible to find …

India Part III: I Encounter Monkeys

Another test of my sanity came from the local wildlife. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m from Texas so I’ve dealt with my fair share of deadly snakes and poisonous insects. But monkeys? Monkeys are a whole other story. Living in the village at the NGO on my first trip, I stayed in a small …

India Part II: Struggling with Getting Sick

Why India is a question I have a lot of trouble answering. I grew up alongside Indian Americans in Texas. I watched my fair share of Bollywood movies, spelled the cooking smells (although my best friend’s mom was worried that I wouldn’t like Indian food and often got us take out when I stayed over, …

Traveling Abroad with Chronic Physical and Mental Illnesses: A Series on My Experiences

In college, I majored in anthropology, because I wanted to talk to a bunch of people, learn from them, and hopefully use what I learned to help people as a future career. I applied for a bunch of grants to go do research the summer before my senior year for my thesis. I had been …