An incredible summer in India

After staying up until 4 am my last morning in Bombay, catching a taxi to the airport, two 9 hr flights (through Frankfurt, Germany), due to delays - missing my connecting flight to Charlotte, NC, taking an extra flight to Philadelphia, due to more delays - missing my next flight to Raleigh, NC at 11 pm, sleeping in the airport on the floor near my gate, taking the first flight out to Raleigh at 6:30 am, getting a stomach virus, and getting picked up at the airport (where they lost one of my bags) early in the morning, I finally reached UNC Chapel Hill.

Besides the return trip, this summer experience was one of the best I've ever had in my life. It's unexplainable how much I learned both medically and culturally. Through this amazing journey, I've learned a lot about myself in the process. When I look back, it feels like a dream; one that I still can’t believe came true.

I learned about hundreds of ways in which Indian veterinary medicine is different. Some people believe that they do not have the right equipment or technology to decently practice medicine in many rural areas, but I learned it is much more about motivation and attitude. I met some amazing veterinarians that put their heart and soul into what they do, and personally make it a successful practice. Whether they continued a surgery with no lights during a power outage or they disinfected a butterfly catheter by autoclaving it (just because there was no money to buy a new one for each animal), it was turned into a successful procedure and an animal was treated. I hope to better myself from what I’ve learned in the advent of the next chapter in my life.

Until school starts, I will be busy completing my veterinary school applications as well as studying for the G.R.E.

God bless