Mamallapuram

This weekend Codi, Becky, Joel, and I went to explore a city nearby called Mamallapuram and on the way stopped by a silk place, Kanchipuram. The culture here is quite different. I'm slowly adapting to the custom, but I have not yet mastered the skill of eating with your hands. I'll use my hands for Naan but as far as rice goes...still sticking to the utensils. So the city we visited is on the east coast of India, south of Chennai. It was definitely a tourist town. The beach was nice. We mostly spent our time visiting the different temples nearby. The drive was 3 hours and I didn't really see any traffic lights along the way. People use the horn an aweful lot and well there are toll roads just like the U.S. So I think I know why there's trash everywhere! I tried looking for a trashcan to dispose my empty bottle and I couldn't find any! Although in the morning on our way to see sunrise at the beach, I did see a guy sweep the grounds. However, he swept the trash to separate little piles along the walls.....so I guess it just accumulates. At least they try!
Last night, we attended the evening chapel service offered at the CMC hospital. It was packed! People were even standing at the doorways listening in. The sermon was about healing and as a doctor our job is not just to heal our patients but to feel and experience our patients' lives.
So far my stomach has been pretty good, no heartburns, no diarrhea.....hopefully it'll stay this way. The first week flew by and now I'm on CHAD, community health and development. This is a secondary care center for the more rural areas.