Leaving in 10 days!!

I think today is the day it clicked that, yes, I am actually going to India. I'm starting to have the same feelings of fear and hesitancy that I did on the days leading up to the start of the program. All the things that I need to do before I go are becoming more and more urgent; I'm starting to think about when I need to take my Dukoral vaccine and start my malaria pills; I'm beginning to realize a lot of what I assumed I would do before leaving is just not going to happen. I also wish I knew a lot more Hindi than I know, and I'm better off than most other Canadians for that.

The Canadian participants got together at the end of our normal day at the AIDS Network and discussed our hopes and fears about the Indian phase. For the most part, I'm obviously really excited, but at the same time feel like I will give up so much of my independence when I go. I'm also a really long (sketchy) bus ride from the other participants, so I'm worried I'll be really isolated. I will be living with Annu's family for sure, which is not ideal but I'd rather be there than at the SPYM guest house without my counterpart as some Canadians will be.
Today we also read a copy of an email a girl visiting New Delhi wrote home to her family and friends about her initial impressions of the city, most of which were not good. It lead to some interesting discussion about how we will perceive everything in the context of what we already know as normal, and therefore we are much less likely to see the reality of our new environment. I'll have to keep that in mind before I tell you all about the 'crazy' things I see!

Tomorrow I'll be presenting a session on STIs to the Rainbow Drop-In group, which was one of my favourite experiences here. Wednesday will be my last day of volunteer placement at HIFY. I'll be presenting 'Healthy Relationships' to a group of immigrant women at a centre downtown Hamilton, then back to help in the clinic and observe Risk Reduction one more time.