Tuesday, August 28, 2012

You Can't Always Get What You Want


When I accepted the fellowship I had great expectations that I would contribute to improving health. It's been four months and I haven't made any impact to health care in India. My understanding of the health care system came from my visits to Doctors and pharmacies. Today my only accomplishment is to improve the organizations skills of PHI. This is NOT what I had hoped to do but have taken the challenge to be a goal. Travelling 8000 miles, leaving during my favorite season, spring with the beauty of the flowers and fresh green color and arriving in a HOT city with lots of people, garbage, and noise has not made me very happy. Repeatedly I need to remind myself I am here for work and not pleasure. Makes me appreciate my job at home (almost).


My friend Sue is coming to visit and is planning on travelling around India and I want to join her! As the travel planner I am I have completed her itinerary, even though she only told me of some of the places she wants to visit, a trek to Nanda Devi valley, visit the Dali Lama in Dharamsala and visit me. A native Indian co worker from Pfizer, Khushroo, told me I must visit Nandi Devi valley but I haven't the vacation time to do it because to experience the locality requires hiking. Not just a day hike but a two to three trek into the valley. I could accompany her if only I could take vacation.



Ready for the mountains
My dilemma is that I really do not feel I am really contributing to PH so why not go? It's because the GHF program states we are not supposed to travel during this time. Big sigh! Rules are made to be broken, right???? I need to ask my PH manager first. How to convince him that this is a valuable experience that would add to my GHF fellowship. I could suggest I would talk to the people in the remote location and evaluate their ability to receive health care, could take an inventory of some to evaluate their diabetes and HBP conditions, what else? But I don't even have the clothes for the trek. I could borrow from my friends... Or I just put it out of my mind. Don't think I can do this as I want to go. I know things don't always go my way, a perfect example is this fellowship, but I have to make the best of it and that would include this trek.

But if you try sometime, you just might find you get what you need. Am I "getting what I need"?




 
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3 comments:

  1. UnknownAugust 29, 2012 at 3:55 AM

    Hi friend,
    I will say GO FOR IT!
    Spending time with a friend, doing what you like so much (hiking) and
    seeing new places...it will be very good for you. You had tried to help this program
    and it has not been easy for you, so reward yourself with this trip. Sometimes opportunities dont come back and then we miss it.
    So pack your bags, go and have a great time!
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownAugust 30, 2012 at 12:04 AM

    I agree that it will be good for me personally but I feel this commitment to work. Sue and I plan to talk this week so we'll see how it works out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Teacher MomSeptember 3, 2012 at 5:16 AM

    Why not ask? Keep us posted! Visting the Dali Lama in Dharamsala sounds FABULOUS (I know that is for your friend Sue rather than you, but I could not help but comment).

    ReplyDelete

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