So… this post is just going to be lots of things about our summer here in India and a little bit about our posting in community medicine (more to come later).
I knew coming to India that most Indian marriages are arranged… however I was totally unaware of the process behind arranging a marriage. While times are changing and more and more young people in India are meeting their mates in their own way- opting for “love” marriages (especially in the large urban areas) – here in southern India the majority of marriages are still arranged. Eva’s aunt and uncle are currently helping their nephew interview prospective brides. This past week Auntie and Uncle, as well as, mother and father have traveled three separate days to cities around Dharward to interview girls and the girls’ families. We inquired about the process and this is what I have found out….
First the parents of the man consult a matchmaker to learn of possible brides. They then set up meetings with these girls and the girls’ families for a sort of interview process. There are generally multiple meetings before a decision is made. If the families agree that the couple is a good match they then consult a fortune teller. The fortune teller must check the horoscope of both parties and give the union an “all clear” before the couple can be married. In some cases dowries are still given in the form of money, gold, a car, etc. (of course all situations are a bit different… this is just what I have gathered thus far). If it is decided that the couple is a good match it is at this time that the future bride and groom are able to communicate- get to know each other (alone).
Eva’s uncle explained that not only must the woman and man be a good match (caste, horoscopes, height, beliefs, future plans, etc.) but the families must fit together. Generally, after the couple is married the wife will move in with the groom’s family (most homes here are multiple family dwellings). She will assume the household tasks given to her by her mother-in-law. I don’t know a lot of details about the actually marriage ceremony (it is supposed to be quite the production- generally between 1,000- 2,000 guests)… Eva and I have been invited to attend the wedding reception of one of the physicians from the hospital. The doctor is in forensic medicine and will be getting married this Sunday. It should be an interesting event- we will be wearing saris to the reception.
Now I mentioned above that part of a couple being a good match is being members of the same caste. The caste system is the basic social structure of Hindu society and although it is not as strong today as it once was… it is definitely still present. For example, here at the house there is a girl, about 12 years old, named Lakshmi who helps Auntie with the house work. She is actually the daughter of the family who farms the land owned by Eva’s family (if that makes sense). Lakshmi lives here at the house and attends school in Dharward (which is a better school than the one she would attend growing up on the farm)- she helps cook and clean in exchange for room and board you could say. Even though the family likes her very much, she is a member of a lower caste and thus eats off of different dishes than we do and sleeps on the floor near the stairwell (even though there are about 6 empty beds in the house). Our driver, who takes us to and from the college everyday, is also a member of a lower caste and thus takes his tea out of different cups than we do. It is all very strange to me.
I, being totally unfamiliar with the details of this system, did a little reading in Lonely Planet… here is what I found out. In Hindu society there are 4 castes and below these 4 main castes are the Untouchables or Dalits (menial laborers- sweepers or latrine cleaners). The castes, from top to bottom, are as follows- Brahmin (priets and teachers), Kshatriya (warriors), Vaishya (merchants), and Shudra (laborers). It is thought that if one lives a moral life it is more probable that one will be reborn into a higher caste with better circumstances. Again, in India today the caste system is definitely weakened and far less rigid… but its presence can still be felt.
Eva and I have been enjoying Indian television in the evenings… there are about 3 channels in English. The channels actually broadcast some descent shows… Seinfeld, Friends, Scrubs, Arrested Development and some alright movies. However, more fascinating than the shows are the commercials. It is interesting all that can be learned from a society’s advertisements. For example, there is a commercial (which airs repeatedly) for men’s face wash… and what makes this face wash special is that it whitens your skin. It is called Nivea White for Men (sp?). So…. while Americans are spending loads of money trying to achieve that sun kissed summer glow… Indians are spending money on face soap that will make their skin whiter. There are similar advertisements for women’s face wash. Whiter skin is desirable because it says something about your social status- if your face is light you must work indoors and make more money than the dark skinned man who works in the sun as a laborer.
Onto the next topic… Eva and I have noticed a difference in the maturity level of the second year medical students here at SDM and the second year medical students at the U of I. For instance, the other day we sat down the in a classroom in the Department of Pediatrics with the batch of second year students we were posted with. Eva and I sat in the middle of the second row. Instantly all of the students moved their chairs behind us and one another so that they would be in the back of the classroom, farthest from the professor. Come to find out the medical education system is a bit different here in India… making the age of the students a bit different. In the States, after completing 12th grade, one must earn a bachelors degree (4 years), then attend medical school (4 years), and then complete a residency program in a particular specialty (minimum 3 years)… after this you are a full fledged doctor. In India, after completing 10th grade, one must attend college-11th and 12th grade-(2 years), and then medical school to earn a bachelors degree in medicine (5.5 years including internship)… after this you can practice medicine. There is the option in India to do a postgraduate degree in order to become a specialist (three years). What this basically all means is that at age 23 (my age), I would be practicing medicine already in India, rather than having at least 6 more years to go in the States. At home we must attend 11 years of education (minimum) after 12th grade to become a doctor. Here in India it is just five and a half years after 12th grade. So our fellow 2nd year medical students at SDM are on average 18-19 years old… this would explain the boys punching each other in the arm while the girls are trying to interview a patient : )
We are nearing the end of our time here in Dharward and are in our last posting- community medicine. While it has been a bit of a struggle conveying to the department that we want to spend as much time seeing patients as possible (and as little time in lecture as possible- the Head of Department designed a two week lecture schedule for Eva and I specifically) the posting has been very interesting so far. The Medical Council of India requires that all medical schools in India provide an opportunity for their students to learn about community medicine by establishing and staffing an Urban Health Training Center (UHTC) and a Rural Health Training Center (RHTC). These centers are basically outreach clinics which provide extremely affordable healthcare to the citizens of the lowest socioeconomic class. Patients pay 10 Rupees a month (a quarter) for unlimited treatment at the UHTC and 5 Rupees a month at the RHTC. While the clinics are by no means all encompassing facilities… they do both have 2-3 exam rooms, a small lab (to do blood and urine tests), a pharmacy (all meds are free after the monthly fee has been paid), and immunization programs. If a patient requires further care and is unable to afford the services of SDM Hospital (it is a private facility) they are referred to the free government hospital in Hubli. Each center is staffed by about 15 people (5 doctors) and serves a population of about 30,000 people. The centers are open from 9 AM – 1 PM (6 days a week) during which on average between 80 and 120 patients are seen. The UHTC is located near the slums around Dharward. The RHTC is located in Wayadad, a village of about 3,200 people about 40 minutes drive from Dharward.
Our last day at SDM will be Thursday, July 12th. On Friday Eva and I will take the train to Bangalore. We will be spending the weekend with her uncle in Bangalore… and possibly taking a day trip to Mysore. On Monday, July 16th we will fly to Delhi for a North India Highlights tour (visiting Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udiapur). The tour will end in Mumbai on July 26th. We will then do some sightseeing in Mumbai (hopefully take in a Bollywood movie or two) before flying home the night of July 31st. I am not sure what the internet access will be like at our various destinations… and seeing as we are moving cities almost every other day… I can’t guarantee updates on my Blog… but I will try : )
I knew coming to India that most Indian marriages are arranged… however I was totally unaware of the process behind arranging a marriage. While times are changing and more and more young people in India are meeting their mates in their own way- opting for “love” marriages (especially in the large urban areas) – here in southern India the majority of marriages are still arranged. Eva’s aunt and uncle are currently helping their nephew interview prospective brides. This past week Auntie and Uncle, as well as, mother and father have traveled three separate days to cities around Dharward to interview girls and the girls’ families. We inquired about the process and this is what I have found out….
First the parents of the man consult a matchmaker to learn of possible brides. They then set up meetings with these girls and the girls’ families for a sort of interview process. There are generally multiple meetings before a decision is made. If the families agree that the couple is a good match they then consult a fortune teller. The fortune teller must check the horoscope of both parties and give the union an “all clear” before the couple can be married. In some cases dowries are still given in the form of money, gold, a car, etc. (of course all situations are a bit different… this is just what I have gathered thus far). If it is decided that the couple is a good match it is at this time that the future bride and groom are able to communicate- get to know each other (alone).
Eva’s uncle explained that not only must the woman and man be a good match (caste, horoscopes, height, beliefs, future plans, etc.) but the families must fit together. Generally, after the couple is married the wife will move in with the groom’s family (most homes here are multiple family dwellings). She will assume the household tasks given to her by her mother-in-law. I don’t know a lot of details about the actually marriage ceremony (it is supposed to be quite the production- generally between 1,000- 2,000 guests)… Eva and I have been invited to attend the wedding reception of one of the physicians from the hospital. The doctor is in forensic medicine and will be getting married this Sunday. It should be an interesting event- we will be wearing saris to the reception.
Now I mentioned above that part of a couple being a good match is being members of the same caste. The caste system is the basic social structure of Hindu society and although it is not as strong today as it once was… it is definitely still present. For example, here at the house there is a girl, about 12 years old, named Lakshmi who helps Auntie with the house work. She is actually the daughter of the family who farms the land owned by Eva’s family (if that makes sense). Lakshmi lives here at the house and attends school in Dharward (which is a better school than the one she would attend growing up on the farm)- she helps cook and clean in exchange for room and board you could say. Even though the family likes her very much, she is a member of a lower caste and thus eats off of different dishes than we do and sleeps on the floor near the stairwell (even though there are about 6 empty beds in the house). Our driver, who takes us to and from the college everyday, is also a member of a lower caste and thus takes his tea out of different cups than we do. It is all very strange to me.
I, being totally unfamiliar with the details of this system, did a little reading in Lonely Planet… here is what I found out. In Hindu society there are 4 castes and below these 4 main castes are the Untouchables or Dalits (menial laborers- sweepers or latrine cleaners). The castes, from top to bottom, are as follows- Brahmin (priets and teachers), Kshatriya (warriors), Vaishya (merchants), and Shudra (laborers). It is thought that if one lives a moral life it is more probable that one will be reborn into a higher caste with better circumstances. Again, in India today the caste system is definitely weakened and far less rigid… but its presence can still be felt.
Eva and I have been enjoying Indian television in the evenings… there are about 3 channels in English. The channels actually broadcast some descent shows… Seinfeld, Friends, Scrubs, Arrested Development and some alright movies. However, more fascinating than the shows are the commercials. It is interesting all that can be learned from a society’s advertisements. For example, there is a commercial (which airs repeatedly) for men’s face wash… and what makes this face wash special is that it whitens your skin. It is called Nivea White for Men (sp?). So…. while Americans are spending loads of money trying to achieve that sun kissed summer glow… Indians are spending money on face soap that will make their skin whiter. There are similar advertisements for women’s face wash. Whiter skin is desirable because it says something about your social status- if your face is light you must work indoors and make more money than the dark skinned man who works in the sun as a laborer.
Onto the next topic… Eva and I have noticed a difference in the maturity level of the second year medical students here at SDM and the second year medical students at the U of I. For instance, the other day we sat down the in a classroom in the Department of Pediatrics with the batch of second year students we were posted with. Eva and I sat in the middle of the second row. Instantly all of the students moved their chairs behind us and one another so that they would be in the back of the classroom, farthest from the professor. Come to find out the medical education system is a bit different here in India… making the age of the students a bit different. In the States, after completing 12th grade, one must earn a bachelors degree (4 years), then attend medical school (4 years), and then complete a residency program in a particular specialty (minimum 3 years)… after this you are a full fledged doctor. In India, after completing 10th grade, one must attend college-11th and 12th grade-(2 years), and then medical school to earn a bachelors degree in medicine (5.5 years including internship)… after this you can practice medicine. There is the option in India to do a postgraduate degree in order to become a specialist (three years). What this basically all means is that at age 23 (my age), I would be practicing medicine already in India, rather than having at least 6 more years to go in the States. At home we must attend 11 years of education (minimum) after 12th grade to become a doctor. Here in India it is just five and a half years after 12th grade. So our fellow 2nd year medical students at SDM are on average 18-19 years old… this would explain the boys punching each other in the arm while the girls are trying to interview a patient : )
We are nearing the end of our time here in Dharward and are in our last posting- community medicine. While it has been a bit of a struggle conveying to the department that we want to spend as much time seeing patients as possible (and as little time in lecture as possible- the Head of Department designed a two week lecture schedule for Eva and I specifically) the posting has been very interesting so far. The Medical Council of India requires that all medical schools in India provide an opportunity for their students to learn about community medicine by establishing and staffing an Urban Health Training Center (UHTC) and a Rural Health Training Center (RHTC). These centers are basically outreach clinics which provide extremely affordable healthcare to the citizens of the lowest socioeconomic class. Patients pay 10 Rupees a month (a quarter) for unlimited treatment at the UHTC and 5 Rupees a month at the RHTC. While the clinics are by no means all encompassing facilities… they do both have 2-3 exam rooms, a small lab (to do blood and urine tests), a pharmacy (all meds are free after the monthly fee has been paid), and immunization programs. If a patient requires further care and is unable to afford the services of SDM Hospital (it is a private facility) they are referred to the free government hospital in Hubli. Each center is staffed by about 15 people (5 doctors) and serves a population of about 30,000 people. The centers are open from 9 AM – 1 PM (6 days a week) during which on average between 80 and 120 patients are seen. The UHTC is located near the slums around Dharward. The RHTC is located in Wayadad, a village of about 3,200 people about 40 minutes drive from Dharward.
Our last day at SDM will be Thursday, July 12th. On Friday Eva and I will take the train to Bangalore. We will be spending the weekend with her uncle in Bangalore… and possibly taking a day trip to Mysore. On Monday, July 16th we will fly to Delhi for a North India Highlights tour (visiting Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udiapur). The tour will end in Mumbai on July 26th. We will then do some sightseeing in Mumbai (hopefully take in a Bollywood movie or two) before flying home the night of July 31st. I am not sure what the internet access will be like at our various destinations… and seeing as we are moving cities almost every other day… I can’t guarantee updates on my Blog… but I will try : )
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