Robin Gebbie

I used the funds provided from the Heinz Endowments to finance a nine-week trip to India from mid-May until mid-July of 2008. My main purpose during this time was as a volunteer in an Indian hospital, an arrangement made through the organization Projects Abroad. The organization placed me in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, in a crowded town called Virudhunagar, a name which I tried to pronounce over and over again during my time in India, but never seemed to get right judging from the blank looks on locals’ faces. I lived and worked at Lysander Hospital, a relatively large private hospital run by three entertaining Indian brothers. I spent weekdays in Virudhunagar at the hospital, but was fortunate to travel through South India every single weekend, which broadened my experiences and helped expand my perspective on India. I also spent twelve days backpacking in North India, which was a fantastic cultural experience.