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Some people have asked me to describe a typical day here at the hospital. So here goes.


8:00 AM – Wake up, Exercise
8:30 AM – Toilet, Shower, Shave
9:00 AM – Breakfast
9:30 AM – Go to the office and do whatever work must be done for the day
11:30 AM – Break from work because it has become too hot
1:00 PM – Lunch
1:30 PM – Return to room and work or relax if it is too hot
3:30 PM – Return to office and hope someone is there to do some work
5:00 PM – Play some Frisbee or cricket
6:30 PM – Rinse off after Frisbee
7:00 PM – Make some phone calls/write my Blog/Play cards/Watch a movie
10:00 PM – Dinner
10:30 PM – Write my Blog/Watch a movie/Read a book
12:00 AM – Sleep

This is a typical day at the hospital. There is a little variation from this routine, but not much. I enjoy having a strict routine like this (for a while) because it adds an element of predictability to an otherwise unpredictable environment.

Here what you are able to do changes all the time. The electricity goes out, there is no water, or it is too hot to breathe are all common everyday challenges that you must meet. Not having electricity is not a problem for the most part because there is very little to do that requires electricity. If the water thanks are empty it is time to grab a bucket, and have a bucket shower by the well. When it is too hot to breathe, you just find a shady spot, grab a bottle of water, and think cool thoughts.

All the challenges that I faced my first time coming here are now just everyday occurrences. That doesn’t mean that I am running out of challenges. Overcoming these has just allowed me to tackle more difficult challenges, and to try to push further and harder. I like challenges. I like to be tested and prove myself worthy. It is a great feeling.

One thing India has taught me is to redefine success. Most of my efforts over here have met with failure (by my standards). And it is difficult to cope with what I view as near constant failure. I have had to define new success parameters, I have had to change the way I work and think, and I have had to learn to live with half-successes. I have learned to remove myself from what I am doing, and constantly reassess and re-evaluate. I am learning how to better adapt to conditions beyond my control. I am, essentially, getting better as I go along.

God I love a challenge.