We’re back in Canada but there was so much going on the last week in Nepal that I completely neglected to publish a final post to summarize our trip. After the Cow Festival, we spent less time at the hospital and spent a week in Chitwan. Geoff and I took an elephant driving course and participated in several tourist activities such as a canoe ride down the river, jungle safari, walk through the village, visit the elephant breeding center, museum tour and of course elephant rides! The course was fun and we learned how to care for them, drive them and tune in to a bit of elephant behaviour so we could better understand how to interact with the elephants. As promised, I have added many pictures to this post but if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!
Overall this trip was fantastic for teaching me to 'go with the flow' and drink in the culture of Nepal. I am very grateful to the people at the clinic that patiently explained differences to me (in English!) on pregnancy, labour and birth in Nepal versus North America. I am especially thankful to the mothers and families that allowed me to be present and help (but mostly observe) despite language barriers. Although my time was split between the clinic and being a tourist on this trip, I feel that the learning that took place during those afternoons huddled in the gynecologists office, crowded in the birth room or standing at the foot of the surgical table more than made up for my time gallivanting around Nepal. So...what's next for me? I feel the need to gain more experience in my hometown as a doula and be grounded for a little while before beginning the application process for the midwifery programs I would like to attend in September 2012.
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