Worth the Wait

I forgot to mention that my company officially hired me as a paid consultant when I arrived. This makes coming back to India completely worth it. Simultaneously, my school recently asked me to stay in India longer to work as a consultant for them. I haven't heard back since they mentioned this to me by email. Either way, today the chief HRO asked me to start filling out some paperwork. Afterwards she asked me why my last consultancy to work for my school in Indonesia paid me only 832Rs ($16) an hour. I laughed. I then asked her if she realized I was a free volunteer right now. She looked very shocked.

This company is the perfect example that a global health "consulting" firm is not typical global health.

Well, this would be much better news if I didn't have the slight problem that I showed up in India on a tourist visa... I'm sure converting it will be some sort of mind-exploding bureaucratic saga. Can't wait.

We are closing out our last phase of our family planning project with USAID now. A ton of consultants from the DC office are here and I am no longer the only American.

Delhi is slowly becoming Christmas-y, but it's not the same.

I've been eating a lot of Subway.

I lost my voice because of the smog and cold for a week.

I've become a legitimate part of my friend circle here. I'm not that friend from the US of that guy over there. In fact, last Friday, I made the plan to go out and invited everyone. Imagine! I am planning nights out for a group of friends that live in a country that is not mine.

I am very happy. As usual. As expected. Only in India.