So.

I emailed people about the community development/project manager thing in India and they said they might be willing to extend the placement from 8 weeks to 12, which is the amount of weeks this internship needs to be. I am getting really excited. And I hope when I present this proposal to the people in charge of international placement they accept it.

I decided I want to do this more because I am more interested in research and social policy implementation (is that a word?) in this area. I need a strong background in research for grad school, and I am seriously questioning my ability to be able to stand 12 weeks in an orphanage for disabled children and not have a nervous breakdown. I remember being overwhelmed with tears sometimes after volunteering with the autistic/cerebral palsy children with the Ontario Music Therapy Association - and these kids weren't living in complete poverty and had a fighting chance due to adequate health care, loving parents, and music. But then again these children might need that.

Orphanage: running water/electricity/maybe internet
Rural India: no running water/electricity/internet when i go in to town every weekend. but i get to completel immerse myself in to their culture and be in charge of creating environmentally friendly social programs for farmers and their families. I mean come on.

Eh fuck it I'll propose both.

I'm trying to figure out how much it will cost me to travel around India when I'm done. I want to check out the north, and Puna, and Delhi, and Mumbai, all of which I heard was beautiful, and maybe go to Nepal. And try to go to Dubai. But I don't know how expensive that will be.

My mom is now convinced I won't die of food poisoning. Instead she's telling there's always earthquakes in India and she's worried I'll die from that. I told her the major carnage happens in the cities, where people are packed in like sardines, and that's not going to happen in the country, unless mother Earth herself opens me up and swallows me whole.

As we headed out of Barnes and Noble last night she shoved a package in my hand. Inside the bag were two travel books on India, so I could better plan it.

I guess I finally have her blessing :)