Pics from July 10th

Hello all,

We are having major problems getting photos on the blog, but still trying. If it doesn't happen in the next couple of days, we'll be sure to share them with you when we are home very soon!

Having a busy last week in Leh wrapping up projects and evaluating everything.

Julley,
A, J, E & A.

Busy Busy Leh

Julley!

The past week in leh has been full of many events....making a signing movie at Chuchot Hostel, building playground equipment, making a wheeled mobility base and a back carrier, putting together learning boxes for schools...and of course some fun!
We are heading off this morning for 9 more days in the remote villages and will be back with many more pics on the 20th. Hope you are all well.

Lex, Jen, Eileen, Kate & Aaron

p.s. Goodbye Kate- we miss you already!!

I tried 3 times to load new pictures but its not working so more for next time!

Villages Trip 1- Part 4 (last one)

Last but definitely not least...
We have to acknowledge our "last comic standing"...Mrs. Eileen Fogarty-Ellis!! She is keeping us all in good spirits with her hilarious "Eileen-isms" that we have started to record. Here are a few choice ones...

June 24th: "I would sell my soul to the devil for a cold beer!" (said during long, oh so very long Khaltse workshops)

June 30th: "Next time I come to Ladakh, I am bringing my car." (said after a very long, hot and bouncy bus trip)

July 1st: "Going to the bathroom at night is like the 7 gates of hell!" (no explanation needed!)

July 3rd: "I can't whistle---I'd be back and forth on this bus for the rest of my life" (in response to having to whistle in order to get the bus to stop)

Thanks Eileen- keep them coming!

Pic #1: Eileen assessing/reading a book to Chorol- a 16 year-old with Down Syndrome who is going to school now (after many years away) only because Health Inc. is providing respite to her and walking her to and from school once per week. She loves school!

Pic #2: Water play! A new introduction at Dho school for the little ones to learn through different senses. They have never seen this before in Ladakh!

Pic #3: The Hearing Team: Dadul, Ladol, Kate, Tashi and Stanzin. They screeened 212 people in 4 village days and found about 10% with hearing issues.

Pic #4: Lex & Chorol showing off her cute lunch! Milk in a coke bottle (with rice/curry in the other package)!

Pic #5: The sandbox under construction and well on its way! Another design/sensory learning project. Looking good...it will be finished on our next trip out.


That's it for now. We hope you enjoy all of these...and we'll update once more before heading out to villages again on July 11th. Julley!!

Villages Trip 1- Part 3

We told you there were lots of pics....in case you hadn't noticed, we split up into smaller teams so that the HEALTH staff could work together with us more easily. That's why the pics are separated a bit between people.

Pic #1: Spalzes (12 years old) looking through some drawings (by our designers) for her mobility options. She has ostegenesis imperfecta. This is a big project for this year as we met Spalzes last year and she is quite something. We are also going to be doing some modifications to their outdoor toilet and figuring out the best option for her going back to school.

Pic #2: Measuring Spalzes for her back carrier and mobilty device. She is not walking anymore so needs various options.

Pic #3: The Maggi (noodles) party outside Spalzes grandma's house! A really good day!

Pic #4: Dadul & Tree on top of our 1-room house doing what they do best- transcription for the research project!

Pic #5: Aaron trying out a rock carrier with one of the village kids---we hope to adapt this for Spalzes. The kids were great- helped us find walking routes around the village and followed us like we were pied pipers---not into any mountains though ;)

Villages Trip 1- Part 2

And the pics keep on coming...

Pic #1: Packing the bus---we got to see Tree for a few lovely days while she was collecting data for the research---as always, she jumps in right away helping load the bags on top of the bus with Aaron on the ladder and Jen hoisting things up.

Pic #2: We got to learn how to make some Ladakhi food! Here we are being taught how to make a dish that we can't remember the Ladakhi name for, but the end result looks like little noodle pants, so that's what we dubbed it. This is in Hanu Gongma village.

Pic #3: Sweet little Norphel and his dad and little brother. We spent a couple of days assessing him for a comfortable seat, constructing it and even adding in a mobile for stimulation.

Pic #4: A beautiful view of Hanu Gongma. Breath taking.

Pic #5: Lex & Tree in our one-room sleeping quarters (for 6 of us!) in Hanu Thang village. It was "hot-as-Hades" in there but so lovely to have time to hang out. The very generous school teacher let us her house for the night!

Villages Trip 1- Part 1

Julley in July!

We are back from our first sojourn out to the remote villages and have lots to share with you. It was an interesting (and exhausting!) trip with amazing kids, incredible scenery and tonnes of learning.

Here are some pics and since there were so many good ones to share, we have to make a few separate posts.

Hope you are all having a great July so far,
Lex, Jen, Kate, Eileen and Aaron

p.s. We miss you Marcy!!!

Pic #1: Kate & Eileen upon completion of their workshop on special education for community health workers
Pic #2: Two of our fearless leaders- Dadul & Stanba on a tea break during the workshops in the Khaltse hospital
Pic #3: Our token pregnant guy, Aaron, being a good sport and helping Jen, Lex & Eileen out in their workshop on milestones and normal development. Drama is always a good thing here!
Pic #4: Eileen relaxing on her bed in the pediatric ward- where the girls stayed in the hosptial; we made the guys stay in the OBGYN ward! (Its a new hospital so no patients yet- don't worry- we weren't taking beds away from people ;)
Pic #5: Ladakhi dancing- the guys entertaining us at the hospital after hours!