Thrown back into the spin-cycle...or am I?

These are the Chars- my host family at Mahyco

Being back in the states is nothing if not bitter sweet. The reason I haven't written in so long is that I can't completely decide how I feel- I'm elated and energized to be back at school with my friends; I'm honored that I have been elected as the dorm chair; I am a nervous wreck that I might mess it up...but most of all I am confused about how to take my summer and cherish it forever. Staying in India, working at Mahyco, and getting to know all the wonderful people there, was truly life changing- but how do I tell the world? I don't know if you have ever felt this way, but it's something like wanting to stand up on a rooftop and annouce to the population over a loudspeaker that India was the best thing that ever happened to you, yet the passersby don't offer you a passing glance- they just don't understand what they are missing!

Even more than my need convince some hunger fighter progeny to attend the World Food Prize next year, I am constantly trying to continue my work, that way I am always moving forward, building on past experiences as my momentum. In that way, I absolutely must find a way to present my work and get some help to keep learning about molecular biology, and I would be elated if that rescource could come from my school.

But for now, I am just trying to digest all the things I learned while abroad, my friends, my lab-mates...and how emensely I am missing them.

If you are reading this, I miss you all so much, and the picture you made me is hung in my dorm room!

 love,

Meow <3

 This is my roomate, along with some of our best dorm-decorating work! It has nothing to do with science, but I suppose even the most dedicated hunger fighters have to have a little fun!

Haploids, Bubble-Wrap and the Olympics

Over the past week or so, a lot has gone on here at Mahyco, mostly in the lab where as always we work sincerely but not seriously :)

This week I had the ultimate biological epiphany: not every organism has chromosomes in pairs of two. Now imagine me, sitting in front of someone that clearly knows what they are talking about, and blatantly saying, "No, that's not possible. That's not a thing."
And then Sheetal would sigh and flip over the sheet of paper, starting a third or fourth attempt at explaining what should have been an easy topic.
"Now...when you say 22 chromosomes in a set, you mean 22 pairs of chromosomes in a set."
"No, I mean 22 chromosomes make a set."
"Nahi! But chromosomes have to come in pairs or it won't even be a living thing!" I was getting really frustrated. I just assumed she was talking in theory, not in actual living things.
And this same argument carried on until finally, she said, "Only in humans! Humans have pairs of chromosomes, not plants!"
And then I had the epiphany of the decade, suddenly understanding the concept of polyploidy.
Thank you so much for putting up with me, Sheetal!


For another glimpse of what goes on here in the lab, imagine this:

In a multi-million dollar laboratory, up two flights of polished red stairs, hidden behind an elaborate security check-point system, past lines of computers, digital DNA freezers, turning right past the industry's most advanced laboratory robot, in front of two electrophoresis DNA chip-reading machines: you will find four apron-clad scientist popping a sheet of bubble wrap.

We have loads of fun here in the lab :)


The last highlight of my week is the Olympics. As I write this, we are watching the Indian archery team face off against the Japanese in the first round. It was a suspenseful match, and came down to a shoot-out after the 24-shot round was declared a tie. (won in the last stretch by the Japanese)
The coverage of the Olympics here is absolutely spectacular! They show every event, even the most unknown ones. I have found this type of coverage much more appealing, because you learn new games and find perfect strangers to cheer for until the end.
India has a good chance at gold this year in several events, and I can't wait to experience the excitement for them as the games continue.

My work here at Mahyco

Some quick updates:
We have nearly finished our initial project on Bacterial Leaf Blight in rice, and we are beginning the process once again with Sheath Blight. If you want to learn more about what I'm doing, just google search "molecular markers". Also, I sent my overview project to Ms. Fleming last week. For those of you reading this that don't specialize in molecular biology, here is that broad summary:

In the long run, we hope to identify those plants with multiple immunity QTLs so that the breeders can create a line of rice with lasting resistance to disease. It is much less likely that a pathogen can adapt to infect a plant with multiple resistance genes.

For my two month period in India, I am working in the Molecular Biology lab along side Sheetal Bhosle, my mentor and teacher. We are working to either validate previous studies on rice’s molecular markers, or to analyze genotypes based on pre-validated molecular markers. More specifically, we are focusing on analyzing Mahyco’s 34 rice genotypes for resistance genes to bacterial and sheath blight. Molecular analysis is necessary because to develop lasting resistance, a plant should have multiple different resistance genes. If a breeder were to attempt this the conventional way, there would be no way to differentiate between those plants with multiple resistance genes and those with only one.

A molecular marker is a piece of DNA sequence that is located near or on a gene that we wish to confirm in the genotype. For almost a century scientists have been tagging and arranging genes and gene-groups (known as Quantitative Trait Loci, or QTLs) that control favorable traits so that they can be identified on a molecular level, saving many generations of time for the breeder. The basic principle is this: the closer a marker is located to the gene you want within a chromosome, the higher the probability that one will not exist without the other. For example, a high-yielding plant can be tagged with two known genetic markers. In the next generation, if 1 in 100 plants have the first marker, but are no longer high yielding, while 10 of 100 plants contain the second marker but are not high yielding, we can conclude that the first marker is closer on the chromosome to the desired trait of high yield.

To begin our test across primers and genotypes, we first collected DNA samples from seeds. DNA extraction involves the crushing of the outer shell, disturbance of the cell wall, binding of the DNA to silica powder, then the use of water and ethanol to remove all polar and non polar contaminants.

Once the DNA is prepared, we can begin to test for the existence of our molecular markers that are linked with resistance to bacterial leaf or sheath blight. Each well in a 96-sample plate is given 5 micro liters of DNA. Then, a master mix including the forward and reverse primers, water a buffer, dNTP and Taq polymerase enzyme is added to each sample. The process that takes place in the PCR machine is thus: the samples are heated to denature the DNA. Next, the Taq enzyme replicated the process of DNA replication in our own cells as is facilitates the reforming of the sequence within our forward and reverse primers. In other words, as the system cools, the primers cut a segment of DNA which is then replicated. After 35 cycles, we should have 2 to the 35th copies of our desired sequence.

After the samples have completed their PCR amplification, we must test to ensure that the sequence was amplified before sending the samples to more precise equipment for analysis. To test for amplification, we place a row of randomly selected samples into an agarose gel. We place the gel in a buffer solution within a battery. DNA is negatively charged and will head one side as the cathode and anode create charged areas. Once completely diffused, the EtBr within the gel allows us to see the DNA under a black light. If it is clear that there are strands of more than 50 base pairs amplified, the PCR was successful.

For a more thorough analysis, the samples that are known to be amplified are placed in a MultiNA machine. This device works the same way as the agarose gel, but the computer can analyze the exact concentration of each specific base pair length within the sample. Though time consuming, we can use MultiNA results to confirm the existence of our desired marker and whether or not it was polymorphic.

The Vedic Expo

Here is the first in a series of short stories from my trip here in India...hope you enjoy! (Everything in these tidbits is 100% true story)

     As I watched the red sandstone and white marble spires appear over the horizon, I couldn't help but think: How many different famous temples can there possibly be in this city!? But, as with everything in Delhi, this one was nothing like I expected. We drove over a cobblestone hill, though the stones had been almost buried in sand due to lack of monsoon rains. As I gathered my things, I had a "conversation" with the driver- as I stepped out of the vehicle, I prayed that had understood my instructions. I would be back soon; this looked like a fairly simple landmark. One quick lap, some pictures, then finished and on my way to lunch…or so I predicted. I popped my scarf over my sweaty forehead and was off, kurti flopping in the dusty wind. After clambering about the temple to Krishna, I wondered why the driver had suggested several hours for this stop- it seemed entirely straightforward. I descended into the air-conditioned building below the temple, and attempted to blend in- needless to say, an American girl in Indian clothes, a headscarf and sunglasses receives the same number, if not more blank stares from others around her. I met the first glares with smiles, but after some time, I quietly made my way out. Clearly, tourists don't frequent this particular Hindu temple. On the way back up the slope, I noticed a neon poster with "Vedic Expo" splashed across in neat print. Elated at the chance to see some authentic Indian artwork, I veered into what would become one of the scariest, and later, most hilarious experiences of my trip. Ticket in hand, I was directed to the waiting area. In the distance, I could hear the guides arguing over whose English was best; he should be the for my tour. I could hear the whole conversation because, not only was I the only American at the entire monument…I was the only person at all inside the expo. Seconds later a man that looked to be in his forties, about my height and with an expression of indifference called me to a huge metal door: the start of the show. The door pushed sideways and disappeared into the wall to reveal nothing but shear blackness. I turned to my guide, wondering what the problem was. Had the power gone out? He responded by shining a flashlight into the emptiness. "Stand in the light," he directed.

Mouth agape, I must have appeared to be the stereotypical tourist of the decade. Stepping away, I stammered, "Why?"
He responded bluntly, "The show ma'am. Stand there, back to the wall."
Needless to say, I was not appeased by this answer. I stood there, helpless and confused. I was not about to enter a pitch-black room with a middle-aged man and stand with the door closed behind us. No-sir-ee-bob. My grandmother's voice rang in my head, "stay away from perverts…" (our family joke, which, in this case, took on a more serious tone) I looked, dumbfounded, back at the tour guide, and he burst into laughter. At his point, I am about to just leave in panic when I turn and notice the judgmental glares from the other employees. At this, I steeled my nerve and descended into the room, right where his flashlight indicated. Th guide shut the door and we were both engulfed in complete darkness.
To my surprise, he knelt down and pressed a button, bringing the whole room ablaze with light and color. I suddenly felt the weight of how stupid my fears were…although my expression in the sudden glow was enough to make the guide roar with laughter.
I breathed a sigh of relief as the lights danced in front of me, illuminating carved faces of krishna. The god's voice bounced off the walls and left no space untouched. I was annoyed to find that when the show was complete, the guide walked past me and opened a second door into darkness. Being relieved but still understandably anxious, I had already turned to escape from whence we came. The guide, however, motioned for me to follow, continuing deeper into what seemed like "Vedic spelunking".
Despite all its strangeness, the various rooms with their respective light shows were incredibly educational; topics ranged from the soul to karma to yoga and even reincarnation. The final stop was by far, the most "interesting": a metaphor for krishna's guiding hand within a "maze of confusion." Th tour had been moving along systematically until this final test against confusion…and my patience. 
Inside the final exhibit was a figure 8 of mirrors, complete with hexagonal-cylinders of mirrors filling in the loops. Inside these columns were two huge TV sets. The lights shown a dim gold and the screens displayed a simple PowerPoint slide of "Hare Hare Krishna Krishna". An inescapable loop of a men's choir singing these lines blasted throughout the room. I walked through the loop to find my guide, and I looked at him expectantly. He simply waited, appearing to me as if he wasn't going anywhere. After a few seconds of this staring stand-off, he signed for me to follow him round the figure 8. After some laps, we again reached the start, when he finally sighed and said, "You're supposed to become lost." I stood there, annoyed.
"I'm not lost. This is enough; I get the point."
I surveyed the small chamber and fixed my eyes longingly on the poorly-disguised door behind the guide. "There is no way out!" he said, following my gaze.
Frustrated, I ambled around once more, putting on the most ridiculous act of confusion: turning circles, seemingly awestruck at the complexity that was this bedroom-sized puzzle.
Pleased with my show, and himself apparently, he opened the door at last, washing us both in bright light from the lobby. He reached to shake my hand, but I pretended that I didn't see. Speeding out the door and leaving my water bottle behind, I never looked back. I met the driver at our pre-planned spot and we zipped away toward my next destination.


Delhi was a wonderful experience, but I just don't think my trip would have been complete without this strange event. So, I recommend that anyone in India see the Vedic expo...just make sure to bring a friend, and know what you're getting into!

Q&A in a Mahyco Lab

Throughout my stay, I have encountered several interesting questions, most of them catching me off guard. I thought I would share some of these moments with everyone!


Q: Are you getting?
A: Ummm...yeah. Yeah, I get it...
*This dialogue happens no less than ten times each day as I try and grasp new concepts in the lab, but by now everyone can tell whenever I am just trying to be polite or if I actually understand what they are telling me.


Q: Why is Plasmid DNA round?
A: Because...well...in a cell, umm well...( and then everyone proceeded to search high and low for the answer to his question, until...) "Wrong! Plasmid DNA is round because you separate it in a centrifuge and as it goes round and round and round, it becomes round!" (This answer was followed by angry sighs by the scientists working to solve the mystery)


Q: Can you put that sample in the freezer so it will unfreeze?
A: Sure...wait...What?
*So before we can do any work with the sample trays, we have to take them out of a -20 C freezer, and place them in a refrigerator so they will thaw, but this wasn't completely clear at first.


Q: Do you want a mango?
A: YES YES YES!!


Q: Would you rather the milk be hot or warm?
A: Well...I guess if it's got to be either of those, I want it hot...
*This happened this morning at breakfast as I took my first sip of milk and nearly gagged: it was warm. In order to explain my facial expression, I let my host know that I wasn't used to warm milk. He responded by asking if I prefer it hot.


Q: What college to you go to?
A: Contrary to what everyone seems to think, I don't go to college yet...


Q: What are you majoring in?
A: Well I am not ready to pick that yet! In America we still have several more years to choose.
*In India, you must pick your specialization at the age of 16.


Q: What is "I don't want to work" in French?
A: Je ne veux pas travailler.
*Then the person I was teaching proceeded to turn around and tell her boss.


Q: Who is your favorite cricket player?
A: I have honestly never seen a game of cricket...it's like baseball, right?
*Shocked gasps from everyone in the room...


Q: Do you want some fennel seeds
A: NOOOOO....thank you.
*If you had ever had these, they are pungent and bitter. I had no idea what they tasted like the first time I was offered them, so naturally I took a table spoon of them and put them in my mouth...I couldn't breathe for several minutes the flavor was so strong.


Q: Do you want to learn Nautilus?
A: Umm...not really.
*Nautilus is the software that archives the data collected in the lab, and all the scientists are required to go to one hour of training every other day. Much to my surprise, I was invited to join, but knowing my own technological weaknesses (computers hate me), I respectfully declined.


Q: What time should we actually arrive to the office?
A: Around 9:15 in the morning, and around 2:00 after lunch.
*Work starts at 9:00 and lunch in over at 1:30.

Work sincerely, not seriously!

I love working in the lab here at Mahyco. The workers there are so sweet and inviting, and they are willing to answer all of my questions. I have learned so much in just one week that I’m having to write it all down each day so I don’t lose the information. Sheetal, my supervisor/teacher likes the motto “work sincerely, not seriously.” This perfectly frames the atmosphere here as everyone takes time to tell jokes and make others a “bukra”. The ultimate goal is the same for everyone: by using genetic markers and laboratory tools, Mahyco wants to make creating ideal varieties faster for breeders and growers, but their vision is to feed the world.

Yesterday we took a trip to Aurangabad...separate trips that is. I experienced what it’s like to a) be in a car on Indian roads-- let’s just say law and order would not describe it and b) to be driven by a hired driver somewhere. Because, according to him, I knew “tora tora” Hindi, our drive was quiet except for his cell phone calls and some Hindi hits playing on the radio. The highlight of the journey was realizing the corny musical numbers advertising radio stations are the same here as in America--complete with back-up singers and bee-bopping music.

Once in the city, I met my first group of American students, also living on the Mahyco campus, but working with the eye hospital elsewhere. It was loads of fun having a large dinner party and touring their guest houses afterwards. To top off the night, we carries umbrellas and enjoyed the gorgeous weather.

Tomorrow, I am moving across the street into another house for a month or so, because there are two girls around my age that are going to be home. I have loved my time with the Char family, and I look forward to spending another couple weeks with them near the end of my trip.

As for the creepy-crawlies, there seems to be a bandicoot living in the pipes in one of the houses down the street. That’s why all the drains are covered in rocks-- it keeps anything from setting up shop in the pipes. Also, some of the students want to see some cobras, which live on the jogging trail, so maybe we will go on an expedition soon!

June 12- Nicknames at Tea Time

Laying in bed in my beautiful host home in Jalna, India, I awoke to the sounds of exotic birds singing, including peacocks that, to me, sounded like cats. I turned on the light and turned on the air conditioning-- it is above 90 degrees F, even in the morning! To my surprise there was a gecko, sitting on my wall next to a lanky old spider like they paid rent or something. As one of my friends suggested, I will have to ask the lizard for a discount on my car insurance as soon as he emerges from the folds of my curtains again.

I walked for the first time on my own to the office, arriving on time, which is five minutes early in Indian time. When someone finally did let me into the office, I found that I was matching one of my coworkers! This is rare event in America, but it is exponentially cooler that I was wearing a similar outfit to a coworker at a biology lab on the other side of the world.

I went home for lunch, but no one was in yet--it was just me and the housekeeper. I was waiting in the bedroom when she came running in, holding a bottle of eyedrops in her hand. She speaks zero English, and I can only guess that what she wanted was for me to speak to a man on the phone and tell him what kind of eyedrops they were. I told the men on the phone several times the brand name, the date, the ingredients even, but none of them could understand me, and I just hope that was actually what I was supposed to do in the first place! Either way, it was interesting to experience first hand what it’s like to have no language in common; the barrier was astonishing.

As I ate my lunch of “chital” and cluster beans, someone came to the door and rang the bell. Instead of the normal ding-dong, the bell was a mix of Bollywood theme songs. Apparently, all the buildings had been installed with them, but due to their annoyance and impracticality, everyone but this house had installed new ones.
Two of my coworkers have names that translate into words. My supervisor, Sheetal’s name means “cool.” So, every time I use the expression “that’s cool”, I turn and give her funny face. Another scientist at the lab’s name is “Mayur” (I spelled that phonetically). His name means “Peacock.” Everyone in my lab knows how much this nickname annoys him, so naturally they put me up to calling him that across the lab. Even he couldn’t help but smile as the whole group started to roar with laughter! I’m beginning to think these are really just high school kids like me, in adult bodies with Ph D’s. In fact, I sometimes catch my desk mates sneaking chocolates or using their internet time to shop for shoes or watches...despite the fact that almost no one wears heels or watch bands.

Today I dawned my very own lab outfit, complete with a Mayhco lab coat and bright purple gloves. I felt extremely intelligent as I flaunted these accessories while I pipetted PCR mixture-- I guess I’m just that cool!

Today our PCR amplification didn’t show conclusive results, so we will have to do it again tomorrow. But I’m fine with that as I can now actually help during the process instead of just taking up space and looking over Sheetal’s shoulder.

Regardless, I’m having a great time, and I can’t wait to see what happens next during my journey here in India!

First Day and First Impressions

The ride from the airport taught me two things: 1) never EVER drive in India unless you have  death wish and 2) this is not a ‘third tier city’-- this is a village. The roads were lined with either empty fields awaiting the monsoons or small shanty areas that were filled with people and street-side vendors. It is possible that I saw more goats than people, and the car had to pause and let shepherds cross with their cows and goats. There is clearly no municipal trash collecting, as there was trash everywhere! But, the towns are brightly panted and alive, which makes them beautiful in a different way. Every small town along the way was home to at least one Hindu temple. These were the most colorful buildings with steeples that towered over the huts. None of the farmers had sewn their crops as the monsoon rains had not yet broken. To me, it looked like India was always building something-- the landscape was dotted with rubble and scaffolding along with cleared and tilled soil. But, I am told, when the rains come an day now, the landscape will be transformed!

My home is located in a gated community that seems to be a mix of a vacation resort and a college campus. The front entryway is lines with exotic flowers and every square inch of ground has some kind of garden. There is a clubhouse with a gym, but the times for exercise are different for men and women. On one side of the offices, there are rows of three-story apartment buildings and after that, small one family houses. Security guards are posted at each side of the community with one walking the fence during all hours, even at night.

My room is the perfect size; there are three windows and already I have a gecko on my wall! Apparently they will not leave a wall once they claim it, but they will fight any other gecko that tries to get on the wall with them. I’m hoping to see this in action! My favorite thing so far is the food, and I think it’s only going to get better! My first meal, interestingly, was danishes! They were cooked apple pastries like the ones found in American coffee shops. Next, though, we ate blackened okra and a sauce of garbonzo beans and other pepper-- with our hands. Each person serves themselves with their left hand a round of Indian unleavened bread, then with only the right hand, they tear off chunks and scoop up the meal. To finish, each person gets rice, then dumps the remaining food on top, mixes it and scoops in in their mouths-- with their fingers, of course. I am having way too much fun eating here!

Though my work hours are between 9 and 5:30, the day is peppered with breaks every hour and a half. At these breaks, the employees congregate in the hallway and outside where they can serve themselves hot tea, or a snack from the canteen. Since I live in the colony, lunch is served at home by the housekeeper.

As for my work, I am a little nervous. Not only did most people in the lab assume I was a graduate student, I am also lacking the biology eduction that I need for my work. I spent my whole first day studying because I was so unprepared! I am grateful though, because next year in biology class I will be leaps and bounds ahead. As for my project, I will be determining whether the 30-40 varieties of rice at Mayhco have the ‘xa’ gene- or the gene that makes rice resistant to a certain type of blight. To do this, I will first need to extract DNA, then target the marker that we want to isolate, use PCR and primers to amplify this piece, then analyze the final product for the existence of the gene. I am incredibly nervous about my lack of understanding. Why did the World Food Prize send me here without any of the knowledge that I needed? Regardless, I will learn loads of information, and I am still grateful for the challenge.

Critters

So I have come to realize that critters are pretty much everywhere here-- including my room. This morning I found two new buddies: a gecko and a spider. The funny thing is that I have no idea which one I should be more worried about. Since the lizard is apparently territorial, maybe it will get into a knock-down-drag-out with the spider. More on this as it happens...

Arriving in India

My summer experience began long before I reached the ground in Aurangabad-- even as I was waiting t board the flight in Atlanta, I was already meeting new and interesting people. As I was eagerly awaiting my endless journey, staring up at the pristine building that seemed built especially for me, I was introduced to Nameer, a professional tennis player from Pakistan. He too was on his way to Dubai, and then eventually to his home. Both of us made a deal that neither of us would fall asleep during the fourteen hour flight! Sadly, I drifted of once or twice, but for the better part of what seemed like eternity, I stared bleary-eyed at the screen in front of me, watching four movie and two tv episodes throughout the journey.

Dubai was a beautiful city to see at night; I only wish I could have seen it in the daytime as well. I glimpsed the Burj Kalifa off in the distance, standing leaps and bounds above anything else. I ran through airport to find my gate-- but only after I had gotten lost twice and been stuck in line for an hour. I panted as I handed the man at the desk my ticket, and he giggled, as I was not even late! This trip was only three hours, a meager hop compared to the trek of the last day. God is very good to me, as the gentleman sitting next to me helped me through the process of getting through customs. Without him, I might still be stuck in Mumbai! I was gloomy as I had to wave goodbye to the first friend I had made, but I have his card and an invitation to dinner with him and his wife!

Getting from customs in Mumbai to the tarmac in Aurangabad was another story entirely.  Once through customs, I had to check in for my transfer ticket. Like at almost every other security stop, the guards took time out of both of our busy lives to mess with my pillow pet! I guess at least that means I’m innocent in their eyes. I am in India during the rainy season, so the airport set up a bus system to take us to the other half of the airport for domestic flights. Still, it was quite an experience to outside on the tarmac around the cargo area in order to reach the front doors. 

After a few hours’ wait, I was called to board my next flight, only this time the busses picked us up and dropped us off next to our aircraft, right in the middle of the asphalt. I felt like a dignitary as I walked up the steps into the hull, only to find that my ticket was for a first-class seat with no extra charge! This final jump over the land was less than an hour, and the airport w arrived at was so small that there was no terminal...we just hopped off and we were at the exit door. After 36 hours straight of no sleep, I was somewhat inarticulate when I met my host family and gawked out the window during the 45 minute journey home. To my happy surprise, my family lives on the ‘colony’-- a community located right next to the office-- complete with a gym, a beautiful view, and security guards everywhere.

While Jalna is definitely not what I expected, the journey here was more than enough excitement for me!

10 Days Out-- Feelin' Fine

I'm in the final leg of my seemingly eternal wait for the summer. While I am tragically torn by the thought of my friends' graduation, I find myself packing with a little more excitement-- I am literally so close to possibly the most life-changing journey of my short life! 

Being immersed in something larger than myself, that is, the fight to lift other human beings from the pit of poverty-- to finally make my mark on the international community in an enormous way--  is what I live for, and this summer in India is going to be the springboard for me to become a global citizen. 

I am one of those characters that never wants to lose something once it's gained, and so I earnestly hope to keep the connections I make this summer. I will record every sight, every smell and the many plights of my lab work online, but my plan is to transform my summer experience into something more intricate and long-lasting. 

Come what may, I have confidence in myself, in God and in the goodness of people to get me safely to and from my home this summer. I hope to soak up everything-- I am to become a human sponge, gleaning the surface of places and cultures as I go along.

I recently started reading a book about world peace, and the 11 women winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. Though I cannot claim to have the valor and determination of these heroines, I am internally sparked by their unprecedented passion and peace-building abilities. Maybe, just maybe, I can learn to be like them; to become a servant of the world, while bringing others along with me. 

Yes, this summer in India is a 'job', but it's also exponentially more than that: it's a leap into my future; it's a dip in the fresh water of global citizenship-- a concept that will undoubtedly define us as a species from this generation on.

This summer, I will be taking a risk and trying my heart at a new type of servant leadership. This blog will hold my story and my final, desperate attempt to stay connected while I'm away. It's up to you, the readers (my friends, family, etc.) to take my lessons and be inspired to take leaps of your own!

I'm less than 10 days away from my first trip to Dubai, my first layover, my first 'puddle-jumper', my first bowl of curry, my first elephant, my first stay abroad on my own and, most importantly my first international hunger-fighting venture. 

When I return, those reading may not even recognize me! With a farmer's tan and the smell of curry tattooed through my skin into my soul, I will be a new person-- and I hope others are willing to change along with me!

Love,

Caitlynn Fortner