Mumbai: We went to Mumbai this weekend for a bit of sightseeing. I got some good pictures, but I can't load them here. =/ I need to find a different internet cafe for that I think. Anyway, just imagine some really good pictures of some really impressive stuff. I did manage to find a really amazing restaurant, too. I had some crab (that was not spicy) and I was very, very happy. =] Nate and I saw the Gateway of India (this big gateway looking thing), the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower (wow, good thing we didn't try to afford a room there), some monkeys (they were just running around wild in all sorts of craziness....but only four...and they were in a wildlife reserve...and they were mostly just sitting there), Chowpatty Beach (filthy, but nice view from around the sides), Mani Bhavan (sp?) the Mahatma Gandhi museum), lots of street vendors, lots of other tourists, and some excellent Catholic churches. We went to mass in one on Sunday Morning at the Holy Name Cathedral. It was pretty impressive. There were statues of saints all along the sides and angels painted on the ceiling (just imagine all this too). It was cool when everyone shard the peace with each other - instead of shaking hands like they do in the U.S., everyone turned around and bowed to each other. =] We stayed in a nice hotel for one night...but only because some jerk quoted us the wrong price on the phone. When we got to the hotel and he wanted to charge us a whole lot for just one night, and told us he would charge us for one night whether we stayed or not, we decided to stay. He had booked this ridiculously large room with three beds, even though I asked for a double. I wasn't pleased with him. However, the bed was super comfy and I stole all the pillows and slept on the whole pile. And I had my first hot shower in three weeks. Definitely worth it in the end. Luckily our coordinators/contact people in Mumbai had our backs - they called up a bunch of hotels in the area and found us a cheaper one for Saturday and Sunday nights. So for nights two and three we stayed in a tiny tiny tiny room...with no hot shower..no private shower, in fact. But the people working there were way nicer and even charged us 100 Rs less per night than the room was supposed to cost. McDonalds: I never thought much of it, but man is it good after three weeks of unfamiliar food. Mostly the fries carried me through the weekend. And Ronald McDonald saved us a seat by him on his bench every time we came in! (Nate wouldn't pose for a picture)...(Neither would I)...(But you can go ahead and imagine both). New NGO: Nate and I checked out a new NGO today. We got to spend the day with three medical interns (just completed medical school, practicing for their first year). They were 22-year-old doctors! I felt really unaccomplished. =p They were doing their rural rotation at the NGO we visited and learning about rural medicine and public health. They were fun to talk to about the differences in schooling and stuff. Junior college here starts at age 15, where you go for your bachelor's of either arts, sciences, or commerce. After that, it's on to additional education if you want. So that's how people become doctors at 22. =] I have to end this now because my internet membership thingy is going to expire on me. And because I keep sneezing and I'm getting sick and want to go back to my bungalow. =p Thanks for all the notes. I will write people back next time I can get online!