A life adventure - Slumdog Millionaire

I feel compelled to share my friend's adventure in India. She's a nurse by profession, German born, we met at a Contiki tour in New Zealand. She and another nurse from Finland were working in Sydney and were in South Island for a visit. We got along really well together and kept in touch after all these years - must be more than 7-8 years.

Her name is Anne Mueller, dark black hair, fair complexion and large frame build, elegant face. She went through some tough times some time ago, I never really found out what really happened but she got better. Recently she decided to leave for India to help out at a local hospital in Chennai. She told me she is going to India for some soul searching. I pray that she will find what she is looking for. She's been sending me updates of her daily life - really amazing stories. She's living her Slumdog Millionaire story. Here it is:

hi everyone
so im in india.after 13 hours of travelling i finally arrived in chennai.a guy named bala from the company im working for met me at the aiport.we get in to his car and the first thing he tells me is not to wear a seatbelt.the traffic was really scary.2 lanes for busses ,trucks,car mopeds ,bicycles,cows and pedestrian.no rules,no trafficlights.just honk and hope for the best.to get your drivers licence in india you have to be able to drive in a straight line for 100 meters.and probably know how to honk.somehow it all works.i stayed at a nice hotel that night.real toilet and shower,just no water to use it.also the hotel was under construction.they dont work here during the day and im kept awake till after midnight by drilling and hammering.the next morning bala picked me up to catch a train to sivakasi.460 km will take about 10 hours.but he told me not to worry cause we be in a sleeper compartment.great,sleeper turns out to be 3 wooden boards all on top of each other.the train has no doors and windows with no glass in it.so really its air con.its packed with indians and they all look at you.the train goes trough chennai.the city is huge and one big rubbish tip.everyone throws any rubbish anywhere they please ,its dirty and hot and smoggy and there is cows and pigs just walking about.bala and i talked for a while and the first question almost everyone asked is how old are you and are you married.they almost start crying when you say no and when they find out how old you are and have no children ,their faces just look so sad and they start to feel really sorry for you.its better to say you are married.it makes them much happier.if you are divorced its even worse.
then it was time to use the toilet on the train.ok one big hole in the bottom of the train.hold on to anything and aim.good luck....
we got to the office in sivakasi in the evening and i got to meet some other volunteers.but they are all going other places.i wake up the next day at 5.30 from the sound of honking and people retching up their morning spit.indian burp ,spit ,fart anywhere they damn well please.
on sunday we ,thats 11 people got in to 1 car to drive 2 hours to a new hospital that was being opened on that day.the drive was fun.we listened to indian music and i actually prayed to survive the ride.but i figured that with 11 people in the car it would be enough of an airbag.at the opening we sit with only men and for the first time they dont stare at us girls but at theo who is from belgium,has red hair,freckles and is very pale and he is gay.so all of the sudden our boops dont seem interesting anymore.the hospital is going to have one doctor and one nurse for 10.000 people.
after lunch we drive to my village.on the way i get to see one of many indian men who just squat on the side of the road,pants down doing their buisness.yes they do shit right smack bang on the road.you walk pass them and nod a friendly hello and get a big smile back.
my village is near a bigger town.its very very poor and dirty.but everyone is really friendly.there is one other volunteer here.karin,she is 37 and from france and she is very nice.she is divorced but she hasnt told anyone......
our room is ok.2 beds and a table,windows with no glass,and a light and a fan and lots of spiders.the matress on the bed is really thin and made of hay.so you might as well sleep on the floor.food is good.curry ,curry and more curry.no bowel disturbance yet.
we have a toilet,but have to get our own toilet paper and it doesnt flush and we have a bucket of water for a shower.its all fun and im really enjoying it.i havent started work yet.its all very slow and nobody really seems to know what to do with us.hardly anyone speaks indian.apart from whats your name,age ,children,marriage.
i brought way to many clothes.we are not allowed to wear our western style clothes,so i had to get some indian clothes.
thanks.
hope you are all good.
love to hear from you
love anne