Baby's First Check Up at the Doctor - Nepali Style!

So as you already know, we are PREGNANT!! We prepared this blog in advance together so you can hear one of the greatest stories of our pregnancy overseas: going to a hospital in Nepal. Kindra was having some lasting diarrhea, which apparently is not a good sign if you’re pregnant. So wanting to take the best care of our baby as possible, but being in Pokhara, Nepal, we nervously looked up the best hospital for foreigners and made our way there via scooter.

We pulled up to Manipal Teaching Hospital, and it was unlike anything we could imagine…..inside was more like a theme park than a hospital. There were lines everywhere with people, and the paint was peeling off the walls. After wading through the chaos, we discovered you had to pay for all the services you wanted before you received them, and finding our way to a crowded billing window we waited in line to pay the measly $30 for an ultrasound and several lab tests. But this line, we found, was more like waiting in line in Turkey, because people were pushing and crowding and often cutting in line. Fortunately for us, Kindra and I are good foot taller than the average Nepali, and quite a bit bigger too. So it was fairly easy to block the pesky line cutters. 

We ended up staying there most of the day, hopping from one place to another to another, the whole time dealing with pushy miniature Nepali people.  After a urine test, blood test, and stool test (providing the stool sample was easily one of the most interesting experiences of Kindra’s life :), we finally got what we were ultimately looking for: the ultrasound. 

We waiting for the attendants to call our name for the ultrasound, and then entered the small, people packed sardine like room, and went behind the curtain that provides a slim layer of privacy from the waiting crowds.  The whole process of the ultrasound lasted about five minutes, and it was a far cry from the glamorous, American experience one would expect for the same procedure in America.  The on duty technician had a crowd of people vocally waiting for their turn while he was giving me (Kindra) the ultrasound.  So, it was more of the get in, get out mentality.  Nonetheless, it was an unforgettable and wonderful experience.  We got to hear the heartbeat and watch our baby move!  I unexpectedly even had a single tear roll down my face when the technician finally turned the screen towards me, and I saw our baby for the first time. 

So, despite the frequent power cuts, which thankfully were supported by back up generators, and the suspicious looking hospital cafeteria, we received pictures of our little one and a bigger picture and understanding of how blessed we are, and how much we have as Americans and as individuals.  Next to the billing section, there was a box labeled: donations for poor patients.  We saw many people fully camped out in the hospital, and overall it was a very humbling and heart string pulling experience.  I (Austin) almost ran into a stretcher carrying a teenage boy outside the ultrasound room, and his sickly condition still stands with me today.  His stretcher was sitting almost carelessly in the hall room, with no privacy; his foot was bandaged and bloody, as was his face.  A mostly full catheter bag dangled from his legs; it all was such a sight of woundedness, on display for anyone walking by.  My thoughts in that moment and in the coming moments afterwards were: how can I help?  I wanted desperately a way, a way to heal him, or encourage him or help him.  Nothing tangible came to mind, but the experience still sticks with me.  Just as we are blessed to carry a life with us now, a child on the way, so it is an even further blessing to give life to those already living who need it the most.  Nepal is a poor, yet beautiful country, with poor and beautiful people, who could use a hand from those of us who can.  I will remember this.

So, one hospital adventure ends, and what an experience it was!

All Great Journeys Must Come to an End

It is with great reluctance and nostalgia that I, Austin, share with you the finish of a magnificent, life transforming journey. We have traveled uninterrupted for two years, traversing three continents and seventeen countries; all the while drinking deeply of adventure, culture, and self discovery. I can’t even describe the sensation that pours from my heart across my body as I attempt to reflect on the enormity and depth of impact this trip has left in my spirit and psyche. We have seen it all; mountains, lakes, caves, gushing waterfalls, crowded cities, quiet campsites. We have tasted abundantly; Swiss chocolate in the Alps, haggis in the Scottish countryside, crepes piping hot off a Parisian pan, Turkish kebab by the kilo, Georgian dumplings tastily burning our lips. And, most importantly, through the many paths we walked, drove, paddled, or flew; we have found two priceless treasures. 

The first is the precious gems we were looking for all along: ourselves. Ecstatic, unparalleled joys and absolute downer difficulties molded and shaped us, and we discovered hidden alleys of our hearts rich with identity and purpose. I found the faith in myself that I had always been looking for, and from that inward fountain burst forth enthusiasm, confidence, and a deep resilience. I am more myself than ever before, and I’m not going back to a life of fear or self doubt. Speaking for Kindra, I have seen immense courage unearth a voice that is her own, from which she is able to confidently represent her beliefs and desires, and I feel even more blossoming in her spirit is ahead. Together, all these developments and discoveries now make us stronger and more able to weather the many seasons of life.

The second treasure is one as unexpected at it is valuable: the gift of a child growing in Kindra! We unwittingly got pregnant while trekking the Lycian Way in Turkey, and this wonderful surprise became a major game changer in our journey. It all started with Kindra throwing up her breakfast after a night of celebrating the finish of our 30 day trek. Flash forward five days, and Kindra was still losing her morning cereal. Our dear Turkish friend Burcu offered to spot the low cost of a pregnancy test, so we agreed, and lo and behold: we’re pregnant! Reactions ranged from disbelief to excitement, but we remained skeptical whether the pregnancy would last (1 in 4 early pregnancies miscarriage). So Kindra and I kept at the road, and our tough baby (now seventeen weeks and healthy!), survived Indiana Jones ride-esque bus rides, high elevation hikes, and probably a million other things you’re not supposed to do while pregnant! So this whole time since Turkey we have been deceiving family, friends and blog readers alike, as we prayed to God and tried to find our direction for the future. In Nepal, we finally and tearfully made the call to pull the plug early on our journey of a lifetime, by flying back to California at the end of August.  (So yeah, we didn't go to India, that was all a farse.)

It was a difficult but wise decision; Kindra was struggling to handle the physicalities of our low budget style of travel, and so the baby and Kindra received due priority. We told almost no one of our return back home, save but a friend to pick us up from LAX.

As our thirteen hour flight landed without incidence on the LAX tarmac and we trudged our way towards customs, the shimmering, clearly printed words “Welcome to the United States” alongside a picture of President Barack Obama appeared overhead. We looked at each other and grasped hands for comfort. America, the land of our birth and certainly in many ways an amazing country, had nonetheless lost its place as home in our hearts. Our home was nowhere and everywhere at the same time, and as we made our way back into the "land of the free, and the home of the brave," we wondered whether it was a mistake to have come back. 

Thanks for following along! Keep an eye on our blog for more this next week, as we post more stories, including the aftermath of being back for three weeks, the great adventure of getting an ultrasound in Nepal, and a highlight reel of our favorite photos from the trip.

Also, if you feel moved in any way to help us out during this huge transition in our lives, there’s a few things you could do. We are looking for a reliable used car for sale cheap/free, and any leads on work opportunities for me. I have a background in medicine and chemistry, but a passion to work closely with people and be outdoors. Also prayer, thoughts and inspiration or ideas for where we should settle down are appreciated! 

You can contact us at: amcrobbie@gmail.com.  Thanks again!

Our baby at twelve weeks in Nepal!