Nepal

So while Erin is off trading recipes like I used to do with Pogs, she asked me to put up a post about my travels last August. As part of my master's degree, I am required to design a medical device for both the US and developing world markets. To facilitate finding a project and really understanding the people who will eventually use the device, we were shipped off to various countries for several weeks. And while I missed the fam like crazy, I had a blast. I spent several days in Norway visiting a medical device development company that sponsors some of the global health projects. Norway is anything but a developing country, and we were treated extremely well there. A few pictures from Stavanger, Norway (fair warning, this post is going to be very image heavy!):

The last three pictures are a hike we took up to Pulpit Rock. On a good day, there is a fantastic lookout over the fjord several hundred feet below. Obviously, we couldn't see any of that and it felt strangely unalarming being just a couple inches from the edge.

After living it up for a few days, it was time to see a very different side of the world. Most people know Nepal for Mt. Everest, and the nation's capitol, Kathmandu, though not all that nice, knew how to cater to wealthy trekkers coming to visit. So we stayed in a pretty decent hotel surrounded by countless street shops all selling the exact same stuff. But this didn't last long as out work began in a rural down called Dailekh. To get there, we took a 1-hour flight to Nepalgunj, where we jumped in some 4-wheel drive vehicles and started a 6-hour drive to the remote village. But this wasn't a nice trip to Lake Powell. Most of the way was dirt roads washed out by the monsoons, and going up and down steep switchbacks. Big busses packed full of people inside and on top would come barreling around hairpin turns that could only possibly fit one vehicle. It didn't help that our driver was maybe 18. But somehow we made it.

The poverty I saw in Dailekh easily rivaled the conditions I witnessed on my humanitarian trip to Bolivia. Dailekh is a district center, and has a hospital that serves a wide region. This is the only health facility for many many miles, and because roads are too unpredictable, most people had to walk there. But getting there is only half the battle. Add an absence of electricity and unskilled health providers, and there isn't a lot that can be done. Our project was to design a fetal heart rate monitor for this type of setting. The tool that is most commonly used there to listen for whether the baby's heart beat is normal or irregular is the pinard horn (balanced between your ear and the mother's abdomen):

We interviewed a lot of people to get their perspective on what kind of tool would be most helpful and what features it should have. We have used this feedback throughout the year as we designed the device. Here's a bunch of pictures from Nepal, both tourist and work related:

 

I loved Nepal. It was humbling to go there and then return to my pathetic first-world problems. I only hope that the work I am doing now will benefit these people someday!

End of summer fun

After Barrett got back from Nepal we had a week to play before he went back to regular classes. We decided to go to the "beach" one day and let Lily play in the sand. The man-made beach is actually  on the shore of a very large river, ha ha, but it will still so fun to go.

 

This is mostly how Lily acted toward the sand. She didn't want to touch it  or sit in it at the beginning.

Lily started walking while holding onto to someone's hands while Barrett was gone. She loved walking around in the sand and water.

The Grand Prix was here for a weekend and we saw what we thought was a good deal to go. But when we got there, the website was misleading and the "good deal" was the price for a child's ticket. So we just found a spot in the fence and watched it for a little while. It will still cool to see the IndyCars.

Lily finding herself in the mirror

One day Lily scooted herself over to our mirror and was so excited about the baby looking back at her. She looked and laughed at herself for a long time. I am so grateful for cameras on phones for these moments! I would never remember something like this in the future, and I would miss the moment if I ran to grab our real camera.

Visiting Utah in August

Part of Barrett's program is visiting a developing country for a few weeks in the summer to find a project to work on during the rest of the school year. He had the amazing opportunity to go to Nepal. I am really hoping he'll do a post of his own (hint, hint) because he can explain so much better his trip and pictures. However, click here for the blog his team wrote while they were gone.

Lily and I dropped him off at the school to say goodbye before he left for 3 weeks.

The students he traveled with in Nepal.

I didn't want to be home alone in Baltimore for 3 weeks... so I visited Utah for a couple of the weeks he was gone! I split the time staying at my parent's and Barrett's parent's houses.

While staying with the Yates, Sophie was such a big help! It reminded me of when my first nephews and niece were young and I would help my sisters with them. I got lots of cute pictures of them together!

 

Swimming with the Taylor side of Barrett's family.

The Penrod family grandchildren, as of then. My sister had another girl in November.

Playing at the splash pad.

Barrett was 12 hours ahead of us in Nepal and didn't always have the internet so we were excited when we had a chance to talk to him, especially see him!

Miniature golfing with the Yates.

We went to Raging Waters one day and Lily was SO tired she fell asleep on the towel. I love this picture of her! She looks so peaceful.

We celebrate Isaac's one year mark for his mission (yay!) by eating dinner at a nearby taco cart.

At Barrett's cousin's farewell in Logan.

We stayed at my sister's house in Logan for a couple days. It's always fun to see the older cousins interact with Lily.

Lily with her cousin, Milo, who is 4 months younger than her.

A visit to Wheeler Farm with my mom.

Last visit with the Yates before flying back to Baltimore.

Ha ha! I love this picture! Lily used to squeeze her fists really tight and kind of grunt when she got really excited, or mad, or had any really strong emotion. It looks like Marilyn is tensing up with her :)

After a couple more long days alone at home, Barrett finally came back! We were so happy to be together again!