We were handed several articles about Aravind Eye Care System at our orientation in early June. One article, titled “The Perfect Vision of Dr. V,” made us cringe throughout. After outlining the disappointments of modern life in Western countries, the author gave her solution: “There is a place you can go to find the answer: […]

As our time in Madurai came to an end, I felt the intense urge to slow down time. Even when walking or eating a meal, I tried to take a breath and appreciate the wonder of my new routine. Slowly and then all at once, my brief time in India became the most transformative and […]

The week before my birthday, I enjoyed cake almost daily through a series of fortunate events. First, a group celebrating a girl’s second birthday at Madurai Eco Park offered me two slices of chocolate cake after I walked by. The following evening, we went to Haran’s house (and ate chocolate cake) to celebrate the conclusion […]

Our intern cohort has a running joke that goes something like this: Aravind understands and speaks Tamil, Suhaas understands Tamil, Manya understands India, and Celeste is just along for the ride. “Along for the ride” definitely characterizes my first few weeks here, but I’ve been enjoying every moment of it. Here are some abbreviated highlights […]

Hello! My name is Celeste Xu, and I’m a rising junior in Penn’s Life Sciences and Management (LSM) program. I’m originally from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, which is ~30 miles north of Chicago. This summer, I’ve been placed at Aravind Eye Care System in Madurai, Tamil Nadu along with my co-interns Manya, Aravind, and Suhaas. After […]