Independence Day

After celebrating America's Independence Day just before my departure here, I was fortunate enough this past weekend to celebrate a second time this year as it was Independence Day in India on Saturday, August 15.

In the office on Friday, to kick off the 'holiday weekend', there was a table tennis tournament. Here is a brief clip from the Men's Doubles Championship. The event took place on the eighth floor in my building, which is currently unfinished. Notice also how they are playing "under the lights" in addition to a PA system!

The spectators and winner's trophies

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In other news, Swine Flu is now in full effect in India. Just as the article says, "Few Cases-Much Panic". When I stepped off the plane upon arrival, it was definitely in full effect around the world already and I was greeted by just about everyone in the airport wearing a surgical mask, had my temperature taken, and had to fill out a card indicating that I did not have any of the symptoms. With the latest 'outbreak', it seems like at least more than half the people in the city are wearing surgical masks now. Like today, every single person that works in the food court in our building was required to wear one. It kind of made my feel a little uneasy when I was ordering lunch. What baffles me is how they have the system set up for testing. They have 'isolated wards' at all of the hospitals where those that think they have the symptoms can be tested. The problem with this is that when they walk in, they might have just had a common cold, but by sticking them all in one place together, if just one person does in fact have H1N1, they all end up having it by the time they get tested.