Where There is a Will - 12. Psychiatric Counseling

I am stressed out and confused.  I learn that the Univ. Health Center provides Psychiatric Counselling. I set up an appointment. On my first visit the Counsellor just lets me speak and keeps listening.

I mention to my friend Gokman about me getting counselling. He says "after a while you will start advising the counsellor!"

I have gone for three or four sessions - once a week - of counselling. This last visit, the counsellor seemed perturbed. The session ended quickly and rather abruptly. The news is some student shot at one of the psychiatric counsellors! I now see why he was perturbed. I stopped going to the counselling sessions.

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Cafeteria Help in Exchange of Food:

I meet Kamal of Hyerabad. He is the son of a Judge in India, came here for higher studies. He is helping in the cafeteria of a students' hostel in exchange for one meal a day/five meals a week. He suggests that I try the same. I am not sure of what I can eat in the cafeteria, as I am a vegetarian and my stomach is quite sensitive.

The food in the cafeteria is quite good. It is completely open and free-choice buffet. I get a glass or two of milk, glass or two of fruit juice, fruit salad with cottage cheese and honey, bread slices and some days they even make macaroni and cheese (vegetarian), and plain rice and yoghurt! Between the weekday evening dinner at the cafeteria and Sunday feast at the Hare Krishna temple, my daily nutrition requirement is now taken care of. The help involves sorting the dishes. As they come in the conveyor belt, some of us stand beside and sort them out to separate the silverware, the glasses, and the plates. Easy job for an hour or so.


A Typical Cafeteria
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Health Issues and University Medical Help

I am having a nagging stomach pain. I went to the University Health Center. The medical person who took care of me - perhaps a nrse - was an elderly woman. She advised to take whole wheat bread and peanut butter with banana to help. I continue that for my afternoons. Peanut butter sandwich and banana! ********** I store my milk in the common refrigerator. One of the tenants came to me to say that some people steal others' food from the refrigerator. He just wanted to warn me and thought they have found who it was. The Pakistani tells me that the person who warned me was the one who is stealing others' food! ************* I am on my way to the cafeteria on my bicycle. My bicycle goes out of control and I am knocked off by a youngster. He comes back to me - he is perhaps in his 8th or 9th standard - and says sorry and asks if I am doing OK! I realize somebody has cut off my dynamo and the light and in the process have cut off my break cable also - the reason for my bicycle going out of control! As it does not get dark until 8 or 9 in the night, and also as the police do not seem to be keen on catching bicycles without light, I did not bother too much about it. (I sold the bicycle shortly afterwards!) *********** The pants I brought with me from India were OK during the winter months with the layers of winter garments tucked in. But soon they were so loose that I had to use safety pins on either side to reduce the waist size of my pants. Now with my cafeteria regimen, I have regained my lost middle and the pants are just tight!                                           When there’s a will there’s a way 😎🥪