By ATIBA ROUGIER, 7/15/2015. My first post from Bhopal is the letter I sent in November of 2014. In order to understand where I m and where I hope to go, this e-mail will give a narrative. It will give an idea as to the things to follow and what interests me and why I am on this trip.

 Greetings Sathyu:

My name is Atiba Rougier and I am graduate student at The New School for Social Research, located in Manhattan, New York. Last year, I went to a screening of Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain and I have not been able to get it out of my head. The attendees were given tee shirts that read “Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain” that I still have hanging in my bedroom as a daily reminder of the work that still needs to be done. My professor, Miriam Ticktin, is friends with Brian J. Mooney, and after telling her about my research interest and the grant I received to study in India this summer, she suggested I reached out to Professor Brian J. Mooney at New York University. I met with Professor Mooney and he informed me about the Sambhavna Trust Clinic and advised that I contact the Clinic. I will be spending a few weeks in India and would like to volunteer at the Sambhavna for three to four weeks. I have not booked a plane ticket as yet so once I hear back from you, I will proceed to book a date and flight. Professor Mooney spoke highly of the work you are doing and informed me that he just returned from Bhopal.

 To give a quick academic background and what I can provide to the Clinic. I have a master degree in Philosophy and Religion with a focus on Asian and Comparative Studies. I am graduating with a second master degree in Cultural Anthropology in May 2015. My focus lies at the intersection of philosophy and medicine (Biomedicine/Biomedical Ethics). I am currently a hospice volunteer at Mt. Sinai Hospital here in New York City. I have past experience interning at the California Pacific Medical Center/Program in Medicine and Human Values (here is a link to the program and the book review I did as a summer intern during my time there: http://www.cpmc.org/services/ethics/pubs/EthicalTimes/et16Fall2008.pdf).

 This is something I am passionate about and volunteering at the Clinic will be an honour. I am thankful for the connection to the Clinic via Professor Mooney and I look forward to hearing back from you.

 Sincerely Yours,

-Atiba L. Rougier