So it is my job to close out the trip.
Julia and I are sitting in our favorite internet cafe as the group is headed for a long an exhausting trip back to the US, so all parents out their be prepared to pamper some jet lagged amazing students. They all definitely deserve it!
How do you ever conclude such a trip like this, its hard to say. I think everyone that sees Kolkata will be forever changed. Their is a deep sadness that overcomes you, but at the same time a sense of joy and amazement. As I sit in the 105 degree weather never do I think or anyone else the group truly think that they hated it here. Its hard yes, frustrating yes, but a place that you will forever love.
One thing I have gained walking away from this trip is having the privileged of knowing 9 incredible people. Each person brought something unique to the table. Traveling to such a different place like this it is important to surround yourself with good, strong willed, calm and collective people. Which is just what we had. To see everyone in action at all the service sights, I think for you parents, siblings, children, partners you should all be proud of the passion that everyone presented in their work. Never did anyone shy away from a situation.
For our last day we relaxed and enjoyed our favorite parts of Kolkata, The Blue Sky Cafe and Dream's family. All the women on the trip each got a henna tatoo done by Dream's wonderful daughter and after that we had our final meal in non other then the BSC. We took pictures, arm wrestled, carried each other, and ofcourse did a serious amount of laughing. Sam, Chico, and Ajit are three men that made our expirence it Kolkata a lot brighter. Everyday we knew we were in for some kind of laugh during our many meals at their cafe.
So I recommend to everyone following the blog, don't ask the incoming people how Kolkata was...This is something impossible ever to answer. Instead be prepared to sit down and listen to the stories everyone will bring back with them. Plus like good Indian culture we all learned how to take it slow and talk, talk a lot, possibly about the same thing over and over again. So don't be alarmed if everyone is extra chatty. Also if someone doesn't let go of you hand during a handshake for lets say five minutues, also please don't be alarmed. I think we have all grown very used to have little to no personal space! And also, you may want to have a wool sweater for them because 70 degrees may freeze their bodies after three weeks of 104.
So thank you everyone for following our blog, your words and comments made us feel good and inspired us that we were here for the right reasons. I don't think I will ever be able to put into words what Kolkata is or how I feel about this city. So please just keep listening to our stories. Kolkata is about the human faces that walk these streets everday...Only when you begin to hear from the people can you understand the complexities that exist. So please just listen to the funny and sad, the gross and beautiful, the depressing and the hopeful.
I would just like to end with this Paul Simon song (You Can Call Me Al) it sums up alittle of Kalkata and I listened to it everyday pretty much.
A man walks down the street
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the Third World
Maybe it's his first time around
He doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound
The sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterlings and orphanages
If you would like to follow Julia and I's journey feel free to stay tuned to this blog. We will probably not post religiously but their will be atleast a few coming your way!
So Peace and Love
Nemaskar!
Derek.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Not ready to say good-bye
Namaskar Everyone,
Today is our last full day in Kolkata, I can't believe it! Before starting the trip I thought that 3 weeks would be more than enough time to spend here, but now that I am here it seems as though it is not nearly enough. This city is so rich with culture and I feel as though even though we have had a great experience here and have done a lot I can't help but feeling that there is so much more to see and do. Going into our last day I feel like I am finally starting to get used to things here, the people, the smells, the sights, the sounds (constant car horns), and feeling comfortable being uncomfortable (for the most part) and now it is nearly time to end this tremendous journey. But I must say though that our limited time here is my only regret, because I couldn't have asked for a better three weeks.
Yesterday was my final day at Shishu Bhavan, which was bitter sweet. I will miss that place greatly, I will miss the beautiful children, the sisters and the massies, but I will forever cherish the time that I had there and the wonderful connections that I was able to make. Even though I was sad to leave I couldn't have had a better last day with the kids. All day I felt like I had finally really found a grove and was getting into the swing of things just in time to leave. But even though it is time to go, my time here has taught me so much and for that I am grateful. I have learned patience and understanding, as well as love and respect. And above all a strong appreciation for my health and my wonderful family. Seeing these kids living in an orphanage who struggle every day with both mental and physical disabilities has reminded me how fortunate I am to have been born with good health and into a family that loves and supports me and has been able to provide a safe place to live, food whenever I am hungry, and the support and love that all kids crave and deserve. But Shishu Bhavan has been positive in the sense that these kids still seem so happy and optimistic and even though my time with them has been brief I feel as though I was able to bring a little bit of love and joy into their lives.
Today we made our second journey to the New Hope New Life Orphanage with Brother Xavier. This was an amazing way to end our trip because it is such a happy, hopeful place. The children get so excited for us to come and are so happy to share that time with us. I am so impressed at what Brother Xavier has done for these kids and all on his own initiative. They are such beautiful and amazing kids and they all have had tough lives prior to their adoption into the orphanage but they are still so happy and hopeful for their futures. Many of these kids would have been sold into prostitution or be living on the streets had it not been for Brother Xavier graciously bringing them into his life, but now they have have a safe place to live, food on the table and a great education which will provide them with good opportunities and a bright future. None of the kids dwell on the fact that they do not have a "normal" family, rather they consider each other their brothers and sisters and all look out for one another and love each other unconditionally. I was so happy that we could spend our final day with these kids because they are so wonderful and truely appreciate us coming. This trip was an extremely hopeful and positive way to end our trip, and although I was sad to leave I felt happy leaving knowing that these amazing children all have bright futures ahead of them.
Although my time here is coming to an end I am so grateful for the time I have been able to spend here. I have learned so much and grown so much as a person, and hopefully have made a positive difference in some way in my time here. I have met so many remarkable people and done so many amazing things and I will miss this crazy but beautiful place more than I ever thought possible.
Today is our last full day in Kolkata, I can't believe it! Before starting the trip I thought that 3 weeks would be more than enough time to spend here, but now that I am here it seems as though it is not nearly enough. This city is so rich with culture and I feel as though even though we have had a great experience here and have done a lot I can't help but feeling that there is so much more to see and do. Going into our last day I feel like I am finally starting to get used to things here, the people, the smells, the sights, the sounds (constant car horns), and feeling comfortable being uncomfortable (for the most part) and now it is nearly time to end this tremendous journey. But I must say though that our limited time here is my only regret, because I couldn't have asked for a better three weeks.
Yesterday was my final day at Shishu Bhavan, which was bitter sweet. I will miss that place greatly, I will miss the beautiful children, the sisters and the massies, but I will forever cherish the time that I had there and the wonderful connections that I was able to make. Even though I was sad to leave I couldn't have had a better last day with the kids. All day I felt like I had finally really found a grove and was getting into the swing of things just in time to leave. But even though it is time to go, my time here has taught me so much and for that I am grateful. I have learned patience and understanding, as well as love and respect. And above all a strong appreciation for my health and my wonderful family. Seeing these kids living in an orphanage who struggle every day with both mental and physical disabilities has reminded me how fortunate I am to have been born with good health and into a family that loves and supports me and has been able to provide a safe place to live, food whenever I am hungry, and the support and love that all kids crave and deserve. But Shishu Bhavan has been positive in the sense that these kids still seem so happy and optimistic and even though my time with them has been brief I feel as though I was able to bring a little bit of love and joy into their lives.
Today we made our second journey to the New Hope New Life Orphanage with Brother Xavier. This was an amazing way to end our trip because it is such a happy, hopeful place. The children get so excited for us to come and are so happy to share that time with us. I am so impressed at what Brother Xavier has done for these kids and all on his own initiative. They are such beautiful and amazing kids and they all have had tough lives prior to their adoption into the orphanage but they are still so happy and hopeful for their futures. Many of these kids would have been sold into prostitution or be living on the streets had it not been for Brother Xavier graciously bringing them into his life, but now they have have a safe place to live, food on the table and a great education which will provide them with good opportunities and a bright future. None of the kids dwell on the fact that they do not have a "normal" family, rather they consider each other their brothers and sisters and all look out for one another and love each other unconditionally. I was so happy that we could spend our final day with these kids because they are so wonderful and truely appreciate us coming. This trip was an extremely hopeful and positive way to end our trip, and although I was sad to leave I felt happy leaving knowing that these amazing children all have bright futures ahead of them.
Although my time here is coming to an end I am so grateful for the time I have been able to spend here. I have learned so much and grown so much as a person, and hopefully have made a positive difference in some way in my time here. I have met so many remarkable people and done so many amazing things and I will miss this crazy but beautiful place more than I ever thought possible.
Life is unpredictable.
Kolkata is real. Instead of hiding behind false fronts, here the truth basically smacks you in the face. It's a confusing reality, though- difficult but somehow inspiring, filthy but beautiful, impoverished in so many ways but rich in so many others. It's as if everything here is simultaneously exactly what you think it is and exactly the opposite of what you think it is. Each question always leads to another, and you never know what might happen next. However, despite the unpredictable nature of life here, there are a number of constants that we encounter everyday.
We see rickshaw drivers pulling heavy loads, people carrying huge bundles on their heads, men riding bikes with bundles of chickens tied together by their feet hanging off the bike, people sweeping the streets and carting the garbage away. We hear the beeping of cars, busses and motorcycles, the scratchy voice of the Muslim call to prayer, the ringing of rickshaw bells, the barking of dogs, the sizzling of food being fried at sidewalk vendors, people laughing, people yelling, people saying "hello auntie" or "hello madame", "Mother House? Mother House?", "Shoot my gun? Only one rupee!", "please sister, milk for my baby". We see people sleeping on the streets, children running around, people bathing, herds of goats trotting down the street, people sitting over hot stoves making chai tea, people smashing the little ceramic cups that the chai tea is served in, and geckos scurrying about. We see people selling garlands of flowers, cups of freshly pressed sugarcane juice, slabs of freshly slaughtered meat, sling bags, postcards, sparkly bracelets, underpants, t-shirts, wallets, nail polish, and any doodad and knicknack you could think of. This is all in one moment.
How do we process everything here? Our senses are constantly bombarded, our emotions are constantly pulled in all different directions, and our thoughts are constantly turned upside-down as each moment brings something new to think about. I think it'll take a while to think things through, but I don't know if there are answers to the innumerable questions that arise each day, or if there are even words to describe the complete experience of Kolkata. There's only so much that can be conveyed through language, most of it you have to experience to understand.
It's crazy how fast these three weeks went by- I can't believe we're already done with our service and the rest of the group is going home, it seems like everyone was just starting to get into the groove of this crazy place. I spent most of my days volunteering at Shanti Dan, a home for women who have been abused and women with physical and cognitive impairments, many of whom have been previously incarcerated. Walking into the complex was like walking into an oasis- passing through the gate we saw lush vegetation, beautiful trees full of jackfruit and giant limes, cows grazing, and fish jumping in the little pond. Inside the home, the women sat on the porch surrounding the pretty courtyard. Many of the women at Shanti Dan are capable, so they wash their own clothes, make their own beds and clean the facility. However, the majority of the women's time is spent sitting around doing absolutely nothing, so the main job of the volunteers is to spend time with the women, and to give them the love that they so desperately need. I cut and painted nails, played catch, sometimes picked their lice or cut their hair, and sat and listened to their stories (despite not being able to understand each other's language). I massaged their hands with lotion, thinking about the stories they held in their hands. Some of their hands were babysoft, some hard and calloused, some delicate and fragile, some large and strong, some with missing fingers, some with scars, some with perfect nails, some with diseased nails, some twisted, and some shaky. I wondered about babies their hands had held, the food their hands had prepared, the housework their hands had done, the people their hands had loved, the saris their hands had wrapped, and the lives their hands had lived and touched before going to Shanti Dan.
The women there were so loving towards us, and I loved being able to spend time with them. But even at Shanti Dan there are innumerable contradictions both in the home and in my view of the home. Every morning the sisters give pills out to each woman, so many of them are kind of out of it during the day. Every Tuesday a doctor comes to do electroshock therapy on some of the women. And often there is at least one woman with a chain and padlock around her leg- locked either to a chair or a bed. Why?? Aren't there more effective ways of treating these women? Only a few of the women at Shanti Dan spoke English, but one of them said to me one day, "Sister, I read the Bible. I read the Bible so I don't have to think." Reality is not easy for these women. And I'm going to miss them.
The rest of our group left for the airport a little while ago, and I'm going to miss them, too. We really lucked out in having such a dedicated, hardworking, open and thoughtful group of people, and we all grew together while sharing in this experience. I can't believe it's over. I'm feeling a lot of different things, but I suppose that that's to be expected, considering Kolkata is involved. I'm sad that the group is gone and that I'm leaving the women at Shanti Dan and our other friends in Kolkata, but I'm excited to start a new adventure with Derek. On Tuesday we're off to Darjeeling, so I'm really looking forward to seeing a different part of India, and to be able to contextualize Kolkata a little more in relation to something else. Who knows what tomorrow will bring...
We see rickshaw drivers pulling heavy loads, people carrying huge bundles on their heads, men riding bikes with bundles of chickens tied together by their feet hanging off the bike, people sweeping the streets and carting the garbage away. We hear the beeping of cars, busses and motorcycles, the scratchy voice of the Muslim call to prayer, the ringing of rickshaw bells, the barking of dogs, the sizzling of food being fried at sidewalk vendors, people laughing, people yelling, people saying "hello auntie" or "hello madame", "Mother House? Mother House?", "Shoot my gun? Only one rupee!", "please sister, milk for my baby". We see people sleeping on the streets, children running around, people bathing, herds of goats trotting down the street, people sitting over hot stoves making chai tea, people smashing the little ceramic cups that the chai tea is served in, and geckos scurrying about. We see people selling garlands of flowers, cups of freshly pressed sugarcane juice, slabs of freshly slaughtered meat, sling bags, postcards, sparkly bracelets, underpants, t-shirts, wallets, nail polish, and any doodad and knicknack you could think of. This is all in one moment.
How do we process everything here? Our senses are constantly bombarded, our emotions are constantly pulled in all different directions, and our thoughts are constantly turned upside-down as each moment brings something new to think about. I think it'll take a while to think things through, but I don't know if there are answers to the innumerable questions that arise each day, or if there are even words to describe the complete experience of Kolkata. There's only so much that can be conveyed through language, most of it you have to experience to understand.
It's crazy how fast these three weeks went by- I can't believe we're already done with our service and the rest of the group is going home, it seems like everyone was just starting to get into the groove of this crazy place. I spent most of my days volunteering at Shanti Dan, a home for women who have been abused and women with physical and cognitive impairments, many of whom have been previously incarcerated. Walking into the complex was like walking into an oasis- passing through the gate we saw lush vegetation, beautiful trees full of jackfruit and giant limes, cows grazing, and fish jumping in the little pond. Inside the home, the women sat on the porch surrounding the pretty courtyard. Many of the women at Shanti Dan are capable, so they wash their own clothes, make their own beds and clean the facility. However, the majority of the women's time is spent sitting around doing absolutely nothing, so the main job of the volunteers is to spend time with the women, and to give them the love that they so desperately need. I cut and painted nails, played catch, sometimes picked their lice or cut their hair, and sat and listened to their stories (despite not being able to understand each other's language). I massaged their hands with lotion, thinking about the stories they held in their hands. Some of their hands were babysoft, some hard and calloused, some delicate and fragile, some large and strong, some with missing fingers, some with scars, some with perfect nails, some with diseased nails, some twisted, and some shaky. I wondered about babies their hands had held, the food their hands had prepared, the housework their hands had done, the people their hands had loved, the saris their hands had wrapped, and the lives their hands had lived and touched before going to Shanti Dan.
The women there were so loving towards us, and I loved being able to spend time with them. But even at Shanti Dan there are innumerable contradictions both in the home and in my view of the home. Every morning the sisters give pills out to each woman, so many of them are kind of out of it during the day. Every Tuesday a doctor comes to do electroshock therapy on some of the women. And often there is at least one woman with a chain and padlock around her leg- locked either to a chair or a bed. Why?? Aren't there more effective ways of treating these women? Only a few of the women at Shanti Dan spoke English, but one of them said to me one day, "Sister, I read the Bible. I read the Bible so I don't have to think." Reality is not easy for these women. And I'm going to miss them.
The rest of our group left for the airport a little while ago, and I'm going to miss them, too. We really lucked out in having such a dedicated, hardworking, open and thoughtful group of people, and we all grew together while sharing in this experience. I can't believe it's over. I'm feeling a lot of different things, but I suppose that that's to be expected, considering Kolkata is involved. I'm sad that the group is gone and that I'm leaving the women at Shanti Dan and our other friends in Kolkata, but I'm excited to start a new adventure with Derek. On Tuesday we're off to Darjeeling, so I'm really looking forward to seeing a different part of India, and to be able to contextualize Kolkata a little more in relation to something else. Who knows what tomorrow will bring...
Thursday, June 4, 2009
It's hard not to love it here...
I walk down the streets here, in the muck and the dirt, amidst the crazy masses of people and I wonder at why I love this place. I see the uniformed police officers holding their sticks, standing next to a man who is missing his legs, lying in the dirt and trash, and I want to scream at the injustice of this place. And yet there is something that draws me here. I see women who have been set on fire by their husbands for apparent disrespect, left with nothing but brutal scars and enormous pain, and I just want to cry on their behalf, to bear a little pain for them. Sometimes this place is horrible and unfair and I hate it. I hate the way women are treated, the way men grab at us on the streets, the way dogs are kicked and animals are starved and pregnant, the way children run barefoot in the garbage, and the way women hold their naked babies, begging milk for their young bellies. I hate how giant the problem is, how every solution that I wonder about, dissolves quickly in my mind before I can utter it.
But as I said, I hate and love this place. Why do I love it here? Why am I drawn in? It is not pity for the pain that keeps me somehow loving it here. Pity would not be enough. Any foreigner who walked these streets could not help but to feel sorry for the pain and suffering that is here, but that is not the point. It is sad, it is hard, but that is not the point. There is something more here. There is rawness and human spirit. Their is resiliency and laughter, of all things. There is adventure and flexibility. I want to dare to say there is even joy here.
People are deeply spiritual, finding much meaning around them. They work so hard and are grateful for a job. And people smile, people always smile. I cannot put coins in everyone's open hands, but I offer a "Namaste" or ask them how they are, saying "Kamanachen?" and they warm up. They open their hearts and we connect for the tiniest moment. They open up to a white, middle class foreigner who knows so very little about their way of life. And we find ourselves laughing together, laughing with often very few words to speak, but laughing still, despite the city, despite our differences.
I find myself strangely missing Kolkata already. I will miss the bus ride to Kalighat, the men giving up their seats and the ridiculous traffic. I will miss the women at Kalighat, their sweet faces and how they smile when I hold them. I will miss our group, the reflections each night, the meals shared together, the inside jokes that will be hard to explain when we get home, the "family outings," all of us marching down the street together. I will miss the awesome adventure in every moment here. After all, most days in Vermont you do not get raw meat dropped on you from a bird, have your cab break down multiple times, get to haggle with street vendors, see men peeing in the road, have your hand kissed by strangers, and have to squat over a toilet hole.
~~However, I do have to admit that there are some luxuries that I am looking forward to in good ol' Vermont. Top on my list at the moment is Cabot cheddar cheese, followed closely by fresh, raw vegetables! I am also looking forward to remembering what it feels like to stay clean for longer than five minutes after a shower and to pee in a decent toilet that even flushes! :-)
But as I said, I hate and love this place. Why do I love it here? Why am I drawn in? It is not pity for the pain that keeps me somehow loving it here. Pity would not be enough. Any foreigner who walked these streets could not help but to feel sorry for the pain and suffering that is here, but that is not the point. It is sad, it is hard, but that is not the point. There is something more here. There is rawness and human spirit. Their is resiliency and laughter, of all things. There is adventure and flexibility. I want to dare to say there is even joy here.
People are deeply spiritual, finding much meaning around them. They work so hard and are grateful for a job. And people smile, people always smile. I cannot put coins in everyone's open hands, but I offer a "Namaste" or ask them how they are, saying "Kamanachen?" and they warm up. They open their hearts and we connect for the tiniest moment. They open up to a white, middle class foreigner who knows so very little about their way of life. And we find ourselves laughing together, laughing with often very few words to speak, but laughing still, despite the city, despite our differences.
I find myself strangely missing Kolkata already. I will miss the bus ride to Kalighat, the men giving up their seats and the ridiculous traffic. I will miss the women at Kalighat, their sweet faces and how they smile when I hold them. I will miss our group, the reflections each night, the meals shared together, the inside jokes that will be hard to explain when we get home, the "family outings," all of us marching down the street together. I will miss the awesome adventure in every moment here. After all, most days in Vermont you do not get raw meat dropped on you from a bird, have your cab break down multiple times, get to haggle with street vendors, see men peeing in the road, have your hand kissed by strangers, and have to squat over a toilet hole.
~~However, I do have to admit that there are some luxuries that I am looking forward to in good ol' Vermont. Top on my list at the moment is Cabot cheddar cheese, followed closely by fresh, raw vegetables! I am also looking forward to remembering what it feels like to stay clean for longer than five minutes after a shower and to pee in a decent toilet that even flushes! :-)
Waking up early in Kolkata...
Today is Thursday June 4th, our day off from working at Mother Theresea's homes. Usually we get to sleep in a little extra, but today we decided to wake up at 5:15 so we could get to the park. I don't remember the last time I woke up this early, but I never feel tired in Kolkata. We went to go to a Laughing Yoga class, and I'm so glad we did. Laughing Yoga combines some yoga stretching with laughing exercises, loud and silent. It was hilarious and so much fun!
Then we went on a tour with Sampson from the Blue Sky Cafe, where we eat all our meals. We went to the Howrah Bridge and the Flower Market, where we were given beautiful necklaces made of real flowers. They smelled so good but I was so nervous about us getting stung by the bees that swarmed them! Then we went to three Jain temples which had beautiful mosaic tiles and mirrors. We went to a potters colony and saw hundreds of clay sculptures that were in the process of being put together and painted so that they could be shipped all over the world. Most of the sculptures were of Hindu gods, and are usually bought for festivals where they are then dropped back into a river, as a way of giving a gift back to the gods. We also went to the Tagore House where the Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore was born. After a failed attempt to get into the Marble House, we went to the Indian Coffee House, where legendary intellectuals have sipped some java.
After our break, we viewed a temple from the outside because it was closed, and we went to another which was open, where Kate and Katie had a blast scaring away all the piegons. Unfortunately, poor Valerie got pooped on, but she took it like a champ. After we were done looking around we loaded all ten of us back into our cramped tour SUV and headed back to Blue Sky. It was a long and sweaty day, but I wouldn't have changed a minute of it. Kolkata is infamous for the slums and poverty, but the city has many hidden treasures, such as its temples, its spirituality, and its people. I'm glad we were able to take a day to view new parts of the city, because now I love Kolkata even more.
Then we went on a tour with Sampson from the Blue Sky Cafe, where we eat all our meals. We went to the Howrah Bridge and the Flower Market, where we were given beautiful necklaces made of real flowers. They smelled so good but I was so nervous about us getting stung by the bees that swarmed them! Then we went to three Jain temples which had beautiful mosaic tiles and mirrors. We went to a potters colony and saw hundreds of clay sculptures that were in the process of being put together and painted so that they could be shipped all over the world. Most of the sculptures were of Hindu gods, and are usually bought for festivals where they are then dropped back into a river, as a way of giving a gift back to the gods. We also went to the Tagore House where the Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore was born. After a failed attempt to get into the Marble House, we went to the Indian Coffee House, where legendary intellectuals have sipped some java.
After our break, we viewed a temple from the outside because it was closed, and we went to another which was open, where Kate and Katie had a blast scaring away all the piegons. Unfortunately, poor Valerie got pooped on, but she took it like a champ. After we were done looking around we loaded all ten of us back into our cramped tour SUV and headed back to Blue Sky. It was a long and sweaty day, but I wouldn't have changed a minute of it. Kolkata is infamous for the slums and poverty, but the city has many hidden treasures, such as its temples, its spirituality, and its people. I'm glad we were able to take a day to view new parts of the city, because now I love Kolkata even more.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Messages, Flat Tires, and Rice Gruel
Hey again,
So I am writing for my second time, right now my back is sticking to the computer chair and I can't stop sweating!
I had a long today...good day but I am right now exhausted so this might be short...
So I just wanted to let everyone know about a little place called Prem Dan, thats where I work everyday and I am the only guy so I am the only person who works with the men. Prem Dan is for sick and older men. Its a nice place, the men unlike the women get to be outside all day. Surrounded by trees, bird cages, a garden. A lot of the men can walk, some can speak english. Its an interesting mix of people. My day usually consists of doing laundry, washing the patio with buckets. After cleaning I go out and give messages to the old men. They are always asking for oil messages. I have seen a lot of old Indian upper thigh. Prem Dan is the biggest of all the Mother Teresa homes so it usually has a good amount of volunteers. Usually for our chai break their are people from Spain, Japan, France, South Korea, South Africa, Holland, etc. It has been great meeting so many different people from all over the world. Everyone has a good story to tell.
The after our break we hand out food, and do dishes, and that has been my everyday schedule their.
So today on my way home I took an autorickshaw (three wheeler) on the way home it got a flat, and I was just left in some random spot. I had to haggle the price for the fair because thats what you doing with everything in India so I only had to pay 5 ruppees instead of the usual 8...roughly 50 cents. cheap. I made it home took me a little bit but I made it.
Everyday something crazy happens in this city. Well I am really hot and tired. sorry for the short one thanks for following the blog.
Derek
So I am writing for my second time, right now my back is sticking to the computer chair and I can't stop sweating!
I had a long today...good day but I am right now exhausted so this might be short...
So I just wanted to let everyone know about a little place called Prem Dan, thats where I work everyday and I am the only guy so I am the only person who works with the men. Prem Dan is for sick and older men. Its a nice place, the men unlike the women get to be outside all day. Surrounded by trees, bird cages, a garden. A lot of the men can walk, some can speak english. Its an interesting mix of people. My day usually consists of doing laundry, washing the patio with buckets. After cleaning I go out and give messages to the old men. They are always asking for oil messages. I have seen a lot of old Indian upper thigh. Prem Dan is the biggest of all the Mother Teresa homes so it usually has a good amount of volunteers. Usually for our chai break their are people from Spain, Japan, France, South Korea, South Africa, Holland, etc. It has been great meeting so many different people from all over the world. Everyone has a good story to tell.
The after our break we hand out food, and do dishes, and that has been my everyday schedule their.
So today on my way home I took an autorickshaw (three wheeler) on the way home it got a flat, and I was just left in some random spot. I had to haggle the price for the fair because thats what you doing with everything in India so I only had to pay 5 ruppees instead of the usual 8...roughly 50 cents. cheap. I made it home took me a little bit but I made it.
Everyday something crazy happens in this city. Well I am really hot and tired. sorry for the short one thanks for following the blog.
Derek
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Same Same But Different
Same Same But Different...this saying is printed on many of the 40 rupee (90 cent) t-shirts for sale at the internet cafe right next to our hotel. This cafe is an NGO and a portion of the sales of their products goes to programs for education and medical care for the poor of Kolkata. We've all talked about what the saying on this shirt means and have at different points in our time here had experiences or moments that feel the same but different from our lives.
Service work: Everyone on this trip has participated in service work and volunteer programs. The students on this trip have an incredibly high level of dedication to the service sites we have been working with. A typical day at the Missionaries of Charity homes goes from 8:00 am - Noon. There are afternoon shifts available but most volunteers are tired out from the heat and exertion of one shift so they don't return in the afternoon. Not so for our group. Students on this trip have regularly returned, after a delicious lunch at the Blue Sky and a quick rest or stop at the internet cafe, for an afternoon shift at one of the homes. Even at Nicco Park, when the heat was so intense and we were all feeling it more than the children, our group persevered and found it in themselves to run through the park and on rides sweating like we've never sweat before!
Service here feels more intense, whether it be due to the heat, or more likely the level of suffering and despair we encounter. One student commented that the service work here doesn't come with all the accolades you often get at home. It makes you realize that service is not about you at all, but is about the people and the places we serve. The service work here often has less tangible outcomes than some of our work at home may provide. The extent of poverty here is so great, the number of kids coming to brother Xavier's orphanage continues to rise, and the goals of the missionaries of charity are not to bring significant transformation to people's lives but simply to ease people's suffering and give them respite from the streets. Sometimes we struggle with this as a group, feeling like it is all so overwhelming, yet for people here it is part of life and they don't feel despair over it like we do. They do what they're capable of doing each and everyday.
The People: I was reading the intro to the lonely planet guidebook and the first thing it said to be sure you have when traveling to India is patience, flexibility and a sense of humor. It is the best advice they could have offered and we've all needed to call upon these attributes a lot during our time here. If we ever lost sight of these qualities the people of Kolkata model them everyday for all of us. The people here are incredibly patient as we stumble through the few Bengali phrases we know and ask to learn more from them. All of the people we have connections with have been so flexible accommodating our schedules, our stomach issues, our exhaustion, and our dietary needs. As far as time and planning goes, Kolkatans are so able to be in the moment and trust the process. Our need to know what the weather will bring the next day is often responded to in the following way, "When we wake up tomorrow we will know what the weather is." Good point, eh! I guess in a place like Kolkata the resources are not there to prepare for weather so people do what they can to survive when the weather arrives.
As for having a sense of humor, we are presented with examples of this everyday. I so appreciate the cab driver to Dreams who got very lost but kept on searching for Dream's home, laughing throughout the journey, Michael at the Astoria hotel, always making jokes with the straightest of faces, the children at Brother Xavier's laughing and making us all smile, and the people Sue and I observed at Rabindra Sarovar getting their daily dose of Laughter Yoga at 6:15 in the morning. (We hope to join a session one or two times this week!) People are not so concerned with controlling situations or rushing around to be on time for things-that just doesn't seem to be a part of life here. People here are "moving and doing" a lot of the time but they are also able to "just be" and to let things progress as they will. They are survivors here in this city of heat, humidity, crowds, poverty, despair and hope. I am not sure I could survive here and I admire and honor that about the people here.
The animals: The circumstances for animals in Kolkata has always been a struggle for me. I know I am experiencing them with my own cultural bias, yet I can't help but have intense emotional reactions to what I see around me. Dogs and cats are everywhere on the streets; most are flea and mange infested and many are pregnant and none are spayed or neutered. They scavenge off the street and you can often here the cries and growls of dogs in the evening, most times I think it is a female dog scaring off a male dog trying to impregnate her. They sleep under cars, in the middle of streets, anywhere they can and the noise of traffic doesn't stir them. I talked with someone about the dogs and he is very happy to have them on the streets. He sees them as protectors, who can sense when strangers are well or ill-intentioned. Dogs also help manage the garbage through their scavenging. And many people do feed the dogs and the dogs do attach themselves to people or locales around the city. Michael at the Astoria has about 8 or 10 street dogs that he feeds everyday and he knows of a women who cooks up meals everyday for some of the dogs. People also have dogs as pets, though it is a rare sight to see someone out walking their dog. We have seen newly born kittens that the mother cat carried up a ladder in the internet cafe to put in a display case to keep them warm and away from other predators. Chickens are transported across town hanging upside down on bicycle handles on their way to the market. Someone in Vermont told me that chickens actually like being upside down, it is hypnotic and soothing for them. I hope so because to me it just looks like a wild and frightening ride! Horses at the Maidan ( a large park near our hotel) graze on the park grass with their legs tied together. An animal welfare organization comes regularly to check their health and give them injections. Cows are sacred to Hindus and are dinner for some others here. They roam the streets freely and are often on the median strip of a busy multi lane road. The herds of goats roaming the city are painted different colors depending on who their owner is and we've all walked over or near goat tails strewn on the street after a slaughter. The animals, too, are survivors. Their environment, their day to day life, and their experience of humans is different from the animals we have in our lives yet it is their life here in Kolkata.
As I sort through what feels so different and so familiar about my experience here I always keep in mind my background and experiences and how those influence my reactions and thoughts. I strive to remain open hearted, to suspend judgement and to seek to understand the many dimensions to this place. These images and experiences will remain with me long after I leave here and I hope to continue to try and make sense of it all.
The call to prayer and the growl in my stomach is reminding me it is 12:30 and time to head to the Blue Sky. Hope you are all well and thanks for reading!
peace
Service work: Everyone on this trip has participated in service work and volunteer programs. The students on this trip have an incredibly high level of dedication to the service sites we have been working with. A typical day at the Missionaries of Charity homes goes from 8:00 am - Noon. There are afternoon shifts available but most volunteers are tired out from the heat and exertion of one shift so they don't return in the afternoon. Not so for our group. Students on this trip have regularly returned, after a delicious lunch at the Blue Sky and a quick rest or stop at the internet cafe, for an afternoon shift at one of the homes. Even at Nicco Park, when the heat was so intense and we were all feeling it more than the children, our group persevered and found it in themselves to run through the park and on rides sweating like we've never sweat before!
Service here feels more intense, whether it be due to the heat, or more likely the level of suffering and despair we encounter. One student commented that the service work here doesn't come with all the accolades you often get at home. It makes you realize that service is not about you at all, but is about the people and the places we serve. The service work here often has less tangible outcomes than some of our work at home may provide. The extent of poverty here is so great, the number of kids coming to brother Xavier's orphanage continues to rise, and the goals of the missionaries of charity are not to bring significant transformation to people's lives but simply to ease people's suffering and give them respite from the streets. Sometimes we struggle with this as a group, feeling like it is all so overwhelming, yet for people here it is part of life and they don't feel despair over it like we do. They do what they're capable of doing each and everyday.
The People: I was reading the intro to the lonely planet guidebook and the first thing it said to be sure you have when traveling to India is patience, flexibility and a sense of humor. It is the best advice they could have offered and we've all needed to call upon these attributes a lot during our time here. If we ever lost sight of these qualities the people of Kolkata model them everyday for all of us. The people here are incredibly patient as we stumble through the few Bengali phrases we know and ask to learn more from them. All of the people we have connections with have been so flexible accommodating our schedules, our stomach issues, our exhaustion, and our dietary needs. As far as time and planning goes, Kolkatans are so able to be in the moment and trust the process. Our need to know what the weather will bring the next day is often responded to in the following way, "When we wake up tomorrow we will know what the weather is." Good point, eh! I guess in a place like Kolkata the resources are not there to prepare for weather so people do what they can to survive when the weather arrives.
As for having a sense of humor, we are presented with examples of this everyday. I so appreciate the cab driver to Dreams who got very lost but kept on searching for Dream's home, laughing throughout the journey, Michael at the Astoria hotel, always making jokes with the straightest of faces, the children at Brother Xavier's laughing and making us all smile, and the people Sue and I observed at Rabindra Sarovar getting their daily dose of Laughter Yoga at 6:15 in the morning. (We hope to join a session one or two times this week!) People are not so concerned with controlling situations or rushing around to be on time for things-that just doesn't seem to be a part of life here. People here are "moving and doing" a lot of the time but they are also able to "just be" and to let things progress as they will. They are survivors here in this city of heat, humidity, crowds, poverty, despair and hope. I am not sure I could survive here and I admire and honor that about the people here.
The animals: The circumstances for animals in Kolkata has always been a struggle for me. I know I am experiencing them with my own cultural bias, yet I can't help but have intense emotional reactions to what I see around me. Dogs and cats are everywhere on the streets; most are flea and mange infested and many are pregnant and none are spayed or neutered. They scavenge off the street and you can often here the cries and growls of dogs in the evening, most times I think it is a female dog scaring off a male dog trying to impregnate her. They sleep under cars, in the middle of streets, anywhere they can and the noise of traffic doesn't stir them. I talked with someone about the dogs and he is very happy to have them on the streets. He sees them as protectors, who can sense when strangers are well or ill-intentioned. Dogs also help manage the garbage through their scavenging. And many people do feed the dogs and the dogs do attach themselves to people or locales around the city. Michael at the Astoria has about 8 or 10 street dogs that he feeds everyday and he knows of a women who cooks up meals everyday for some of the dogs. People also have dogs as pets, though it is a rare sight to see someone out walking their dog. We have seen newly born kittens that the mother cat carried up a ladder in the internet cafe to put in a display case to keep them warm and away from other predators. Chickens are transported across town hanging upside down on bicycle handles on their way to the market. Someone in Vermont told me that chickens actually like being upside down, it is hypnotic and soothing for them. I hope so because to me it just looks like a wild and frightening ride! Horses at the Maidan ( a large park near our hotel) graze on the park grass with their legs tied together. An animal welfare organization comes regularly to check their health and give them injections. Cows are sacred to Hindus and are dinner for some others here. They roam the streets freely and are often on the median strip of a busy multi lane road. The herds of goats roaming the city are painted different colors depending on who their owner is and we've all walked over or near goat tails strewn on the street after a slaughter. The animals, too, are survivors. Their environment, their day to day life, and their experience of humans is different from the animals we have in our lives yet it is their life here in Kolkata.
As I sort through what feels so different and so familiar about my experience here I always keep in mind my background and experiences and how those influence my reactions and thoughts. I strive to remain open hearted, to suspend judgement and to seek to understand the many dimensions to this place. These images and experiences will remain with me long after I leave here and I hope to continue to try and make sense of it all.
The call to prayer and the growl in my stomach is reminding me it is 12:30 and time to head to the Blue Sky. Hope you are all well and thanks for reading!
peace
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
