We have survived our first week here in Calcutta! What a relief! I cannot believe we have already been here one week. I have a terrible feeling that this adventure is going to start flying before my eyes.I thought I would put on this blog the few creeper pictures I have snapped along some of our walks to the Mother House. REason being why there havent been many pictures those far is becasue ITS AWKWARD to take the pictures. I mean imagin this... you are sitting outside the shop you own, or sitting on the side of the street begging for your daily food or money... how would you feel if some crazy foreigner snapped a picture of you? Yep, that is why the pictures are at a minimum now. I will work on my stealthy creepiness some more, but I hope that these photos will do for now.
FRIDAY - This past Friday we went on our first real adventure in Calcutta. One of our volunteer friends, Geer, had a birthday on Friday so we got a group of people together and ventured to Kalighat to this South India restaurant. In order to get to this restaurant we had to take the metro (shout out to Allison Sutton.. metro's in India ARE NOT like the metro's that we loved in DC) WE were packed in like sardines for a 10 min metro ride to Kalighat. Boy did that mess with this claustrophobic one... This is a picture of my first actual India meal here in Calcutta, and I must say. IT WAS DELICIOUS.
This is a picure of the one and only tomb of Blessed Mother Teresa! Everyday they decorate the top of it with flower pedals (normally making it say a phrase or something like "only all for Jesus"), but today it is decorated with the number 25 on it because yesterday two sister celebrated their silver Jubilee. 25 years as a missionary of Charity! What incredibly holy women.The sisters definitely know how to party when events like this occur. (I have video of some of the festivities) but the novice sisters (there are like 50 of them here) put on a dace right after mass for the two sisters and then all the sisters sang this really sweet Jubilee song. Many prayers are being prayed next to this tomb for all of you.
This next picture I like to call "peace within chaos". The streets of Calcutta are so crazy ALL the time. I mentioned in a previews post the honking that occurs, but the traffic is ridiculous. I think a lot of people from the states would end up getting killed on the streets here because we are so used to pedestrians having the right of way. Well, that does not happen here. I cannot tell you how many times we have pulled each other out from in front of on coming taxis or motorcycles. They will get as close as the possible can without hitting you. As chaotic as it sounds, it is very organized chaos. There are no such things are driving lanes, and I am very surprised we have not seen any collisions while we have been here. The reason I named this picture that title is because this is one thing that I cannot wrap my mind around. EVERYWHERE we go we see people sleeping on the streets. Every morning when we walk to the mother house (5:30 am) we see families and children sleeping on cardboard boxes and under tarps. I cannot wrap my mind around how the feel safe when the are sleeping right there. I try and think what it would be like in the states to just plop myself down in the side of a busy street and sleep. (I dont even know what to think). Anyways... this is something that I will struggle with the whole trip I am sure. But sweet dreams my friend. You are one brave soul, who can find peace in the middle of chaos.
TRASH EVERY WHERE. I am sure I have talked about this already but, man it is disgusting. Along with the nasty smell of trash, we always get a wiff here and there of the bodily fluids that people release right there on the curb. I think the one thing that I will never get used to is the smell of urine and poop all the time. I mean, I smell in on the streets as I am walking places and I smell it all day when working at Shish Bahvan.. I mean I think my clothes permanently smell like pee from the number of times I have been peed on...
This next picture I like to call "peace within chaos". The streets of Calcutta are so crazy ALL the time. I mentioned in a previews post the honking that occurs, but the traffic is ridiculous. I think a lot of people from the states would end up getting killed on the streets here because we are so used to pedestrians having the right of way. Well, that does not happen here. I cannot tell you how many times we have pulled each other out from in front of on coming taxis or motorcycles. They will get as close as the possible can without hitting you. As chaotic as it sounds, it is very organized chaos. There are no such things are driving lanes, and I am very surprised we have not seen any collisions while we have been here. The reason I named this picture that title is because this is one thing that I cannot wrap my mind around. EVERYWHERE we go we see people sleeping on the streets. Every morning when we walk to the mother house (5:30 am) we see families and children sleeping on cardboard boxes and under tarps. I cannot wrap my mind around how the feel safe when the are sleeping right there. I try and think what it would be like in the states to just plop myself down in the side of a busy street and sleep. (I dont even know what to think). Anyways... this is something that I will struggle with the whole trip I am sure. But sweet dreams my friend. You are one brave soul, who can find peace in the middle of chaos.
TRASH EVERY WHERE. I am sure I have talked about this already but, man it is disgusting. Along with the nasty smell of trash, we always get a wiff here and there of the bodily fluids that people release right there on the curb. I think the one thing that I will never get used to is the smell of urine and poop all the time. I mean, I smell in on the streets as I am walking places and I smell it all day when working at Shish Bahvan.. I mean I think my clothes permanently smell like pee from the number of times I have been peed on...
Not much more to update you all on. I: bought my first Indian outfit the other day from a really great street shop owner who started playing John Mayer in his shop while I was there. Needless to say I will be buying all of my clothes from him...Our two fellow travelers will be joining us here on Weds and I am super excited for them to finally be here! I hope everyone is doing well at home! Would love to be kept update on your lives!
pammy!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletei really appreciate the shout out! hahah. you da best.
i can't believe you have already been there a week.
and you have already experienced so many great things.
i love reading about your adventures.
love you. be safe.