I walk in again and there is, not surprisingly, nobody. I walk further this time. I see a volunteer go down this little hallway and into this back area that is on a slightly lower level. There they all are! Everyone was packed in this hole!
I get my provided breakfast which consists of a banana, two pieces of bread, and chai tea. Mmm chai is so good but I've had some craply kinda here.
Angus spots me and walks over to sit with me. :) awesome. Were just making small talk and waiting for things to begin. She has a cold so she leaves quick to get tissues. I feel bad because this is our last interaction. She leaves, and then they call us to stand and separate into our groups after singin a shirt hymn. She hasn't returned yet and I have to go..
Agnus!!! Thank you so much for taking your time and spending it with me. I feel honored to be the one who spent your first meal and first days walking the streets if Kolkata with you. Good luck in your 10 weeks here!! You are going I be amazing! Goodluck with medical school, and Goodluck with the boyfriend from home! His visit will be an amazing experience for you and him, and keep building yourself stronger! Haha (remember.. Just like terminator!)
Freddie, Lizzie and I make contact with each other through the few people between us. We separate. Lizzie is off to the children where Freddie and I are going to Kalighat with two other people. One is a longer term volunteer who is showing us the way, and another who is just starting as well. We run outside, hop on a bus, and were off.
We get a tiny stub for our ticket: 8 rupees.
We get off at Kalighat, walk down a road a bit, and we arrive at the Mother Teresa House for the destitute and dying in Kalighat.
At the House we are not allowed to take pictures. Completely understandable. This is not a place for show and tell. This is a place for pure generosity.
Everything starts happening really fast.
We enter, and turn around to a picture of MT and some small religious statues. We sing, and then get to work. We rush to the aprons, I snag one. Throw it on me and before I know it I'm elbows deep in a large cube of water, reaching in for laundry to ring out. I do this with many others for about an hour. Were at the second tub, rinsing and ringing out sheets, shirts, pants, pillow cases, etc..
I'm then pulled from the group to help clean beds/cots. Freddie was pulled for cleaning walls. I have a rag with what seems to be a bucket if bleach, or cleaner. These are hard metal beds that don't fold. We just run them down, turn them on thier side, rub down the bottom side, then stack them all on top of each other. I'm continuously carrying these beds and stacking with people I do not know. There is no thinking or count cation were just moving fast. One after the another, on to next task.. After the beds I try to introduce myself to someone I've been carrying beds with. He hardly responds with his name and looks around for the next task at hand. It's not inconsiderate though, he's just in a mindset. Everyone seems to be.
I'm slowly but surely realizing that I was struggling with more than one language barrier here. I went from having one, with Hindi/Bengali, to Chinese, German, French, and maybe a few others... Luckily mostly everyone learns at least a bit of English in the world. Me and my lazy American self are quite lucky.
I'm then pulled to mop/dry the floors. One issue is that as they were doing prior to my help, the drain in the floor was clogged. Pretty badly. A man was reaching far down the drain trying to unclog it, with no avail. He decided to get up from the pool he is laying in and sweep the water across the doorway into the room I was in. There is a larger drain much like a sewage cap. Myself and another volunteer hardly are able to make conversation but the water is rushing towards us fast, and it's assumed that we should push the water into the drain before it crashes into everything, as well as us. We have large squeegees. I immediately start thinking of Jake, Timmy and the guys.. I'm playing hockey right now. He one timers the wave of water to me and GOALLLLLL!!!! Were laughing havig fun because we both know what were reenacting. Were both saying 'one timer!' Yeahhhhh! The game ends with a total of 25 waves of water in the net. 25-0, volunteers win.
Were now rushing back to the laundry. More things to rinse and ring out. Were doing this for another 30 minutes or so.
We all make our way upstairs to the rooftop and start hanging the items to dry. There are SO many items. The sun is beating down on us like crazy. Were all sweating bucks it's like we are drenching the laundry when we pick it up. Freddie had some sun screen, we both apply. Were up here for probably an hour or so. Next we go downstairs to the patients.
Were told we will be given massages. I feel very odd about this. I know Freddie did too. I'm not so sure I want to please a grown man physically....... Awkward.
A bunch of volunteers dive right in and massage thier legs, heads, backs and feet.
I am given a man who is looking up at me raising his leg to rest on my knee. A cloth separates his thighs and knees. I begin massaging his knees/thigh area and he begins to shake his head like a 'good job' but then he points down. He motions go lower. I'm thinking okay his lower leg.. I use my other hand to start massaging his leg, no barrier this time. I'm a bit grossed out I don't like physically touching people I don't know, and being honest, I have no clue what could be growing in this place.
He motions to go lower again.... I look down at his feet. His foot is blown up like a balloon. The top of his foot is swollen so badly that when I finally gain the courage to place my wrist bone on his foot, it leaves an imprint like a memory foam mattress. This makes me want to vomit. I can hardly contain myself.
I continue to massage it for a couple minutes very gently. (For two reasons, I don't want to press too hard and hurt the guy, and I don't want to for my own well-being. I just feel nauseous now. Finally it's break time.
We've been working for about two-two and a half hours. We are given a break, provided chai tea (mmm) and some cookies/crackers with bananas. This work doesn't feel too extreme that wee not able to handle it, I feel pretty good about this stuff. It's just hands doing work... Except the massages. Making small talk, I ask the guy across from me if he was religious at all, specifically catholic. He says no. Same as the guy next to him. Another 'no' and another 'me neither'. Hmm. There definitely are catholic volunteers here but I found it funny that the few I ask, along with Fresdie and myself, are not practicing.
I really need some more water, I ran out. Freddie wants to smoke a cigarette, so we walk outside and roam a bit. Were discussing how massaging them is awkward. He described it in a funny way, 'it's like I was an escort or something..' We then discuss the rest of the day and what we may do. Another volunteer house? Rest/nap? Lunch/dinner? Bar later on? Were unsure..
We head back to the house to finish up our volunteer shift. Were only there for around 4 -5 hours total. (Until 12ish).
We start bringing food downstairs to the big open area where they are all sitting. Huge bowls of easy made food, banana, and hard boiled eggs. I get a plate full of food and head over to a man who is anxiously awaiting to be spoon fed. I moosh most of the food together and get the first spoon full to his mouth. This guy is eager and dives down into the spoon. I motion to him to slow down, take your time. He slows his chewing down but still dives in. Probably around 15-30 minutes go by of me spoon feeding this guy. He keeps getting it all over his mouth and chin. I use the spoon as a scraper to scoop of the food around his face.
As we finish up, there are sounds of pain and agony throughout the area. Men are hurting. Can hardly breathe on thier own...one man can hardly sit in his chair, stiff as a board. There are multiples with swelled feet, boney legs, one with a gash in his head, more with mental health issues, many with physical disability, and one with a leg in horrible condition. He lays on a bed with medical personnel attending to his wounds and breathing as his body just lays there.
I have lost track as to when in the day we set the beds back up. I'm confused, we did so much. Though the beds were set back up with sheets pillows and blankets.
After the feeding, I look around as I hear the moans and groans of pain. They all sit in chairs and the voluteers begin dragging the chairs with the men still in them. This must be the easiest way to relocate them to their beds.
We all physically drag these chairs and men across the hard cement floor. Many are unable to walk themselves. We get then to the beds, one by one. It's like in the morning, no one is thinking just going.. Completing the tasks. I lift up a man's body, along with another volunteer and gently place him in the bed. Number 16, done. I'm told number 19 needs to be put in bed. Body's lay everywhere, moaning, shaking, eyes rolling in the back of their heads. Some wave us off I not get placed in the bed. I'm confused. I gotta get out of here. I'm looking around for a temporary escape to catch my breath, and an Indian family runs up to me. They walked in the home, with a picture in their hand. They show me a man in the picture and look around. They want to find him, maybe he's here? In one of these beds?... Does he even look the same from the picture where he is healthy compared to now where almost all bodies are shriveling and smaller?
I tell them I do not know but they keep trying. I don't understand them as they point at the picture over and over. I feel horrible because of the language barrier, and two because of how eager they are.
I motion for them to come with me, and we go to one of the sisters. I'm able to hand then off to the sister and she takes over. Thank goodness. She gives them some sign of hope with figuring it all out. They turn to me and say 'thank you'.
I guess that was somewhat of my escape.
I then find myself folding the laundry that was now dry from the rooftop. There are still some that are wet, so I gather them from the group and run up to the roof myself, and begin to hang the still damp laundry. I'm under a small overhang on the roof because I feel rain drops. Better to hang them here then out in sun it may rain harder soon. My luck, I just finish up hanging them and it downpours. I'm on the roof alone. I just wait a minute for it to slow down then I bolt for the rooftop door.
We are pretty much finished and are packing up our stuff to head back. We may return at 3 if we'd like. I only signed up for the first half. Freddie and I are going to take the subway back, find Lizzie, and see what we want to do.
We use GPS on our phones to find out where the nearest subway station is, head down and buy a one way token towards 'dumdum'. Sweet! We hop on, get off a couple later, and walk down Partk Street a bit.
We make a left and were passing my hotel in a short walk.
We keep walking all the way back to his dormitory where he and Lizze are staying. It's nice. It's gated. It has a little yard area with nice grass an benches. Wifi. Nice.
It's only about 400 a night though! You have to go through the Mother House to get this though. Man, Kolkata is great.
We find Lizzie and all hang in a common area discussing what we all did. Our conversation continues to revolve around how everything seemed so robotic as not with a genuine care. We think that many of the 'tasks' should be slowed down so the quality if life given is better then just 'putting them in thier beds'.
I spoke to Kat about this, and she mentioned that it could e tough to keep order if they aren't like that. I agree, but it still just felt like it was almost contradicting what the goal was. What do I know though, I only did it one day. Still felt nice to help out.
Lizzie said it was similar with the children too. Even some with more severe disabilities were being neglected. Hmm.
So we kept discussing and then found our way talking about food. Freddie and I walked down the street to a corner that has some nice chow mein. I got some hot garlic chicken chow mein, and a double egg roll. It was so good!
After eating we were outside their dormitory and were playin with some street kids, swinging then back and forth in the air. 'One, two, threeeee' : over and over again.
We were continuously doing this and at one point a man walked right in front if where we were swinging the boy. The boys foot hardly hit the man. He stopped dead in his tracks and started arguing with us. Freddie and I put our hands up and say 'sorry sir, we were just playing with the child, we didn't mean to swing him into you.' He responds with a jumble of words, 'what are you doing?! Why you here? This is not a place for you. You come and take picture or video. India is not a place for you. Where are you from?' Freddie says 'England' only to have the man reply, 'yeahh English would do this! Not like America, Americans wouldn't!' We look at each other and laugh, and we say, 'he's American.' 'I'm American.' He looks at us and is silent. Ten starts rambling again how India is a place and this is not okay. Taking pictures of us with children and their family. Freddie says, 'sir, it is okay we are friends I've been interacting with them for the past three days. We know each other. Thier family knows me. We are friends.' He replies, 'you are not friends! And these video and pictures' as he points to Lizzie with the phone. I say to him, 'memories.' He says, 'not memories.' I simply say, 'sir we have different beliefs. This is a memory for us. Not you.' He then rambles about Ghandi. We agree with what he is saying, Ghandi was a great man. A crowd is watching around us as the man yells louder cutting us off.
After multiple attempts of having a civil response, I look at him in the eyes and say, 'sir, we are all different.' I point to Freddie and Lizzie and say 'different' I point to myself, 'different', I point to others around, 'different'. I point to him, 'different'. 'We are ALL different, come from different cultures and countries.. But we have ONE similarity. Happiness, no?' I point to the child and say 'happiness'. You can see the family smile, and the people around smile. Freddie and I swing the boy again. 'One, two, threeeeee' and you hear the boy laugh full of joy. The man simply walks away.
That was the first and only negative reaction I've encountered in Kolkata this far.
That was odd. We head back in to make our plans. We decided we would all split up, nap, and meet at Stuart Lane (my street) before we go to the pub since it's on the way. I make my way back to the hotel and try to sleep. I can't. I just blog.
We all know we want a nice cold beer after today. We meet up at the corner and head off to the pub! We try to get a tuk tuk but they are charging absurd amounts. We take a bicycle rickshaw to the corner of Lark street where all the big stores and bars are. This is nicer here. Crazy how much development and how westernized it is. Cool!
We ask some locals the direction of Olypub. They were very kind and pointed us directly to it. There was a 15 minute wait so we walk down a block to mcdonalds and scarf down some grub. We head back over, I help a group of guys take a picture, then head on in. We find a table near this gentleman who starts conversation with us.
He's a well traveled guy, and designs boats. Very interesting. He chats with us on and off, not fascinated by us, but just normal conversation. I like that. We aren't a novelty. We invite him over to sit with us and he ends up buying us a round. Very nice guy.
Turns out someone he knows just sat down near us. Two girls and they mention that there is live music at a place down the block. We try to get in but can't. We were a bit under dressed haha!
So the guy we met, knew another dance club about a block away. We went there. This was great. Were all hanging out and dancing.
We meet a few really cool people all crowding around and drinking beer. Were cracking jokes and hanging with this guy who is super down to earth. He's talking about his charity work he does and the kinds if work he likes. We snap some pics to remember the great night. We decide that were going to head out soon as it approaches 1am. We all walk outside with our group we formed of random people from different bars. Were all talking outside and joking around for about a half hour. We decide were going to try an get a taxi back, but then we had an offer for the whole group to take a ride with the guy back. He's says he can save us money and it'll be easier, no worries. I first though that sounds like a really bad idea. But then u remembered I'm not alone. I'm with Freddie and Lizzie. And then I'm with this other guy as well that we met at the first bar. We pile in and we get to my hotel. I'm worried about getting in because the hotel gates were closed this morning when I left early. I tell them to wait a minute while I check. I run up the alley, I check and the gate is locked shut. I say, 'hello?' The man says 'okay okay'. Perfect. I say I'll be right back, and bolt back to the car and yell, 'I'm good!!! See you guys!!!!!!'
I run back to the hotel, give the man a tip, and book my way upstairs. I lay in my bed, charge my phone, and begin to close my eyes as I think, 'crap... Thier curfew is 11! I hope they can get in!!'
That's the last I've see them. I try using Whatsapp to make contact. No response. I just hope they are okay.
I have to wake up and check out by 11:30am. We made plans to meet at 1:30pm at the 'New Market' and the 'clock tower'. Im a bit unsure if they will be making it because of our crazy night. I'm not sure if they will sleep in, or even remember our conversation about the market because it was hours and hours ago before we met up again. Either way the next morning, my task is to pack check out, and make it to the market.
I pass out. And sleep for only 4 hours. I can't sleep. I've woken up hung over, no sleep and I have a long few days ahead of me.
Venture On! Even when you are hung over... Here is to the next 48 hours - I gotta catch a train at 11:45pm.
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