Abandoned Babies, Public Urinals, and Where Are All the Women?

Hello Blog Readers!

          We are nearly entering our second week here in Kolkata and I figured I would give you more glimpses of what we see in our daily travels here. Kolkata can be an extremely overwhelming city and a lot of what we see can be emotionally taxing, especially since there are scenes that do not exist back home. For starters, there is a family who lives outside our hotel. They have a tarp on the sidewalk that transforms into a tent when it is raining and bags of personal items lined up against a tree. The mother hangs up her Saris and the underwear of her 2 children as well as her husbands clothes on a wire next to their little plot of sidewalk.  I have become accustomed to seeing this family everyday and the initial shock of acknowledging that an entire family lives on the street has turned into no shock at all. That is until the other day when I was heading out of my hotel and I only saw the youngest member of the family, a baby no older than a year, by himself on the family's tarp. I looked around to see the other members of the family but saw no one. My heart sank. The child was sleeping peacefully on the tarp in a city full of danger. He could have been ate by a dog, stolen and used as a beggar's tool, or simply roll into the chaotic traffic not far from where he is sleeping. Of all the things I have seen in India, this was one thing I could not turn my head away from. My heart was beating the rest of the walk to Shishu Buvhan as I prepared myself to tell Sister Marguerite who would surely do something. When I arrive, unable to get the image of the child sleeping alone out of my mind, I tell Sister Marguerite only to receive her in a fit of laughter. "Don't touch the child, my dear...you'll get charged with abduction," she says. Shocked and still thinking I about the child, I make sure I hear what Sister Marguerite is saying, that we can do nothing for the child. She replies, "Of course not, they are probably lurking near by waiting for you to take the child so they can accuse you of stealing the child...it happens all the time with tourists." I struggle to accept what she is saying and try to put the image of the child back in mind as I begin my afternoon shift at Shishu Buvhan. What about charges of abandonment? Neglect? Why would my actions be seen as immoral when theirs were life-threatening?  The only consolation I had is that I see the family has returned when I return back to my hotel. I do not know their motivations for leaving the child alone and I can not think of any good ones but I can not tell you how happy and relieved I was to see the child was okay...for today. 

Other things that can be quite shocking to see, but not as frightening as an abandoned baby, are the public urinals. They are these waist-high, blue mosaic walls right smack in the middle of the sidewalk. You know you are nearing one because the smell of urine is pungent in the air as it drains from the mosaic box out onto the street. Only men can use these, if that wasn't inherently obvious, and two of our male travelers have even used them more than once (When in India, right?). Where do the women pee, you may ask. The women, when they do make appearances on the street, must use a pay-and-use toilet scattered throughout the city. I guess that's where the phrase, "Go before you leave the house," originated and why it was always my mom telling me that and not my dad. 

Lastly, I have previously hinted that we do not see as many women in Kolkata as we do men. Some reasons could be that it is only men who drive the taxis and the rickshaws, run the street markets and the fruit markets, and just plain work here in Kolkata. The amount of women I see holding any job position here have been slim to none, with the exceptions of the Sisters, the Mazis at Mother Teresa's homes, and the teachers of Loreto Day School. The women have separate seating on the busses and the Metro (subway), and typically only leave the house for shopping. 

        It is quite a different society here in Kolkata and we are learning more and more each day. As Saint Michael's College MOVE trips are intended, we are bearing witness to many cultural differences and social justice issues and offering service in these areas to make us more knowledgeable when we return. It has been an incredible experience thus far and  I hope all is well back home!

Thanks for reading, 

Mary Varnavides 

A Trip to Free Set

In my opinion, a business can begin by just one small idea to either make money or to make a change. The Red Light District in India can be thought of as a business, in some eyes. The Red Light District is a part of Kolkata where women sell their bodies in order to make a very small profit. Most of these women do not have a choice. Women who are either being kidnapped from a village outside of the city and forced into the sex trade or being born into a life of slavery continue the endless cycle of using  their body for money. Yesterday, I was able to see a family whose one small idea for a business began to change the lives of 170 women who worked in the sex trade, called Free Set.

A couple named Kerry and Annie, who where originally from New Zealand, moved to India in 1999 and became distraught with the idea of women selling themselves for money. The awareness of this problem and their desire to make a change gave them the motivation to develop Free Set in 2001, where they gave women a choice to have a real job and make a living from producing shirts and bags, rather than using their bodies for money. The business has survived over ten years and has allowed the world to become more aware of the problems within the Red Light District.

Our group had the privilege of touring Free Set yesterday. We began the tour with the privilege of watching the owners and the workers in what they called Devotion. Devotion is a time of prayer where the women can pray to their own gods for safety for one another. It was an amazing experience to see all of the women together at one time supporting one another as they began a day of work that could bring them pride. After Devotion we were able to tour the Free Set Factory, which used to be an ice cream factory. It was a comforting feeling watching the owners working alongside the women they had hired, it allowed me to see that the owners were not just putting their money into the business rather they give their all to try and get these women out of the sex trade and to make their own money rather than relying on a man to give it to them.

While on the tour we were able to meet the first women hired by Free Set. Working with the company for more than ten years she goes around spreading the awareness of the sex trade, Free Set, and that there is a way for these women to make money rather than selling themselves. I believe that having a women who had experienced the same things as them and exposing her story has had a bigger impact on the women involved, than a foreigner telling them there is a way out. What she does is not an easy lifestyle. The women who work at Free Set are still living a dangerous lifestyle because they may have clients who may dislike there departure, which can lead to a variety of different consequences. It shows how these women take a risk by taking this job, but they are ending the cycle that continues to go in the sex trade and they are standing up for not only for themselves, but the women in the sex trade as well.

This tour allowed me to see how one small idea can change the lives of many and continue to flourish  throughout time. It allows the world to see the ability one couple can make and the awareness they have spread around the world.

  ~Nicole Buckley

day 9 in kolkata - Walter

Its day nine in Kolkata with the "Save the Rainforest" crew (south park episode reference -  http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s03e01-rainforest-shmainforest).  Everything has been great so far.  The people we have met are all awesome and our wolfpack is strong.  Our overprotective, but greatly caring mom Allison is cooler than anyone as a trip leader, and at times can be adventurous such as her running leap onto a Kolkata trolley the other day.  Our other leader and a roommate of mine, Jerry the Rainbow warrior is also great, and has taught me the finer points of being environmentally responsible.  My other roommate "Sensitive Moe" is also as great as he is sensitive and caring.  In all I am blessed to be with such a great group of friends.  

Kolkata is a crazy city,  floods of weaving autorick-shaws, buses, trolleys, taxis, small vehicles and trucks often with people riding on the top of them, continuously fly down the streets, horns blaring at all times.  Bicyclist past by, often pulling heavy loads, men balance heavy goods on top of their heads, and other men pull passengers manually in rick-shaws.   Trash is disposed of on the street, and in the morning many will bathe on the street.  Poverty is ubiquitous, everywhere people are living on the streets, as we walk to and from through the city we pass through innumerable living, bed, and wash rooms.    

Most of my time here so far has been spent working at Daya Dan, Mother Teresa's home for children with physical and mental disabilities. Each day at Daya Dan follows the same pattern.  First, we do the laundry.  Sometimes, I'll be washing and rinsing the clothes, but most of the time I lug the laundry buckets up 4 flights of stairs to be hung out to dry on the roof.  Next, is prayer time with the Children leading us in prayer and song, and then Class time.  Bernard, Rakesh and I take the sketchy elevator up to the second floor, gather class materials and start our class time.  I teach three students.  Rakesh and Bernard suffer from cerebral palsy, and my third student Rahul another motor related disease - although Rahul can walk and is quite capable in many aspects.  Rakesh and Bernard are wheel-chair bound.  Rakesh is very strong and independent.  He can get in and out of the elevator on his own, and can make his way around Daya Dan quite well.  Bernard is very weak, and his voice barely audible, at most times he doesn't speak.  Both he and Rakesh have trouble forming words, and communication between us day one was a huge struggle.  After only a few days however our connection grew drastically and now after over a week we are completely on the same page, and I understand them greatly which is not easy to do at first with one student (Bernard) who is mostly silent and communicates largely through pointing, nodding, a few words and many smiles. Rakesh can speak with sufficient volume but through his accent, limited english, and difficulties with speech it took a couple days.  

Each day we do a little reading, math, and arts and crafts.  Rahul is quite capable in his math, and can do larger problems, but for the other two I am still working to help them understand very basic addition and subtraction using props.  Rahul's writing and comprehension also is not bad, but Rakesh and Bernard can do their share of reading as well, and I enjoy reading with them most, especially as it gives Bernard a chance to practice speaking in his faint, rarely exerted voice.  Everyday we have a short break for tea and crackers, then go back to class.  Our day ends when we serve them lunch and in the afternoon our group of St. Mike's students do other activities such as go to the Loretta day school to play with the children or volunteer at other sites.  We also made it to Brother Xavier's school to see what we were helping to fund (through your support) and to meet and play with the children who were  very good at basketball and knock out.  

Of everything, even exploring this crazy, foreign city, I enjoy most teaching Rakesh, Bernard, and Rahul.  Rakesh and Bernard I spend most of my time with as Rahul is more free to do is own thing when it is not class time.  Because Rakesh and Bernard are wheel-chair bound we often find our own activities to do when others are doing activities they can't really participate in.  Every morning they are as happy as I am to see them and that is why I feel so lucky to be doing the work I am doing here in Kolkata.  

 

-Walter    

Breaching Barriers

Hi from India Everyone! Thanks for following our travels!

This is my first attempt at blogging, so please bear with me if it's a bit rough around the edges. In her post, Linda mentioned our trip to the Brickfields, and I'm going to talk about one of the stories from that adventure.

During our tour of the Brickfield schools we were able to observe multiple classes. In one area, children were seated on blankets, outside, under the trees, watching some of their peers write out and solve addition and subtraction problems on a chalk board. It was here that we really noticed how foreign and out of place we were. Some of the  children started sobbing because they were so scared of us, never having seen people of our skin color, so different from their own. We quickly moved on as our presence was clearly disrupting the lessons and followed our guides down the dirt road to observe the brickfields themselves. It was here that we were able to observe other students during their lessons. For one class it appeared to be recess and they were playing musical...yup you guessed it, bricks.

Musical bricks, with a small cell phone held by their teacher who stood in the middle quietly projecting the music. When we first appeared the students and their families who were taking their break from working peered at us with wide, hesitant, and in some cases, untrusting eyes, and a few of the students who had been playing ran to their parents, once again afraid of us. But the game continued and eventually I asked our guides if I could play. They were very surprised, but laughed and said yes. When they announced that I was going to participate, there was a shift in the dynamic between our two groups. The parents and other workers laughed and two more of the students ran away from the game, but it seemed as though my joining the game changed how the community viewed us and how we viewed them. Around and around we went, running in the circle while listening to the lilting tune playing from the phone. I was able to make it to the final three, but then, before I knew what was happening, the music had stopped and the young boy and girl I was up against were seated on the two remaining bricks laughing along with the other brickfield families and the others from SMC at my loud exclamation of, "Wait, what?!". In that moment all of our group from Saint Mike's, our guides, and the brickfield families and workers were united through laughter. While we became less scary and more relateable to the workers and the children, we all felt more at ease in their community and less like intruders, and the interactions between our two groups became less formal and more comfortable.

The game and the laughter shared between our two very different groups was able to connect us, allowing us to breach the language and cultural barriers that had stood between us, separating us from one another, and in that moment we were connected.

Thanks for reading!
Amanda Kaulins

A Trip to the Zoo

As we begin our second week in Kolkata, it's amazing to think about how quickly the time is passing. It is also a reminder to embrace every moment we have here because of what a unique opportunity it is.
Initially, I found the city to be overwhelming and was struggling, trying to adjust to the culture shock. The constant honking of horns was enough to send me to a state of extreme anxiety. As time has passed and I have become more comfortable, I have grown to truely love this city and its people.
I am working in Shanti Dan on the girls side, along with our lovely group leader Allison. Shanti Dan is a home for roughly 60 girls with physical and mental handicaps. The severity of the handicaps vary greatly and I work with the flowers, the most capable girls, teaching them some English and practicing Math. The girls are very smart and a few travel to public school during the year. As an Education Major I love this part of my time in Shanti Dan. Mornings also consist of laundry, special projects,  feeding some of the girls, putting them to bed, and helping them go to the bathroom.
On Saturdays, the girls that are able to, go on an outing in the afternoon and I was asked to join.
This past Saturday we went to the Kolkata Zoo! The girls and Massis (the women who work in the Mother Teresa Homes) dressed up for the big day including jewelry and deodorant. The girls looked beautiful  and were excited to show off their anklets that jingled when they shook their feet. Packing the bus took over 30 minutes, making sure that everyone and everything made it, including the eight wheelchairs. The ride to the zoo consisted of candy passed around and joyful singing. The overall energy was contagious, which helped after the long morning of work.
When we arrived we unpacked the bus as quickly as possible and were on our way. I spent the day traveling with Suporna, who requires a wheelchair. She has the most engaging smile, but it requires a little encouragement. I fed her chips and soda and the special treats were a highlight of the trip for the girls!
I wasn't sure about what to expect at the zoo, thinking that it could potentially be absolutely terrifying. The animals were typical. We saw monkeys, giraffes, tigers, a lion, and of course the crowd favorite elephant. The zoo was a little frustrating because it was in no way handicap accessible. We often had to lift the wheelchairs over steps and massive cracks in the sidewalk. Despite these challenges, it was a fun time and the girls did not appear frustrated.
As we were passing the lion, the rain started. Buckets of water came down on us with a force that I definitely  have never experienced. Suporna did not like the rain, trying to cover her head as best she could, but she did not complain at all. That was the best part of the trip. The rain halted everything, but everyone embraced the cool water. The girls, Massis, nuns, and volunteers were all laughing while getting drenched. We could not understand each others jokes because of the language barrier, but that didn't matter.
As we stood under a large tree that provided minimal protection, I just stood there and took everything in. It was a moment of pure bliss despite all the chaos. I wiped Suporna's face dry when the rain stopped, ticked her cheek, and she smiled with a pure joy that was so genuine and innocent. This is an image that I will forever associate with Kolkata. I kissed her on the forehead and we headed for the bus to enjoy some ice cream and travel back to Shanti Dan.
Nomoscar,
Kristen
  

The Experience of a Lifetime and it's Only Week One

Wow. One week down and I've already learned and experienced so much.  I figure the best way to recap and share with you all what I've been through in this first week is to just simply go through different themes that I've encountered.

Communication Without Verbal Language

The primary languages in Kolkata are Bengali and Hindi.  I know very little Bengali, so this definitely poses a challenge in working with the children and other people of Kolkata.  The Masis, which are the women who work in the mother houses long term, know very little english.  They'll say "Auntie, change/clean/laundry" or just simply point at things and push you in the direction they wish you to go and perform and unknown chore.  I've found myself standing there sometimes trying to figure out what they are asking me to do, and I can tell that their is a little bit of frustration between the two of us.  My boss at home always tells me "Patience is a virute." I have definitely realized that on this trip.  It has gotten a lot easier as the week has gone on, because now I know what certain Masis expect and I know the chores that I'm expected to do.  

One of the kids that I have developed a relationship with is a seven year old girl named Rosa.  She looks like she is three or four and she acts that way too.  No words can describe how absolutely beautiful she is though.  Rosa has big, dark brown eyes, a smile that instantly makes everyone melt and smile from the inside out, and short black hair.  Rosa has cerebral palsy as well as a mental handicap.  She does not speak, but I have communicated more with her than I thought.  One morning, I walked into the physiotherapy room at Daya Dan, the home that I am working at, and she looked up, saw me, and recognized me.  Her mouth opened into this big, excited smile and she reached her arms out to me.  The time I spend with Rosa consists of smiling at each other, playing peek-a-boo, and making funny noises with my mouth to make her laugh and smile.  I am in awe that I made an impression on this one little girl so early on, and she has already impacted my life.  

My Dream Come True: Pediatric Physical Therapy

Today started out like every other day: Go to the Mother House, catch bus 202, take a rickshaw to Daya Dan, make beds, greet the kids, do laundry on the roof, etcetera.  Little to my knowledge, this day would be one of the most eye opening experiences that I would have.  I walked into the physiotherapy room with two girls, Puja and Sonia, that I have gotten to know pretty well in this past week. When I walked in, I noticed there were two men there that I did not recognize.  I introduced myself and then quickly learned that they were both physical therapists.  One of them invited me to do exercises on my little girl Rosa.  Words cannot do justice to the amazing feeling that I had.  It's like one of those "ah-ha" moments:  I am meant to do this kind of work.  I was suddenly filled with hope, joy, faith, and excitement for the life I have ahead of me.  The obstacles that I will be encountering in applying for physical therapy school, suddenly shrunk to almost nothing.  I have the desire and the drive to get through anything because of working with just two kids.  The physical therapist actually let me do exercises with Rosa on my own, which was absolutely incredible; I helped her to stand, sit, stretched her arms, and then rolled her.  After working with Rosa, I watched him work on another little girl, Gianna. 

I hope you all enjoyed reading this litte tid-bit from my week.  I am still happy and healthy, and I thank God for that everyday.

Namaste,

Bri Saunders

Our first week in Kolkata

Hello Dear Family and Friends,

It's Friday night almost 10 p.m. and we realized during our reflection tonight that tomorrow marks one week since we began our journey. In a way the time has gone by quickly, but in another way it seems like we've been here for quite a long time. It is strange for us to be separated from daily news. We just found out today about the terrible tornadoes back home and our thoughts and prayers found their way homeward.

I thought it might be helpful to our readers to describe briefly what our days have been like this past week. Bri and Mary did a great job describing many things and we each have our own stories about our work and experiences. More blogs will be coming soon from each of us. Here is a quick peek at some of our activities.

Our typical work day starts with breakfast at 7 a.m. and then off to Mother House for announcements and send off. It takes anywhere between 10 minutes and 45 minutes to reach the other Mission of Charity Homes and we work at our respective sites until noon or so. After the trip home we have lunch at 1:30 and then rest a bit and clean up.  We have enjoyed some afternoon activities but have laid a bit low this week so as not to overdo.

On Tuesday we ate dinner at home - which was delicious - and Allison, Mary, and Walt ran out and got a box of pastries for Kristen B.'s 20th birthday. With candles aglow all of us at BMS serenaded Kristen with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday to you! Some of us played a game of Catch Phrase and then off to bed.  Wednesday was another steamy day at work and a low key afternoon as well.

Thursday was our day off and we got up very early, had breakfast, and headed down the street to Loretto School. They had arranged a trip to the Brick Field for us. It is on the outskirts of the city - very rural actually - a little less than 2 hours away. We loaded into two vehicles and began our adventure. When we arrived we toured the schools that Loretto provides for the children of the migrant workers in the Brick Field. The "schools" are clumps of children sitting outside in age specific groups learning basic letters and numbers from their teachers. The families that work there are mostly illiterate, so educating the children is a hopeful step in trying to break that cycle. The children were beautiful and very excited to see some visitors - although we tall white people scared some of the very little ones. That part of the visit was joyful. The other side of the picture was tragic as we witnessed the terrible working conditions of the brick making factory. We saw women, covered in dirt and brick dust, carrying up to 8 bricks on their heads from the kiln to the drying field. It made me incredibly sad. All-in-all we were touched by the experience and spent some good conversation on it later that night.

After our ride home - crazy as ever with the driving style - we walked home and just missed a downpour in time for lunch. Allison and I rested and took care of business while the rest played some soccer in the yard. After cleaning up we headed out to a market place for some shopping and then dinner at Blue Sky Cafe again. Walking home at night was a bit different than our daytime walks... but still just as loud!

Friday - today - we went back to our work sites, home again, had lunch and then headed out for one of two activities. Seven of us went to the Rainbow School run by Loretto and played with the girls for the afternoon. I heard that a fun time was had by all. Four of us had the most wonderful opportunity to attend a Mass for 19 Mission of Charity novices who were taking their final vows today. It was a touching and special event that we truly enjoyed. We also learned that if you cross the street with the nuns there is less of a chance of getting hit by a car. So we stuck tight to the sisters! We all returned home by 7:00 and ate in tonight.

We also have daily reflections. Allison and Jerry put us into pairings and each pair has been assigned a day to do the reflection activity for the group. I think this in one of my favorite parts of our day. We usually have a prompting question, do some journal writing, hear some thoughtful quotes, and have wonderful conversations.

So please know that we are all doing well and having a remarkable experience. We send our love and hope all is well at home.

Namasta, Linda Hollingdale

A Day in the Life of a Wound Care Volunteer

From the moment we arrived, Kolkata has become one of the most perplexing cities I have ever been in. As an American in this city, I have found my senses to be more stimulated than they have ever been. To give you the best sense of this, I want to take you through my day today.

You awake at Baptist Mission Society, a hotel for mostly volunteers located on Bose Road, not far from Mother House. The moment you exit your room in your conservative attire, you begin to sweat. The heat is heavy in India and the slight winds that do actually blow through offer no relief, seeing as the Kolkata air is heavily polluted. Today, however, the smog that usually hangs over the city like a room full of smoke is not as prevalent. Instead, the sun beats her rays directly on us and we sweat harder than usual, yet another factor that separates us from the people of Kolkata who are champions of this weather. 

 

You begin the 5 minute walk to Mother House, the home that has housed the Sisters of Charity and Mother Teresa since Mother Teresa opened the home. On your way you see people sleeping askew on the street.You see wild dogs and are unable to confirm if they are alive. You see garbage everywhere; it is as if Kolkata is your garbage disposal and there are no such things as trash cans and garbage men. You come across an area of the street where a small amount of water pumps into the street and men and boys bathe here every morning.You see street vendors and market men open their small shops and note the products they are selling. Would you buy lamb off the street if the man cooking wore no clothes, was shirtless, and washed his utensils in street water? Would you buy street fruit if you knew it was washed with contaminated water? 

When you arrive at Mother House, you become overwhelmed as you see images of Mother Teresa everywhere and the Sisters of Charity walking among you in the same robes Mother Teresa wore, continuing the works of one of the most incredible spiritual leaders of our generation. After prayer, you will head out to your work site, one of the Houses that serves certain needs and demands of the many suffering, destitute, helpless, abandoned, and dying of Kolkata. For me, I go to the dispensary held at Shishu Buvhan, where a general clinic is held for all people to come to with any ailment they have. I arrive early to my site, just before 8:00 AM and there is already a line of people waiting.

The sun continues to beat heavily as I take to my station, Wound Care, where I will treat the many wounds, rashes, and irritations that commonly plague those without proper hygiene, health care, and adequate living situations. I see things a typical doctor would never see in the States. There are bedsores, severe diabetic ulcers, Sari rashes, and many wounds from those who walk this garbage ridden city barefoot. It is incredibly difficult and emotional to serve these people seeing as many are  helpless and desperate and will continute to sustain these injuries in order to survive on the street. I am not a doctor or even a nurse and yet today, I am the best option they could have ever hoped for, a simple EMT. 

It can be incredibly emotional as I look at the patients and I immediately see their vulnerability, exposure, and hopelessness. In particular, today I had an elderly man, who was very crippled and had 

great difficulty walking, relying on crutches far too large and heavy for him to walk around. He had a bedsore that encompassed his entire buttocks region as well as his genitals. There was nothing separating him from the many others at the clinic and as he tried to place his mangled body face down on the wooden bench, I did my best to cover him from the others and make him comfortable. It was not easy as it was a difficult wound and I needed to consult others on how to treat it. I immediately thought of the men in my life, my father and my two brothers and how if they ever felt so vulnerable, in pain, and exposed, I would do everything in my power to make sure they did not suffer and they did not lose their dignity. No one should suffer as this man is. I was heartbroken for this man, who should have as much of a chance at a better life as anyone, but instead will suffer until the day he dies. When I am finished, I expect this man to be angry with me for making him wait longer than usual for his bandage. Instead he sits up, after maneuvering his mangled body off the bench with my help, folds his hands in prayer, bows in my direction, and says "Namiskar," which is a Bengali term meaning "The light in me honors the light in you." 

I am incredibly touched and have the urge to cry. I continue my day and when I begin my trek back in the afternoon, passing the same scenes as I did in the morning I am struk once again by the immense poverty that is Kolkata, but also the immense joy that people still have. With all the suffering, helplessness, and desperation that exists here, Kolkatians still show immense kindness, gratitude, pride, and happiness. 

It is only day three and half way through our first week and there will be many emotional and educational experiences a head for these next 2 1/2 weeks. I ask that you please keep the group and I, all the Sisters of Charity, fellow volunteers, and the people of Kolkata in your thoughts and prayers.

Namaste, 

Mary Varnavides

Sensory Overload: Acclimating to Kolkata

No words are sufficient to describe the feeling of being in Kolkata, India.  When the plane doors opened to let us out, you feel instant heat striking your skin.  Then when you get off of the plane, it feels as if your skin soaks up all of the water in the air, it is unbelievably humid.  

From the airport, two cars picked us up and we went to Baptist Mission Society, which is where we are staying.  We got to BMS (coincidentally my initials, which I find pretty funny) and it was about 5am in Kolkata time.  We tried to go to bed, but for me personally, it was impossible to sleep. What would we be doing the next day? How will the heat effect me? Will I get sick? So many thoughts like these and more were racing through my head.  I was excited, anxious, and in awe of what was about to come the following day and the next three weeks of this journey.

We woke up at about 9am and left BMS to go to Blue Sky Cafe for breakfast.  When we opened the gates to exit BMS, it's like we opened the gates to a completely new world.  People living on the streets, bathing, sleeping, eating, sitting, begging.. I was prepared mentally, but it still takes a toll on you and makes you really appreciate the things that you have.  

My nose was overwhelmed by all of the smells.  It smelled like rotting meat from people cutting it and selling it in the street, spoiled milk, delicious spices, body waste, body odor, the smell of city.. I can't even put into words all of the different smells.  They were simultaneous, yet distinct at different points in time, it was like a dance in which some smells were at the front of the stage dancing its little heart out, and then they faded into the background for some other smell to take the stage.  I have never experienced anything like this before. 

It hit me so suddenly, so quickly: Woah, I'm actually in Kolkata, India.  The heat is even more unbearable than a record breaking high heat back home in the states.  We found out that it was between 118 and 123 on our first day here.  I have never sweat so much and drank so much water in such a short time span.  People from the group last year accurately described it as walking into a shower with all of your clothes on, which is totally accurate. It's overwhelming and it feels disgusting. 

The second day, things were less overwhelming, but all of the same sensations are stimulating your senses and brain.  I was able to look at my surroundings more.  Everything was beautiful and horrifying all at the same time.  There are bright colors everywhere and people are full of joy and happiness, yet you look in another direction and you see body waste and the poorest of the poor trying to sleep on the hard stone ground.  I have no idea how people can acclimate to sleeping on the ground in Kolkata. I'm a heavy sleeper, but I would never be able to sleep with the sounds of Kolkata right beside me.  There are constant horns honking, bikes ringing their bells, people yelling and talking, kids playing.  It is constantly loud and your ears pick up each and every horn and all of the other noises. 

Needless to say, I am in a whole new place.  Slowly, my body is acclimating to the heat and all of the different smells.  Luckily, I have been adjusting just fine and am perfectly healthy knock on wood!! I'm having the time of my life.

Love and best wishes to all of you back home! Sending a big hug :) 

Always, 

Bri Saunders

3 days

Three days and we'll be departing for Kolkata! Just over 72 hours... I cannot believe it. So now the packing craze starts... "Do I really need this? Will I want that?" I'm questioning everything I'm packing. One thing that is going to be essential is an open mind..

I'm about to dive into a completely new culture. I've been told how hot it will be, how loud it will be, and I've been informed of all of the poverty we will see. Hearing about it is one thing, but in a few days when I'm immersed in everything that is Kolkata, I'm sure it will be slightly overwhelming and hit me pretty quickly. I'm so ready for that though. I'm ready for the adventure, ready to learn, ready to undergo a life changing event. I'm not exactly sure how this trip will change me, but it will definitely have a huge impact on me and change my perspective on life. Whatever the change will be, I'm ready for it and I'm open to it.

I hope that you all stay tuned to our blog to follow our journey as a group.  I'll do the best I can to put this experience into words so you can see my personal journey as well.

Best wishes to you all reading this, and please keep our group in your thoughts and prayers!

In less than a week...

Yesterday, many of us enjoyed St. Mike's Graduation on a chilly and happy Mother's Day. Excitement, hope and sadness filled our hearts as we celebrated with our amazing graduates and their families. As I sat and looked out at the graduating seniors, I was thinking about the hard work and energy these young people have dedicated over the years to achieve this goal. Our graduation speaker mentioned that 70% of our students give time and energy to service through our MOVE programs during their undergraduate years. What a wonderful blend of self-care and care for others our students have developed.

In less than a week our eager group of eleven will be on our way to Kolkata. Our gift funds have been raised, the medical and educational gifts have been packed, and we now make our final personal preparations. It's hard to believe that one week from now we will spending our first full day in India.

We are so grateful to all of our benefactors... all of you who have given money, goods, support, encouragement, prayers, well-wishes, and interest... thank you from our hearts. We hope you will read our blog while we are away and continue to keep us in your hearts! Know that we are carrying your good energy with us as we travel and work.

Anek Anek Dhanyavad!
(Thank you very much!)

Linda

Two more weeks....

Tonight, as the sun sets following a beautiful spring day, our group will gather in St. Michael's College word garden (words are carved onto moveable stones). This is the final preparation meeting before our Kolkata service journey. We'll pack donations of medicine, toothbrushes/paste, gauze bandages and more into the scuffed-up SMC hockey bags that have become the trademark sign of MOVE's international service trips.

For more than five months this group of nine students and two staff at SMC in Vermont, have been meeting to learn about Kolkata, India's culture, people, religions, poverty, challenges and joys. Tireless fundraising efforts have brought in more than $16,000 (!) that will accompany us to our service partners in one of the world's poorest cities where 250,000 children live on the streets.

For three weeks, May 18-June 8, we will work with the homeless, sick and destitute at Mother Teresa's homes, with underprivileged children at a school that offers them a future, and with women who are seeking a livelihood outside of the sex trade in which they've been trapped.  We are excited, humbled and ready to embark.

--Allison