There is no better way to start my day than with God so I don't pass up the opportunity to go to mass with the Missionaries of Charity today, even if it is at 6 am. I wake up before my alarm, at 4 am, and wait for my driver to arrive. He picks me up and we make the drive in only twenty minutes since there is no one on the streets at this hour. It is a huge change from the normal traffic congestion.
I arrive at the small chapel at thirty minutes to the hour so I quietly step into the long narrow room and sit with the other foreigners on the floor mat. The sisters fill the left and center of the room in their white saris with blue stripes. This is my first mass and I am a little nervous. I spend my time alternating between prayer and observing the people around me. The room is silent and there is a crucifix on the wall in the center. Foreigners continue to trickle in, each one kneeling and making the sign of the cross before they enter. For a second I feel guilty that I have disrespected the sisters by not doing so but then I remember that God knows my heart and that is more important than what others may think of me.
I look around at the sisters waiting patiently for mass to begin. Some of them have probably been waiting for an hour. I admire their humble service and daily dedication to prayer and God's service. It could be tempting to feel unworthy or less than adequate but I find my heart lifted by the fact that while some sisters are in prayer others are sleeping. This makes me smile and remember that we are all simply human and that God is delighted by each of us, regardless of how we worship Him. I will meditate on this often throughout the mass.
I discuss this with Jose later that morning. It is a beautiful thing when you can admire aspects of each person's worship, even if it is different than your own. I love the exuberant worship at my own church – the loud passionate singing and the freedom to use my body freely through that worship experience by lifting my hands, moving to the music, or even dancing. At the same time, I appreciate the reverence that exists on the chapel this morning. Jose says that each of us connects to God so differently so it's great to observe other types of worship to find what helps you connect with Him best.
Mass begins and we go through the motions of the service- standing and sitting, reading scriptures, and singing. The women's voices are beautiful. I wish that they would sing more often but mostly they do recitations of Scriptures and prayers. The hour goes by quickly. I am trying so hard to keep up with the actions that by the end I don't even recall what they talked about. I know God understands my heart.
After mass I have breakfast with Elizabeth and her son Noah from Idaho, Judy from Australia and Jose from Spain. It's the first day of volunteering for me and Jose so the veteran volunteers give us helpful tips as we eat bread, bananas and drink "mill tea" (aka chai). They tell me not to take anything personally if the sisters yell at me. They have a harshness of tone when directing volunteers, I'm told, and I'm encouraged that I will inevitably do something wrong but that it will be okay. I am grateful for the warning. The girls also tell me where to go to connect with the party who will walk to the Shishu Bhavan home with me. We all part ways and I find a new ally, Gabby from Mexico City. She has been working in Shishu Bhavan for three weeks so she proves a valuable resource. She tells me what to expect and that people will guide me through the process. She tells me that every day is different. Working with disabled children requires a lot of time and patience. Since everything takes so long to do, time will go quickly and a schedule does not exist. Feeding can take up to an hour depending on which child you are working with. There is some physiotherapy and singing, as well as nap time. I will be involved in all of these things.
I ask her if the children are treated well and she provides a poignant answer. She says that I must remember that the Indians who are working with these children have been working with them for years. They are not as careful with the children as someone like myself might be. This does not mean that they care less, just that they are more comfortable and used to these children. They also know what each child is able to do and they may push them more than an outsider may deem acceptable, since they don't know what that child is capable of. I observe this firsthand shortly into my shift. It is one of the more awful things that I have seen until I hear why it is done. Two of the Indian women take a boy and tie him to a bearing column in the middle of the room so he is standing straight with his back and legs against the wall. They shove a desk in front of him so he will not move. He cries and cries and I feel sick. They walk away and I walk up to him and try to comfort him with touch. I don't understand why they're doing this to him but I think it must be a punishment of some kind. A sweet lovely Sister walks over to me and puts a chair in front of him. She tells me to sit and comfort him. She tells me that he recently had a stroke and his legs are weak so he must be forced to stand for at least 15 minutes. This strengthens his legs. She tells me to massage his hands and arms since those have also been affected. She says that sometimes this brings comfort. She again reminds me that it will only be 10 minutes more and then they can untie him. While I still don't entirely feel comfortable with this practice, I have a better understanding and pray that this therapy is effective. I am so grateful when the 10 minutes are over and he is free.
I am only there for four hours but is the longest and most difficult four hours of my life. When I first walk into the room of 30 children with disabilities I am a bit overwhelmed. I have no idea what I'm expected to do, let alone how to interact with the kids. I watch Gabby walk right into the middle of this circle of children, giving each of them affectionate squeezes on the arm or tickles. I am comforted to know that I can be free with touch and decide to just let my heart lead me. I follow Gabby in making the rounds, squeezing their arms and smiling. Some of the children respond immediately with smiles and I fight back tears. I don't cry all day, which surprises me. I'm so grateful for God's strength and joy. Mostly, I can't stop smiling.
All of the children are gathered in circles and the volunteers sing. As they sing, they move each child's arms up and down as part of their therapy. They motion for me to do so as well so I grab the arms of two girls and move then to the music.
Shortly after most of the children are moved to the middle of the room for physiotherapy. Some of the children are equipped with leg braces or eyeglasses. They put on a music tape that repeats for hours with songs like "Mary had a Little Lamb" and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". We take the kids for walls around the room and exercise their extremities. I am impressed at the extent of the therapy that they actually do. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to witness physical therapy and use the few exercises I remember to help some of the kids.
One little boy is adorable. He is about five but looks three. He is decked out with little eyeglasses that are tied to his head like eye goggles and fitted with two braces on his little legs. He stands alone, hanging on to the edge of the crib so I grab his arms and we walk a few slow steps at a time until he is tired.
Soon it is Snacktime and I am handed a cup of liquid that smells like animal crackers to feed the child that I am sitting next to. I find it very challenging to get all of the food in this child's mouth without spilling it all over the front of him. I'm sure that everyone is thinking, "Poor dear. Clearly a newbie." Little do I know that this is easy compared with the second child that I will try to feed. This is not my specialty. I'm much better at hugging! I look over at the German woman next to me who is feeding her child and I am amazed at the incredible love and connection that she has with her. I swear that every spoonful she gives that child is full of love. This girl looks her in the eye and trusts her completely. I can tell that it is a very challenging child to try to feed because of the lack of ability to open her mouth on her own. She just smiles and touches her head, feeding slowly and affectionately, as if she is the only girl in the room.
After we finish, the bell is rung for volunteers to take a break. We go upstairs for tea and biscuits. I sit next to Gabby and she tells me that this German woman has amazing stories to tell. She tells me that she knew Mother Teresa 25 years ago and that she comes here to volunteer two months out of every year. She has been doing this for the past 12 years. I am amazed at the heart of this woman. When she comes to sit down next to us I am eager to hear some of her stories.
She tells me that she has eight children, four of whom have been adopted from other countries. She says that she went to an orphanage in Peru with the plan to adopt a child, she found a six week old baby there that she decided to take home but stayed on at the orphanage as a volunteer for a bit longer. One day she decided to take each of the thirty orphaned children out into the sun for 15 minutes individually. One of the children was a one and a half-year-old girl who had been found severely beaten when she arrived at the orphanage. When the German woman brought the child back in from outside, she would not stop hugging her. This woman felt that she had chosen her. The little girl was unable to laugh, sit, or talk and was assumed to be handicapped. This woman's heart went out to her and she asked if she could adopt this child. They told her that she was not adoptable since she was handicapped. This woman pled with them and eventually adopted her. She said by the end of two weeks this little girl was laughing and sitting. By the end of six months, she walking and talking. All she needed was love. Now this young lady is 33 years old and a member of a true family.
As this German woman describes the story, her eyes fill with tears. I look around and I see everyone's eyes are wet. What I find the most beautiful is that she took the chance on one person and made a lifetime impact for that girl. I am reminded of just how important it is to focus on one child at a time. We can make a large impact that way.
The rest of the morning goes much more quickly as we feed the children lunch. I end up feeding a young girl whose body is so contorted that I have to hold her head and face it toward me each time I put in a mouthful of the split pea soup. Meanwhile I have to hold her legs and arms down so they don't interfere with the feeding.
My hand and arm are exhausted by the end and I feel terrible for this girl who is so uncomfortable.
After putting the kids to bed, we are done for the day and I'm ready for a shower and nap. I am so grateful for the gift of today, even though it was difficult. I learned a lot about myself and am grateful to see myself continue to grow.
I actually feel excited to go back and do it all again on Friday.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Volunteerism: Where new friends gather
This afternoon is the first time I'll be on my own since arriving in India. Mina rides with me to Motherhouse (otherwise known as Missionaries of Charity) where I will be registering to volunteer this week. I am always nervous when I go to a new place, especially in a foreign city. I'm very thankful that Mina is there to help me find my way.
We have to leave at quarter to two to get there in time for my 3 o'clock orientation. It takes that long to drive through the traffic from one end of the city to the other. Luckily, we arrived a little bit early so I can find my way. The first place we stop tells us to go down a little bit further. We arrive at the mother house and Mina tells me that the driver will pick me up after he gets Munu and my mom in the evening, about three hours from now. She smiles at me and pinches my cheek and leaves me to it. I walk in and ask one of the sisters where to go for registration. She tells me it's down the street about 10 minutes walk. Oh dear. If Mina and Munu knew I was about to walk alone down a busy Kolkata Street, they would probably never leave my side again. As I walk out of mother house, I see a young blonde walking toward me. God's providence again. I asked her if she is coming for registration and she answers yes. Courtney from Chicago becomes my new ally and take the walk together. She is a 22-year-old who is here for three months, working with a local Christian church. She tells me that she got "the call" from God at age 13 to do missions work so she is excited to finally be here. This is her first time overseas and she tells me she is not culture shocked yet, even after two months in Kolkata. As we talk for the next few hours I think she doesn't quite realize that the emotions she is going through are usually attributed to culture shock. I encourage her that when she gets back home to the states, she may find it more difficult than she realizes.
We talk easily because the common ground of Christ always brings people together. It's refreshing that God's church is all around the world.
Once we arrive at the correct building, the only people are sisters and a few homeless women seeking refuge from the heat in the cool outdoor gathering place. We wander a little and stumble upon a Spaniard named Jose. He has arrived to the city only thirty minutes ago, after a 14 hour train ride. He looks very tired but is still energetic and tells us excitedly about his travels so far through all of India. He has started in the north and is working his way down south. He has traveled quite a bit over the years so he and I have fun swapping travel stories. He is looking forward to working in the home for the dying at the missionaries of Charity. I am impressed as this is not something I think I could do. Courtney says the same. Courtney and I will be volunteering in one of the orphan homes instead.
We talked for about 30 minutes before the registration process get started. We see people start to trickle in. There are Chinese, Brits, Australians and New Zealanders, Americans, and Canadians. By the end of the orientation I will have met all of the English-speaking ones. I am in my element – meeting new people and trading travel tales. Telling my tales makes me reflect on how many places I have been blessed enough to go visit in my thirty one years. It has become so much more than just checking a place off of my list. I feel that each place I visit brings me closer to God and to understanding His people. As these volunteers discuss the places they have been, I am able to relate to them and our conversations go on for hours.
It's finally time for the orientation to begin. Dan from New Jersey begins his diatribe about convent rules and expectations. He is funny and to the point. He tells us about each of the 10 homes that the missionaries of Charity run across the city of Kolkata. I wish I had time to volunteer at them all. Each home has different requirements. Some only allow male volunteers, some only female volunteers, some only allow you to volunteer if you're staying for long periods of time etc. There is a home for the dying, a nursery for babies and toddlers, and multiple homes for handicapped children and adults. They tell me that since I am only there for a couple of days that I should not volunteer with the young children since they become attached two people and they want to limit the amount of goodbyes the children must make. I completely understand and volunteer to work with the children with disabilities. Many of them are not fully aware of what is happening around them so they do not become as easily attached. Also, I will mainly be going laundry and cleaning so will have limited interaction with the kids. Each shift is only four hours long so I feel a bit spoiled to only be spending a short amount of time there. I pray that God will use me anyway. The day starts with mass at 6 AM and then a small breakfast where all of the volunteers and sisters can eat together and talk. Shift starts at 8 o'clock and ends at 12. We are reminded that this is a convent and respect and quiet are expected.
I admire these women who live here and give of themselves selflessly every day. They work Monday through Sunday with a day of fasting and prayer on Thursdays. Courtney and I talk about The sacrifice it must take to make the decision to go into nunnery. We talk about how each of us have asked the question of God for ourselves at at least one point in each of our lives. Courtney was married once very young and it was a bad marriage. Afterward, she questioned whether or not she were meant to be married. Thankfully, she heard God tell her that marriage would be a part of her life and so now she waits.
I get my first real taste of the Indian pace of life. We sit and wait for an hour before we and register and choose our house. I continue to use the opportunity to get to know my fellow volunteers. I meet Judy, a hospice nurse from Australia, who has been saving up for 10 years to do this. She is going to work at the mother house for six weeks in the home for the dying. Her bright and energetic spirit impresses me. I cannot imagine doing that type of work for that long. She is actually excited to do it. She says that she uses her silliness and sense of humor to bring joy to people in the last days. She is beautiful.
I meet Elizabeth and Noah, a other and son from Idaho. They are traveling together and volunteering for his school projects. He is about 19 or 20 years old. He has a younger brother and Elizabeth tells me that the three of them travel often together. They recently got back from a trip to Mongolia, where they lived with no electricity and no running water. I can see that humility and compassion in her son already. I'm grateful to know that some children grow up with this kind of mentality instead of entitlement.
It's finally my turn and my name is called. I meet Sister Margaret, who has a smiling face, even when she's not smiling. She is quiet and small and kindly says, "Welcome" and asks where I will serve. I tell her and she writes my name on her little calendar under Shishu Bhavan, the home for children with disabilities. Hence me a card with my name on the dates that I will be serving, along with a small charm with Mother Teresa's picture on it. She tells me, "God bless you" and sends me on my way.
I wait for Courtney, who will walk back with me to the place we originally met, where my driver is expecting me. We have decided to volunteer at the same house but we will miss each other by a couple of days since she is only volunteering once a week. We part ways and I sit down to wait for my driver. I can't wait to begin work.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We have to leave at quarter to two to get there in time for my 3 o'clock orientation. It takes that long to drive through the traffic from one end of the city to the other. Luckily, we arrived a little bit early so I can find my way. The first place we stop tells us to go down a little bit further. We arrive at the mother house and Mina tells me that the driver will pick me up after he gets Munu and my mom in the evening, about three hours from now. She smiles at me and pinches my cheek and leaves me to it. I walk in and ask one of the sisters where to go for registration. She tells me it's down the street about 10 minutes walk. Oh dear. If Mina and Munu knew I was about to walk alone down a busy Kolkata Street, they would probably never leave my side again. As I walk out of mother house, I see a young blonde walking toward me. God's providence again. I asked her if she is coming for registration and she answers yes. Courtney from Chicago becomes my new ally and take the walk together. She is a 22-year-old who is here for three months, working with a local Christian church. She tells me that she got "the call" from God at age 13 to do missions work so she is excited to finally be here. This is her first time overseas and she tells me she is not culture shocked yet, even after two months in Kolkata. As we talk for the next few hours I think she doesn't quite realize that the emotions she is going through are usually attributed to culture shock. I encourage her that when she gets back home to the states, she may find it more difficult than she realizes.
We talk easily because the common ground of Christ always brings people together. It's refreshing that God's church is all around the world.
Once we arrive at the correct building, the only people are sisters and a few homeless women seeking refuge from the heat in the cool outdoor gathering place. We wander a little and stumble upon a Spaniard named Jose. He has arrived to the city only thirty minutes ago, after a 14 hour train ride. He looks very tired but is still energetic and tells us excitedly about his travels so far through all of India. He has started in the north and is working his way down south. He has traveled quite a bit over the years so he and I have fun swapping travel stories. He is looking forward to working in the home for the dying at the missionaries of Charity. I am impressed as this is not something I think I could do. Courtney says the same. Courtney and I will be volunteering in one of the orphan homes instead.
We talked for about 30 minutes before the registration process get started. We see people start to trickle in. There are Chinese, Brits, Australians and New Zealanders, Americans, and Canadians. By the end of the orientation I will have met all of the English-speaking ones. I am in my element – meeting new people and trading travel tales. Telling my tales makes me reflect on how many places I have been blessed enough to go visit in my thirty one years. It has become so much more than just checking a place off of my list. I feel that each place I visit brings me closer to God and to understanding His people. As these volunteers discuss the places they have been, I am able to relate to them and our conversations go on for hours.
It's finally time for the orientation to begin. Dan from New Jersey begins his diatribe about convent rules and expectations. He is funny and to the point. He tells us about each of the 10 homes that the missionaries of Charity run across the city of Kolkata. I wish I had time to volunteer at them all. Each home has different requirements. Some only allow male volunteers, some only female volunteers, some only allow you to volunteer if you're staying for long periods of time etc. There is a home for the dying, a nursery for babies and toddlers, and multiple homes for handicapped children and adults. They tell me that since I am only there for a couple of days that I should not volunteer with the young children since they become attached two people and they want to limit the amount of goodbyes the children must make. I completely understand and volunteer to work with the children with disabilities. Many of them are not fully aware of what is happening around them so they do not become as easily attached. Also, I will mainly be going laundry and cleaning so will have limited interaction with the kids. Each shift is only four hours long so I feel a bit spoiled to only be spending a short amount of time there. I pray that God will use me anyway. The day starts with mass at 6 AM and then a small breakfast where all of the volunteers and sisters can eat together and talk. Shift starts at 8 o'clock and ends at 12. We are reminded that this is a convent and respect and quiet are expected.
I admire these women who live here and give of themselves selflessly every day. They work Monday through Sunday with a day of fasting and prayer on Thursdays. Courtney and I talk about The sacrifice it must take to make the decision to go into nunnery. We talk about how each of us have asked the question of God for ourselves at at least one point in each of our lives. Courtney was married once very young and it was a bad marriage. Afterward, she questioned whether or not she were meant to be married. Thankfully, she heard God tell her that marriage would be a part of her life and so now she waits.
I get my first real taste of the Indian pace of life. We sit and wait for an hour before we and register and choose our house. I continue to use the opportunity to get to know my fellow volunteers. I meet Judy, a hospice nurse from Australia, who has been saving up for 10 years to do this. She is going to work at the mother house for six weeks in the home for the dying. Her bright and energetic spirit impresses me. I cannot imagine doing that type of work for that long. She is actually excited to do it. She says that she uses her silliness and sense of humor to bring joy to people in the last days. She is beautiful.
I meet Elizabeth and Noah, a other and son from Idaho. They are traveling together and volunteering for his school projects. He is about 19 or 20 years old. He has a younger brother and Elizabeth tells me that the three of them travel often together. They recently got back from a trip to Mongolia, where they lived with no electricity and no running water. I can see that humility and compassion in her son already. I'm grateful to know that some children grow up with this kind of mentality instead of entitlement.
It's finally my turn and my name is called. I meet Sister Margaret, who has a smiling face, even when she's not smiling. She is quiet and small and kindly says, "Welcome" and asks where I will serve. I tell her and she writes my name on her little calendar under Shishu Bhavan, the home for children with disabilities. Hence me a card with my name on the dates that I will be serving, along with a small charm with Mother Teresa's picture on it. She tells me, "God bless you" and sends me on my way.
I wait for Courtney, who will walk back with me to the place we originally met, where my driver is expecting me. We have decided to volunteer at the same house but we will miss each other by a couple of days since she is only volunteering once a week. We part ways and I sit down to wait for my driver. I can't wait to begin work.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Motherhouse, Kolkata,India
Crocodiles, tigers and birds, oh my!
Five am Sunday morning and we are up! Excitement and anxiety fill our minds as we prepare for a long day ahead. We arrive downstairs to meet our tour guide and driver and our hearts stop for a moment. Their car looks like it belongs in a parade. The Volkswagen Bug lookalike is painted all over with various pictures of animals, symbols and colors. The look is completed by floor to ceiling floral upholstery. Add a peace sign and this baby is ready to roll back to the 70s. The driver can't fit the walker in the trunk but he says there is very little walking so we shouldn't worry. He uses the typical Indian phrase, "it's no problem." Munu has walked down with us and the look on her face shows worry. She and our guide have exchanged numbers so she tells me to call if we need anything. She gives me a very serious look and watches us drive away.
Our guide is an energetic 19-year-old. He tells us the schedule for the day: three and a half hours drive with tea break in two hours. Once we arrive at our destination in Sundarbans Tiger Reserve we will get straight onto the boat and stay on the boat most of the day. We will then catch a ferry to the village where we will take a rickshaw to the watchtower. From there visitors often catch a glimpse of a Bengal tiger in its habitat. Then he says we will leave at around 7:30 PM to get back to Kolkata at 11 PM. It is going to be a long day but Mom and I have high expectations for what we will see on our journey.
Mom and I enjoy the sights as we get further away from the noise and crowds of the city. We see so much green everywhere and the sun shines a bright orange in the sky. We drive for some time with this beautiful scenery, every once in a while being interrupted by a small village or town. It's fun to see the various inhabitants carrying loads of hay or cauliflower on their bicycles or rickshaws.
Our driver on this journey is even more reckless and aggressive than the drivers we have had in Kolkata thus far. Even I have anxiety. He comes so close to hitting bicyclists and dogs that mom and I stop looking ahead and try to look out the sides of our windows instead. We stop a few times so that the guys can get out and relieve themselves on the side of the road. Mom and I just sit and wait patiently for our turn at a real toilet. When we finally reach the "Chai stop", Mom and I go to the toilet, which is a genuine Indian toilet in the ground. The tour guide orders me a chai. I love chai and this one does not disappoint. It is sweet and thick and delicious. I decide to have this as often as possible while I'm here in India.
When it's finally time for us to move on to the road again, we drive an hour more to our final destination. We see water ahead and get excited to finally get on the boat and see some animals. Mom and I only have to walk a few yards to the end of the dock. However, when we arrive there we look down to four flights of very precarious steps. There are no railings and their are sheer drops on either side of the stair flights. The anxiety Mom feels is palpable and she says, "I can't do this." Considering the fact that we had driven 3 1/2 hours to get here I don't think it very likely that we should leave right then. The tour guide comes and grabs Mom's arm. He calls for another guy from the boat who grabs her other arm. She leans on them heavily for each step and they walk her very safely and securely down every flight and onto the boat. We are seated comfortably on a bench under an overhang on the boat and are introduced to our crew. There is a boat driver, the tour guide, our own cook, and an assistant to the driver. All this for only two of us. Mom and I feel like what we had paid isn't nearly what they deserve. We are really impressed with the care that they take with us all day long. Shortly after leaving the dock, it is teatime and we are served Puri. This includes round puffed tortillas (almost like sopapillas) with a side of vegetables soaked in spices. I like it but my mouth is on fire by the end. We barely finish the food on our plates and they pile on more. Meanwhile, we are floating on the river and admiring the dense mangrove forests along the banks. Our tour guide lay down on the bench and goes to sleep. Mom and I enjoy relaxing and conversing and taking in the beauty of the jungle. We get to the reserve about an hour later. We stop at a dock and the tour guide gets out with our passports to ask permission of the Bangladesh government to let us through to the reserve. After they do, a special Sundarbans tour guide boards the boat and we keep driving until we finally arrive at Sundarbans. It is incredibly quiet here. There is not a boat nor animal nor person anywhere for miles. It is such a stark contrast to the noise of the city that has kept us awake at night. We almost feel that we could sleep now. I ask when we can go into the forest and we are told that this is "in the forest". I realize that I completely misunderstood the tour description. I feel incredibly disappointed but want to make the most of our time. Mom does her best to stay positive and reminds me that even if we see nothing else it is worth it. We drive for miles and hours before we see a single animal besides a bird. All of a sudden our Sundarbans tour guide tells us that he sees a water monitor lizard up ahead. This is exciting as I have never seen one up close before. It is very large for a lizard and I certainly wouldn't want to get too close to it. Seeing it on the shore from the boat is just fine with me. Mom is so excited and takes lots of pictures. We feel a little bit hopeful that maybe we'll see a couple of animals after all. It's probably another thirty minutes before we see another water monitor lizard but it is just as exciting.
Our regular tour guide who drove here with us has woken up by now and we have fun getting to know each other. He is funny and reminds us of my cousin Austin so we get along really well. Munu calls sorely after to check in and make sure everything is going okay.
Soon enough we see our most thrilling sight yet- a crocodile only a few yards away. I have never been that close to one. We can see his face and his tail. His body is camouflaged by a tree. In the binoculars we can see every scale and discoloration. It is a rare sight to behold. The boat driver turns around a couple of times so we can pass it and take pictures again. It's exciting to see but I also feel nervous about being so close to it and am quite happy when we decide to move on.
We are served lunch at about 3 o'clock. Is consists of more vegetables like peppers, cauliflower and potatoes. There is eggplant and fried fish. It's a delicious meal.
After about five hours on the boat we are ready to go. I can tell Mom is fading and my cough is starting up again. I ask the tour guide if we can skip the rickshaw. He says yes and tells us we can just do the watch tower. After hearing how many steps there are, Mom says that she does not want to go. I tell the tour guide we'll skip the watchtower as well. We know by the time the boat gets back to the dock and we get in the car will still have three and a half hours to drive back. It will be nice to get back earlier. We don't regret it, even though our tour guide gets a phone call saying that there was a tiger sighting from the watchtower later. Mom and I laugh at the irony but know we made the right decision. We'll just go to the zoo to see one.
Our drive home feels a lot longer than the ride that morning but God protects us and we are grateful. We stop at the "chai stop" again for one more bathroom break. Luckily, it's still a little light outside so we can use the outdoor toilet. Mom uses it first and squeals as she accidentally puts her hand on a spiderweb. Now it's my turn. I walk in and see a giant spider hanging above the toilet. It has a bulbous body like a black widow and definitely looks dangerous, not to mention just plain creepy. My fear of spiders grips me and my chest feels tight. I feel I am between a rock and a hard place. I have to use the bathroom because we won't stop again for two and a half hours but the terror of knowing that giant spider is above me and may fall on me any minute terrifies me. I am gripped with fear and am about to have my first panic attack in India. Mom takes over and looks around for options. There is a curtained stall next to this one and Mom peaks in. There are two bricks in the middle of the concrete floor and a bucket. She tells me just to go in there. I walk in and decide to just do what I have to do. Thankfully, I realize that there is a drain and this is a second toilet. Relief!
We piled back into the car and ride the remaining few hours back to Kolkata. We hit a bicyclist and the car in front of us hits a puppy and we pray more and more that God will just get us home in one piece. He does and, by the look on Munu's face when we arrive, she's just as grateful as we are.
I think that's enough adventure for one day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Our guide is an energetic 19-year-old. He tells us the schedule for the day: three and a half hours drive with tea break in two hours. Once we arrive at our destination in Sundarbans Tiger Reserve we will get straight onto the boat and stay on the boat most of the day. We will then catch a ferry to the village where we will take a rickshaw to the watchtower. From there visitors often catch a glimpse of a Bengal tiger in its habitat. Then he says we will leave at around 7:30 PM to get back to Kolkata at 11 PM. It is going to be a long day but Mom and I have high expectations for what we will see on our journey.
Mom and I enjoy the sights as we get further away from the noise and crowds of the city. We see so much green everywhere and the sun shines a bright orange in the sky. We drive for some time with this beautiful scenery, every once in a while being interrupted by a small village or town. It's fun to see the various inhabitants carrying loads of hay or cauliflower on their bicycles or rickshaws.
Our driver on this journey is even more reckless and aggressive than the drivers we have had in Kolkata thus far. Even I have anxiety. He comes so close to hitting bicyclists and dogs that mom and I stop looking ahead and try to look out the sides of our windows instead. We stop a few times so that the guys can get out and relieve themselves on the side of the road. Mom and I just sit and wait patiently for our turn at a real toilet. When we finally reach the "Chai stop", Mom and I go to the toilet, which is a genuine Indian toilet in the ground. The tour guide orders me a chai. I love chai and this one does not disappoint. It is sweet and thick and delicious. I decide to have this as often as possible while I'm here in India.
When it's finally time for us to move on to the road again, we drive an hour more to our final destination. We see water ahead and get excited to finally get on the boat and see some animals. Mom and I only have to walk a few yards to the end of the dock. However, when we arrive there we look down to four flights of very precarious steps. There are no railings and their are sheer drops on either side of the stair flights. The anxiety Mom feels is palpable and she says, "I can't do this." Considering the fact that we had driven 3 1/2 hours to get here I don't think it very likely that we should leave right then. The tour guide comes and grabs Mom's arm. He calls for another guy from the boat who grabs her other arm. She leans on them heavily for each step and they walk her very safely and securely down every flight and onto the boat. We are seated comfortably on a bench under an overhang on the boat and are introduced to our crew. There is a boat driver, the tour guide, our own cook, and an assistant to the driver. All this for only two of us. Mom and I feel like what we had paid isn't nearly what they deserve. We are really impressed with the care that they take with us all day long. Shortly after leaving the dock, it is teatime and we are served Puri. This includes round puffed tortillas (almost like sopapillas) with a side of vegetables soaked in spices. I like it but my mouth is on fire by the end. We barely finish the food on our plates and they pile on more. Meanwhile, we are floating on the river and admiring the dense mangrove forests along the banks. Our tour guide lay down on the bench and goes to sleep. Mom and I enjoy relaxing and conversing and taking in the beauty of the jungle. We get to the reserve about an hour later. We stop at a dock and the tour guide gets out with our passports to ask permission of the Bangladesh government to let us through to the reserve. After they do, a special Sundarbans tour guide boards the boat and we keep driving until we finally arrive at Sundarbans. It is incredibly quiet here. There is not a boat nor animal nor person anywhere for miles. It is such a stark contrast to the noise of the city that has kept us awake at night. We almost feel that we could sleep now. I ask when we can go into the forest and we are told that this is "in the forest". I realize that I completely misunderstood the tour description. I feel incredibly disappointed but want to make the most of our time. Mom does her best to stay positive and reminds me that even if we see nothing else it is worth it. We drive for miles and hours before we see a single animal besides a bird. All of a sudden our Sundarbans tour guide tells us that he sees a water monitor lizard up ahead. This is exciting as I have never seen one up close before. It is very large for a lizard and I certainly wouldn't want to get too close to it. Seeing it on the shore from the boat is just fine with me. Mom is so excited and takes lots of pictures. We feel a little bit hopeful that maybe we'll see a couple of animals after all. It's probably another thirty minutes before we see another water monitor lizard but it is just as exciting.
Our regular tour guide who drove here with us has woken up by now and we have fun getting to know each other. He is funny and reminds us of my cousin Austin so we get along really well. Munu calls sorely after to check in and make sure everything is going okay.
Soon enough we see our most thrilling sight yet- a crocodile only a few yards away. I have never been that close to one. We can see his face and his tail. His body is camouflaged by a tree. In the binoculars we can see every scale and discoloration. It is a rare sight to behold. The boat driver turns around a couple of times so we can pass it and take pictures again. It's exciting to see but I also feel nervous about being so close to it and am quite happy when we decide to move on.
We are served lunch at about 3 o'clock. Is consists of more vegetables like peppers, cauliflower and potatoes. There is eggplant and fried fish. It's a delicious meal.
After about five hours on the boat we are ready to go. I can tell Mom is fading and my cough is starting up again. I ask the tour guide if we can skip the rickshaw. He says yes and tells us we can just do the watch tower. After hearing how many steps there are, Mom says that she does not want to go. I tell the tour guide we'll skip the watchtower as well. We know by the time the boat gets back to the dock and we get in the car will still have three and a half hours to drive back. It will be nice to get back earlier. We don't regret it, even though our tour guide gets a phone call saying that there was a tiger sighting from the watchtower later. Mom and I laugh at the irony but know we made the right decision. We'll just go to the zoo to see one.
Our drive home feels a lot longer than the ride that morning but God protects us and we are grateful. We stop at the "chai stop" again for one more bathroom break. Luckily, it's still a little light outside so we can use the outdoor toilet. Mom uses it first and squeals as she accidentally puts her hand on a spiderweb. Now it's my turn. I walk in and see a giant spider hanging above the toilet. It has a bulbous body like a black widow and definitely looks dangerous, not to mention just plain creepy. My fear of spiders grips me and my chest feels tight. I feel I am between a rock and a hard place. I have to use the bathroom because we won't stop again for two and a half hours but the terror of knowing that giant spider is above me and may fall on me any minute terrifies me. I am gripped with fear and am about to have my first panic attack in India. Mom takes over and looks around for options. There is a curtained stall next to this one and Mom peaks in. There are two bricks in the middle of the concrete floor and a bucket. She tells me just to go in there. I walk in and decide to just do what I have to do. Thankfully, I realize that there is a drain and this is a second toilet. Relief!
We piled back into the car and ride the remaining few hours back to Kolkata. We hit a bicyclist and the car in front of us hits a puppy and we pray more and more that God will just get us home in one piece. He does and, by the look on Munu's face when we arrive, she's just as grateful as we are.
I think that's enough adventure for one day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Brahmo Samaj Road,Kolkata,India
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Riding in cars with Indians
Our adventure has begun. We are staying in a lovely apartment above a twenty-something young lady, Munu, and her mother, Mina. They have hearts of gold. They have been arranging every detail of our visit, despite the fact that they lost their husband/ father only a few weeks ago and Munu is sick with a cold. Our day starts with the best breakfast Mom and I have ever had. Mina makes a mouthwatering omelette with tomatoes, onions, peppers and coriander. Soon after, we make our way down the four flights of stairs to greet our enthusiastic guide, Rehka. She is a seventy year old woman in a beautiful teal and orange saree. She and her driver take us through the crowded and noisy streets of Kolkata. It brings back vivid memories of Kampala, Uganda. It feels completely familiar to me. I don't even flinch as the driver squeezes past cars and motorcycles with centimeters to spare. Mom has her eyes closed pretty often. Rehka tells us that Kolkata has a saying, "Get as close as you want but don't touch. Touching is an accident." She is convinced that there are no accidents in Kolkata and repeats this to us about four times that day. Munu kindly reveals the truth to us later that there are plenty of accidents and that drivers are a bit crazy.
Honking is a favorite pastime of Kolkata drivers. They do it just to let the driver in front of them know that they are there. At the end of our day we will have driven 149,000+ kilometers so we 'll be very familiar with the sound.
The city is alive with culture and contrasts. It's bustling with color and activity. You see the rich and the poor working and living alongside one another. The Indian people are very accepting of one another and do not pass judgment easily. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindis generally live in harmony with one another. We especially see this beautiful quality come forth as our day progresses and everyone we meet is more than helpful to me and Mom. They don't hesitate to reach out a hand to steady her or move her walker. I am impressed and think we couldn't have picked a better country to visit.
Rehka takes us first to Mother Teresa House where we see the room in which she lived and a museum worshipping her. She was a humble and faithful woman but it's a shame that she is worshipped instead of the God she was doing it all for.
We visit the room for the handicapped children who all lie in beds while the volunteers and sisters clean the floors. I am disappointed by this until I am told that normally the kids get the chance to run around and be free. Today is just cleaning day. We see the nursery and orphan home. The kids are so happy. Rehka tells us proudly that all of the children here go on to University and all are given an excellent life. I hope this is true and not another blind belief like the fact that there are "no accidents in Kolkata."
The terrace is no more than 12 feet by 6 feet but there are ten babies and 5 volunteers sitting with them. One of the babies has a cleft palate and I ask what will happen to him. They tell me that the surgery will be paid for and the baby will be fine.
I am most excited and nervous about volunteering here in a few days. I don't know which room they will put me in but I am so looking forward to playing with some kids and holding some babies.
Next we visit a brightly colored Jain temple. It looks like an Easter egg, painted light purples, blues and yellows. It's gorgeous and inviting. The Jains worship nature so the gardens here are quite magnificent. Inside the temple looks like a Swarovski store. Every surface sparkles with reflective jewels. Rehka tells us that the Jains are rich business people. The temple definitely shows off those riches.
Next we visit the Dakshineswar Kali Temple. It is incredibly crowded and contains the single largest gathering of women that I have seen here so far and the sea of color reflects this since everyone wears a saree. They are here to worship the goddess Bhavatarini. She is the goddess of time, change and destruction.
The temple grounds are widespread and the queues are so long that it probably takes people a full day of waiting before they can offer and receive their blessing from her. Rehka takes me to a special place in front of the queue where I get whisked into a small room with an idol in the center. People clamor toward the man who blocks entry to the idol and hands out flowers and milk cakes for each person's blessing. Rehka practically pushes me toward him. The flowers and cake is shoved into my hand and I am whisked out of the room just as quickly as I was brought in. It's so fast and unremarkable that I don't even realize what's happened. There doesn't seem to be any meaning in the ritual and I feel like Bhavatarini is ignoring her people. I wonder if they notice?
When we return to Mom waiting on her walker next to the water, there is a crowd around her, asking lots of questions and looking very intently at this strange and new contraption. She gets stares all day- not at her light skin but at the walker. The water flows underneath the famous Howrah Bridge and we decide to take a boat ride under it. This is by far the scariest moment Mom and I have experienced so far. She walks down about fifteen steps (with assistance from myself and Rehka) and onto a flat boat with no seats- only a deck. Mom hoists herself up somehow and looks to a wobbly plastic chair that's been placed on the deck for her. She looks like a queen on her throne, sitting in the middle of the boat. With no railings there is no support except Jesus so we lean on Him heavily. The boat powers across the river to the other side, where we will see more temples. Halfway through the ride our fears allay a bit and we enjoy the view.
We visit more temples but they seem a little less exciting than the first two. Finally it's lunchtime and we drive to KFC. One more stop before then takes us through the flower markets. The day has been very full and tiring but Mom has been a trooper. She has been very positive and walked more steps and climbed more stairs than she thought possible. I've never been prouder of her. Each area we go to presents a new challenge. We develop the habit of stopping before each new challenge and assessing it like a new puzzle. The flower markets are no exception. Each aisle of shops becomes narrower and narrower and the walker barely fits through. The crowds become thicker and I worry we will get stuck but somehow we make it to the other side and I breathe a sigh of relief to get back into the car.
Mom is a fun companion. Her curiosity gives me new eyes to see through and she asks our guide intriguing questions. Everything excites her because it's all brand new. I am excited, too, but find myself comparing every place we go to places I've already been. I see the world through different eyes and it helps me make sense of it all. I feel comfortable in new places much more quickly and am grateful for that confidence that is already helping us through some challenging scenarios.
I'm impressed with India. The people are incredibly kind, friendly and helpful. Kolkata is rich in culture and contrasts. Indians like to have fun and enjoy one another's company. They are creative and make things beautiful, from tying together garlands of flowers to covering their buses with painted art to building elaborate temples. Contrasts are evident on every street. Homeless children bath in the street across from a store that sells BMWs. There are brand new high rise apartment buildings on one street and piles of trash and starving street dogs on another.
Our last stop of the day is Victorua Memorial. This is my favorite because it has a museum inside showing the history of Britain's takeover of India to India coming of age on its own. The grounds outside the memorial are lovely and it's roomy and cool inside. Mom and I are exhausted so we don't linger too long but we still feel satisfied after our visit. The tour we had signed up for had two more planned stops but I told Rehka to take us home. It is almost 4 pm and we haven't slept more than ten hours in the last two nights put together. Taking into account that I have a cold and Mom isn't used to this much physical challenge in one day, it is a good call to end the trip. We figure we can see the rest on our next weekend.
Once back at the apartment, we are able to relax for a few minutes before fighting the traffic again and going out to buy groceries. By the time we return at 10 pm, I have a massive headache and was ready to crash. We have another tour at 6 am the next day so we are eager to get to bed and prepare. If our first day was this adventurous, what will our jungle safari have in store on Sunday?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Honking is a favorite pastime of Kolkata drivers. They do it just to let the driver in front of them know that they are there. At the end of our day we will have driven 149,000+ kilometers so we 'll be very familiar with the sound.
The city is alive with culture and contrasts. It's bustling with color and activity. You see the rich and the poor working and living alongside one another. The Indian people are very accepting of one another and do not pass judgment easily. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindis generally live in harmony with one another. We especially see this beautiful quality come forth as our day progresses and everyone we meet is more than helpful to me and Mom. They don't hesitate to reach out a hand to steady her or move her walker. I am impressed and think we couldn't have picked a better country to visit.
Rehka takes us first to Mother Teresa House where we see the room in which she lived and a museum worshipping her. She was a humble and faithful woman but it's a shame that she is worshipped instead of the God she was doing it all for.
We visit the room for the handicapped children who all lie in beds while the volunteers and sisters clean the floors. I am disappointed by this until I am told that normally the kids get the chance to run around and be free. Today is just cleaning day. We see the nursery and orphan home. The kids are so happy. Rehka tells us proudly that all of the children here go on to University and all are given an excellent life. I hope this is true and not another blind belief like the fact that there are "no accidents in Kolkata."
The terrace is no more than 12 feet by 6 feet but there are ten babies and 5 volunteers sitting with them. One of the babies has a cleft palate and I ask what will happen to him. They tell me that the surgery will be paid for and the baby will be fine.
I am most excited and nervous about volunteering here in a few days. I don't know which room they will put me in but I am so looking forward to playing with some kids and holding some babies.
Next we visit a brightly colored Jain temple. It looks like an Easter egg, painted light purples, blues and yellows. It's gorgeous and inviting. The Jains worship nature so the gardens here are quite magnificent. Inside the temple looks like a Swarovski store. Every surface sparkles with reflective jewels. Rehka tells us that the Jains are rich business people. The temple definitely shows off those riches.
Next we visit the Dakshineswar Kali Temple. It is incredibly crowded and contains the single largest gathering of women that I have seen here so far and the sea of color reflects this since everyone wears a saree. They are here to worship the goddess Bhavatarini. She is the goddess of time, change and destruction.
The temple grounds are widespread and the queues are so long that it probably takes people a full day of waiting before they can offer and receive their blessing from her. Rehka takes me to a special place in front of the queue where I get whisked into a small room with an idol in the center. People clamor toward the man who blocks entry to the idol and hands out flowers and milk cakes for each person's blessing. Rehka practically pushes me toward him. The flowers and cake is shoved into my hand and I am whisked out of the room just as quickly as I was brought in. It's so fast and unremarkable that I don't even realize what's happened. There doesn't seem to be any meaning in the ritual and I feel like Bhavatarini is ignoring her people. I wonder if they notice?
When we return to Mom waiting on her walker next to the water, there is a crowd around her, asking lots of questions and looking very intently at this strange and new contraption. She gets stares all day- not at her light skin but at the walker. The water flows underneath the famous Howrah Bridge and we decide to take a boat ride under it. This is by far the scariest moment Mom and I have experienced so far. She walks down about fifteen steps (with assistance from myself and Rehka) and onto a flat boat with no seats- only a deck. Mom hoists herself up somehow and looks to a wobbly plastic chair that's been placed on the deck for her. She looks like a queen on her throne, sitting in the middle of the boat. With no railings there is no support except Jesus so we lean on Him heavily. The boat powers across the river to the other side, where we will see more temples. Halfway through the ride our fears allay a bit and we enjoy the view.
We visit more temples but they seem a little less exciting than the first two. Finally it's lunchtime and we drive to KFC. One more stop before then takes us through the flower markets. The day has been very full and tiring but Mom has been a trooper. She has been very positive and walked more steps and climbed more stairs than she thought possible. I've never been prouder of her. Each area we go to presents a new challenge. We develop the habit of stopping before each new challenge and assessing it like a new puzzle. The flower markets are no exception. Each aisle of shops becomes narrower and narrower and the walker barely fits through. The crowds become thicker and I worry we will get stuck but somehow we make it to the other side and I breathe a sigh of relief to get back into the car.
Mom is a fun companion. Her curiosity gives me new eyes to see through and she asks our guide intriguing questions. Everything excites her because it's all brand new. I am excited, too, but find myself comparing every place we go to places I've already been. I see the world through different eyes and it helps me make sense of it all. I feel comfortable in new places much more quickly and am grateful for that confidence that is already helping us through some challenging scenarios.
I'm impressed with India. The people are incredibly kind, friendly and helpful. Kolkata is rich in culture and contrasts. Indians like to have fun and enjoy one another's company. They are creative and make things beautiful, from tying together garlands of flowers to covering their buses with painted art to building elaborate temples. Contrasts are evident on every street. Homeless children bath in the street across from a store that sells BMWs. There are brand new high rise apartment buildings on one street and piles of trash and starving street dogs on another.
Our last stop of the day is Victorua Memorial. This is my favorite because it has a museum inside showing the history of Britain's takeover of India to India coming of age on its own. The grounds outside the memorial are lovely and it's roomy and cool inside. Mom and I are exhausted so we don't linger too long but we still feel satisfied after our visit. The tour we had signed up for had two more planned stops but I told Rehka to take us home. It is almost 4 pm and we haven't slept more than ten hours in the last two nights put together. Taking into account that I have a cold and Mom isn't used to this much physical challenge in one day, it is a good call to end the trip. We figure we can see the rest on our next weekend.
Once back at the apartment, we are able to relax for a few minutes before fighting the traffic again and going out to buy groceries. By the time we return at 10 pm, I have a massive headache and was ready to crash. We have another tour at 6 am the next day so we are eager to get to bed and prepare. If our first day was this adventurous, what will our jungle safari have in store on Sunday?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Kolkata, India
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)