Greetings from the Gunge!

BOOM!!! That was the sound of a firework going off. I'm staying in an area of Kolkata known as Tollygunge. I'm sharing an apartment with three other volunteers. I got in on Monday night and was met by my volunteer coordinator, Alicia. It wasn't too terrifying as I had met her before. A combination of hunger and jet lag caused me to forget her name. She forgave me. The taxi ride back into the city was terrifying. The roads are two or three lanes wide in places but there are no road markings. Trucks, buses, taxis, motorbikes and auto-ricksaws compete for space to a cacophony of horns, bells and whistles. Drivers change lanes without any warning. Some drive without lights. Others drive the wrong way up the road. It's like they took the rule book, glanced at the first page and then tossed it aside while muttering, “too much effort.” Finally, I was dropped outside my apartment block and did a double take on seeing the sign. The Executive Suite? I didn't come here to stay in a place called The Executive Suite. It was very plush and I suppose it was a good way to settle in. I was moved out three days later. On Tuesday morning, I took a walk through the streets. At first, I was expecting something more. Where are all the throngs of people? Why amn't I covering my ears from the noise? Perhaps it was a quiet morning. I found an ATM and was delighted when it gave me a couple of hundred rupees. I was told to relax so I went back to my apartment for a snooze. Later that afternoon, Alicia picked me up and brought me to the boys home. We then visited another one of the homes where one of her students was staying. He introduced himself, shook my hand and asked me my name. I watched a group of guys playing a game involving round plastic discs on a table with pockets at each corner. It looked like a combination of air hockey and pool. When they asked Alicia to play, she declined. Her student then said, “if you don't try, you'll never learn.” I was very impressed by this and resolved to remember it.

The next day, I met up with a group of fundraisers from the UK branch of the Hope Foundation. We were taken on a tour of the various projects scattered around the city. I won't go into too much detail about them as I've written about my experience for the Hope Foundation's website. I will say that it was both harrowing and inspiring. I want to share an example of the Indian sense of humour that we encountered in one of the slums. As we walked through the settlement, two men rode by us on a bike. One of them said, “where are you going?” in a mocking voice. I found this amusing but I'm not sure why. One of the UK group then recounted a story of the time he was in Madagascar and one of the children came up to him and repeatedly said, “what's my name?” Despite their horrendous living conditions, people here always find something to smile or laugh about. They are always happy to see us and express delight when we share their local handshake with them. It involves sticking out one's index and baby finger and joining them with another person's fingers. The hand then rotates around the thumb into a handshake. Sometimes, the kids jerk away their hands and run it through their hair. They laugh when we attempt to do the same. So far, Kolkata has surprised me. This city is bursting with life and vitality. It is not a place that is easily described. It must be experienced to discover why it is known as “The City of Joy.” Apart from the heat, I'm having a wonderful time here. Today, Bengalis celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Light. Tonight should be spectacular...