I couldn't open my eyes this morning. It was so hard for me to roll out of bed 10 after 5. I can't wait till I'm able to go home and just sleep in! I miss sleeping in, haha. Anyways Mass was great like always, the preist gave an amazing homilee. This morning it was so jammed pack in the volunter's room. It felt like there was every 350+ volunteer there at breakfast. There was no room to seat and barely any room for standing. It was Caitlin's last day so the volunteer and sisters sang the thank you farewell song. We stayed back a little later so Sr. Karina could give Caitlin a little gift. The bus and autorickshaw was like any other day for me but it was Corina's first bus and autorickshaw ride here in India. I forget how much of a differences it is for Corina and towards me. It just feels as if she and everyone else has been here forever. Which might be a good thing because she's not sticking out too much. I didnt work in the classroom today I helped out in physical therapy for a little bit and was able to sit and talk to Sr. Capita for a while about vocation, relationships and marriage. She's fun and I'll miss her when I leave for surely. Today was a saturday so the physical therapist came in and I was able to chat with them awhile while I was working with one of the child. Iwas in, out and about around Daya Dan helping with a bunch of random this and that.
Today there was a big group of people leaving, it was not only the last day for Caitlin but also the last day for 20 people from spain, and about 4 of them worked at Daya Dan and on top of the it was Boro Ma last day also (It means Big mama; she's the head superior at Daya Dan and was headed back to the States for a visit) We threw a party at Daya Dan there was cake, cupcake, sweets, mango juice, and sparkling apple cider. It was so great to see all the kids so excited and hyped.
Sr. needed me to figure some songs out for Mass tomorrow and come play music for mass so I spent time after the children ate doing that. Its hard somewhat to figure out music when all they have for me is music and when they sing the songs for me it's all in different keys... one person would sing the song in this key, and someone in another. It was a tedious task trying to figure out notes for the song and a relative key for everyone to sing it.
Well on the way back home I was bargined for Caitlin for a pair of sandals she tried to get yesterday but couldnt get the guy to sell it for less than 150 Rps. I myself bought this same pair for my shower sandals for 70 so today i tried to bargin for her... I got us both one because my strap is completely torn off and I have no shower sandals and I got one pair for 65 Rps! I was excited. Anyways, I'm not sure what we're up for tonight... it being Caitlin's last night in India, it's up for her to deciede. I think we're giong to try to see Vicotria and the Singing lights but... we'll see. For lunch though, I bought a green coconut from the street and drank the juice straight out of the coconut and had two side dish of veg noodles from Tirupati fro 13rps each. It was a very good, filling and cheap meal! ... less than 50 cents! I always get so excited when I convert how much I spent back into US dollars! Well, I'm out... I'm going to nap because I'm tired. I never get enough sleep here.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Cleansing of hands
It's a friday today. Every friday sr. Capita has told me, "you must come to Daya at 6:45 for mass with MC father". So that was the plan. We were up and out of the hotel by 5:45 and when we got to the metro station it was closed. I figured maybe it's a little early for it to run, so we stopped at a stand and had a cup of chai and some sweet bread. I ended up chatting with a man that was a little ... in the head. All the locals where distance from him, but he wasn't really bothering me. He just wanted to talk. So I sat and listened to some crazy love drama he had/has and than he went off inBangali thinking that I understood him... but I continued to act as if I did. Afterwards, we found out the metro doesn't open till 7am and that would of been too late for us. So I went down sudder street looking for a taxi. My taxi driver was asleep and I woke him up... to find out a relative cost to get to where I was headed, he told me it should cost 30 Rps. So I went around asking taxi drivers and they all tried to get me to pay 150 Rps. I was just so fet up with all the taxi drivers, and when I told them I'll show them the way and they can just run the meter and I'll pay by the chart fare, they wouldn't say anything and said it's impossible to get it for less than 150, although the ride is less than 15 minutes away and I've gone to the train station for 65-100 Rps several times. So I was just sick of all the lying and went back to my Bundu and he was awake and took us to Daya Dan. I paid him 50 Rps, 20 more than he asked for just because he gave me the rate straight up and fair. When we got to daya dan; Corina, Caitlin and I were the only volunteers there early. I looked around and realized nobody was at mass. I asked sister if there was mass at 6:45 today and she chuckled, realizing everytime they've tried to get me to come to friday mass at Daya Dan something went wrong where I couldn't make it and this time I decieded to go on my own and .... well the MC father called her late last night and told them he couldn't make it. So just my luck. Corina, Caitlin and I ended up going down into the chapel anyways and said a rosary and did the daily readings/gospel together ourselves. It was Corina first day at Daya Dan and I was so happy she got to start off slowly before all the other volunteers came. I got to introduce her to the sisters there also and so it was a better transition I guess. I helped out in the classroom like usual (which is kind of sad because I really miss doing physical therapy with the children), but in class today I worked with Megha because she kept asking to have me teach her. Which made me feel special but than we weren't able to really do school work today because Sr. Christalata had something else planned for us. The head superior of Daya Dan was flying over to Wash. D.C. sunday early morning and tomorrow was her last day so Sr wanted Megha to make her a card with pictures of all the kids in the card. So we spent the whole morning cutting out pictures, drawing, and writing a letter for the head superior. Music time was great like always. I didn't play the guitar today, I had the spainard play since he took over for me while I was traveling and tomorrow was his last day here. Music class was great and so entertaining! The kids were doing tumble and rolls to get applauded and would come and sing the ABCs and 123s . I just adore it when they sing or can do something so well but independent. It makes them sooo happy when they finish and get the applause. The children just brighten up, jump and dance because how happy they feel after getting the support and encouragement.
I introduced Corina to Sr. Johana Fa (the sister downstair) and told her that we could help paint the pictures onto the walls at Daya Dan since she asked me about artist. And she said that God answered her prayers because she was praying for some artist to come help paint cartoonish/kiddish things on the wall. Whether it's of children, school stuff, music, relgious... she just wanted something beautiful on the wall and Corina definately is capable of that... as for myself... I'll color within the lines if Corina draws it out for me, haha. So next week I'll start working morning shifts, possibily staying during noon time in the classroom and than go straight from that to afternoon shift and paint pictures the downstair room that just was constructed. I'll be working from 8:30am - 5:30pm. But i only have a few weeks left... so i'll hit em hard.
After the morning shift was over, I ended up staying back for noon time while all the volunteers left. They needed someone in the classroom during this time while the sisters went and did their lunch, prayers, and nap time. I stayed back and worked with Megha and her friend Divya (she's a daughter of one of the Masis and is on school holiday so she's been at Daya Dan for the past few days). We played cards and than played Memory cards. Megha is absolutely incredible at memory card! She won the WHOLE deck of 100 cards (50 matches)! And I didn't even get ONE! She's incredible! This cute little nine year old. She can't really reach or grasp things very well with her hands so she had me flip the cards for her but she would tell me " over, up, left, right...yes that card" and I swear she had xray vision or something because she was SOOO good!
Megha needed me to take her to the bathroom (remember Megha is in a wheel chair and she has difficulties with many muscle functions). She took me over to the bathroom and told me step by step how she needed to go. It was so adorable. She said ... "you need to pick me up like a baby (craddle me in your arms- she doesn't like being picked up and swung over the shoulders) and than lay me down on the bed, take off my pant, put me on the toilet and then I'll tell you when I'm finish and than you'll need to take me back to the bed, put my pants back on and carry me like a baby back to my chair." She was so cute and so comfortable with me... I picked her up out of her wheel chair and she was laying in my arms and looked up at me and I looked down at her and she said, "you know what Uncle? you're very nice. I really like you. I think you are a very nice Uncle." It was so precious to me I wanted to cry!
It was a little funny afterward when I put her on the toliet seat because when she was on the seat she looked over at me and was like...uh oh, i just went caca and giggled... and said "so you need to get a wet towel for me too." hahahaha! It was the funniest thing I heard because of her cute little smile with it and how carefree she was saying it.
We hung out some more and played some cards all afternoon and the masis made me lunch at Daya Dan and afterwards I ran outside and bought some cadbury chocolate from the market on the street for Megha, Divya and the Masis. I heard earlier Megha and Divya saying something about chocolate so i figured, why not. They were really happy when I gave them some chocolate. I was pretty warm out so the chocolate were a little melted and a mess to eat.
Megha asked me to take her over so she can wash her hands and face. I brought her to the bathroom where there was a fosset along the wall and turned it on for her. She slowly washed her hands and than cupped her hands as well as they were able to cup water and splashed it onto her face. She spent about 10 minutes washing up and looked up at me and said, "Tuan you will wait for me, no? Don't hurry, you will wait." Awww...she've said some amazing things to me today that really challenged me to grow in love and patiences. Than she did something beyond words, totally unexpected and I felt so unworthy of such great love. She said "give me your hands uncle. I will wash your hands" She reached for my hands and held one of her tiny hands support my hands and using her other hand to cup water and rub it onto my hands! I slid my hands under the running water and she said... no no, i will wash them. And she continued to wash my hands. She asked me to turn over my hands so she can wash the other side of my hands... she did this so joyfully and so lovingly. I've never had anyone wash my hands that resembled Jesus the way she washed my hands today. I was in awe, that I was before God's most precious child and finding Him in the most beautiful disguise, in the youth and love of a child. She wanted to do something for me... and he way to show me was to wash my hands... the very small thing she was able to do on her own was to cup her hands and to move them to wash herself and she wanted to share her talent and her gift with me. She gave me more than I could ever ask for and I'm ever greatful for this greatest gift in the simpliest disguise. I realize that love doesn't need to give in extraordinary things and ways but with immense love. If love is always the motivation behind our giving, our gifts would touch hearts in ways money and things can't. The thirst for love is only quenched by love itself and every soul yearns for that comfort. We must begin always to think lovingly and than to be motivated by love to act on it and sharing the love with others.
I came back to sudder street and went straight toward mother house, Corina was at Orientation and I wanted to be able to meet her and Caitlin up for adoration or prayers afterwards but instead we were able to catch a 4:30 mass at Mother's tomb. There was a relic of Mother Teresa and at the end of mass everyone was given he opportunity to line up and have a blessing from Mother and kiss the relic. It was so beautiful. Well my day has been packed and I just had dinner and it's only 8:30 or so but i'm EXHAUSTED! So I'm off to bed! Take care, God bless everyone! I miss you all!
I introduced Corina to Sr. Johana Fa (the sister downstair) and told her that we could help paint the pictures onto the walls at Daya Dan since she asked me about artist. And she said that God answered her prayers because she was praying for some artist to come help paint cartoonish/kiddish things on the wall. Whether it's of children, school stuff, music, relgious... she just wanted something beautiful on the wall and Corina definately is capable of that... as for myself... I'll color within the lines if Corina draws it out for me, haha. So next week I'll start working morning shifts, possibily staying during noon time in the classroom and than go straight from that to afternoon shift and paint pictures the downstair room that just was constructed. I'll be working from 8:30am - 5:30pm. But i only have a few weeks left... so i'll hit em hard.
After the morning shift was over, I ended up staying back for noon time while all the volunteers left. They needed someone in the classroom during this time while the sisters went and did their lunch, prayers, and nap time. I stayed back and worked with Megha and her friend Divya (she's a daughter of one of the Masis and is on school holiday so she's been at Daya Dan for the past few days). We played cards and than played Memory cards. Megha is absolutely incredible at memory card! She won the WHOLE deck of 100 cards (50 matches)! And I didn't even get ONE! She's incredible! This cute little nine year old. She can't really reach or grasp things very well with her hands so she had me flip the cards for her but she would tell me " over, up, left, right...yes that card" and I swear she had xray vision or something because she was SOOO good!
Megha needed me to take her to the bathroom (remember Megha is in a wheel chair and she has difficulties with many muscle functions). She took me over to the bathroom and told me step by step how she needed to go. It was so adorable. She said ... "you need to pick me up like a baby (craddle me in your arms- she doesn't like being picked up and swung over the shoulders) and than lay me down on the bed, take off my pant, put me on the toilet and then I'll tell you when I'm finish and than you'll need to take me back to the bed, put my pants back on and carry me like a baby back to my chair." She was so cute and so comfortable with me... I picked her up out of her wheel chair and she was laying in my arms and looked up at me and I looked down at her and she said, "you know what Uncle? you're very nice. I really like you. I think you are a very nice Uncle." It was so precious to me I wanted to cry!
It was a little funny afterward when I put her on the toliet seat because when she was on the seat she looked over at me and was like...uh oh, i just went caca and giggled... and said "so you need to get a wet towel for me too." hahahaha! It was the funniest thing I heard because of her cute little smile with it and how carefree she was saying it.
We hung out some more and played some cards all afternoon and the masis made me lunch at Daya Dan and afterwards I ran outside and bought some cadbury chocolate from the market on the street for Megha, Divya and the Masis. I heard earlier Megha and Divya saying something about chocolate so i figured, why not. They were really happy when I gave them some chocolate. I was pretty warm out so the chocolate were a little melted and a mess to eat.
Megha asked me to take her over so she can wash her hands and face. I brought her to the bathroom where there was a fosset along the wall and turned it on for her. She slowly washed her hands and than cupped her hands as well as they were able to cup water and splashed it onto her face. She spent about 10 minutes washing up and looked up at me and said, "Tuan you will wait for me, no? Don't hurry, you will wait." Awww...she've said some amazing things to me today that really challenged me to grow in love and patiences. Than she did something beyond words, totally unexpected and I felt so unworthy of such great love. She said "give me your hands uncle. I will wash your hands" She reached for my hands and held one of her tiny hands support my hands and using her other hand to cup water and rub it onto my hands! I slid my hands under the running water and she said... no no, i will wash them. And she continued to wash my hands. She asked me to turn over my hands so she can wash the other side of my hands... she did this so joyfully and so lovingly. I've never had anyone wash my hands that resembled Jesus the way she washed my hands today. I was in awe, that I was before God's most precious child and finding Him in the most beautiful disguise, in the youth and love of a child. She wanted to do something for me... and he way to show me was to wash my hands... the very small thing she was able to do on her own was to cup her hands and to move them to wash herself and she wanted to share her talent and her gift with me. She gave me more than I could ever ask for and I'm ever greatful for this greatest gift in the simpliest disguise. I realize that love doesn't need to give in extraordinary things and ways but with immense love. If love is always the motivation behind our giving, our gifts would touch hearts in ways money and things can't. The thirst for love is only quenched by love itself and every soul yearns for that comfort. We must begin always to think lovingly and than to be motivated by love to act on it and sharing the love with others.
I came back to sudder street and went straight toward mother house, Corina was at Orientation and I wanted to be able to meet her and Caitlin up for adoration or prayers afterwards but instead we were able to catch a 4:30 mass at Mother's tomb. There was a relic of Mother Teresa and at the end of mass everyone was given he opportunity to line up and have a blessing from Mother and kiss the relic. It was so beautiful. Well my day has been packed and I just had dinner and it's only 8:30 or so but i'm EXHAUSTED! So I'm off to bed! Take care, God bless everyone! I miss you all!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Communist Strike
Yesterady July 8th was one of the weirdest days here in Kolkata, India. I know this is my first blog since I've been back. I honestly been meaning to blog about my travels in India which was amazing but never got around to it because all that's been going on. Well Cornia arrived at 3 am yesterday morning which was a suprise to me because i thought she told me midnight the next day... minutes after Briana would leave, but appartently not. I recieved a phone call from Sara at 2 in the morning telling me that corina was at the airport waiting for me. So I had her take a taxi back to sudder and i stood out on the streets for a while until she arrived. The streets of Kolkata is so quiet at night, total opposite from the day time. I saw some of the locals and just sat around talking to them waiting for Cornia to arrive at Sudder. I wanted to wait outside because first off, I didn't think the taxi driver will know exactly where hotel Maria was at and secondly I was sure that the drive would try to rip her off. Well A taxi pulled in around 3 and turned on its brights and so I couldn't really tell if anyone was in the car. So I told Bundu (my friend) to stop the taxi and see and ask... since it drove pass me although I stood in front of it. He told me the person in the taxi was headed to fairland lodge. I figured it wasn't corina because she wouldn't even know the name fiarland lodge. I stood in the middle of Sudder street by hotel maria and minutes after that last taxi passed I saw a blonde gal walking down the streets towards me... Yeah, it was Corina. She was in that last taxi. He drove her away from me because he probably figured I knew the relative price of the fare and although Corina pointed me out to him he said it wasn't safe to stop here and kept on driving away from me down sudder and ended up talking her into paying 750 Rps or so... almost 4 times more than what she should of paid. I went after the driver as soon as i found out with some of the locals but... he took off before Corina even told me. Frustrated but... what can you do. Many of the taxi drivers here will rip you off... you just got to expect it and know the relative price. They'll give you a fake chart that they typed up themselves with the more expensive fare... so you also have to know what the real chart looks like.
Well we got Corina checked in and had to get up for mass in 2 hours. So I tried to sleep as much as I could but was laying awake for abouty 30 minutes thinking about the taxi driver. I dont know what it is but I get so pissed at the taxi drivers, I always tip generously here in India, sometime giving a 100% tip or more but when someone tries to cheat me out of something just because I'm a foriegner I don't buy into it and dont' tip at all and even more so I get really mad. Anyways, I got to bed... and it was a horrible night of sleep. Two hours in a stiff hard bed, since I didn't planned that corina was coming in on a day when Briana was still there. Our room is a three person room so I gave Corina my bed and paid for a dorm room which the beds in the dorm room of hotel maria is pretty much sheets on wood. So we walked the streets that was so famaliar to me that i've been away from for a while... the same street that briana would walk for the last time this year towards mother house. Mass was great... althought I'm positive that we forgot to say the profession of faith , after the homily but... eh. It was so nice being in the Mother House. It was so nice seeing all the sisters and several of them going out of their way to say hi or wave hi although they were in the middle of a conversation with someone else. It was just so welcoming to come back and feel as if I was missed and having some of the MC sisters ask me about my trip and telling me welcome back, or where have I been. I didn't realize that they would even notice if I left for a week since there's over 350+ volunteers. So I was extremely happy right from the start. During breakfast I introduced Corina to Sr. Karina. A moment I've been longing for... I"m actually not sure how Sr. Karina spells her name but ... for some reason I've been spelling it with a K. Well after breakfast sister sat us down and told us some horrible news/sad news. She told us that she wanted all the girls volunteers to head back to their hotels for today and stay within their hotel for the day. Today (yesterday, the 8th) was a labor strike for the communist party. Sr Karina told us that in the past two previuos years there has been bus bombing, after they've bomb the bus it forces the people out of it and the bus and some people would get stoned and it's especially not safe for a foreign girl to be in that situation . 2 years ago a volunteer was on a bus that was bombed and the year afterwards she returned to work with the MC and during the same strike her bus was bombed again. So unluckily it had happened twice to her but thankfully that was all that happened. The bus was bombed so it was out of service. Which sounds like the bombs are only small enough to ruin the axle or something to slow down the bus. But earlier this year in feb/dec during the same strike someone was killed (i dont think it was any volunteers) but because of so the Sr. wanted to send all the girls back to the hotel and advise the guys that if today they feel as if they needed to catch up on anything else that its a good day to take off. Well.... it was extremely sad news for Briana because it was her last day volunteering and she wanted to go to Shishu Bahavan and say her good byes and take some pictures of her work. The strike began at 8 and she had 30 minutes till than she her and Corina left to Shishu and Briana said her goodbyes and headed back to our hotel. I figured, because of the lack of volunteers today and because how much I missed Daya Dan because of my traveling and not being able to work that i'd go to Daya Dan regardless and just pray for protection and guidance. So I hopped on the bus to Manictala. When I got on the bus it was the weirdest feeling ever... it was so empty! Usually people are fighting a seat and it's so packed that people would have to stand but there was barely anyone on the bus! I sat praying my rosary for safety on my journey. It seriously was just nerveracking being on the bus. I got off the bus at manictala and someone even more stranged and errie happened. Not a single autorickshaw was running. Although they sat across the streets in the autorickshaw, none of the rickshaw drivers would pick us up and they just laid in their seats and took off the day. The street was empty. No cars, no horns, no rickshaw! I couldn't believe it. I started walking down the street to Daya Dan since there was no rickshaw running. It was several blocks away and on my walk there i ended up walking by a manula rickshaw driver. He had an empty rickshaw... I looked over out of curiosity and we made eye contact.... but he didn't say anything. He didn't ask "rickshaw?" NOTHING! Instead he kept on walking. As weird or nice as it would usually be on any other day... it just freaked me out yesterday that I wasn't bugged by a single rickshaw driver, the roads were dead empty, and no horns. So after a long errie walk, i finally got to daya dan. It was so nice to be back everyone on of the sisters at Daya Dan welcomed me back and told me i was missed and kept asking how much longer will I be here. It was a really comforting feeling. I love being at daya Dan. Because of the strike schools were close so the students from Daya Dan that would sometime go to actual schools were here at daya dan and some of the school kids came to daya dan also. There was on me and one other guy here to teach a big group of students, so we made it art class today. Art class is usually on saturdays but the sisters wanted something for all the students to keep busy and it was simple and interactive for all since they were all at different learning levels and it would have been impossible to teach otherwise. I led music class at 10 and had Megha help sing since Mongol was sick that day. After the day's work, I took my break at the end of everything. I spent it in a room with sr. Christalata and she told me a lot about the children at Daya dan. We talked about how the children were dropped off, and which children do we know about their parents. I found out a lot about the mental, retardation, and physcial difficulties of many of the children I worked with. How many of them won't live pass to age 20 and sadly to hear that the students I work with specifically, Mongol and Megha, were dropped off as a child in front the Shishu, MCs house and there are no records of their parents but they suffer from a disease that deteriorates their muscles and that's why they're so skinny and can't walk and will forever be in a wheel chair. They suffer from no mental problems and are such brillant kids but Sister told me they more than likely won't live pass the age 20 because Sisters had a child that had the same problems that they suffer from and three years before he died his muscles in his mouth stopped working and he was unable to talk and then after 3 years his heart muscle gave out. He passed away earlier this year and sister told me that he was as smart as Mongol and Megha when he was younger. It was the most devastating thing for me to hear. I love them with all my heart and want to show them how much they're cared about. I want to be their pernament teacher because the teachers here comes and go, none that they feel stay long enough for them. I want to see them suceed in reading, math, and gramar and be able to get jobs to help others. They're so precious to me and makes me so sad to hear that they may never be able to experience the most simple things that I take for granted. A teacher that stays with me, being able to walk, to go outside whenever I want and to do which ever I please. I hurts me to know that I can't take any of their sufferings that already they've suffered so much, and continuously will suffer and even more so when they get older. It hurts me to know that I can't take a glimsp of that. I feel so unworthy sometimes because of all the things I take for granted. Things that children loves to do... to recieve, and to experience. Sr told me that little Piya will never be able to walk due to some retardation problems in mental and phsycial connection to her legs and told me about Prince one of my students and how he was when he arrived at the doorstep of the MCs house. I was so privilleged to have this opportunity to learn more about the children I was working with and it gave me a greater love for them and the sympathy was not only for them but for my life... for how much I have to learn and grow in. For the lack of love I show althoguh I have so much grace and love given to me. My shift ended at Daya Dan and I took the metro back to Sudder. I was extremely happy the Metro was running because i didn't want to take the bus back.
During the evening we spent the evening going to wherever Briana wanted to go. It was her last night and she was leaving here at 9:30pm for the airport. We went to NewMarket to the ATM because she needed to get some money out for rent and some last minute things such as a taxi cab and whatnot, but because of the strike all the banks ATM were closed. New Market itself was really errie to be in. More than half of the stores stands were closed and the ones that were opened didn't want to bargin at all. We were told that the ATM at the airport was be open although all these ATMs were closed. Later that evening, Briana wanted to go to a resturant called moulin rouge which apparently was really good, so we did just that and got ice cream after dinner. I got back to the hotel and arranged a taxi driver for her and took her to the airport. Sadly the ATM wasnt open. But it wasn't a problem I'll pay for her rent and taxi ride since I don't have any worries about it returning since we go to the same school and all but it was just SOO weird at the airport! Usually when I walk out of the airport there are sooooo many taxi drivers asking and nagging at you if you need a taxi driver. But yesterday there wasn't a single yellow taxi in sight. The only cars that was at the airport where arranged business cars and the drivers stood by the exit holding the sign with the persons name. Or cars of family members in India but no taxi drivers. I couldnt believe it... it was just such an interesting day. Something I wasn't use to for surely but a creepy experience. I don't think I've ever been so aware about my surroundings. Everything that passes me every person that looked at me or anything that touched me.
Today was a much better day, After waking up with only 2 hours of sleep and not getting back from dropping Briana off at the airport and in bed till past mid night, a thursdsay (volunteers day off) felt AMAZING! I slept in till 10:30am and then skyped & email. Did laundry... since i was totally out of clean clothes, and have been eating in between all that. That's honestly all i've done today but it was nice just catching up on nessesary things to do. I don't know when I'll have time to blog about my travels in India, but honestly it was amazing. Darjeeling is spectacular and breathtaking. The most beauitful sight i've see in nature... the Himalayas foothills and mountain are so peaceful and stunning. Over at Varanasi it's very centered around the GANGA! The ganga in the evening is so beautiful and there were some amazing temples. As for PURI... I LOVE THE BEACH! It was crazy cool! So relaxing. I diffinately will have to find some time to talk about my travel time here in India and the crazy stories I have.... here's some things that may keep you on the edge of your seat until I find time to blog about it; Caitlin ran full on into an autorickshaw, the effects of Malaria pills and minimum amount of sleep, umm...I lost my bag with my video camera-picture camera- jounral and most importantly passport, camael or camael rides on the beach, Massive rain, crazy boat ride tour guide as we cruised the Ganga....etc. Anyways Traveling was fun! And the glimps of what i listed should really stir up some curiousity for everyone.
Well, I'm home safe in Kolkata and will try my best to blog daily but there's been lots going on for me here and I don't know how often I can find time to blog. But I did start writing in a journal since I've been traveling and it's practically filled!
Well, I send everyone my blessing. Please pray for Briana's flight she should be arriving in the States in a couple of hours and pray for Caitlin's travel she heads home this saturday and of course keep Corina and I in your prayers as we continue on trying to find Jesus in Disguise and strength for all trials and challenges while we're here!
Well we got Corina checked in and had to get up for mass in 2 hours. So I tried to sleep as much as I could but was laying awake for abouty 30 minutes thinking about the taxi driver. I dont know what it is but I get so pissed at the taxi drivers, I always tip generously here in India, sometime giving a 100% tip or more but when someone tries to cheat me out of something just because I'm a foriegner I don't buy into it and dont' tip at all and even more so I get really mad. Anyways, I got to bed... and it was a horrible night of sleep. Two hours in a stiff hard bed, since I didn't planned that corina was coming in on a day when Briana was still there. Our room is a three person room so I gave Corina my bed and paid for a dorm room which the beds in the dorm room of hotel maria is pretty much sheets on wood. So we walked the streets that was so famaliar to me that i've been away from for a while... the same street that briana would walk for the last time this year towards mother house. Mass was great... althought I'm positive that we forgot to say the profession of faith , after the homily but... eh. It was so nice being in the Mother House. It was so nice seeing all the sisters and several of them going out of their way to say hi or wave hi although they were in the middle of a conversation with someone else. It was just so welcoming to come back and feel as if I was missed and having some of the MC sisters ask me about my trip and telling me welcome back, or where have I been. I didn't realize that they would even notice if I left for a week since there's over 350+ volunteers. So I was extremely happy right from the start. During breakfast I introduced Corina to Sr. Karina. A moment I've been longing for... I"m actually not sure how Sr. Karina spells her name but ... for some reason I've been spelling it with a K. Well after breakfast sister sat us down and told us some horrible news/sad news. She told us that she wanted all the girls volunteers to head back to their hotels for today and stay within their hotel for the day. Today (yesterday, the 8th) was a labor strike for the communist party. Sr Karina told us that in the past two previuos years there has been bus bombing, after they've bomb the bus it forces the people out of it and the bus and some people would get stoned and it's especially not safe for a foreign girl to be in that situation . 2 years ago a volunteer was on a bus that was bombed and the year afterwards she returned to work with the MC and during the same strike her bus was bombed again. So unluckily it had happened twice to her but thankfully that was all that happened. The bus was bombed so it was out of service. Which sounds like the bombs are only small enough to ruin the axle or something to slow down the bus. But earlier this year in feb/dec during the same strike someone was killed (i dont think it was any volunteers) but because of so the Sr. wanted to send all the girls back to the hotel and advise the guys that if today they feel as if they needed to catch up on anything else that its a good day to take off. Well.... it was extremely sad news for Briana because it was her last day volunteering and she wanted to go to Shishu Bahavan and say her good byes and take some pictures of her work. The strike began at 8 and she had 30 minutes till than she her and Corina left to Shishu and Briana said her goodbyes and headed back to our hotel. I figured, because of the lack of volunteers today and because how much I missed Daya Dan because of my traveling and not being able to work that i'd go to Daya Dan regardless and just pray for protection and guidance. So I hopped on the bus to Manictala. When I got on the bus it was the weirdest feeling ever... it was so empty! Usually people are fighting a seat and it's so packed that people would have to stand but there was barely anyone on the bus! I sat praying my rosary for safety on my journey. It seriously was just nerveracking being on the bus. I got off the bus at manictala and someone even more stranged and errie happened. Not a single autorickshaw was running. Although they sat across the streets in the autorickshaw, none of the rickshaw drivers would pick us up and they just laid in their seats and took off the day. The street was empty. No cars, no horns, no rickshaw! I couldn't believe it. I started walking down the street to Daya Dan since there was no rickshaw running. It was several blocks away and on my walk there i ended up walking by a manula rickshaw driver. He had an empty rickshaw... I looked over out of curiosity and we made eye contact.... but he didn't say anything. He didn't ask "rickshaw?" NOTHING! Instead he kept on walking. As weird or nice as it would usually be on any other day... it just freaked me out yesterday that I wasn't bugged by a single rickshaw driver, the roads were dead empty, and no horns. So after a long errie walk, i finally got to daya dan. It was so nice to be back everyone on of the sisters at Daya Dan welcomed me back and told me i was missed and kept asking how much longer will I be here. It was a really comforting feeling. I love being at daya Dan. Because of the strike schools were close so the students from Daya Dan that would sometime go to actual schools were here at daya dan and some of the school kids came to daya dan also. There was on me and one other guy here to teach a big group of students, so we made it art class today. Art class is usually on saturdays but the sisters wanted something for all the students to keep busy and it was simple and interactive for all since they were all at different learning levels and it would have been impossible to teach otherwise. I led music class at 10 and had Megha help sing since Mongol was sick that day. After the day's work, I took my break at the end of everything. I spent it in a room with sr. Christalata and she told me a lot about the children at Daya dan. We talked about how the children were dropped off, and which children do we know about their parents. I found out a lot about the mental, retardation, and physcial difficulties of many of the children I worked with. How many of them won't live pass to age 20 and sadly to hear that the students I work with specifically, Mongol and Megha, were dropped off as a child in front the Shishu, MCs house and there are no records of their parents but they suffer from a disease that deteriorates their muscles and that's why they're so skinny and can't walk and will forever be in a wheel chair. They suffer from no mental problems and are such brillant kids but Sister told me they more than likely won't live pass the age 20 because Sisters had a child that had the same problems that they suffer from and three years before he died his muscles in his mouth stopped working and he was unable to talk and then after 3 years his heart muscle gave out. He passed away earlier this year and sister told me that he was as smart as Mongol and Megha when he was younger. It was the most devastating thing for me to hear. I love them with all my heart and want to show them how much they're cared about. I want to be their pernament teacher because the teachers here comes and go, none that they feel stay long enough for them. I want to see them suceed in reading, math, and gramar and be able to get jobs to help others. They're so precious to me and makes me so sad to hear that they may never be able to experience the most simple things that I take for granted. A teacher that stays with me, being able to walk, to go outside whenever I want and to do which ever I please. I hurts me to know that I can't take any of their sufferings that already they've suffered so much, and continuously will suffer and even more so when they get older. It hurts me to know that I can't take a glimsp of that. I feel so unworthy sometimes because of all the things I take for granted. Things that children loves to do... to recieve, and to experience. Sr told me that little Piya will never be able to walk due to some retardation problems in mental and phsycial connection to her legs and told me about Prince one of my students and how he was when he arrived at the doorstep of the MCs house. I was so privilleged to have this opportunity to learn more about the children I was working with and it gave me a greater love for them and the sympathy was not only for them but for my life... for how much I have to learn and grow in. For the lack of love I show althoguh I have so much grace and love given to me. My shift ended at Daya Dan and I took the metro back to Sudder. I was extremely happy the Metro was running because i didn't want to take the bus back.
During the evening we spent the evening going to wherever Briana wanted to go. It was her last night and she was leaving here at 9:30pm for the airport. We went to NewMarket to the ATM because she needed to get some money out for rent and some last minute things such as a taxi cab and whatnot, but because of the strike all the banks ATM were closed. New Market itself was really errie to be in. More than half of the stores stands were closed and the ones that were opened didn't want to bargin at all. We were told that the ATM at the airport was be open although all these ATMs were closed. Later that evening, Briana wanted to go to a resturant called moulin rouge which apparently was really good, so we did just that and got ice cream after dinner. I got back to the hotel and arranged a taxi driver for her and took her to the airport. Sadly the ATM wasnt open. But it wasn't a problem I'll pay for her rent and taxi ride since I don't have any worries about it returning since we go to the same school and all but it was just SOO weird at the airport! Usually when I walk out of the airport there are sooooo many taxi drivers asking and nagging at you if you need a taxi driver. But yesterday there wasn't a single yellow taxi in sight. The only cars that was at the airport where arranged business cars and the drivers stood by the exit holding the sign with the persons name. Or cars of family members in India but no taxi drivers. I couldnt believe it... it was just such an interesting day. Something I wasn't use to for surely but a creepy experience. I don't think I've ever been so aware about my surroundings. Everything that passes me every person that looked at me or anything that touched me.
Today was a much better day, After waking up with only 2 hours of sleep and not getting back from dropping Briana off at the airport and in bed till past mid night, a thursdsay (volunteers day off) felt AMAZING! I slept in till 10:30am and then skyped & email. Did laundry... since i was totally out of clean clothes, and have been eating in between all that. That's honestly all i've done today but it was nice just catching up on nessesary things to do. I don't know when I'll have time to blog about my travels in India, but honestly it was amazing. Darjeeling is spectacular and breathtaking. The most beauitful sight i've see in nature... the Himalayas foothills and mountain are so peaceful and stunning. Over at Varanasi it's very centered around the GANGA! The ganga in the evening is so beautiful and there were some amazing temples. As for PURI... I LOVE THE BEACH! It was crazy cool! So relaxing. I diffinately will have to find some time to talk about my travel time here in India and the crazy stories I have.... here's some things that may keep you on the edge of your seat until I find time to blog about it; Caitlin ran full on into an autorickshaw, the effects of Malaria pills and minimum amount of sleep, umm...I lost my bag with my video camera-picture camera- jounral and most importantly passport, camael or camael rides on the beach, Massive rain, crazy boat ride tour guide as we cruised the Ganga....etc. Anyways Traveling was fun! And the glimps of what i listed should really stir up some curiousity for everyone.
Well, I'm home safe in Kolkata and will try my best to blog daily but there's been lots going on for me here and I don't know how often I can find time to blog. But I did start writing in a journal since I've been traveling and it's practically filled!
Well, I send everyone my blessing. Please pray for Briana's flight she should be arriving in the States in a couple of hours and pray for Caitlin's travel she heads home this saturday and of course keep Corina and I in your prayers as we continue on trying to find Jesus in Disguise and strength for all trials and challenges while we're here!
Monday, August 6, 2007
Guess who's back
Oh buddy oh boy! India is freak'n spectacular! I can't believe all that I saw during my week of travels! I missed my train the first day of my travel and so my travel was cut back a day-2 short at Darjeeling. When I arrived in Darjeeling it was late so we stayed in Sliguri. It's a fun little town and a good get away from Kolkata. The hotel we stayed at in Silguri was a little more than what I was paying at in Kolkata but still less than 3 dollars a night but the room was by far, more cleaner and relaxing. There was AIR CONDITIONING! Our first meal on travel was at a resturant two doors down from our Hotel Manalia (I think that was what it was called) , but the resturant was SOOO nice and the same price as what I was paying for food in Kolkata! I was loving my travels already! Sitting outside under an umbrella table with the garden lit up... it was pretty sweet. The next morning we woke up and caught a Jeep to Darjeeling (3 hours away). In the jeep we crammed in about 12-13 people! It was a hell ride! It's diffinately one of the only way you can get up to Darjeeling with very limited time, otherwise you can take a toy train which takes about 10 hours or so but it's very luxurious and scenic. Well 3 hours crammed and cramp whinding up and around the foothills of the himalays made Caitlin a little car sick but when we got there it was the most breath taking town I've seen in my life! Even on the way up looking down on the himalayas was soooo beautiful. I've never seen anything like it. There were Bamboos as tall as evergreen trees that grew all up the hills of the Himalayas and families of monkeys running around. Waterfalls rolling off the rocks along side the whindy road up to Darjeeling. Everything was just sooo beautiful and surreal. We went above the clouds to the town of darjeeling and looking down was such an amazing site. Nonething really compares to being in Darjeeling. The town is built on the hills of the Himalayas and all throughout the Himalayas there are small towns. Built randomly in the hills. Looking out from Darjeeling all you really see is this hill that emerges from the clouds and than the town of Darjeeling. It's such an amazing feeling, I felt as if this town was floating on the clouds and built above the sky. So spectacular and breaktaking. And by far them most peaceful and helpful town I've been in. I couldn't believe I was still in India! It was a total 180 of what Kolkata is. Even the people in Darjeeling looked different. They had a more asian look to them and some of the locals mistaked me as a local and asked if I was from there, which made me laugh. There are a lot of people from Nepal in Darjeeling and everyone is just SO LAID BACK and the town is so calm and peaceful. That's as much justice I can do to describe it.
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