Coming Home!

Today is my final day in India. I can hardly believe 18 weeks has gone by since I got here. In 18 weeks I've learned all about Bollywood and cricket. I've eaten some AMAZING food (and raised my tolerance for spice!) and learned how to make a dish or two for myself. I've met super cool people from all over the world. I've discovered how much I love teaching kids. I've learned how it feels to be intensely aware that you are in a minority at all times, and I've gotten used to being stared at. I've learned how to dodge traffic that includes cars, motorcycles, camels, bicycles, rickshaws and cows. I'm not sure how any of this will effect me once I'm back in New York. I'm a little nervous, to be honest, about coming home after so long. But more than anything I am relieved and overjoyed to be reunited with my family, my friends and my beloved New York City. Thank you all for following my adventures, and for your support and encouragement.

Until next time :)
Noel 

A Trip to the Sunderbans

Last weekend, I headed out of Kolkata to the Sunderbans along with Meghna, the daughter in the family I'm staying with, and her cousin Avni. The three of us had made arrangements to go with the Sunderban Royal Tiger Camp for a 2 day, 1 night excursion.The Sunderbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. 60% in Bangladesh and 40% in Kolkata, the Sunderbans is home to innumerable species of wildlife, though its most noteworthy inhabitant is the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Saturday morning, Meghna, Avni and I woke up early and met the guide who would take us out of the city. After a two and a half hour drive, we made it to a large river, a tributary of the Bay of Bengal. There, we boarded a boat that took us to the Tiger Camp. We stayed in what was called a "tent", but with an attached bathroom and ceiling fans, it was more like the tents from Harry Potter. That afternoon we went to the nearby field museum to learn about the forest, but the museum wasn't very enlightening-- and I mean that literally as the lights weren't working so we had to roam around in the dark. However, we did see a crocodile and two water monitors (http://www.mongabay.com/images/malaysia/06/malaysia0513.JPG).
We then returned to the camp for dinner and a cultural performance of traditional Bengali dance.
The next morning we woke up early and were on the boat by 6:30 to embark on our search for a tiger. Chances were slim that we would see one and, as expected, we did not see any tigers. However, we got to observe the world's largest mangrove forest from the water, and I found the whole ride very pleasurable and peaceful. The most amusing incident was when Meghna's hat flew off into the water, and the boat driver turned around to fetch it out with a net. We made it back to the camp for lunch, and then set off back home, sunburned, tired and happy.

True Indian Adventures: A wedding and a trip to the IPL!

In the past few weeks I have gotten to partake in some truly authentic Indian activities. Last Friday (4/26) I got to attend my first ever cricket match! Indians are CRAZY about cricket. Seriously. I have never seen people so excited by a sport: not even baseball or football in the States compares. I arrived here 4 months ago not knowing a thing about the sport (what's a wicket?), but after seeing many games on TV and having numerous people explain it to me countless times, I've finally figured it out. (If I'm being honest I understand it better than American football, which I still don't fully get.) Some cricket, like the test matches, are (in my opinion) insufferably long and boring (they go on for literally 4 days), but some, like the Indian Premiere League (or IPL) which is on now, are very exciting! (The difference is that the IPL consists of only 20 overs, ie 120 bowls (which is basically a pitch) whereas test matches have no over limits and just go on until they drop all the wickets.) The IPL is composed of 9 teams from all over India, and there are games every day on TV. The top four teams will go to the finals. Last year, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won the whole tournament. This year they're not doing as well, but that didn't stop me from going to a KKR match with Megnah and Risham and some of their family and friends!
It was KKR versus Kings XI Punjab. Eden Gardens, the cricket stadium, was filled with people, mostly wearing purple (KKR's color) with a few wearing red (KXI's color). I had such a great time. People were cheering and yelling, and someone started a wave that circled the entire stadium 11 times. And the best part was that KKR won! The fans went crazy. Everyone chanted "Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo" which is the KKR motto: it means We will do, we will fight, we will win! in Bengali. After the 3 and a half hour match we made it back home, tired and satisfied.

The following Monday (4/29) I got to participate in another uniquely Indian experience: I got to attend a wedding. A distant relative of Sudha's was getting married, and I got to go along. I put on my nicest Indian outfit and we drove to Salt Lake City, which is part of Kolkata but much farther North than I had been. We arrived at a huge wedding hall, with an outside buffet that featured more food than I have ever seen. The women all looked gorgeous in their saris and lehengas, and I took more than one creepy stalker picture when I saw a particularly beautiful outfit. I watched the bride and groom perform their ceremony, which involved a lot of chanting by the pandit (priest). At one point, people stole the groom's shoes and then demanded money for their return, which I was told is a tradition. (Megnah said that at her sister's wedding they got 5000 rs, $100, to get the shoes back!) The bride and groom took seven oaths and circled the fire seven times. Honestly, though, I was one of the only people engaged in the ceremony. More than anything, the wedding was a social event for the extremely large families to see each other and catch up. While the bride and groom exchanged vows, most people were engaged in conversations or getting food or doing anything but watching the ceremony. It was so different than a Western wedding. The bride and groom both looked great, and I took lots of pictures, which I will upload as soon as I possibly can. 

A Trip to Shantiniketan

Last weekend (4/27-4/28) I went to Shantiniketan, the village founded by Rabindranath Tagore. I had never heard of Tagore before arriving in Kolkata, but it became very obvious very quickly that I should learn about him, as he shows up EVERYWHERE. Tagore was a poet and songwriter (as well as a painter and playwright and essayist and novelist..quite a renaissance man) from Kolkata. He is universally known throughout Kolkata and Bengal. His poems are printed on the walls of the metro, and the Bengali songs the children in the nursery sing are all from Tagore. I wish I could read his work in Bengali, but since I can't I've settled for English translations. In 1913 he won the Nobel Prize for literature, the first Indian to win a Nobel prize. He is the pride and joy of Bengal. In the middle of his life he established a community, and later a university, at Shantiniketan, a small village outside of Kolkata. I went to go check it out.

I took the express train on Saturday morning from Howrah Station and two and half hours later ended up in Shantiniketan. Once out of the train station I hailed a cycle rickshaw and went to the tourist lodge, where I was able to get a room for the night (with an air conditioner!). In the afternoon I went to Tagore's house and museum, where I learned a lot about his life and work. Many of his poems are about nature, and walking around Shantiniketan it is clear where he his inspiration came from. Removed from the chaos and noise of the city, Tagore's house is in a peaceful, quite enclave. I also got to walk around the grounds of Visva-Bharati, the university Tagore founded. While I was exploring, storm clouds gathered and then, of all things, a HAIL storm began. I've never seen anything like it. One minute it was 95 degrees, and the next tiny pieces of ice were pouring out the sky. It turned out to be a blessing, however, as it brought the temperature down for the rest of my trip.

After exploring Tagore's legacy, I went to the haat, which is a market of handicrafts. There I found beautiful earrings and necklaces, as well as bags and scarves featuring the "kanta" stitch, which is unique to West Bengal. And it was so cheap! I went in prepared to bargain, but when the women gave me three pairs of handmade earrings and said 50 rupees total (that's $1) I immediately conceded. At sunset, I returned back to the tourist lodge where I spent a comfortable evening before returning to Kolkata the next day.

Sightseeing in Kolkata: Victoria Memorial and Mother Teresa's House

On my second day in Kolkata (4/14), I decided to go see one of the city's most famous landmarks, Victoria Memorial. Built to honor Queen Victoria, the structure is incredibly reminiscent of what you would see in London. The entire thing is built in white marble, with two lions in front that reminded me of the New York Public Library on 42nd street. Inside was a small museum, with an exhibit about the history of Kolkata as well as an exhibit of paintings. Outside were gorgeous, well-kept grounds, filled with trees, small ponds and canoodling couples.

The following weekend (4/21) I went to the home of Mother Teresa. Mother House, as it is called, is tucked inside a narrow alley. I made my way inside and was greeted by a kind nun. I saw Mother Teresa's tomb, and the room she lived in. (A sign in the room said that she lived her entire life there without a fan, which, after being here in the heat, convinces me that she was a Saint.) There was also a museum that told her story and her history. She is a fascinating woman, and it was truly inspirational to read about how a young girl named Agnes from Skopje went on to go to Kolkata and gain international renown for her charity. In my opinion, Mother Teresa represents the best of religion. In a world where religion is so often linked to acts of violence or discrimination, it was heartwarming to see the good that could come from one woman following her religious calling. I had the privilege of seeing many of the Sisters of Charity, in their white saris with the blue stripe, walking around, and they all gave me a kind smile.
In addition to Mother House, I visited Nirmala Shishu Bhavan, a home for orphaned children run by the Missionary of Charity. I got to see the children, many of whom are severally disabled. Despite their disabilities, however, they all had gorgeous smiles, and laughed hysterically when I tried to do my Indian dancing for them. Overall, it was an incredibly inspirational afternoon.

Kolkata: An Introduction

First off, my apologies for not updating the blog sooner! Finding wifi has been more challenging than I anticipated, and I have settled for using an internet cafe now. Unfortunately that means no pictures for the time being, but I am still taking lots of them and will add photos as soon as I can.

On April 13th I arrived in Kolkata. My flight was painless and I made it to Kolkata right on time. I was met by a driver at the airport and taken to my accommodation. There I met Ranu, the coordinator from Gap Guru, and Sudha, the mother of my host family. In the last 2 weeks I have lots of adventures, so I thought I'd break it down.

The City
If the British did anything right in India, it's Kolkata. It is hands down my favorite city of my trip. Somewhere between conservative Jaipur and modern Delhi, Kolkata feels like how I imagine turn of the century Europe. The streets are lined with trees and there are tons of old-fashioned Ambassador cabs. It is a much better city for walking than Delhi. There are real sidewalks, and even the occasional crosswalk! Drivers here are  slightly less homicidal than I've encountered elsewhere. The city is less sprawling than Delhi, and I have got a grasp of the layout very quickly. The architecture is also fascinating. There are more tall buildings there than in Delhi, but there are also lots of lovely, old Colonial style buildings as well. Kolkata has a rich colonial history, as it was the British capital for the majority of their time in India. During my first few days I visited Victoria Memorial (more on that later) where I saw an exhibit about the history of Colonial Kolkata. That history is visible even in the street names: all in a row are Mahatma Gandhi Street, Shakespeare Street, JLN Nehru Street, Lenin Street, Lord Curzon Street and Ho Chi Minh Street! (Kolkata was ruled by a communist government following Independence and up until only a few years ago. In fact, I have May Day off for work thanks to the Communists.)

My Accomodation
I am staying on the fifth floor of a small apartment building with Sudha, her mother-in-law and her two grown children, Risham (22) and Megnah (27). The whole family is absolutely lovely. Sudha is a brilliant cook. At night Megnah and I watch One Tree Hill, and Risham and I discuss cricket scores. Dadi, the mother-in-law, doesn't speak much English, but we manage to communicate through her broken English and my very broken Hindi. My room is simple but private, and because we are on the fifth floor we get great breezes, which is such an asset considering the EXTREME heat. Which is a nice segue to...

The Weather
I have never been so hot in my entire life. Within a minute of stepping outside I am drenched in sweat, and I remain so all day. It is 100 degrees at night, and regularly 110 during the day. It has become noticeably hotter even in the two weeks I've been here. And the humidity! Sometimes I think about my friends whose hair is particularly affected by humidity (not going to name names but you know who you are) and I have to laugh, because they would simply lose all hope here. It feels like being in a sauna. There have been a few thunderstorms at night that bring the temperature down, but within a day it climbs back up again. I have resigned myself to the inevitability of a red face and sweat stains.

My Work
I am working at the Bustee Welfare Center (BWC), an organization that assists slum children. However, I learned upon arrival that they do much more than that. BWC runs a nursery school, two grade schools (up through class 7), a literacy program for mothers of the students and a vocational training (VT) center. The whole thing is managed by a wonderful, efficient woman named Rita who has been extraordinarily helpful. Typically, I go to the nursery school in the morning, where I work with the kids on very basic songs, colors and phrases. In the afternoon, I go the school where I teach a whole range of classes. My favorite classes are 1 and 2, but I enjoy all of them. I have been telling them stories and having them act it out, as well as learn vocabulary. Everyone's favorite story was The Three Little Pigs, because the whole class got to say out loud "Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!" and then when the wolf huffed and puffed we all blew together. Even the Class 6 kids enjoyed it, which I was pleased about because I worried it might be too juvenile for them. The school is a Bengali medium school, so their English is not that strong, but we can still communicate. I have had such a blast getting to know them. Today (4/30) I visited the VT Center for the first time. There, I saw women crocheting, cooking, and sewing: all learning practical skills they can use to generate income. The women were very friendly, and I had a wonderful time; I hope to go back on Saturday to attend a cooking class! Another good segue to...

The Food
As I mentioned, Sudha is an excellent cook. She makes everything from dal to pasta, and it is all sublime. I don't know how she and her children are not all 300 lbs (in fact they are all quite thin). The real reason, however, that food gets its own section is because I have found a slice of heaven in the Kolkata Egg Chicken rolls. There are food stands on every street, and many of them sell these absolutely divine dishes. It is essentially a wrap consisting of egg, chicken, onion, peppers, all sorts of spicy sauces and who knows what else, fried in oil and simply delicious. One roll is 30 rupees (60 cents) and can suffice as a whole meal. Someone mentioned that there is a place in NYC that sells these, and if this is true I will hunt it down.(although I can tell you right now I'll be paying more than 60 cents!)

Before I write a new entry on the sightseeing I have been doing, I need to make a small announcement. As much fun as I have been having in Kolkata, I decided to come home 2 weeks early, on the 11th instead of the 24th. The kids in school have exams and then their summer break starting this week, which gives me very little work, and I think those 2 weeks will be better spent at home than here. However, this just gives me more incentives to do blog-worthy things, so keep reading!

Leaving Delhi

7 weeks have flown by, and I am at the end of my time in Delhi. My expectations have been surpassed in every way. Delhi is a great city, with lots of things to offer. From good restaurants to fun nightlife to an efficient metro system, Delhi has definitely made a more favorable impression than Jaipur.  

Working in the clinic has been a good experience, and I have definitely learned a thing or two about patience after working with 4 year olds every day! During my last day at the tutorials, one of the girls I tutor brought me a flower, and all the kids gave me a card they had made and signed. It was a really sweet gesture.

While exploring the city has been a great adventure and working in the clinic has taught me a lot, by far the best part has been living with the Jeraths and Gaby. They have been so friendly and welcoming that I have felt like part of their family. I will miss Geetika’s cooking and Rocky’s life advice, and watching One Tree Hill with Rishika and Rahul every night at 10 pm. I will definitely be back to visit them someday.