Kolkata aka Calcutta aka sweatbox

Hey everybody!

For the past week we have been sweating it out in Kolkata, getting to know each other a lot better as we all shared a HUGE dorm room at an inexpensive yet awesome guest house in the heart of the city. Our week has included a lot of metropolitan overload. Think New York City only WAY louder and more crowded and no rules. A quiet cafe with awesome air-conditioning and familiar food has been a much needed for many of us. Just to be clear, it is almost 100 degrees every day. And humid. Our group has struggled and rallied through irritating conditions, and we are focusing on a balance between individual reflection and group LOVE.
Yesterday everyone visited a Victoria era building that is often compared to the Taj Mahal. It showed us a little more about the history of India under British imperialism. We also made a short visit to the Planetarium to check out Kolkata's night sky in a cold dark quiet dome.
However, besides group bonding and getting out in the city, our main focus here has been volunteering with the Mother Teresa house. Katherine, Elaynna and Rosie have been working with sick and handicapped babies and small children, holding them and giving them as much love as they possibly can. Nick, Laura, Alex, Sarah, Stacey, Bob, Devon and myself have been working at a home called Prem Dan. Unlike anything that I have ever experienced, Prem Dan is a raw and challenging mixture of a mental institution, nursing home and a hospice. It is absolutely heartbreaking, uncomfortable, new and horrifying, but many of us have found ways to make our days there rewarding, whether it is Stacey trying to take a woman whose face got burned off for a walk in a garden where she can hear the birds or Laura scrubbing her fingers and knuckles off washing laundry for the patients. I have found that our time and love is the greatest gift anyone can give to another person.
As we ready ourselves for an ascent into the cool moutain air and prepare to say goodbye to our luxurious city living, I hope a new setting will bring new challenges and everyone can continue to find new ways to love our temporary family unit members, ourselves and India.
Keeping it real in Kolkata ,
Saoirse