1st Day at Nijoloy

3 Aug 2010
We met in the hotel lobby at 9 and were split into 2 groups, I'm on Team Ganesh :D
We got the A/C car due to it being a 2 hr trip to Nijoloy (didn't realize how awesome this was till the 2nd week and we were taking taxi's for an hour trip).  We first stopped at the other shelter, Child Care Home, and waited for a driver to show us the way.  We waited and waited.  We saw a women get hit at an intersection.  A lot of people went to her aid and she seemed to get up and walk away on her own accord.  We also watched women laying down and working with hot ashpalt.

The driver was stuck in traffic or something so we just got directions and went on our way.  

Driving through the town it was obvious that Kolkata is a city in transformation (and for some reason I am thinking all of India is in this same transition).  We past numerous unfinished buildings, some were being used.  I saw this a lot in Turkey and the "reason" for this was that if the building was not complete then they would not have to pay taxes on it... or something along those lines.  

Dogs, cows, and ox walked the streets like humans going about their daily business.

This drive was our first time in major or typical Indian traffic.  It's like a roller coaster ride.  Buses have painted on their bumper's "please obey traffic laws".  After 2 weeks I never really understood what those  laws were!  "Ladies and Gentlemen, please keep arms and hands inside the car at all times! Enjoy your ride and have a pleasant stay."  After playing chicken with on coming traffic on a regular basis you just have to laugh, it's the norm so you go with it.

After a very eventful ride we ended up at Nijoloy shelter.  This shelter is off of the main drag and it is surround by lush greenery.  We were welcomed with flowers and a dab of sandalwood past (done with a flower) on our 3rd eye. Some of the girls were block stamping saris and they asked us if we wanted to see more.  OF COURSE!

Next thing we know, we are seated, sipping hot tea (it does cool you down), with biscuits and were oohing and aahing over each sari being pulled out.  We each had our "that one is mine" "I LOVE that!"  Soon it was dress up time, and what girl doesn't enjoy that?!  The sari's that we liked we got to put on with a lot of help.  Its amazing that these women do this on their own.  I had, at one time, three girls helping me out!

After the fashion show it was lunch which was a typical western Bengali meal (very good food I thought). I can't recall the names for everything, but it had good flavor and spice!

you would mix this with your rice, it had a sweet tinge to it. it helped cool off the other food

this was a snack item, i dubbed it Indian popcorn.  It was awesome

It was a little weird to have the housemother stand next to you while you ate (I was at the end of the table).  I think if I was younger I would of felt compelled to eat everything I had.... but I felt fine eating what I could and saying no when more was offered.

The night before I was told to bring my stuff to make soap.  This is what I've been nervous about the whole time and I would be the first to GO! UGH  Since we got there so late there was not enough time to make soap and get a tour of the shelter...I was spared a day:D  Also when we were done eating a group of the kids did some dances for us.  They were great!  I was curious about the stories behind the dances so slid over and asked Doel (our interpreter).  One was a bout a woman's love and the feelings that go along with it.  The hand movements were graceful and intriguing.  

After their dances it was our turn to show off some dance!  Unfortunately we didn't have anything graceful in our dance data base.  We did the chicken dance and the hokey poky.  They are a tad different from their story telling dances, but we had fun :)

When we started to tour the shelter it was as if the last of the barriers were broken.  The girls went from shy looks and hidden stares to hand holding, arm pulling and loving animations for communications.  "What is my name" was heard everywhere and they were actually asking us what our names were!

at this point I stopped writing in my journal and wrote a blog for the Made By Survivors web site, some of it's a repeat but there is some other things.... if you want to check it out.

Kolkata is a city of extremes.  There doesn't seem to be a middle ground.  You can't judge a place by the outside (just like humans) because once you enter a place it could be marble floors and flat screen t.v.'s.

Walking tonight to get some money and water we were harassed aggressively by some kids.  They stand in front of you, pull on you, anything that can to get your attention.  I didn't even look at them.  Once you interact with them, acknowledge them it fuels their desire to keep at it with you.  I just held my bag, loosened their grips on me and gently pushed them to the side and kept walking without missing a beat.  Throughout my 2 weeks this was the best technique.  I would watch the other volunteers tell street vendors who harassed "no thank you" or they would look at them and make another comment but it seems as if you show them any acknowledgement they keep coming and keep asking you to buy their wares.  I told the other girls to just put a hand up, don't look at them, keep walking, show interest elsewhere but no one listened.  So I would, with amusement, watch a vendor who tried to harass me move on to someone else and would literally follow them down streets.  

My roomie keeps wanting to stop and take pictures of the street kids, they are cute and it is sad, but I have no desire to take pictures of them.  To me, that is not India.  It's a big part of India but I saw so much more in the people and in the city.

This city seems so alive on so many levels.  Street corners have religious alters, people will stop in the midst of their daily lives and show respect or maybe ask for guidance.... who knows.  You see men shaving men on the street and cloths are strung out to dry inches above your head.  It's a merge of the old and new and it's hard to tell which is winning when you are avoiding cows on a busy city street.

Yes, there is trash everywhere but I notice that they are trying to clean up and cart it off.  I saw men cutting grass between the streets to make it neat, I see people sweeping the side walks in front of their stores or shacks taking such pride in what they do have.  

It is a struggle here but everyone seems so positive even when dealing with great adversity.  How can you not respect that?!  They are not blaming others, they are making the best of the situation and what they have.  It is awesome and inspiring!