Ready to Go

I should have been leaving for the project today. Unfortunately, I did not get a ticket on the bus to Godda. So I am leaving tomorrow -- Sunday.

I do consider my trip to Kolkata quite fruitful. I managed to finish the report for Planet Wheeler Foundation. I also managed to send out a newsletter. I don't know if people have received it or read it because I haven't received many feedback mails. I also don't know if anyone reads this blog because no one has left a comment!

Anyway, I've had a few very good meals, a few drinks with my friend and neighbour Shibaji, and I've also had coffee at Barista, seen an excellent movie -- Last Lear, and I have managed to catch up with friends. It is now time to get back to the project and nature.

I've been in touch with Bansi and Yvonne. All's well on the project. But apparently it has rained all week and everything is wet. And of course work made no progress while I have been away.

I will try to update this blog via mobile. But it's a very unreliable connection at the best of times! So if you don't hear from me.......

This is Bansi...

Kolkata Konnect

It's my fourth day in Kolkata. The first two were spent trying to set up base. There was nothing in the flat -- no food, no soap... not even salt! But I am lucky to have Shibaji as a neighbour. He made sure I did not lack for food. He fed me meat and fish (deliciously cooked by his wonderful wife Moushumi) and kept me company in the evenings.

I managed to get my net connection on Monday evening and I've been busy ever since catching up with mail and sending off the newsletter. Now I hope to sit down and send out a report on fund utilization to Planet Wheeler Foundation. This will take a while and so I don't think I'll be able to get back to the project before the weekend.

I've been in touch with Bansi and Yvonne. It seems all goes well with the school and the project. Yvonne and Bansi are taking care of Class I. Classes II and III are taking care of themselves!!!! The toilets are complete. Only the doors need to be put in place. The masons were doing some work on the boundary wall but since it's been raining, they've put a stop to work for the time being. They'll probably resume work once I get back.

I can't say I am unhappy to be in Kolkata. But my heart and my mind is on the project and I can't wait to go back. I am particularly curious to see how they react when I give them the kites that I bought here. Today is Vishwakarma Puja and it's also a day of flying kites in this city. But it's raining and so I don't suppose there will be many kites in the sky. Besides, Kolkata has changed a lot. I don't know if people fly kites with the same enthusiasm that we used to when we were kids. I don't see any kites up there at the moment.

Well, that's all for the moment. I was taking a break and so thought I'd just put something on the blog. If you have reached here to read this, it means you have read the newsletter too! I'll be hoping to hear from you.

The Changes

Yes, that's the old building where the volunteers stay. It's now got a veranda and so looks completely different. The room on the left is where I live now. The room on the right is being used by Yvonne at the moment. Manami used to live there. The small room in the middle is now the office room.

I spend most of my time on the veranda and even sleep there at night especially if it seems like rain. But on other nights I put out a bed in front of the building.

The kitchen is no longer where it used to be. It has moved to one of the new classrooms for the time being. The "kitchen" veranda has been extended and it has now been designated "guest room". If more that two volunteers arrive, they will stay there. Take a look at the picture below to see what it looks like now.

Oops!! I don't know what happened. The picture that should have gone below have moved up! Anyway, you get the general picture, don't you?