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On my flight from Houston (I arrived there from Dubai) to Lexington, there was a 45minute delay. We boarded the first plane and had to switch to a separate gate and board another. It was in this experience...
August, 14 2011 • 0 Comments • 0 Faves
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Banana Peel Incident
To the Man Who Cussed Me Out for the Banana Peel, You were probably sweltering in the Kolkata heat on your way to work this morning. We were, too. You and your friend were in your silver sedan, and the six of us were, as usual, packed into our one sweaty cab. I was by the window, listening to music and finishing my breakfast. A few minutes into the ride I tossed a small banana peel out of the window: the crime. I had no idea anyone had even seen this until 10 minutes later when you pulled up beside our cab...
July, 26 2011 • 5 Comments • 0 Faves
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Rainy day updates
This morning was a quiet one at Manovikas. In my classroom, neither Pritula (the teacher) nor any of the students made it to school. Similarly, Jamie had one of seven show up, Brad had one, and Jason...
July, 21 2011 • 2 Comments • 0 Faves
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Hard and Rewarding Days at Manovikas
I had a really hard day at work last Monday. My days are usually so enjoyable, but this one was an exception. At the beginning of our fourth week in the city, I was beginning to feel the strains of the pollution, the language barrier, the intense longing for something not unlike a bacon cheeseburger in my stomach. I arrived at work considerably more sleepy than usual. During activity time, I had a hard time getting the kids to pay attention. The moms, in their attempts to communicate with me, usually pat or jab...
July, 20 2011 • 2 Comments • 0 Faves
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Feels Like Om
Get it? Cause we're in India? This past Friday we reached the one month mark, and most of us feel like we've been here much longer. We are starting to really understand the city, especially our...
July, 18 2011 • 4 Comments • 0 Faves
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Cute kids and struggles
The Ukungoli (lice) are back for the future hopers. More checks are happening as I write this. The one good thing about have a shaved head is that there is no chance I have lice. Although last time I only had 1/2” of hair. So if they go after my 2mm of hair I’m taking it as a compliment that I have the tastiest hair in Kolkata. And that’s enough about lice. It’s time to talk about the children I’ve met at Manovikas. For my first class everyday I’m assigned to a classroom with two autistic twin girls, girls...
July, 15 2011 • 3 Comments • 0 Faves
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Goodbye Quailman
As mentioned in a previous post by Jamie, I am terrified by the traffic in Kolkata. Whether it’s the incessant honking of horns or the weaving of buses and taxis, the traffic in India reminds me of a stampede—everyone seems to drive at incomprehensible speeds careening side to side in an effort to get to the front. While my fellow teammates fret about spiders, lizards and lice – all creatures of India that also frighten me—I wake up everyday wary of the thirty minute journey to and from Manovikas. My only comfort...
July, 12 2011 • 3 Comments • 0 Faves
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Of Lice and Men
As all of you back home were firing up your grills, watching spectacular fireworks, and enjoying the USA’s coveted summer holiday and as I was dreaming of bacon cheeseburgers and the crisp salty air of Biscayne Bay, little did I know that a few tiny Indian citizens had happily found a perfect home to welcome their offspring. Their new residence would be located at “Dominique Villegas, Long Brown Hair, area code 305”. Yes, none other than the infamous Bengali “ucun”, otherwise known as lice, discovered...
July, 6 2011 • 2 Comments • 0 Faves
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