The other volunteers and I had hoped to do finger painting and hand painting with the children at New Light today. But we couldn’t find any paint at the mall close by our flat so we got crayons and oil pastels instead. And thinking about it, finger painting and hand painting with 25 energetic children could end up being more than the three of us could handle:) Maybe another day…
I’ve noticed the children love to copy drawings. They had many children’s books at New Light’s crèche cum shelter and so each child got their own and was able to copy fairy tale pictures, lions and tigers, elephants, sailors… I gave them some ideas, but they each thumbed through the books until they found one that made them smile, a genuine smile.
Later in the evening we returned to help the children with their lessons. In the evening is when they’ll have additional lessons and time with teachers on staff. This additional tutoring gives them more confidence in their abilities, in themselves, in what they’re capable of.
Where we’re staying is close by what’s called lake market. Sam and I were able to go there tonight. I admired the staggering amount of spices, lentils, vendor after vendor selling fresh vegetables, brightly colored non perishables, the noise, the manner in which everyone knows exactly where they’re going and what to buy or what not to buy.
We’ve found this one sweet man that we usually buy the mangos from. If you ask someone what price the mango’s are and they say 40 rupees a kilo, you know they’re giving you a really good deal and everything else will be priced fairly. But if they say anything above 80 you know they’re just taking advantage of you being a foreigner. Sometimes they’ll be receptive and friendly and you can get them to lower their price but sometimes they’ll tell you a flat 80 and you know there’s no budging them. Understanding in the midst of all this, ultimately, everyone is simply trying to make a living. And when you think about it, 80 rupees a kilo is only about less than a third/kilo.
Just beginning to learn the art of bartering.
Segway-bartering is a very useful skill to have, especially with the taxis here. Many of them won’t start their meter when you get in. Or some will simply refuse to let you in if they don’t know the address, are talking on the phone or maybe don’t feel like dealing with foreigners, honestly, who knows...
This may be the third taxi I’ve tried to hail and at this point, I don’t have time to get another. If they don’t start their meter I’ll insist and they’ll wave their head side to side and raise their hand up-in this case this head wave means no. You’ll ask them what the fare is. At this point I have a good idea of what a trip should cost from where I’m staying to several of the shelters. They’ll tell me 300, I’ll say no more than 150. And I’ll take a photo of their cab number, which is just on the inside of the back door, make sure they see I’m taking the photo. Again, they’ll say 300. No, it shouldn’t be more than 150. We’ll work our way down.
Most of the time I can get the price down. Sometimes, you have to be somewhere on time and I imagine, it’s not easy being a taxi driver in Kolkata, they make very little and I’ll give in. I’ll find myself shaking my head side to side in the yes/no/maybe pattern of everyone here without realizing it (though I’m sure it looks a little more like a head twitch than the artful, side to side tilt that everyone masters here from birth) and will give them the 300 or maybe I may have worked it down to 200. And with everyone, I like to tip. Especially with the rickshaws and with the mini autos. I’ll try to take the mini auto’s whenever possible, one they’re cheaper-20 rupees going from Lake Market to Kalighat temple, but also, the sides of the min auto cab is wide open and provides you with a beautiful breeze as they zip through traffic.
I was speaking with Urmi, one of the directors of the creche cum shelter/volunteer coordinator. I was asking her if she uses Uber and she said no. They've grown up with the system here, they're used to it and they understand how to navigate it. I still have a great deal of respect for anyone who's able to navigate Kolkata's public transportation with ease.
It's the chaos. I think this is why so many foreigners end up resorting to uber. Why I have several times and now that I have my sim card, will be using it much more often. The taxis take practice and patience, the mini autos only travel certain routes-you can’t travel long distances in them and the bus system here is all in Bengali and even if I spoke Bengali, I still don’t think I would understand it.
But still, I will always love traveling in the mini autos:)
Returning to the market… we picked up leche, mango, beets, potatoes, chicken… And the chicken isn’t already cut, deboned and de feathered like in the states. You pick out a live chicken and they’ll kill it right in front of you. It’s quick and humane but once the head is cut off, the chicken’s body keeps moving, for much longer than I was expecting.
I could tell the man who was doing all this was laughing at my reaction. A couple of the volunteers here actually have chickens on a farm back home, this is what they’re used to. But for me, I don’t’ think I’ll ever get used to it. Appreciate the experience and I will be back, but won’t ever get used to seeing that.
Choose to focus on the delicious leche we found, the mangos that are juicy, but not too juicy and how every vendor will call you sister as you walk up to them. I love that-sister. Just like all the children will call any woman older than them, auntie. It creates an immediate connection and it bridges the language barrier beautifully.