Roadside Homes near Hiland Park
So today I came to the Mother House by 7 am – just barely by seven. Since I’m staying in Hiland Park, I’m quite far away from the side of town where I needed to be, so I had to be up and at the bus station before 6. I didn’t have any idea which bus number to take – you just have to ask the guy hanging out the bus side where it’s going. I found one bus going to Science City and got on that. When I got there (it’s the place I’d noticed while passing several days ago because it has a giant statue of a tyrannosaurus rex on the street corner. I mean giant – we’re talking a couple of stories tall, here), so I knew it was on the way, and was a place I’d have to turn anyway. I didn’t see any autos and there weren’t a whole lot of busses passing, so I went around the corner, in the direction I knew I needed to go. I asked a likely looking fellow if I could catch a bus to AJC Bose Road from there. He, as it turned out was going to the same place as me – literally to the same stop! So he said I should follow along with him. I was getting a little worried about time, and asked if we’d make it by 7. He said no problem, and sure enough, we got there within a minute or two! Thanks, guy!
When I got to the Mother House, I was directed somewhere to wait and talk to the sister who coordinated the volunteers. I went back, thinking I’d be waiting in the corner of the courtyard, or an alcove for her to appear. I was surprised to be told to continue on into the back room, which had formerly been off limits to non-sisters. Now, it has been converted into a volunteer headquarters room. Volunteers continued to gather in the room over the next 20 minutes or so and were given a breakfast of tea, a banana, and a couple of slices of bread. Yay! I love chai… I started chatting with a few of the people there. After a while, a couple of sisters came in and led everyone in a prayer and song. Then, they told people to head out to their assigned places. I spoke with Sister, (as did a bunch of other people who had missed registration on Monday). She told me to come to orientation that afternoon at 3 for sure, and asked if I could go to Shanti Dan today. I said I’d be glad to go wherever they could use me!
Shanti Dan means Peace-Giving in Hindi or Bangla. It is a home for women and girls, most of whom have mental or physical handicaps, such as cerebal palsy, autism,, severe mental handicaps, brain defects, etc. Some are wheelchair-bound, or nearly completely immobile. Some are also non-verbal. It is located in a different part of town from the Mother House, so after those of us going there had all gathered, we headed down the road for a bit before arriving at the crossroads where we could catch a bus to near the home. On the way there, I had a nice conversation with an American named Sarah, who is volunteering here and then working also in Cambodia for the next couple of years to rescue women from child trafficking. Quite interesting.
When we arrived, we were shown into a room where we could keep our belongings and then were all given aprons and bandanas to wear. We were given a tour of the school, and briefly helped to finish up the laundry. Then, I had been assigned to help with the physical therapy on the women’s side (as opposed to the girl’s side). I was sent into a room which had been divided into two sections. In the back section of the room were a bunch of mats on the floor. There were several women laid on the mats, with a couple sisters and volunteers helping them do exercises. Mainly these people were unable to move themselves, so the therapy consisted of moving their arms and legs to prevent them from contracting, stiffening, and atrophying. There was one physical therapist guy overseeing much of this. I helped with a couple of women, but there were many volunteers that day, so we were tripping over one another a bit. They sent me over to the other side of the room to help after I had exercised a couple of ladies.
That side of the room was set up like a classroom, but with only one long table and some kid-sized chairs. The women who could move sat at the table. The rest were brought in in their wheelchairs and were finished getting dressed after their baths, which were occurring in another room. After spending a little time just hanging out with the women, who giggled and just were excited to interact with someone, the sisters had us help with their art class. It was really more of an opportunity for the women to have tactile stimulation. They were given clay to play with, or toys that stimulated their brains.
After a volunteer tea break, I returned to the classroom. The sisters had us hand out an individualized book to each woman. These little booklets had been made for each of them and included pictures of the girl, her name, and information about her. We volunteers then went around and read the books to each woman, reading to her about herself, or telling her the story about what she like to do, and her hobbies, or interests. It was good, I’m sure for the patient, to learn and know and remember, but also for the volunteers to know more about who they were interacting with, and how better to relate.
After the class was finished, it was time for the women to have lunch. We helped get everyone moved into the dining area. Then, many of the women needed to be physically fed, each bite. It took quite some time to get this accomplished. After lunch, it was naptime, so we helped move all the women into the sleeping areas. By then, the morning was finished and it was time for the volunteers to leave.
Kolkata Roads
We took the bus back to the Mother House as a group. I had met a group of Americans who were from a university in Indiana that morning. They invited me back to their hotel to have lunch with them. It was just up the street from the Mother House, and since I had to return shortly for volunteer registration (as did they), it worked out perfectly. As the rest of the group gathered, there was also a girl from France and an Indian guy named Ravi who had joined the group like me.
After lunch, went to the Children’s Home, Shishu Bhavan, just down the street from the Mother house where they do the volunteer intake. I got registered, and stuck around for a while, going out for coffee with Ravi before finally heading back to Hiland Park. Since I’m planning to leave the country soon, I’m only able to volunteer through the weekend. Unfortunately this meant that the sisters weren’t going to put me in one of their wound care clinics or something where I’d need more training and be an asset over a longer period of time. However, it did mean that the sister assigned me back to Kalighat, the home where I worked the majority of my time last time I was here in Kolkata, and the home where my father had worked. I was happy about that. Although Shanti Dan is okay, I had wanted to go back to Kalighat.
So the plan is to return Friday and do this all over again, only this time, I’ll be going to the Home for the Dying and Destitute, by the Kali Temple once again. Should be interesting. Thursdays, the sisters and the volunteers always have a day off, so my sister and I have planned to go to the flower market, down by Howrah bridge. It’s a famous area of Kolkata, known to be bustling with activity in the mornings, and is said to be beautiful and interesting. I know I only volunteered the one day so far, but I will be happy to spend a day off with my sister before working for the rest of the weekend.
On the way home from this very tiring day, I caught a bus, thinking it would get me close to where I needed to go. It did not. Eventually, when the guy came to take my money and I told him where I was going, he told me I was on the wrong bus. So I got off and I wandered for a while before catching another bus, which also did not go where I wanted to go, even though I thought it would. I walked some more and caught a third bus. This one was pulled over by the police. I’m not sure what happened, but I think the bus ticket guy paid the police officer and then the bus was allowed to continue on. Oh the bribery system in India, ever-present and stupid. Even this bus didn’t go where I needed to go, but it at least got me a little closer. Finally, I was somewhere I could find an auto to take me to the vicinity of Hiland Park! Now I only needed to take this auto and one more! It looked as if I would be getting home after all!
Autos and Car on road near Collision Roundabout…
Then the first auto I was in collided with a small bus/minivan-type vehicle. Yep. Total car accident in the intersection. I was almost where I needed to be, by then too! Luckily, no one and nothing was really hurt, so I got out (after we moved out of the middle of the intersection) and walked to the last auto stop. I finally caught the last auto which took me to the entrance of Hiland Park. What a ridiculous trip home. Hopefully I can manage this better on Friday, cause I don’t think I have the energy to do this again!