What a Halloween!

Yes I celebrated Halloween, and what a Halloween it was! Oh my oh my. Thursday evening, Traci and I decided to grab some ice cream at a place, appropriately titled scoop. After paying waaaaaaaaaay too much for chocolate ice cream, the owner of the place came over to ask us about his decorations. To our surprise, as we were paying no attention to the men decorating, the restaurant was adorned in cob webs, giant spiders and Halloween ornaments! "As Americans, do you approve?" "OF COURSE!" The manager returned with two lamented party fliers announcing a grand Halloween party at the club next door. The invitation was quite hilarious, my flier had a over sized Britney Spears and Traci's Michael Jackson (current state). The manager invited us next door to see the club a day early. Lead by one proud manager, being able to convince two americans to check out his club, we walked next door into one hell of a club. Dressed in more appropriate Halloween attire, giant hanging eye balls and more cob webs, the bar tenders approached us and told us how "HORROR-able" it would be, growling and holding bear claws. The manager invited us to bring a few friends "the more the merrier, right?" (Side note, remember the MORE part). Promised free entry, we promised to come and wished him a goodnight.

We went back to the hotel, well went back to the street vendor right outside our hotel (tirupati, the place where we eat all of our dinner's, where all of the volunteers eat their dinners.) I mentioned to a few friends eating dinner that we were invited to a Halloween party not too far away. They shrugged their shoulders without much interest and said maybe. Okay, maybe I thought to myself.

The following day I did my work, went to Kalighat both morning and afternoon and felt great. Came home to some confirmations on the Halloween party. We had a total of about 8 people going to the party. Two friend one from Malta, James, and the other from Chile, Carolina, decided to go to the market to pick up so face paint, we had to be appropriately dressed!

We all met on the terrace. The weather was perfect, the sky, smoggy but nice. We laughed and enjoyed each other's company as we painted face with a blood red die, which did not come off for until today!

All eight faces were painted and we took group pictures with all eight cameras. We were so excited. We paraded down through the floors, yelling and screaming "Happy Halloween!" We walked by the men at the reception desk who laughed and liked us for once!

I did not know what was coming next. I thought only eight people were going to the club. Walking out the front door of Hotel Maria, 35 more people with the same question, actually more of a demand, "We are ready for the party!!!!!!!!" The word had gotten out! I told all of them they could come, on one condition, that James paints all of their faces.

So, finally after 30 more minutes 43 excited volunteers from all around the world, Argentina, Malta, Spain, England, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Holland, USA, France, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Canada were on their way to some random invite to a club so American boy had told them about.

To be honest I was super concerned that we would be turned away, or that it would not live up to everyone's expectations, but I was wrong. We walked through the streets of Calcutta, being cheered on by all the street people. They loved us for that one night, or maybe they were just super scared of us. Either way, I was happy. We finally arrived at the club, I went in the front door with 42 people behind me and was told to "Pay 100 rupees." I laughed and said, "Haha, NO!" "YES!" "NO, bring me your manager." After a few minutes a young woman came out of the club and gave me a big smile and hug and said, "We have been waiting for you!" She was working at the restaurant the previous night and was told by her manager to expect me and "some friends."

The young girl yelled something in Bengali at the bouncer, he sheepishly apologized to me in broken english, "Sawwy." We let all the volunteers in and the club owner was never happier. I introduced myself to the young club owner, "Hello my name is Joseph, you remember me from last night?" "Of course! My name is Joanna!" "That's my sister's name!" "That's a lame pickup line, Joseph..." Of course I was not trying anything, I was being honest. But it was all in great humor. She invited me in and and we started talking. We talked all about her club, restaurant (apparently she owns scoop) education, and well everything. She was great, spoke great english and wanted to know all about American music and American Halloween. The club was crazy with many of Calcutta's wealthy youth. I met many of them and upon saying I was american, had a new friend. I danced, partied and had a great time. I stepped outside with Joanna and met more people. There was a line of people trying to get in, and Joanna introduced me to many more of her friends in the line. She said, "This is the man that made this night great!" Man oh man was I happy.

After the club hours were over, at two, she kicked everyone out except for the Volunteers. We stayed until 330 dancing, and enjoying the great company. At around 345 Joanna invited all of us to go out to more clubs with her. About half of us went to two more clubs and were introduced to all of her friends, the entire club. I feel like I know half of Calcutta! I had a million new friend requests on facebook, haha, great!

Joanna drove us around in her private car from place to place and for those who did not fit, she payed cabs to follow her around with the rest of the volunteers. We had a trail of taxi's driving behind her car. Finally around 5, an hour before we had to be up for breakfast, and the hour some had to be up for mass, we were dropped off at home.

We I was getting out Joanna thanked us a million times for making her night. We did the same and parted ways. This morning after a day of sleeping, most of Saturday, I was talking to a new volunteer. He asked me about Halloween and what I had done, I began to tell him about a crazy part I went to.

Jokingly he said, "Oh, THE infamous party?!?!"

I smiled.