This decision is going to be difficult. Both arguments are confusing, convoluted in one another, and seemingly selfish. And with selfish I will begin.
This pilgrimage of mine has has been selfish, no doubt. I have left my education for the moment, said goodbye to friends and family, spending all I have saved to "broaden my horizons" for perspective, to understand my inherent qualities; the ones that never surface until fully challenged and questioned. So yes, this has been a selfish journey and has the potential to become further selfish. I would deepen the sadness in my parents hears, it would draw me further away from my friends at school, but at the same time would deepen the me in me.
The word selfish maintains too much of a negative connotation. For me, the word is only negative, and a selfish someone is only "bad" and "hurtful" if he absorption of their future actions are never converted into thoughts or future actions of goodness. So what I may be doing is selfish, I will come home, one day, and I will live what I have learned. The question is when will I come home?
I sat in an Internet cafe in Varanasi, one of the oldest cities in the world, crying with my mom on the other end of the .02 cent skype call. We both cried because of the honesty in my words. The thoughts of staying has been in my mind for the past few weeks, but I never verbalized them to anyone, no even myself. The moment I heard my words I realized I had changed. The honest in them scared me, just like the possibility of staying. I spoke about the new realization of myself, the awareness of my "Three Words." I want to deepen these new sensations.
My experience in India opened a door. A door to a world where I experienced emotions and sentiments perpetuated by the inherent qualities I found, but have never experienced anywhere else. Now, in this new room, I see another door, quickly approaching with the final days in India. This door has has three words written on it. It says: two more months. I can choose to walk through his door and change my life one way, or I can turn and walk back through the door that originally led me to India, to this second door, and close it. Leaving this experience and the potential of the second door, changing my life to a different degree. I have a feeling about the second door. On the other side of the door, I think there stands a sort of spiritual quelling. A quelling that may help create he confidence I need to continue with the rest of my life. A confidence also created by missing xmas, new years, and my birthday. But the spiritual understanding that has been cultivated these past months has the potential to continue growing and form deeper in its self. But that is not to say that it won't deepen if I return home and share my experiences with all of my communities.
This is the most emotional suffering I have ever felt, more than the emotions I had to deal with after losing my grandmother, or ending an intimate relationship with my high school girlfriend. My soul feels pierced by a large sword. This large sword is challenging me to suffer. The interesting reality is that I pierced my soul, I'm doing it on purpose. The moment I draw the sword out of my soul, I will have made the right decision, that will be the symbolism. The problem is there will be a wound, and although the drawing of the sword, the right decision will have been made, my soul's wound will persist. My soul will cry, it will bleed, I will cry because I know I will have made the right decision. I just want to know which decision will make my soul bleed and cry least.
With this decision comes the new challenge. The challenge that the decision has created. I think I am mature enough to realize that with whatever decision I will make I will have to live with it. There is no going back on it, there is no turning around and crying for the other. I have to live through my decision with all vitality and life that I would the other, for my decision will be the right one. If I come home, the old me would create even more suffering by telling people how sad I am because of being home. I would act more sad than I really am, creating more sadness. But me, the now me, wants the mental discipline to tell myself that I have made a decision the right one, and to be it. I am afraid of becoming complaisant if I return without being deep enough in what I have been taught, thus becoming my old self again.
This is where what I have learned is really put to the test. But first, a question I have to ask is, have I found what I came looking for? Yes, and more. I have answered ever question I asked prior to coming to India. That counts for something. Does it count for coming back home now? Now, are the teachings I have learned and valued so deeply profound enough to carry me through to my real reality of life back home? Or maybe, was I a good enough pupil, did I take it to heart enough, or do I need more time? At what point does teachings of the same lecture become repetitive and pointless? That's not to say that I will learn the same things if I return, India is always teaching new lessons, but my head can only be taught so much before I forget the basics, what I came to India originally for and don't know how to put them into practice. I feel the change in my heart, but also in my confidence. I don't know if this is just travelers confidence, or a true, real self-esteem confidence worth deepening by staying longer.
I want to stay to deepen sensations I have. But there is the possibility I would be able to deepen the same ones by putting them into practice back home. I will keep asking, have I been a good enough pilgrim to learn from my teachings to be able to be a disciple, teacher, or prophet of what I have learned when I return? I think to a certain extent I would ask myself that question no matter how long I would stay. So I don't know...
I had a very bull-shit angering conversation with someone about my decision process. he asked me: "will this decision matter at all in 100 years?" Hell ya it will matter! I have decided that I wan to leave something tangible on this earth. At least an idea, a something that changes something for the better, a difference, and this decision can have a direct effect on just that. Have I absorbed enough to be a disciple of Kalighat, the Kalighat that I have learned?
In order to make my decision I believe I will have to experience Calcuta and Kalighat again. I plan to return on the 9th of December to let my soul asses the situation. It may hit me the moment I arrive in Calcutta, or the decision may no be made until the 13th, the day before I leave for BKK. Right now I really don't know what to do. I have so many arguments for both decisions. This blog was an attempt to spill all of them, but I realize it is much more difficult than just one blog. I would love any feedback, any encouragements or thoughts either way as long as they are honest and helpful.
Right now I am gearing up for a 3 day trek in the Himalayas. I think the fresh air and mountains will help me decide, I don't necessarily think I will have the answer upon descent from the mountains, but I am hoping for some clarification. For those of you who deeply care, I am sorry for putting you through his angst and uncertainty, but know that ultimately if I do stay two more months, in the long run, that is nothing compared to the length of my life.
I am afraid of making this decision.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
NO Title
I want to apologize to all of my faithful readers for not writing a blog recently, or one with any substance. The past few weeks has been quite the time taker. The last days in Calcutta went fast, Katie my traveling partner, was sick and spent 10 days in the hospital. Our traveling plans changed as she decided to head home early for a safe recovery. She is back home now and is doing well.
I took off from Calcutta and headed to Agra, as mentioned in the post below. Then over to Pushkar where I meet 8 other volunteers for the world's largest livestock fair! The annual Pushkar Camel Fair was ridiculous. Dancing camels, beauty contests (yes with camels), family circuses, sales, concerts in the desert. Pushkar was magical and such a relief. Being in the desert was fantastic after Calcutta. Beautiful sunsets and sunrises. After 3 days in Pushkar the group moved to Jaisalmer, the Golden city. We spent one night there and on the first morning we were off on a two day one night camel trek in the Great Thar Desert! Being alone in the desert with 8 other friends, camels, and the sand was magical. Such a great experience.
After the camel trek the group split ways, and Dan, from Denver, and I spent the day in the Jaisalmer fort. The best way to describe it: the film Aladdin. We walked around slowly being invited into many homes for free chai and conversation. Wonderful!
Dan and I headed south to Jodhpur for another fort and a city with all blue houses, narrow alley ways full of cows, and happy people.
From Jodhpur we traveled to Udaipur, where we are now. Udaipur is wonderful. Peaceful, calm, relaxing and home to part of James Bond's "Octopussy." We walked around this afternoon and were invited into more shops for conversation and Chai. I really think we are going to set a record for most free chai's in India. This eveing we are going to see the movie on a rooftop overlooking the lake palace where the movie was filmed.
Tomorrow we are heading north to Rishikesh. Yoga capital of the world. We are going to meet Hemly and Lee, both volunteers. We plan on settling down for around 7 days then heading into Nepal.
I apologize for not a more detailed description of the adventures, but I don't think a synopsis of my days would be very interesting, so as the author, I am going to focus on certain themes I have found throughout my trip.
One of the most important to me is honesty in friendship. Here is something I wrote in the Great Thar Desert when we were on the camel trek:
It's hard to describe where I am. I'm in the desert may be an appropriate way of starting out, but to follow I cannot use words, my photos won't do any justice either. Maybe you should visit? But I am sitting on a dune, higher than anything around me. I can only see dunes and desert for miles around.
This morning the sun woke up shortly after I did and casually lit our camp ground with it's daylight. A sunrise in the Great Thar Desert is more than magical, it's honest to the day. But before the sunrise was the full moon, and before the full moon was the most perfect sunset.
It was a sunset which gave life to the desert. A sunset which loves the viewer just as much as the viewer loves it. I fell in love with those colors that night. Or maybe I fell in love with my situation.
Dunes extending to all horizons. Clean air. Almost white sand. Shepard-less cows and instinctual goat grazing. Songs from the came drivers as they cooked dinner.
For the moment everyone was silent. All six of us. All of our similarities and differences, too. There nothing more than the extension of the sun's arms reaching for one last hug from any viewer saying "until I wake you up!"
We stood up to head down to camp. As we turned, guess who was smiling down on us: Senora Luna. It's not often one witnesses to beauties on either side of ourselves, capable of being visualized with our peripheries. We all smiled at each other thinking the same thing, actually that is not true, but our smiles were communicating the same words.
We made a campfire which immediately illuminated all details on our faces, details the full moon could not touch. We laughed, smiled, and shared the type of love many people don't believe in.
A very important conversation was held that night. One of reasons, expectations, experiences, and affirmations. Each traveler shared the reasons, motivations for leaving home, work, friends and family. Almost all are looking for something deeper than their situation they left. But what excited me was my age, I'm 19. The travelers I was with were 25-35. You figure out my excitement. I am content with my questions, my aspirations, and my current situation.
Then came questions and affirmations. The questions where to help guide one another, the affirmations to perpetuate the positivity with which illuminated everyone's actions.
When my turn came, less questions and more affirmations came. I think I had had the "why are you here" conversation with all the other's plenty of times for them to know the answers to most of their questions. So what they gave was gold, they gave affirmations. They spoke to my confidence I do not often see, to my love I only have recently learned exists, to the generosity I never considered, my abilities, and potential. Words of "thank you my brother" or " it has been a pleasure" or with your power, you can do anything" or "I love you." With these affirmations I was shocked. Words that tore deep inside of me, to a place of my soul I rarely have to visit: fear of ones self. If this is how people see me, is this who I really am? Do I really have any power?
It's not often that I fear myself. Actually, rarely am I scared of myself. I always am scared I lack something, or that I am not adequate enough, or fear my future, but never feeling like I am a person who can hold power, as mentioned. These months are the most honest I have been with myself and the most honest in terms of sharing with the world. These months I can justify almost every action and know why I did them and what emotion was cultivating and carrying out the action. But it's easy to be that when there are no expectations, and for some reason always graved with the presence of exceptionally beautiful people.
But if this is who I am when there are no expectations, which to me are pressures, then this is who I am at my core. I want to be this when I am here, home, with her, with him, with expectations. I can be this. I came to India particularly looking for this. I found it in the Great Thar Desert under a full moon, after a beautiful sunset and before a beautiful sunrise.
This is how I saw last night: six souls sitting under a full moon. Six souls sharing honesty and affirmations that really is. I know the affirmations where honest because in the desert far away from everything, all expectations, all material things, all make-up of different kinds, away from all skins we wear, we are who we truly are, who we truly are at our cores. When away from everything you don't see much but goodness and beauty, truth and reality. Nothing negative and dishonest was brought with us into the desert. All we were that night were perfectly reflecting mirrors for each other. A mirror with words. There was no bullshit, it was the most legit shit, EVER!
So what is this? What is this power? I have explained it in past blogs in many ways. In many actions, and in three words in particular: compassion, grace, and humility. All three words were affirmed that night in the desert. The last advice or at least suggestion I as given was to "you can conquer the world." This came from Dan, a 23 year-old student of life, traveler, compassion-ite, someone who I respect more than, well I don't know who, but I respect him with all my heart. The desert came make people delirious, hallucinate (with lack of water) and now, seemingly pretentious. But in those moments I found that it also makes people honest.
We slept in a line of 6 on the beds which turn into camel saddels by day. It's was hard to sleep after all that honest excitement. But also hard to sleep with camels farting in the distance, and a moon with all her companions, the stars, shinning brighter than any night light has or will. I feel asleep...
...I woke up as the sun casually broke over the dunes. I smiled because I had changed since last night, since I left Kalighat, since I left home on September 18th. I'm happy with my life. And with this much happiness in my heart I need to give thanks. So I want to thank all of you who have been a part of my life in any way shape, form, or feel. I want to thank all of you who are with me always, yes you, you know I am talking about you ;) I am thanking you for helping me get here to India, to The Great Thar Desert in whatever way you have. I thank you for reading this. The camels farts are getting closer so it's time to get going, back to the humps.
As we say every time we begin riding the camels "Chelo Pakistan" or "off to Pakistan!" Don't worry, Dad, we aren't really going to Pakistan. We are going to live fully in this day, with this day, through, until tomorrow, where we will do the same.
-=Namaste=-
;)
I took off from Calcutta and headed to Agra, as mentioned in the post below. Then over to Pushkar where I meet 8 other volunteers for the world's largest livestock fair! The annual Pushkar Camel Fair was ridiculous. Dancing camels, beauty contests (yes with camels), family circuses, sales, concerts in the desert. Pushkar was magical and such a relief. Being in the desert was fantastic after Calcutta. Beautiful sunsets and sunrises. After 3 days in Pushkar the group moved to Jaisalmer, the Golden city. We spent one night there and on the first morning we were off on a two day one night camel trek in the Great Thar Desert! Being alone in the desert with 8 other friends, camels, and the sand was magical. Such a great experience.
After the camel trek the group split ways, and Dan, from Denver, and I spent the day in the Jaisalmer fort. The best way to describe it: the film Aladdin. We walked around slowly being invited into many homes for free chai and conversation. Wonderful!
Dan and I headed south to Jodhpur for another fort and a city with all blue houses, narrow alley ways full of cows, and happy people.
From Jodhpur we traveled to Udaipur, where we are now. Udaipur is wonderful. Peaceful, calm, relaxing and home to part of James Bond's "Octopussy." We walked around this afternoon and were invited into more shops for conversation and Chai. I really think we are going to set a record for most free chai's in India. This eveing we are going to see the movie on a rooftop overlooking the lake palace where the movie was filmed.
Tomorrow we are heading north to Rishikesh. Yoga capital of the world. We are going to meet Hemly and Lee, both volunteers. We plan on settling down for around 7 days then heading into Nepal.
I apologize for not a more detailed description of the adventures, but I don't think a synopsis of my days would be very interesting, so as the author, I am going to focus on certain themes I have found throughout my trip.
One of the most important to me is honesty in friendship. Here is something I wrote in the Great Thar Desert when we were on the camel trek:
It's hard to describe where I am. I'm in the desert may be an appropriate way of starting out, but to follow I cannot use words, my photos won't do any justice either. Maybe you should visit? But I am sitting on a dune, higher than anything around me. I can only see dunes and desert for miles around.
This morning the sun woke up shortly after I did and casually lit our camp ground with it's daylight. A sunrise in the Great Thar Desert is more than magical, it's honest to the day. But before the sunrise was the full moon, and before the full moon was the most perfect sunset.
It was a sunset which gave life to the desert. A sunset which loves the viewer just as much as the viewer loves it. I fell in love with those colors that night. Or maybe I fell in love with my situation.
Dunes extending to all horizons. Clean air. Almost white sand. Shepard-less cows and instinctual goat grazing. Songs from the came drivers as they cooked dinner.
For the moment everyone was silent. All six of us. All of our similarities and differences, too. There nothing more than the extension of the sun's arms reaching for one last hug from any viewer saying "until I wake you up!"
We stood up to head down to camp. As we turned, guess who was smiling down on us: Senora Luna. It's not often one witnesses to beauties on either side of ourselves, capable of being visualized with our peripheries. We all smiled at each other thinking the same thing, actually that is not true, but our smiles were communicating the same words.
We made a campfire which immediately illuminated all details on our faces, details the full moon could not touch. We laughed, smiled, and shared the type of love many people don't believe in.
A very important conversation was held that night. One of reasons, expectations, experiences, and affirmations. Each traveler shared the reasons, motivations for leaving home, work, friends and family. Almost all are looking for something deeper than their situation they left. But what excited me was my age, I'm 19. The travelers I was with were 25-35. You figure out my excitement. I am content with my questions, my aspirations, and my current situation.
Then came questions and affirmations. The questions where to help guide one another, the affirmations to perpetuate the positivity with which illuminated everyone's actions.
When my turn came, less questions and more affirmations came. I think I had had the "why are you here" conversation with all the other's plenty of times for them to know the answers to most of their questions. So what they gave was gold, they gave affirmations. They spoke to my confidence I do not often see, to my love I only have recently learned exists, to the generosity I never considered, my abilities, and potential. Words of "thank you my brother" or " it has been a pleasure" or with your power, you can do anything" or "I love you." With these affirmations I was shocked. Words that tore deep inside of me, to a place of my soul I rarely have to visit: fear of ones self. If this is how people see me, is this who I really am? Do I really have any power?
It's not often that I fear myself. Actually, rarely am I scared of myself. I always am scared I lack something, or that I am not adequate enough, or fear my future, but never feeling like I am a person who can hold power, as mentioned. These months are the most honest I have been with myself and the most honest in terms of sharing with the world. These months I can justify almost every action and know why I did them and what emotion was cultivating and carrying out the action. But it's easy to be that when there are no expectations, and for some reason always graved with the presence of exceptionally beautiful people.
But if this is who I am when there are no expectations, which to me are pressures, then this is who I am at my core. I want to be this when I am here, home, with her, with him, with expectations. I can be this. I came to India particularly looking for this. I found it in the Great Thar Desert under a full moon, after a beautiful sunset and before a beautiful sunrise.
This is how I saw last night: six souls sitting under a full moon. Six souls sharing honesty and affirmations that really is. I know the affirmations where honest because in the desert far away from everything, all expectations, all material things, all make-up of different kinds, away from all skins we wear, we are who we truly are, who we truly are at our cores. When away from everything you don't see much but goodness and beauty, truth and reality. Nothing negative and dishonest was brought with us into the desert. All we were that night were perfectly reflecting mirrors for each other. A mirror with words. There was no bullshit, it was the most legit shit, EVER!
So what is this? What is this power? I have explained it in past blogs in many ways. In many actions, and in three words in particular: compassion, grace, and humility. All three words were affirmed that night in the desert. The last advice or at least suggestion I as given was to "you can conquer the world." This came from Dan, a 23 year-old student of life, traveler, compassion-ite, someone who I respect more than, well I don't know who, but I respect him with all my heart. The desert came make people delirious, hallucinate (with lack of water) and now, seemingly pretentious. But in those moments I found that it also makes people honest.
We slept in a line of 6 on the beds which turn into camel saddels by day. It's was hard to sleep after all that honest excitement. But also hard to sleep with camels farting in the distance, and a moon with all her companions, the stars, shinning brighter than any night light has or will. I feel asleep...
...I woke up as the sun casually broke over the dunes. I smiled because I had changed since last night, since I left Kalighat, since I left home on September 18th. I'm happy with my life. And with this much happiness in my heart I need to give thanks. So I want to thank all of you who have been a part of my life in any way shape, form, or feel. I want to thank all of you who are with me always, yes you, you know I am talking about you ;) I am thanking you for helping me get here to India, to The Great Thar Desert in whatever way you have. I thank you for reading this. The camels farts are getting closer so it's time to get going, back to the humps.
As we say every time we begin riding the camels "Chelo Pakistan" or "off to Pakistan!" Don't worry, Dad, we aren't really going to Pakistan. We are going to live fully in this day, with this day, through, until tomorrow, where we will do the same.
-=Namaste=-
;)
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Adventure Continues
This is going to be a short blog, I am way too tired to be putting much thought into coherent sentances, but I thought I should check in and let you all know where I am headed.
I officially lived a dream of mine; I saw the Taj Mahal. It was beautiful. The experience was not so great. Too many tourists with HUGE cameras and pushy attitudes. It was for sure a major culture shock, I can't imagine what returning to the states will be like.
I have left Calcutta, obviously, and it was hard. Leaving my work then leaving an amazing community of volunteers was something that put tears in my eyes when I was on the train to Agra. The train was crazy, crazy uncomfortable. I slept for only 5 hours of the 22 hour journey. But I met a great Bangladesh family who was also headed to the Taj.
Agra is okay. Not much different from Calcutta except for the lack of honking, which is a great change.
Okay, break out a map of India!
Tonight I head out for Pushkar where two other travelers and I will meet up with 10 other volunteers for the annual Pushkar Camel Fair! The experience should produce a good camel fair, so stay posted.
From Pushkar the volunteer groups plans to travel further west to Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, then Udaipur. From Udaipur a good friend of mine and myself, will travel far north to Rishikesh and stay around a week doing some meditation and yoga. Around the first week of December I will meet up with some more friends and travel into Nepal for trekking. I'm not sure how long I will stay but I plan on being back in Calcutta on the 11th of December.
I officially lived a dream of mine; I saw the Taj Mahal. It was beautiful. The experience was not so great. Too many tourists with HUGE cameras and pushy attitudes. It was for sure a major culture shock, I can't imagine what returning to the states will be like.
I have left Calcutta, obviously, and it was hard. Leaving my work then leaving an amazing community of volunteers was something that put tears in my eyes when I was on the train to Agra. The train was crazy, crazy uncomfortable. I slept for only 5 hours of the 22 hour journey. But I met a great Bangladesh family who was also headed to the Taj.
Agra is okay. Not much different from Calcutta except for the lack of honking, which is a great change.
Okay, break out a map of India!
Tonight I head out for Pushkar where two other travelers and I will meet up with 10 other volunteers for the annual Pushkar Camel Fair! The experience should produce a good camel fair, so stay posted.
From Pushkar the volunteer groups plans to travel further west to Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, then Udaipur. From Udaipur a good friend of mine and myself, will travel far north to Rishikesh and stay around a week doing some meditation and yoga. Around the first week of December I will meet up with some more friends and travel into Nepal for trekking. I'm not sure how long I will stay but I plan on being back in Calcutta on the 11th of December.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
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.
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.
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