The last week in Kolkata has been an absolute blast. I feel as if I have already grown in so many ways. I've just got a few points about the 'beautiful' city that I'd like to discuss:
Firstly, the traffic. I think this would be right up there with one of the biggest eye openers for me. I mentioned it in my earlier blog but I believe that the total chaos means more than just a few frights from blaring horns. I believe that the madness that every driver in Kolkata is accustomed too is a perfect representation of how chaos can work if people have the resiliency and willingness to accept it and move on about their own business - something I definitely learnt to do over the week. I can honestly say that (mum you will love this) I will never have road rage problems after spending a week in Kolkata!
Secondly, the warmth shown and given to me in this city is something everybody in the western world could learn from. Everywhere you look is a smile and people are just genuinely happy to see the sight of you, I can't help but feel this warmth inside me. The joy I could see we were giving the kids at Future Hope, Don Bosco and Brooklyn was something I'll never forget. Running around theMaidan with them on my shoulders is easily one of the best moments of my life- it gave me this unique buzz.
However the poverty is something that I simply can't just brush over, and gloss up to make it seem 'not so bad'. We were eventually turning away beggars like you would do to someone handing out flyers in Newmarket- this gave me a sense of guilt. But I simply feel that handing a beggar 10 rupee will not change anything; yes, it may provide them with a meal, or their family with one, but it may also end up in the hands of an undeserving pimp or be spent on cigarettes or drugs.
At the end of the day what I would much prefer to do is to sit down and share a meal paid out of my own pocket with a beggar, knowing that I was I showing them love and knowing of that they were being fed and cared for.
Those are just a few thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head, but overall, I'm currently sitting on the train feeling happy and satisfied of my experience in Kolkata. I do plan to return at some point in my life, a dream would be to go back and play a rugby season for the Jungle Crows alongside Tudu and the rest of the boys. Thanks for having me Kolkata, I hope to see you soon.
Sam
Firstly, the traffic. I think this would be right up there with one of the biggest eye openers for me. I mentioned it in my earlier blog but I believe that the total chaos means more than just a few frights from blaring horns. I believe that the madness that every driver in Kolkata is accustomed too is a perfect representation of how chaos can work if people have the resiliency and willingness to accept it and move on about their own business - something I definitely learnt to do over the week. I can honestly say that (mum you will love this) I will never have road rage problems after spending a week in Kolkata!
Secondly, the warmth shown and given to me in this city is something everybody in the western world could learn from. Everywhere you look is a smile and people are just genuinely happy to see the sight of you, I can't help but feel this warmth inside me. The joy I could see we were giving the kids at Future Hope, Don Bosco and Brooklyn was something I'll never forget. Running around theMaidan with them on my shoulders is easily one of the best moments of my life- it gave me this unique buzz.
However the poverty is something that I simply can't just brush over, and gloss up to make it seem 'not so bad'. We were eventually turning away beggars like you would do to someone handing out flyers in Newmarket- this gave me a sense of guilt. But I simply feel that handing a beggar 10 rupee will not change anything; yes, it may provide them with a meal, or their family with one, but it may also end up in the hands of an undeserving pimp or be spent on cigarettes or drugs.
At the end of the day what I would much prefer to do is to sit down and share a meal paid out of my own pocket with a beggar, knowing that I was I showing them love and knowing of that they were being fed and cared for.
Those are just a few thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head, but overall, I'm currently sitting on the train feeling happy and satisfied of my experience in Kolkata. I do plan to return at some point in my life, a dream would be to go back and play a rugby season for the Jungle Crows alongside Tudu and the rest of the boys. Thanks for having me Kolkata, I hope to see you soon.
Sam
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