We won't lie; Friday the 13th was not incredibly kind to us as a group with illness taking a good chunk of our crew out of the day's programme. So waking up this morning and being able to count 21 out of 22 boys at breakfast, and the same number heading out to enjoy the day's activities was a welcomed change. Poor Mitch is struggling today, however, and therefore this has meant we are carrying an incomplete reserves bench of 21 players if I was to dive into rugby terminology.
The recent belt of illness experienced across the group illustrates just how brutal this environment can be. Thankfully, each of the boys have responded well, due in the main to their patience and the stacks of meds that have been on hand. The simply conclusion is that we cannot control everything in this environment but we can always control how we respond (a smile, brutal honesty regarding one's toilet patterns, and persistence in trying to hold down the drugs, seems to be the responses the boys have gone for which is hugely admirable).
As mentioned earlier though, the sun that came up this morning was much more favourable, so let's discuss what we did while it was up in the sky:
Saturday 14 December
8:30am- Wake up. Mr Skeen showed some compassion by allowing a sleep in for the boys much to Mr Jordan's disgust. The 'Potato-Warrior' had been keen to see the team join him on an ultra marathon around the city starting at 4am but had lost the paper-scissors-rock game to the Editor and subsequently had been instructed to go back to sleep
9am- Happy Birthday is sung loudly from the balcony of the hotel for Chris Moses! Ivan Jin resorts to a dominant display of vocal skill by remixing 'O Come All Ye Faithful' into the chorus
9:10am- Post the 9.5 minute applause Mr Jordan commences the instructions for the Secret Santa activity. A limit of 300Rp ($6) is set and who you have must remain a secret (this rule kind of assists Mr Jordan in preparing for receiving two prizes while, just quietly, George Harman's name has been removed from the hat). Miss Candy walks out in disgust that she has to buy for Reuben
9:20am- Breakfast commences at Blue Sky Cafe. The Editor reflects on the return of many healthy appetites. The head waiter jumps in on the festive season by lighting a chocolate pudding for Chris Moses. He uses petrol for the power generators's engine to send the flames roof high
10:15am- We swing past Kathleen's Confectionary Store to buy cakes! 27 Rp for a slice of brownie, or a cake/muffin of any description. Callum Ross opts for the Masala donuts. Then it's off to grab bags of goodies to share (including bars of soap in all seriousness) with the community we are visiting in an hours time
11am- Half an hour is spent from this point onwards trying to load the bats, balls, wickets, food, stray dogs, and importantly our group into a few vehicles for the drive ahead
11:50am- After a 25 minute drive we arrive in a new part of the city- Brooklyn (can't say 'where dreams are made of' unfortunately). What then plays out is a series of epic cricket contests. The pitches, outfields, bats and most certainly the rules are not straight. Neither are the kids faces to be fair as the energy our boys bring see a series of beaming smiles start to shine. On the cricket stakes it is worth noting that Sam McConnell deliveries were slapped all across the outfield by a kid with a broken leg (the honest truth, he ran between the wickets in a cast!). Moreover, although Tim Burns made an international golden duck, someone else scored a half century (any guesses who???). How did we get to know of this place you may ask? Brooklyn was once a thriving community. Apartments owed by the Docks housed workers who made a good living. Then 15-20 years back the work started to dry up. As such the buildings were left to waste away as families deserted the area. In rolled approx 600 new families, without jobs, without connections to the city and with little in their favour. Today in many ways it feels like a place representing the day after Armageddon. No power, no independent running water- simply a place in physical decay in many ways. Yet there are people there who smile and there is Khelo Rugby. As such we entertained and were entertained. Upon a departure we donated all the cricket gear and our collected goodies for the community; a very small gesture but one none the less. In all, it was a heart-wrenching and inspiring outing- classic India. A final note on this point- Khelo Rugby is about providing an opportunity for the children of Kolkata who need some form of entertainment/learning/passion. We urge you to watch a short clip from their archive to attempt to visualise some of the sights we have been seeing http://vimeo.com/74445441
3pm- We depart for home base very tired and overwhelmed.
3:30pm- Free time is afforded to the boys. Prior to 8pm their task was to shower, pack their bags (we are moving on tomorrow night), buy a meal out at a new restaurant that they individually seek out, check out the night markets, and rest.
8pm- Everyone is back and accounted for. The floor is handed over the Alex Krofcheck who presents a very detailed speech on his area of research- Islam. Congratulations Alex on the thought that went into this.
8:15pm- A big group debrief. Their were two components to this reflection. Firstly, the boys had to state one word that describes how they are feeling right now on their last night in Kolkata. Secondly they had to construct one statement about life or people. Words such as overwhelmed, frustrated, impressed, satisfied, etc were stated as our young men stood and declared their single word. The latter part of the debrief (providing a statement) drew out senses of injustice, love and beauty with reference to life and/or people. All extremely intense and powerful stuff going on
9pm- Packing continues. The bomb site rooms start to resemble slightly more order, which is totally necessary as we will have to be checked out by 7:15am in the morning prior to departing to a small community on the outskirts of town before returning to pick up the bags later in the day. After all, tomorrow is our last day in Kolkata
10pm- Lights Out
The recent belt of illness experienced across the group illustrates just how brutal this environment can be. Thankfully, each of the boys have responded well, due in the main to their patience and the stacks of meds that have been on hand. The simply conclusion is that we cannot control everything in this environment but we can always control how we respond (a smile, brutal honesty regarding one's toilet patterns, and persistence in trying to hold down the drugs, seems to be the responses the boys have gone for which is hugely admirable).
As mentioned earlier though, the sun that came up this morning was much more favourable, so let's discuss what we did while it was up in the sky:
Saturday 14 December
8:30am- Wake up. Mr Skeen showed some compassion by allowing a sleep in for the boys much to Mr Jordan's disgust. The 'Potato-Warrior' had been keen to see the team join him on an ultra marathon around the city starting at 4am but had lost the paper-scissors-rock game to the Editor and subsequently had been instructed to go back to sleep
9am- Happy Birthday is sung loudly from the balcony of the hotel for Chris Moses! Ivan Jin resorts to a dominant display of vocal skill by remixing 'O Come All Ye Faithful' into the chorus
9:10am- Post the 9.5 minute applause Mr Jordan commences the instructions for the Secret Santa activity. A limit of 300Rp ($6) is set and who you have must remain a secret (this rule kind of assists Mr Jordan in preparing for receiving two prizes while, just quietly, George Harman's name has been removed from the hat). Miss Candy walks out in disgust that she has to buy for Reuben
9:20am- Breakfast commences at Blue Sky Cafe. The Editor reflects on the return of many healthy appetites. The head waiter jumps in on the festive season by lighting a chocolate pudding for Chris Moses. He uses petrol for the power generators's engine to send the flames roof high
10:15am- We swing past Kathleen's Confectionary Store to buy cakes! 27 Rp for a slice of brownie, or a cake/muffin of any description. Callum Ross opts for the Masala donuts. Then it's off to grab bags of goodies to share (including bars of soap in all seriousness) with the community we are visiting in an hours time
11am- Half an hour is spent from this point onwards trying to load the bats, balls, wickets, food, stray dogs, and importantly our group into a few vehicles for the drive ahead
11:50am- After a 25 minute drive we arrive in a new part of the city- Brooklyn (can't say 'where dreams are made of' unfortunately). What then plays out is a series of epic cricket contests. The pitches, outfields, bats and most certainly the rules are not straight. Neither are the kids faces to be fair as the energy our boys bring see a series of beaming smiles start to shine. On the cricket stakes it is worth noting that Sam McConnell deliveries were slapped all across the outfield by a kid with a broken leg (the honest truth, he ran between the wickets in a cast!). Moreover, although Tim Burns made an international golden duck, someone else scored a half century (any guesses who???). How did we get to know of this place you may ask? Brooklyn was once a thriving community. Apartments owed by the Docks housed workers who made a good living. Then 15-20 years back the work started to dry up. As such the buildings were left to waste away as families deserted the area. In rolled approx 600 new families, without jobs, without connections to the city and with little in their favour. Today in many ways it feels like a place representing the day after Armageddon. No power, no independent running water- simply a place in physical decay in many ways. Yet there are people there who smile and there is Khelo Rugby. As such we entertained and were entertained. Upon a departure we donated all the cricket gear and our collected goodies for the community; a very small gesture but one none the less. In all, it was a heart-wrenching and inspiring outing- classic India. A final note on this point- Khelo Rugby is about providing an opportunity for the children of Kolkata who need some form of entertainment/learning/passion. We urge you to watch a short clip from their archive to attempt to visualise some of the sights we have been seeing http://vimeo.com/74445441
3pm- We depart for home base very tired and overwhelmed.
3:30pm- Free time is afforded to the boys. Prior to 8pm their task was to shower, pack their bags (we are moving on tomorrow night), buy a meal out at a new restaurant that they individually seek out, check out the night markets, and rest.
8pm- Everyone is back and accounted for. The floor is handed over the Alex Krofcheck who presents a very detailed speech on his area of research- Islam. Congratulations Alex on the thought that went into this.
8:15pm- A big group debrief. Their were two components to this reflection. Firstly, the boys had to state one word that describes how they are feeling right now on their last night in Kolkata. Secondly they had to construct one statement about life or people. Words such as overwhelmed, frustrated, impressed, satisfied, etc were stated as our young men stood and declared their single word. The latter part of the debrief (providing a statement) drew out senses of injustice, love and beauty with reference to life and/or people. All extremely intense and powerful stuff going on
9pm- Packing continues. The bomb site rooms start to resemble slightly more order, which is totally necessary as we will have to be checked out by 7:15am in the morning prior to departing to a small community on the outskirts of town before returning to pick up the bags later in the day. After all, tomorrow is our last day in Kolkata
10pm- Lights Out
So the boys are well and truly in bed and hopefully fast asleep. Tonight is the last time they will go to sleep in Kolkata. It will remain in their minds as a place of great challenge, but most importantly, of great joy. The Maidan is the lungs and the people the heart. And we, we were just an 'antibody' of sorts passing by. In fact, that gives us too much credit. We didn't help this place, we just came and saw. Thank you Kolkata for the memories; one day to go.
Ben
MVP- Jonty Morreau. Now young Jonty is a sportsman, but not in the conventional trades. Therefore after dropping an absolute sitter of a catch and displaying generally awful cricket tendencies (Hamish Fox wasn't much better), Jonty somehow found himself bowling, and more importantly on a hat-trick ball. Now don't get carried away, nothing good came of the next delivery, it was a no ball and wide like several prior to his lucky run of form, but none-the-less he had created a legacy. As a side note Jonty had wanted to feel something today (possibly even to create a legacy) as up until this point he has mourned daily the fact that all efforts in his quest to receive any correspondence from his parents have been in vain. Relax Jonty, your family have sold up and moved on- enjoy the rest of your life.
Thought- Who deals the cards? Today we walked through a space that should never testify as being a suitable environment for human life to live in. Somehow though, people do, and they make it work. But who deals the cards? Who gives us our hand, a full house or a positive run of three or four, yet in the same round delivers nothing for other players? Where is the fairness in that?
Hey Ben - assuming you're not actually all still sitting in the Koru lounge at Ak Int airport pretending to be in India, big respect to you, Mrs C and Mr J....owning the boys in that environment is awesome. Sounds like no-one has even come close to getting a 'Bradford' across the ears, even more impressive. cheers
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