My first day...

The first week or so here has been soooo busy.  Between that and adjusting to all the differences, I just haven't had much of a chance to write a new post.  I headed to Manila at 2 am Friday to attend the 6th International Microinsurance Conference.  Since there may not be as much to write about during the week I am there, I am hoping to catch up on the events of my first week in Kolkata!!

I woke up at a normal time last Thursday (10/28) even though I didn't fall asleep until about 2:30 am.  I was already hot and sunny at 8 in the morning.  I chose to wait to go into the office at lunchtime just so I could get a chance to unpack and adjust a little.  The driver picked me up about 12:30 and I had my first ride through Kolkata - and what a ride it was!!

I had seen pictures of the streets and traffic, but let me tell you it is something else to be in it.  There really are no lanes.  Buses, truck, cars, taxis, rickshaws, motorcycles, bicycles, and carts are all weaving in and out, constantly beeping their horns while people try to cross the street in the craziness!  And they really don't pay attention to the traffic lights much at all.  As we drove, the driver asked me if it was my first time in Kolkata (even though he doesn't speak much English).  When I said yes, he began to play tour guide and started pointing out various buildings and highlights for me.  It was very sweet.  

We crossed the Howrah Bridge (Rabindra Setu) that I later came to find is one of the busiest cantilever bridges in the world with over 60,000 people crossing it a day.  This took us from Kolkata to Howrah  which is where the Calcutta Kids office is located.  We turned down a very narrow street and I could see we had entered a altogether different neighborhood.  This is where the work is done.

Most of my afternoon was spent getting to know people and getting a feel for the micro health insurance program from the people in the office that are focused on it - Sujata Tripathy & Chandan Das (I'll provide a picture soon).  In addition, I went with Noah and several others from the U.S. who are volunteering or working at Calcutta Kids, to look at the new Diarrhea Treatment Center that they will be opening sometime in November.  Our walk there was my first time on foot in the slum area and it was a little daunting.  The people in the neighborhood have gotten used to seeing non-Indians around, but it isn't typical.  And I saw my first cow & chickens in the street - that did make me chuckle.  The treatment center is wonderful and I know it will be able to help a lot of children and families.  Just another amazing thing that Noah & his team are doing here.