Back in Action

Ladies and gentleman, I have arrived in Kolkata, a truly nostalgic Indian city. This is the place where I first ate real Indian food, made my first Indian friends, saw my first real manifestations of urban poverty, and the first place where I lived among Indians. It is great to be back in this humid, chaotic city full of mixed faces. Any race or ethnicity imaginable lives in Kolkata. Everyone blends and has a place. Everything is held in the heavy, pungent air.
My friend Vishal offered to pick me up at the airport last week, but informed me on Saturday that he would be out of town for business until late Sunday evening so I would have to get a pre-paid taxi at the airport. Of course when I get off the plane and walk towards baggage claim, whose friendly face do I see? Smiley Vishal with the lopsided dimples. I haven’t been so surprised or thrilled in a while. I literally could not stop smiling. Once we got into the city, we went to my favorite dosa restaurant outside of New Market. This place is a tiny little hole in the wall that smells faintly of masala and limes—a strange combination I know, but still wonderful and vibrant. Outside of the restaurant are bangle vendors yelling at every female passerby for business.
Vishal and I caught up for three hours over two dosas, two chais, and many laughs. We spoke about religion, our work and research, and our plans for the near future. Currently Vishal is still coordinating the volunteer program that I went on last summer, but he has been directed more into the social entrepreneurship program that employs women from the slums and markets and sells their handicrafts. The company is struggling through the global recession. What once was an office filled with orders for sari blankets, purses, and other crafts for sale abroad, has become an empty file folder on a desk, women receiving handouts from the foundation’s reserve, and slow search for future markets. While the news about his work is extremely depressing, he seems optimistic and motivated. “The only way to get through hardship,” he says, “is through faith, perseverance, and optimism.” I guess that’s an inevitable side of this type of business. All depressing elements aside, it was wonderful seeing him and catching up. It’s good to be back.