Goodbye Kolkata

Callan Adams

It seems like an age ago that this group of 22 young Kiwis were hurtling through the streets of Kolkata for the first time, awestruck by its incredible, novel and all together crazy sights, sounds and smells. Over the last 5 days, I have been amazed at how the group has come together to support one another through the brutal poverty and injustice that we have seen, but at the same time, each of our responses to such challenges have been very individual. 

Kolkata is confusing, and I can't hope to encapsulate it in any number of blogs. What stood out for me, however, is the vibrancy and verve of its people, in front of a backdrop which is often confronting, decrepit, even revolting. I think that the Brooklyn slum we visited yesterday captured this beautifully - young children giddily chasing us around a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Some boys felt guilty, others highlighted the injustice of the situation, but I was left unresolved, with more questions than answers. What is life like when we're not there? What'll it be like after 20 more years of deterioration? How?...

Kolkata has left me exhausted, overwhelmed and unsettled. I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm a little relieved to be moving on. My body and my mind would struggle to deal with much more of what this place has to throw at me. When I inevitably reminisce and reflect on our time here, though, I'm sure that I'll begin to make sense of what I have seen and experienced, and realise the significance of those experiences in the context of the trip, and my life. I guess I need a little bit more time to process things.

Bring on Darjeeling!