Tieing loose ends.

On Saturday I'll be heading on to Siliguri, just south of Darjeeling and then traveling west through Nepal. Although I have enjoyed many experiences here, I'm also very excited to get out of Calcutta because it is so loud and obnoxious here, and I am ready to have a more relaxing time I think. I'm excited for what Nepal will bring.

We went with the family who lost their girl yesterday to the police station. They needed a picture of the daughter which luckily we had, but in reality there is probably nothing they can do. The police were largely if not completely unhelpful, but it definitely helped that there was a white person in the room - it always seems to cause government employees to act in a way in which there a supposed to, and respect the rights of citizens (there are police stations and hospitals set up specifically to help the street people).

Also, one of the volunteers I've met here, Christie, is filming a documentary so I've been helping her with that. She is focusing her story on a group of street boys who have been sent here by there families from surrounding villages to find work - most are between 5 and 15 and do odd jobs and are also "errand-boys" or pages for many of the local shop owners. Christie has also been teaching them English and basic math skills in her free time, when we're not treating the street kids and drug addicts for their wounds. Hopefully it will be as compelling a story on video as it has been getting to know these young men in real life.

CM