My Weekend

So, I had a pretty good weekend. I've been here for almost a month now... hard to believe! After that first week, time has flown by. Saturday was Kaylie's birthday (the new volunteer from Canada). I saw her on Fri and we talked and when I asked what she was doing, she didn't really have plans because she just got here, so we agreed to meet up at Park St and we just went around shopping. We went to New Market and got hassled by all the hawkers: (What you want to buy? I show you right place! This way! No ma'am, your size- this your perfect size (when the shirt is 8 sizes too big or they've just tried to stretch out the size 6 shoe to fit your foot). It was a lot more fun than when I was there the last time, and I know she enjoyed it, rather than just sitting around by herself on her birthday. When we got back to the the guesthouse the Australian boys were in the common room and invited us out with them. There were 9 of us: One Brit, two New Zealanders, four Australians, one American, and one Indian... (or 20 Indians, if you count the birthday party in the corner that we got involved in...) So since it was Sat night, all the places we went to were full, so finally we wound up in the dingiest bar ever--- low ceilings, florescent light, trash everywhere, and a huge rat running around unchallenged feasting on all the crumbs. It was pretty seedy, and as we walked in someone said under their breath, "Are we really eating food here??" But the food (suprisingly) was great- best chicken curry I've had since I got here- and the company was excellent. All the guys are volunteering/doing charity work and are Christians, so it was really cool to get a chance to talk to them. So we had a really great time, AND we found out that not only are they going to Darjeeling next week too, but they are on the same train! So it should be a really fun trip. I'm already looking forward to this weekend!
I went to church again on Sunday. I walked-it's really close by. I like their service- they sang a song in Bengali this morning and it was beautiful. The Indian pastor preached, and he is a very good speaker. I feel quite at home here. They also took an offering for the Christians who are being persecuted in Orissa, who need a lot of help.
Sunday evening our Aussie friends took us to the best chai shop in Kolkata- it's in this cramped, tiny market and it is murderously hot but SO worth it. Shortly after we arrived and were all given seats, a crowd gathered to watch us wait for our chai. Little boys were dispached all over the market to bring him special ingredients, and then we got to watch our artist go to work. He pours the milk into a pan and has to keep stirring it with this ladle or it will scald. Then he chopped some ginger with this wooden block and added that, with some tea leaves and sugar and I'm not sure what else. Then to test whether or not it's hot, he pours a tiny bit on his wrist. And then he pours it back and forth between the pot and a tin pitcher to make it frothy, showing off a bit as he pours from further distances every time, without ever spilling a drop. It was amazing. Perfectly gingery and spicy, and WAY better than any other chai I've had here. And after we drank that pot, he made us some other concoction with coffee grains and chocolate and (I think) condensed milk maybe? Whatever it was, it was heaven. Even better than the drinks I used to make at Starbucks (and you all know that coming from me, that says a lot!!!)
And the highlight of my day today was visiting my egg roll man for lunch. One of these days there will be a video of that... Stay tuned!!