This is why I am here.

Every morning that I wake up, there is hesitation in my will to walk to work through the streets of staring eyes, past tired souls slumped against the dirty pavement, and feeling as much of an outsider as I look.

And every time that homesickness blurs my vision, or when the sounds, smells, and sights gnaw their way into my senses, the women that I see every day at Freeset make every cultural and personal struggle worth every moment.

These women are much stronger than I could ever hope to be.

This is why I am here. And this is where I am called to be. I wouldn't wish to be anywhere else but here at this moment in time.

x

I am thankful.

Anna and I had Cafe Coffee Day for an early morning treat! Soooo good.

Getting into my creative side...

Finally mopped and swept the floor!

I love the colours in this apartment. They are washed out, but so beautiful at the same time.

This week has been intense. I am quite tired, and so I have been taking this Sunday morning to take a few hours of alone-time by drawing, embroidering, and listening to music. Feeling refreshed!

Justin + I were taken out on Friday night to do a couple of house-visits after work, so we could have some insight to how some of the women at FS live... the first lady lives on the roof of one building in tiny room with her husband, they have no fan, share a single bed, and apparently in the heat of summer it is nearly unbearable. She made us some cha (tea), and gave us each a biscuit. I really respect how generous they are when they live so simply. It is actually quite inspiring, and I want to live with as few possessions as I need, and no more.

Afterwards we sat in one of the alley-ways with one woman who used to work for FS, and they had helped fund surgery to remove a cataract from each eye so she could see again. She had such a sweet spirit. Her daughter came over with her baby boy (who was super gorgeous), and John held him for awhile - he was super bouncy and excited! I then got to hold him, and of course I was the one to get peed on... haha. But his cute cheeks totally made it worth it.

We walked to the last woman's house, and as we did this, we passed a few women who were sitting outside against the walls... it took me a moment to realise the reason for this. They were some of the women who have been trafficked/forced into prostitution. One of them smiled at me, and it was a heart-warming moment. Sometimes it feels like these women are so different to me, but in that moment it made my heart melt at the realisation that they are all human, they all have a past, and a story. I don't want to sound naive in that realisation, but I have had no way to relate to them, but with that smile I could.

At the last woman's house, we sat on the roof of the building, drinking cha and eating biscuits, and later rosogolla - a bengali sweet. We heard her heart to see 10,000 women freed, and we also listened to how she is sad these days, because her husband died a few years back from a stroke. It made my heart break, and I sat back, stared at the few stars we could see, and held back the tears.

My life in NZ seems so far away right now, and some of the things I have worried about or been concerned about are so pointless in comparison to some of the things the women go through here.

But I am thankful for my life in NZ; I have loving family and friends, a roof over my head that I know will stay up through the rain, and an education. I am privileged to have been brought up in the way I have - and now I am seeing this so much more vividly than ever before.

x

Ba-nay-nay cake!

This is the beautiful garden at the Church we attended - the first greenery I have properly seen here!

Grass!!!

Casually a dinosaur and a giraffe hanging out just outside of work...

The building next to the one we work in - another reason to remember to look up in Kolkata.

Banana cake that I made, and smothered in Oreo icing that E made... just like it tastes at home - thank you Edmonds!

Cutting up my masterpiece for the hungry flatties.

Nom nom nom...

First of all, before I begin, I thought I had better do a shout out to the 'BOP-assy' (BOPRC) people who mum says have been keeping up to date with my adventures!

So, I have officially seen my first cow in India (which Judy thought was a horse), and today we actually saw a horse (Judy has only seen them in the zoo, so was a bit freaked out), and have just arrived home from work, after being surrounded by a bunch of kids asking, "What is your name?" It was such an uplifting scene, we were just laughing because we couldn't take two steps without a hand reaching out to shake our's. The kids here are just filled with life - sure, some of them have it pretty tough, but kudos to them, for smiling and taking the opportunities to laugh at the lighter things in life. We have a lot to learn from that spirit.

It actually caught me by surprise when they asked for our names, as their english for that sentence was so clear, that I had to stop and think what had just been said - I am so used to being talked to without understanding what is being said to me, so to realise that it was english coming from their mouths was new.

Hahahaha one of the boys is currently boogying in the lounge to some hip-hop while waiting for dinner to be cooked...

But anyway, as you can see in my photos, we went to a church which had a garden! We were so excited to see it, and the boys had a bit of frolic, whereas I was just in awe at the sight of grass!! I just stood and looked at it... so nice to see greenery.

Oh - I learnt how to tell someone to 'move', so if I am getting crowded by men on the metro or somthing, I can just say 'sorun!' Our Bangla tutor said that it will be totally acceptable to use that to 'politely' request them to move. I am yet to learn a less-polite way for when that does not work...

Today there was a strike in Kolkata, which was quite surreal, as the streets were so quiet, there was barely anyone on the road (be it walking or driving), and only the odd taxi drove past. It also meant that when I woke this morning, only the occasional horn was heard, and in their place was the sound of chirping birds! So refreshing. Although the crows seemed to think that it was their turn to make even more noise to fill the void.

This Sunday I am flying out to Pune, Maharastra, so that I can attend a two-day orientation programme - I am so excited about it! It will be really nice to get out of Kolkata for a few days, and see another part of India. And then I will return just in time for Holi festival! Bring on the colour! I have been warned by someone to avoid drinking the beverages that are served on the two days of celebration, as some of them are laced with marijuana...

It is a bit sad too though, that Holi will be happening, because it means that here in Kolkata, the men that are celebrating will be more likely to visit the women who are in Sonagachi (the red-light district). My heart is truly beginning to break for these women. I cannot even begin to ever understand what goes on for them.

Some days it is hard remain hopeful for Sonagachi when I hear stories about some of the women, and just how big the situation is. But I just have to keep believing that one day God will reclaim that area, and there will be freedom and happiness there instead of poverty, brokenness, corruption, and crime against the women.

Well I think that is enough for now, I am super hungry and can smell dinner! Hope everyone going great, that all the uni students are enjoying/grieving the start of a new year of study, and that everyone in between is enjoying slightly cooler temperatures in NZ - seriously, be grateful that you have winter to look forward to. I am so anxious about the heat levels lying ahead of us here in India!

My love goes out to you all back at home.

x

Kolkata

Currently I am anticipating a conversation with my year leader at university, because I am wanting to travel to India for four months, Sept - Jan. This means that it will be cutting two months out of my semester, therefore I might have to add a year onto my degree to fit around it. I will talk to her about trying to shuffle around my papers, and see how far I can stretch my luck.

The reason I am wanting to go to India, is because I am one of two people being considered for a four-month volunteer placement at Freeset in Kolkata. What this is is a business that is working towards the freedom of the red-light sex trade women, and they are doing this by providing these women with the option to earn money in a different way, in a way with dignity and without shame. They hire these women (who many have been sold into, or forced into the trade) to either make tote bags and t-shirts, to screen print these, or to do pattern making. These bags and shirts will have images printed onto them (this is where I come in, I will be designing these images), to the requirements of the customer.

The great thing is, Freeset accepts women who have little or no skills, and teaches them, provides childcare, and a greater income, as well as allowing them to learn how to read and write.

It is such an amazing company, and their hearts are 100% sold to see these women into freedom.

I so hope that I can go, just look at the beautiful faces, and beautiful people...