We are explorers.

Hello there!

These are a bunch of photographs that I took while Judy, Erika, Anna, and myself went for a bit of exploring around our neighbourhood on Bengali New Year's Day. The streets were quiet, and we didn't have so many people rewarding us with unwanted stares when we left the privacy of our four-walls.

First we came upon a large swimming pool, in which I wouldn't dip even my little toe into. It was clearly far too big to be cleaned properly, especially in this area of the city, but it appeared to still be of use to the swimming club.

As we kept exploring, we came upon some curious door-ways, and interesting textures caused by wear + tear. Anna found an open door-way which when she investigated, found a massive open room, with bright colours and columns. So beautiful and quiet in there. One man came through but didn't bother us, so it was clear we were not unwelcome there. Despite this, we still spoke in hushed voices, and left after taking a moment to stand in awe.

We spotted the top of a temple from few alley-ways over, so we decided to track it down. A few dead-ends later, we found it, and it was just beautiful! And so white. You don't see many buildings that clean around here! It was refreshing to look upon it.

After this we were satisfied, so went and bought some chow-mein for dinner, then went home.

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Lately the heat here has been increasing a tiny bit, but we are still waiting for the worst period of it in May. I can say I am actually fearful of this, as so many people say it is nearly unbearable... We can't complain about the heat to certain people, as they will reply, "Just you wait!"

Currently the temperatures near 40 degrees C, with high humidities, increasing the 'feel' of the heat to 45 degrees plus!! Ugh.

But considering the fact that New Zealand is a very temperate country, which rarely sees above 30 degrees, I am coping surprisingly well! I think we are all beginning to accept the fact that we are going to be sweating for the entirety of the day, and most probably through the night, and just getting on with our days.

I had to leave work after a couple of hours yesterday due to a migraine that had kept me up during the night previously, and I slept for a few hours, then rested for the afternoon. I have woken up this morning with my head still aching, but I will go into work - there is a lot that needs doing! But it is a bearable ache.

I hope you are doing well in New Zealand, and feel grateful that you have been graced with cool weather!!!

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My Neighbourhood.

A collection of images from the neighbourhood I live in, capturing the textures, the shapes, and colours that so often are overlooked:

Hello all!

I write as I sit perched on the window sill, looking down upon evening activities of the average Kolkata resident: one trying to park his car into a space smaller than his vehicle; the neighbours lounging in their living room, with their pet pug-dog sprawled on the floor next to them; our gate-keeper strolling up and down the alley... being able to look down through our neighbour's windows draws a fine line between a curiosity, and being creepy on our part. But it is a luxury I chose to embrace - when else in my life will I be able to see the normal goings-on of this culture, which is so different to our normal.

Every day we walk past Indian citizens, often occupying their attention for a moment with our pale skin and attempting-to-look-ethnic clothing, and sometimes I wonder, what is their story? What was it like to grow up in this city? Do they think about the same things that I do? Back home in New Zealand, we have some way of being able to assume that the person you pass in the street is not too dissimilar to you, but here I can never assume. To assume would be to constrain, to categorize, or to pretend I have a grasp on the culture and the way this society works.

Sure, we are all human, and we do the same things. We wash our clothes, we eat, we strive to earn a livable income, and we interact with our friends, family, and peers. But the way I might wash my clothes, or the way I will embrace someone close to me can be completely different, and 100% defined by the way I have been bought up.

I don't often think into these things too much, but if I really want to become friends with the women I work alongside, I have to observe, listen, and learn about their culture.

So yes, in India I am a stalker, perched on a windowsill, looking in on the comings and goings of the people we live 10m away from, and I am proud of it. In a city where staring does not seem to be rude, and personal issues are laid bare, I observe and take it all in. I roll around the way someone reacted to a certain situation in my head, the way you might suck on a piece of candy - you savour the experience, and allow your mind to store away the memory, ready to pull it out when you are confronted by the same experience in the future, so you know how to act. In the case of candy, you see it, and your mind tells you, eat it! because you know it tasted good. If I saw a situation play out in front of me that I had come across in the past, I would know what I should do in that circumstance.

Hello, my name is Alanna, and I am a stalker.

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