Almost five years ago I went on a trip that would change my life forever. This
trip wasn't an average trip to Florida or Europe - staying at fancy hotels and having fun days at the beach - this trip
was to Calcutta, the largest city in India; to a section of town that tourists rarely visit; and where there is some
of the most desperate poverty on earth.
I was your typical teenager - 16 years
old, and without a clue about what's true in the world or the reality of living conditions in a third world country.
My grandmother, a college professor and peace/human rights activist, was invited to speak at a conference in Calcutta for
the International Philosophers for Peace. To my surprise she invited my cousin Colin and myself to go with her; and
since I am the type of person who loves new experiences and sees life as an adventure, I couldn't wait until we left for
this exceptional opportunity!
After at least 24 hours on three different
flights, we finally arrived in Calcutta, India. Upon exiting the plane a bundle of new sensations and emotions hit me
all at once. I was shocked to discover a completely different world in front of my eyes. It was incredibly surreal.
One of the first things I noticed was the different smells around me - scents I could
not identify and had never smelled before. There was also intense humidity. The air felt "thick" and
created new effects on my body that I hadn't experienced before. Then there were the sounds, completely different
from any I had heard before - and constant - constant horns blaring, constant chatter, constant music of sorts droning over
a loud speaker; and then there were the sights.
It felt as though I had stepped
back in time. The buildings and my surroundings were very simplistic, no fancy seats, coffee shops, carpeted floors,
etc., but instead just the basics - wooden benches and concrete walls. Outside, all the cars I saw looked as if they
were from a 1950's movie; and compound colors were everywhere. Everything seemed crowded, loud, busy, and stuffy.
I also noticed that we were not looked at in a friendly manner by the people we passed, but rather, curiously; and it seemed
as if we were constantly being stared at by others, which made me feel uncomfortable.
The
strongest feeling I felt of all, however, was the feeling of shock and disbelief as I passed and observed the poverty that
was immediately evident all around me. I felt stunned and awkward walking to the taxi while seeing so many people
in need begging and pleading, as if their lives depended on it, for what would seem like a petty amount of change to anyone
living in America. There were so many children in rags running in the streets with no shoes on their feet, in and out
of cars - I had never seen anything like this before. We were told not to give out any money due to the fear of
attracting a crowd, but I gave to people anyways.
After a couple of days of getting
situated in our hostel and adapting to the environment and culture, I decided to learn as much as I possibly could about the
local people and what their average daily lives were like. Since I believe that good people who have had the hardest
times in life should be honored with the most respect, I decided to give most of my attention to the families and people who
had practically nothing in life - the ones I could see living on the streets right outside my hostel door, however I knew
they needed and deserved more than just my attention.
Across the street from our
hostel was a small dump where garbage was dropped off daily. Three families with at least 13 children between them lived
in that dump and relied on the garbage as a resource for food. I persuaded my cousin to walk the streets with me to
get to know those specific families and children. As soon as the people iving in the area saw that we viewed everyone
as equals they began to open up to us and even treated us like celebrities. Most of them had never met an American before
s we had to answer a lot f questions.
My cousin and I began staying up late with
the families in the dump, eating our meals with them, playing games with the kids, and having a purely good time. Every
day I bought out the candy jars in the local shops for the kids we befriended, and they loved it. We also took each
of the kids shopping for new clothes and toys. It felt very rewarding to see their faces fill with huge smiles and to
hear their laughter despite the hard life they were dealt. It was so amazing to me to see the families, and especially
the children, maintain happiness and joy despite the horrible conditions they are forced to live in. Their attitudes
convinced me that I needed to revamp my thought process to always stay optimistic despite my circumstances, and to reevaluate
the things in life I believe I cannot live without.
These experiences humanized
for me the great people living there in poverty. Previously, poverty had been just an illusive concept to me, something
I heard talked about, or saw images of on TV. Sometimes I even felt a whim of compassion, but ultimately I was ignorant
of the reality that desperate poverty truly exists in this day and age - the day and age in which I live.
The shock I originally felt over the things that slowly became my daily reality sparked an epiphany. I
suddenly realized how incredibly blessed I am to have been born in America with freedoms and opportunities just laid out before
me for the taking. I made a decision to never take anything for granted again, and I wanted to use my opportunities
to help others in need. I made the decision to obtain as much knowledge as I could about poverty and the true living
conditions of others around the world. My eyes were opened wide to how different a third world country is compared to
a first world country, and I realized that so many people in America are blinded with their own busy lives and their pursuit
of luxury and getting ahead, that they - just like I was - cannot fully comprehend the reality of true poverty.
After seeing all of the horrible things these people were forced to live with, it had me questioning
the people in power's motives and efforts to eliminate this poverty and make the world a better place for all. I
warned my brain to never let greed overcome my morals and to never blame another person for the problems I face, because the
quicker I can accept responsibility for my situation, the faster I will move forward.
One
of the most important lessons I learned from this trip was that time is way too short to obsess over materialistic objects,
and to be self-conscious about everything. Most people in the world have very limited opportunities for advancement
compared to me, and if they did have the chance, would work a million times harder than someone who had taken that chance
for granted. The person with limited opportunities woud honor and appreciate the chance and view it as a sacred gift.
This trip also opened my eyes enough to realize that my life will simply be meaningless unless
I raise my bar above mediocrity and use my life to make a positive difference in the world. This has to become a necessity.
My experiences in India convinced me that I have the opportunity in life to do anything I want to do, and I can choose whether
these things will be easy (self-seeking) or difficult (sacrificial). I need to set my goals to the highest
point possible and not settle for the path of least resistance. I know I will stumble and fall along the many steps
of my journey, but as long as I keep my goals focused and learn from my mistakes - and never give up on my goals - then I
can accomplish them and make a positive difference in this world.
After returning
home from India, my grandmother, cousin and I decided to continue supporting the families living in the dump. My grandmother
created a program called "The Calcutta Children's Project" and through it we have made sure that every child
living in that dump has the opportunity to go to school. We ensure that each child has a school uniform, the
books and supplies s/he needs, at least one hot meal per day, and a mentor who visits the children weekly, helps them
with their work, and takes them on field trips around the city, etc. to expose them to life outside their dump.
We chose to focus our resources on providing the children with an education because we believe
that offering them an education is the one thing we could do that would open up a million more opportunities for them in life, spark
their curiosity and hunger for knowledge; and hopefully, even change the destiny of their future generations.
My grandmother, cousin and I returned to Calcutta the summer of '07, along with my younger
brother who was then 16, to check on the progress and condition of the families living in the dump, to meet new people, and
to further expand my knowledge of their culture. Again I observed the difference between their way of life and my own
and realized how easily it was for me to 'forget' once things weren't staring me in the face. I was surprised
at how much I had slipped back into my old attitudes and ways of thinking and behaving without even realizing it.
I experienced a sense of depression and disappointment over this realization. I had a sense of failure and felt defeated
- but then Lolitta remembered me, and hugged me, and showed me some of the things she has learned.
Little Lolitta, so sweet, and the one child I connected with the most during my first trip, was now so much older
- and she was safer because her future was brighter. She was now less likely to end up in prostitution, or a mother
by 14, trapped in a life-long cycle of begging and desperate poverty; because now she has a goal she is striving for - she
wants to be a teacher and to visit me one day in America.
As a result of this
trip we are now trying to raise the money to purchase property in India that can be used by the mentor for his work with the
families. We are also trying to establish a program for the adult family members to learn trades so they can earn a
legitimate living. We also set up this web-site to raise awareness about the families and hopefully we will sell the
things they make to raise the funds needed to support these projects.
These two
trips to India have molded me into the person I am today and will continue to influence me throughout the rest of my life.
Although it is difficult not to revert back to old habits, I am determined to no longer wallow in a sense of guilt and feeling
defeated because that just robs me of time and potential.
For the future I will
continue my quest to obtain as much knowledge as I possibly can and I will strive diligently to reach my goals. I know
that eventually I will reach my destination - to change the world for the better.
Written
by Josiah Eck
