Calcutta Capers: So Long, Farewell...

Tom and Jerry also stopped by during my flight - clearly I
was conflicted!

...Auf wiedersehen, namaskār. (Okay, I could probably get away with saying goodbye - everyone here would understand that.) Anyway, long story short, this next blog post is about my transition into my time with my Duke University Global Semester Abroad program and thus, saying goodbye to Calcutta - featuring an oh-so-appropriate title because "The Sound of Music" was one of the in-flight movie options on my flight from Kolkata to Delhi.
Anywho, I was sad to have to pack up and leave Calcutta just when I had gotten accustomed to the work I was doing there. I met lots of great people from all over the U.S. and world that were visiting the city to work with the Missionaries of Charity or various NGOs around the city, including lots of college kids (particularly from New Zealand, interestingly enough). There was never a dull meal at my guesthouse!
Nevertheless, the 16th of January rolled around and I had to pack up and leave. Thankfully, my cab ride and wait at the airport were non-eventful, particularly because I left SO early just in case of delay. However, during my flight, I was seated next to two very young sisters, the younger of which wouldn't stop talking to me in Hindi! The poor thing didn't realize I didn't understand a word she was saying and continued to poke me and say, "Didi! Didi!" (Even worse: I later found out "didi" is basically the equivalent of calling someone your older sister in Hindi...)
After some time spent searching for the people from my program that were hired to meet us at the airport in Delhi, I ended up calling them to ask where they were waiting. They hurriedly told me that they were by Door 3, waiting in Duke colors and hung up. Just then, I came to a horrible realization - I had NO CLUE what Duke colors were, having been a Villanovan myself. While racking my brain for any memory of the website, thankfully I spotted a few Indians covered in gear that screamed "Duke!"

By the time dinner rolled around, I had met most of the people in my program - most are Dukeians (Dukies? Dukish?), all are great. We spent the next day-and-a-half touring some of the more notable sites in Delhi. First up on our list: Humayun's Tomb. It's this great big old memorial built around a tomb, the Taj Mahal's predecessor. Too bad it was so misty and chilly that morning - although not nearly the coldest morning this Indian winter, that certainly was the closest it came to raining here (it pretty much rains only during the monsoon season in July-September in the Northern half of the country).

In general around here, it's cool to see the various symbols that appear everywhere. We were told that the lotus symbolizes Hinduism, and apparently what I normally call the Star of David is also a Hindu symbol. Its two intersecting triangles, one for males and the other for females, represents creation.
Interesting fact of the week: If you didn't already know, the swastika predates Nazi Germany and was first used in ancient Indian civilizations. It is said to invoke the Hindu god Ganesha, so you literally see it painted everywhere here - on signs, stores, and houses. It's shocking at first, but you just have to disassociate it with Nazism [in addition to being quite a number of other things, those Nazis were also apparently symbol-stealers].

Also cool: You see a lot of Arabic - more than I expected, at least - around here because of this area's rocky history with Muslim invaders. For example, we made it out to an old Muslim mosque, complete with its own absurdly tall minaret while touring Delhi. The mosque area had absolutely amazing - and amazingly well-preserved - pillars, each with its own detailed carvings. What a great opportunity for a cheesy photo opp!
So after all that touring, we ended up on an overnight train to Udaipur. What an experience that was!...
To Be Continued...