Volunteer work at Missionaries of Charity

At the 10 of November we started to do volunteer work at Missionaries of Charity. Two of us chose to do volunteer work at Nirmal Hriday also called Kalighat home, a home for sick and dying people organized by Mother Teresa. The reason of choosing this home was because of the subject that we are going to write about in our bachelor Teases.

The most of the volunteers gathered at Mother House in the morning and they eat breakfast together. Every day at five in the morning the volunteers could join the mass. Here we found other volunteers that also where going to Nirmal Hriday. From Mothers House we took the bus number 45 B to Kalighat Road. When we reached to Kalighat Road we walked for about five minutes. At the Nirmal Hriday, there is sisters and massi working.

The first thing we did when we came to Nirmal Hridiay was to wash clothes. The patients changed clothes every day. After washing clothes the patients had different activated, for example drawing, having physiotherapy, walking or getting massage depending on which day it was. After the activities the patients got two bisects and one glass of water.

At 10:30 the volunteers had a break where they got tea (chai) and snacks as banana and bisects on the top floor. During the break we got opportunity to talk with other volunteers and get to know them little more.

At 11:00 it was lunch time for the patients and after the lunch we did the dish, while the massi helped the patients to the bed. After the dish the volunteers where of duty.      

As I told you it didn't really work out as we planned when we spoke to the sisters at mother Teresa yesterday. They freaked out about our letter of consent and they will under no surcumstances give us any intervjues. They booked us in for a meeting today to discuss it but it was very clear yesterday that they had alredy made u their minds about it.

The process of getting new intervjues have started as well as finding new perspectives. There has only been one day and we have alreddy learnd something about this culture, if you are about to do something like his, have a backup plan...we didn't. 

It feels  good to have Raj who knows the languege and the people. He have alredy made some important phonecalls and we will visit a hospital and se if they can offer us some help. Honestly I have no idea what we would have done if it wasn't for him! Thank you Raj! 

We have now left gothenburg. All four of us and Rajs wife as well. The atmosphere is joyfull and we are all very

excited about what is to come.

The preparations has finally come to its end, the bags are packed, families kissed goodbye and the train has left the platform. It will take us to copenhagen this evening, the night will be spent on the airport and tomorrow morning the plain will lift and fly us all the way to the big country in west. The adventure will finaly start for real. 

I remember when we first started to talk about making this journey, I dont think that I actually thought back then that this would actially happen. It hasn't been easy and it is far from over, but it will be so worth all the effort that we put in it.

Bavrin

Today I took my first dose of Twinrix injektion. Next dose I'll take in one month. Me and Raj also found out today that we recieved 3000 SEK from Vårdförbundet. It'll be interesting to hear if Filippa och Kari Marie also have recived money from Vårdförbundet.

Bavrin

Tomorrow I'll try to finish my Visa application. It will feel nice to get it done.

In this post I'll write little about how I feel about this journey. I'm born 1992 in Irak. I come from a country that is poor, so I know what to expect in India.

I really can not describe with words how good it feel to travel to India and experience something like this with my wonderful classmates. This will be a trip I will never forget. I think this journey will change us all incredibly.

We will not be able to give all the homeless a home or all hungry people food, but just to be there for them and make them laugh is enough and will make me very happy. We all can make a difference and help those who need our help.

Real happiness comes from the happiness of others <3

I am "Raj" one of four who is a part of this incredible journey. I am born and bought up in Calcutta, now I am living in Sweden and I am Swedish citizen. I belong to upper cast, it means that I should not touch the untouchable " lower caste people. I never came in contact with these people in my life. It will be very intressting and tough for me to break the barriar that I had since birth and get kontakt with these peolpe. 

Raj! 28/08/2013

As I remember I have not met a male nurse in India in my life. I could not say that male nurse does not exist in India. I was talking to my collegue a few day back about male nurse in India, so I came to know that there are male nurses in India but the number is very low. There are certain groups who are intressted in this occupation. I must say that they are not many. I can understand why they are not so many, low wage, hierarchy,treatment etc. 

I have not told to my family back in India that I am doing nursing programe, I dont know how I would tell them. I must be ready to face them, I have no idea how they will react when they will come to know about this. When they will come to know about my choice of proffession, they see me as a deviant, as ussual, becuse I do what I wish to do. All I want to do is lead my life by my own. I respect everyboby and I wish the same. It is very hard to break the culture barrier, it is not easy my friend.

Visa proccess does not require ticket, so you do not need to buy ticket before you get the visa. We bought the tickets before because, it is cheaper if you buy as earliest as possible. We prefer to buy buy the tickets on net, it is much cheaper. There are so many travel agents but they are much more expensive. All you need to do is search on Google! 

Vi are going to spend five weeks in Kolkata India. Motherhouse will be our favourite place. You cannot do everything, but you can do something. You do not need to make happy everyone, but you could make happy someone. Small Small efforts can make a big difference. Stand upp and make a difference!