Auntie, Auntie...sweeeet!

I only have a few minutes before we go to a different shelter, so i can't do the last two days justice. i thought, instead, that i would jot down a few notes

-i have spent the last three days at a women's interlink foundation shelter which houses about 100 girls and sends about 50 of them to school, with the rest learning a trade and the younger ones just being young (4,5,6)

- a seventeen year old and i connected over the past two days because, quite simply, i picked up on her sarcasm. it's so funny to realize that americans are not the only ones who can be wise-acres! this girl will gather the younger and older ones around us, and basically make fun of me in bengali. i catch on to some of it, then do the same thing. we understand each other

- i was in charge of the mural yesterday and it is so fantastic. several older girls worked on it for about 4 hours nonstop. they really are so talented and love to be included in something that they will be able to see on the wall for years and years. two thirteen year olds were glued to my side and every so often they would just hug me or take my hand. yesterday it really started to become difficult because im connecting with the girls and it breaks my heart that i will be leaving them soon. yesterday was our last day until next wed when we get back from darjeeling so that was very hard to deal with, for everyone.

- although yesterday was one of the best days, it was also the worst. because some of the girls are letting me in more, i realize that beyong the jump roping, paper dolls, mini chocolates, painting, and smiles, these girls have suffered positively unimaginable horrors. janell and i agreed: how could someone possibly abuse/rape/malnourish/kidnap these little darlings? anger started to take over in the last hour of yesterday at the shelter. one of the sixteen year olds said to janell, "will you be my mother?". it is absolutely heartbreaking.

- the girls' "phrase" to express that something is "cool" or "pretty" is "sweeet" and they put there hand up in the "a-okay" sign. it's so precious

- at least a dozen times a day, i have to play a handgame with them. even the youngest ones know the words and it is so cute.

- we all went to becky's flat last night to decompress, talk things over, and have pizza (hallelujah!). it ended up being quite the girls gossip sesssion. half the time we were on the floor laughing :)

-today, i got to sleep in and go to cafe coffee day (love my life!). i got a mocha frappe which will basically keep me going until dinner because i don't think it is anatomically possible to eat another indian meal. we shall seee...

- i love being here and it just amazes me that there can be a south city mall or uber-fancy development then slums two minutes away, beggar children, and stray dogs with three legs.

that's all for now. love you all <3