India

Since arriving in Calcutta the term cluster fuck has taken on a brand new meaning. Saying there are a lot of people is like driving through the depressing part of the mid-west and saying that there is a lot of corn. It just doesn't quite explain the situation.

My only reference point for the city before I got here was a Bat-Man comic book I read in middle school. It portrayed an ancient city that was from another time and full of these exotic, strange people. Far from the case as it turns out. There are tons of people, poverty like I have never seen, holy men, but the place is just another big city. It doesn't seem that immensely foreign.

I have always had this fear of taking a picture of the wrong person and being chased, beaten and burned by a mob. India took that fear, tossed it out the window. There are mobs of people who are dieing to have their picture taken. I went for a walk, ended up in this market and was getting pulled left and right because of this unquenchable thirst for the lens.

The House of the Dead has been something else. I call it Jeff's Shawk and Awe Campaign on the Eastwood kids. It took me a day to figure out that the bed close to the door isn't there by accident. Somebody new is in it every day. I thought they should put a sign on the wall that said "check out time is noon." So far I've fed people that are barely alive, carried quite a few people to and from showers and the bathroom who can't walk, served food and given medicine. To escape I find myself doing dishes. I think Oren should get a hearty kick out of that.

Uncle Jeff has quickly become one of my favorite people. I have met a few young folks but he's still the most interesting person around. Shame the guy can't drink any more. Probably would have been great fun. He can transition from well timed immature jokes to conversations about the End Of THE Game and other heavy such things remarkably well.

I have been on a really strange schedual. Asleep by nine, up doing push ups and occasionally taking photos by five. At the train Station and onto Mother Teresa's by 7:15. Off around 12 then exploring til I get too tired. Got sick of trying to read Midnight's Children and got a PG Wodehouse instead.

I would go into a list of highlights but everyday has pretty much been a highlight. The city feels rediculously safe so I have been just walking around in these wild neighborhoods where people are just all over the streets in various conditions of health of wealth, which seem to correlate. Photos all ready look a million times better and more interesting than 99% of what came out of Jamaica.

Love to ya'll. Keep in touch.