It's cold. It's clean. It's quiet. Everyone is white, speaking English, and standing far away from each other. There is a garbage truck that drives around streets and picks up everyone's neatly packaged trash, and brings it to somewhere we don't have to see it. The government pays for this service. My room is full of stuff I don't need and never use.
My breakfast cost 250 rupees, which is 17 plates of noodles, which could feed either me for two weeks of dinners or a family for a whole week. Or it could be seven plates of noodles, and a sari. Clothing and dinner for a week. Or it could be two shirts, two pairs of pants, and seven plates of noodles. Clothe two kids and feed 'em for a week.
The average wage for an agricultural worker in (and around) Kolkata is 50 rupees a day. I spent five days of work on three pancakes.
Mmmkay, that's all for now.
6 comments:
i read the posts on the current page. felt things as I stay at Kolkata since last 3.5 yrs.
leaving Kol this month, so will miss it
will get back to read more of your posts
wishes
Jagannath
And people will be so annoyed with you for pointing this out.
Remember Steph, its the entire economy that's skewed; its all relative. (And of course Walker Bros. is over-priced!)
Love and very happy that you are safely home,
Mom
P.S. My word is surexu - I sure am glad to see you! :~) <3
DEAR STEPH,
WHAT YOU SAID IS A TRUE COMPARISON TO LIFE IN A SECOND WORLD COUNTRY AND LIFE IN THE USA. I KIND OF COMPARE IT TO WHY A MEAN PERSON WHO TO ME HAS NO USE ON EARTH STAYS ALIVE AND A GOOD WONDERFUL GIVING HUMAN BEING GETS A TERRIBLE ILLNESS AND SUFFERS. WHERE IS THE REASON IN THAT. I LOVE YOU . NANA
And part of that "overpriced" economy is health care for everyone over 65 years old (including respect for the dying),free public education for everyone, including girls and people who are "lower class", good roads, water you can drink from the tap, clean air, and so on. If 90% of the country was fighting for basic substenance, the "luxuries" we take for granted couldn't be done. The fact that things cost more means that more things are possible.
I really feel like I get this now. I guess that's all I have to say. I gotcha.
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