A Common Bond….. A generation and world apart

Kolkata, India

10/26/2011     7:10pm

This is Anjali and her family. A smart, beautiful 20 year old girl of a family of 4 whose monthly net income is estimated to be about 3000 Indian rupees, which is roughly 60.00 US dollars.  Anjali’s father, Gopikahn is the sole supporter of his family.

On my first morning here at the dining hall, I met Gopikahn. He is the man who brings us our breakfast everyday.  Upon meeting him, Barbara told him I was a pediatric nurse. His eyes lit up and he couldn’t get the words out fast enough that his daughter was a nursing student and that he wanted her to meet me.  So, yesterday I met his beautiful daughter, Anjali, his son, Rishi, and his beautiful wife, Premshia.  We talked about school,  her program, differences between schooling in U.S. and India, jobs, career, dreams and goals.  As the children spoke of their schooling and achievements their mother glistened with pride by their side.   Both Rishi and Anjali displayed the utmost respect and gratitude for their parents hard work on making education happen for them. “Nothing” is taken for granted; “All” is appreciated and respected.  Heartwarming!

As I am finding it to be customary here, we were invited to their home for tea the next day…….

We just returned from our “tea” (which isn’t ever just tea- food is always served) with this lovely family at their home. Their home consisted of one room (approximately 10 x 12) equipped with a double size bed, (the cot that usually takes up room there was moved outside in preparation for Barbara and my visit. Also a small refrigerator, a large cupboard, which Premshia fashionably upholstered with one of her saris, and a religious alter occupy the room. Directly behind the room was a small narrow room (which would be tight for 4 people to occupy at the same time) that consisted of the kitchen and bathroom.

They displayed extreme pride in their home. Their hospitality was overwhelming. My eyes were refilling with tears throughout our visit there.  I felt extremely honored to be a guest.  Anjali showed me her nursing text books (all in English) and we talked about nursing, her likes and dislikes, giving injections, starting IV's, hospital tasks; school schedule and school life. She is currently in her 2^nd of 4 years of schooling.  She had many questions about hospitals and nursing in the U.S.   I am not exactly sure how her father is paying for her education or texts (didn't feel that it was polite to ask at their home) but I plan to ask him in the days following at our breakfast...as I would love to help her in some way to continue her dream of being a nurse and to help her family ease a bit of the financial struggle they must battle although they mention not a word. They are proud, they are loving, they are Rich in Love!

Upon leaving, Anjali and I exchanged addresses and phone numbers and promised to keep connected despite our generation and world apart.....

This experience with Anjali and her family was not one of my “scheduled experiences” here, it just appeared.

  India is magical.