Tuesday, Zakhira and Sarogene Market

Tuesday brought another day working in the slums. Now that Anurag has returned we can split into two groups and complete double the number of surveys. The part of the slum we were in today was clearly dirtier and poorer than other areas. I found out that a lot of people rent their one room homes, paying other slum dwellers who own them.
In the afternoon we taught the boys some action words that they did not know and they responded well to being put into teams to explain the definitions. The girls were not split up as we had requested so we made lists of who we wanted in each section. I spent another day on Question words because they still are having trouble using which, when and why. Even with the help of Anurag it is difficult for them to understand. I noticed some of the more skilled girls getting frustrated when we took time out to work with one girl, so i think as of tomorrow having them come in two batches will be much easier.
Tuesday evening Devin, Madeline and I visited Sarogene Market in search of basic supplies such as hangars, adapters, and a cooking pan. We took a rickshaw and sat in traffic for 40 minutes, sweating already after a shower, right through our clean clothes. On the way to the market some more street kids came out trying to sell us goods. They were older than usual like 14, and were trying to sell us beads and marbles. One of the volunteers is white and that just represents money to them. We tried to ignore them but they kept reaching into the open rickshaw shoving their goods into our face. Then the kid next to me actually started touching me on the shoulder and the hip I guess to get my attention but even when I turned all the way away from him he would not leave me alone, although Devin was shouting at them and so was the driver. So that was very uncomfortable and they wouldn't stop until the light changed and we drove away. Then later in Pria market I saw a disturbing site. There are lots of kids who beg there as well, and I have noticed two women with babies who also beg and appear mentally disturbed. One kid who was following us kept pointing to his leg where he had a huge cut on his shin. If it becomes infected it could cause serious disease. I think I'll mention it to someone in ASHA because he needs a doctor not just a few rupees.
At Sarogene, we were dropped off in a swarm of people, bustling around several streets of commercial places. There were phone stores, fabric stores, lots of street food, tons of vendors, begging children, shouting salesman, and more. We were rather overwhelmed and began our search for household items. I also had heard from a coworker that this was a good place to find Saris. Madeline and I each picked out a gorgeous color silk sari and decided to treat ourselves. When we asked the price however, our jaws dropped. $150 ruppees. That's less than $5 dollars! I had to stop myself from buying one in every color. There is a myriad of choices among fabrics and colors and sequins and embroidery. We gladly purchased our selected one, solid color pink and blue with golden edges. We were instructed to bring them to a tailor to have the blouse and petticoat which go underneath the sari, made to fit us. We managed to put minutes on our phones, purchase some hangars and adapters, even a set of tupperware!
We then had a delicious dinner at a Middle Eastern place. I enjoyed some falafal and the ambiance of the place. We came outside and found it was raining so jumped into the nearest rickshaw and headed home.