New Friends

I want to write something about my wonderful new friends Nina and Suresh Chandra.  These are the folks that I rented my apartment from for my time in Calcutta.

I should take a step back... when I made my decision to leave my job I had asked our dear friend Sunita to arrange a dinner with her friend Tonuca, who has a home in Calcutta and spends time there each year.  Actually, back in 2008 when Bob and I were planning our first trip to India we had a meal with Sunita, Tonuca and Tonuca's Mom.  They provided us with many great tips that we took to heart and followed.  I asked Sunita to get us together again to talk about my plans and to see if she might have any advice or ideas of where I might find accommodations other than the bed bug and cockroach infested budget hotels around Sudder Street (aka the backpackers area).

We did get together at Sunita's house for a lovely (and lively!) dinner.  Tonuca very graciously said she would make some calls to some friends that might know of someone who may have a room or apartment to rent.  I believe it was just a few days later when Tonuca was e-introducing me to Nina, a friend of her cousin Priya.  After a few email exchanges things were set for me to rent the flat next door to Nina and Suresh for the two months I would be in Calcutta.  I can't tell you what a load off my mind that was knowing I would have a safe, clean place that I could come home to each night to be alone, prepare what I wanted to eat and not have any pressure from anyone and not have to worry about bugs, noise, extermination fumes, dogs barking, etc.  And I kept telling myself i would  have a place to come home to and cry if I needed to!

So, I was to arrive on March 11 and I received an email from Nina saying Suresh would pick me up at the airport.  Wow!  That was so nice and unexpected!  There is nothing like arriving in a foreign country (especially India) and knowing the first thing you won't have to do is deal with 100 men asking you if you need a taxi.  It is such a relief to walk out and just hear your name or see someone standing there with your name on a sign.  Nina had sent me a photo of Suresh that she had taken at the breakfast table that morning so I would know what he looked like.  This was really the first of MANY wonderful things they did for me.  I originally just thought of myself as a tenant, but they treated me as a welcome guest.

When I started my work at Mother Teresa's I was so busy that sometimes a day or two would pass without me seeing them despite the fact that they live right next door.  I saw Nina one day and she asked if I was eating enough.  I said I was and said, "You sound like my Mom."  Immediately after I said it I realized it might have sounded harsh.  I didn't mean it to.  I felt bad.  She was naturally concerned about me.  Shortly thereafter I got sick and boy did Nina jump in and take amazing care of me. I was very dehydrated and had a bad cough (probably from all of the pollution I took in while walking back and forth to work). Nina arranged for a doctor to come to the apartment (and Suresh took time to drive Nina and I to the doctor for a follow-up visit), she took great care in being sure I took the right medicine at the right time.   She insisted I only eat home cooked food which she brought me everyday.  I really don't know what I would have done without her.  As I got better, she invited me over for tea and toast and/or lunch many afternoons.  It was really great.  We had some wonderful talks.  One day we watched "Revolutionary Road" on TV.  She borrowed my copy of Katherine Boo's book, "Beyond The Beautiful Forevers," which she enjoyed as much as I did.

When they had guests, they invited me to join them for a meal at their home or to the very beautiful Calcutta Cricket and Football Club, of which they are members.  One night they invited me out to dinner with a group of friends to a wonder Chinese restaurant.  They could not have been more gracious, warm or hospitable.

I had to make arrangements and book several train tickets.  Nina called a travel agent she had used and arranged for me to go meet him at his office where he booked all of my tickets.  She also took time to take me to Tonuca's cousin Priya's beautiful fabric shop.  I really wanted to meet Priya as she is the person that put Tonuca in touch with Nina about the apartment.  So Nina and I ventured out on a very hot afternoon to see Priya and had a lovely time.

The morning I was leaving Calcutta I needed to leave for the train station at 6:30am.  Nina woke up early to make me breakfast, which was so sweet of her.  Suresh got up as well and they both took me to the train station.  Really unbelievably nice of them to do.

When I was traveling from Varanasi to Udaipur, I had to travel through Delhi.  I arrived early in the morning and departed again in the evening, so I had a day to spend there.  Well, Suresh's sister Poonam lives in Delhi.  I had met Poonam in Calcutta as she was visiting when I arrived.  So, in their typical generous fashion, Poonam's invited me to come to her house to rest during the day.  She arranged for the car and driver to pick me up at the station and to take me to see some sights that I wanted to see.  In between, he brought me to Poonam's where I cleaned up, rested and she prepared a wonderful lunch.  Again, the generosity of this family was just overwhelming.

I have been amazed at how lovely and caring Nina and Suresh (and Poonam) have been to me.  I'm not sure what I would have done without them.  They helped make my stay in Calcutta especially wonderful and I will never forget that.  They really made me feel like part of their family and I will be forever grateful to them for that. 

I look forward to seeing them again either in Calcutta or in New York (their daughter Kiran lives in Brooklyn with her husband Doug and is a wonderful artist) and some way try to repay them some of their kindnesses.  I certainly now consider them my wonderful new friends and miss them and their city already.

Thank you Nina and Suresh!!