It has been about a week since I landed in Kolkata, although, I feel like I have been here longer because I have been stretched in ways I had not anticipated. I am surrounded by beautiful people -- who give their time, patience, and efforts to care for people that were once forgotten about and overlooked, and ask for nothing in return. For some, Kolkata is a passing through point where the poverty strikes them in such a way that they feel pulled to give to a community they hardly know through ways other than reaching into their pockets; for others it's a place where they specifically planned to visit and volunteer. Regardless--there is a common thread among the volunteer and backpacker community that makes it feel a little homey, and keeps you feeling alive in
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