Pay your taxes, Hold your head high.

As I think about what to write for this blog post, I feel completely and utterly scattered. As a Journalism minor, my now ex-professors would be less than pleased yet the heat has somehow clamped down some creative brain vibrations. So many wonderful things have happened since we have arrived (many of which have been blogged about) and so many other stories will undoubtedly be told once we all return home. Home, that's another topic that could be touched on as we have only five days left before we journey thousands of miles back to what we temporarily left behind. I think, though, what would be the best thing for me to do however is to take a lesson from Kolkata itself in order to help me through.

The city, the fourth largest in India with just over 5 million people, never ceases to bustle with activity yet, somehow, everything appears to run smoothly. The traffic flow contains every possible type of transportation you could imagine (and if you can't, picture auto-rickshaws, bicycle rickshaws, taxis, bicycles, motorcycles, people walking, people running, cows standing). Yet, without much traffic law like lane markings and speed limit signs the movement of people and things happens effortlessly and seamlessly. I was shocked when we first arrived. It seemed dangerous to even walk in the streets when a taxi would come roaring towards you while an rickshaw driver takes up the other half of the road, yet I haven't seen one accident, not even a fender bender. These people have practice, yes, but they also trust one another to navigate the sea of movement effectively. And the city runs because of it.

While driving through Park Street the other day I saw a sign that said, "Pay your taxes, Hold your head high." Instead of a law carried out by coercion like many in the United States (for example; don't pay your taxes and potentially go to jail) city officials felt that adding a moral appeal to its citizens may be more effective. I'm sure there are plenty of people still evading those good old taxes but the idea is still fascinating. The people here are expected to do the things that keep their city running smoothly. Faith is placed entirely in their hands.

And so, that is the lesson I choose to take today in this blog entry, but also one that I want to remember once I am back at home. With some faith the pieces will fit together and what needs to happen will. I feel that our group has been molded by this as well throughout our long, hot Kolkata days. We may not always know what our daily schedules will involve but we do know that at the end of the day we will all be reflecting with one another. During these times, the funny stories will be relived again and any hardships will be softened by others' fresh perspectives. We place faith in one another to ensure that our group runs placidly and without any large collisions or follies. Like Kolkata, the seamlessness is not perfect but it is functioning and I think that is all anyone can ask.

Kayleigh