[Tessa] Week 5

Dost, and what that means to me

This week Masoom(see picture!), my volunteer coordinator, taught me the Hindi word for friend, dost.  He wrote it out in beautiful script in my notebook. 

I asked one of the German interns, Marlen what her favorite moment in the health clinic over the last year has been. She works in the allopathic dispensary, and she simply said, “When Fatma called me her friend”. Fatma is a 28-year-old woman from the slum from which our NGO has its roots. She speaks in broken English, and has a matching smile. Her work ethic is unbelievable, and she never misses a day, despite the fact that her mother is ill and that she has her own aches and pains. Marlen, at age 20, just graduated from high school and is in the midst of completing a year of community service abroad. They share paratha together for lunch, and go to the movies together on their Sundays off. Their friendship might be unlikely, but it is anything but unnatural.

On the theme of friendship, Happy Rakhi! Rakhi is a Hindu holiday that celebrates the relationship between sisters and brothers. Sisters typically buy a rakhi bracelet for their brothers, and the brothers reciprocate with money or a gift. I bought my best friend, my brother Deen, a rakhi, a couple days ago and am excited to give it to him when I get back home…. If only to tell him afterward that he has to reciprocate. 

Tessa-Ji