Information For VolunteersFebruary 2012

We are pleased that you have chosen to volunteer and hope that your time working with Calcutta Rescue will be a memorable and enjoyable experience. We hope this information pack will be useful to help you prepare to come to Kolkata.

The information has been produced primarily for the longer term volunteers who come to Calcutta Rescue for 6 months or more. Some of the arrangements may be different for short term volunteers, students and interns. The Coordinators will give you information about your specific arrangements but it is hoped that there is also general information about living and working in Kolkata which is useful to all.

Please contact the coordinator at info@calcuttarescue.org if you have any questions; they are here to help you arrive and settle in. You might fear that your questions are obvious or trivial but they are not – and somebody before you will have asked the same question.

Arranging your trip Addresses and communications Passports and visas Flights Insurance Immunisation Mosquitos Money Mobile phones Things to bring

Arriving in Calcutta By air By train

Living in Kolkata Maps and getting your bearings Health Food and drink Clothing Entertainment Shopping Local Transport Post and Telephone

Volunteering with Calcutta Rescue Work Dress code

1

Visiting Other Projects Handicrafts

Contacts Coordinators: info@calcuttarescue.org and dceo@calcuttarescue.org

Arranging Your Trip

1. Addresses and communications

Calcutta Rescue Office, 4th Floor, 85 Collin Street, Kolkata, 700 016

E-mail: info@calcuttarescue.org

Phone: +91 33 2217 5675Fax: +91 33 2217 5675

Coordinators will email you their Kolkata mobile numbers before you arrive.

Receiving post

Letters and small parcels only may be sent to this address. Information below about receiving mail at your accommodation.

.Emergencies

You can give the Office Phone Number (00 91 33 2217 5675) for emergencies.

2. Arranging your trip

i) Guide Books

‘India’ and ‘Northeast India” published by Lonely Planet are the most useful.

ii) Passport

You need a passport that covers the whole period of your stay in India. Some time beyond your planned return date is also a good idea in case of emergencies.

Pack a photocopy of your passport and visa. E-mail your details of your passport and visa to your e-mail address so you can easily access them if you lose them. Leave photocopies with a wiling relative or friend at home

iii) Visas

This information applies only to the UK. You should ask your local Support Group contact for information about visa applications from your country.

Visa applications are processed in UK by VFS Global Company on behalf of the Indian High Commission. The criteria and process is clearly laid out on the VFS Global website. It does need careful reading to ensure all information you give is correct to avoid delay in issuing the

2

visa. If you make a mistake in the online application form, there is a section on the website where you can modify the form.

In 2010, the Indian Government made major changes to the conditions for issue of visas. Calcutta Rescue is working to clarify these and looking at Employment Visas rather than Tourist Visas. The Coordinator will give you latest information relevant to your application.

iv) Tourist visas

Until now, most volunteers have come on a Tourist Visa. For some shorter-term volunteers, this may still be the best route. The Coordinator will let you know if this is suitable for you.

If you are applying for a tourist visa, do not mention Calcutta Rescue or volunteering or the visa will be refused. It may be then difficult to apply for another or different type of visa.

Tourist Visas are valid from the date they are issued by VFS Global, not the date of your departure or arrival in India. So do not apply too early.

The tourist visa application asks for two references in India. You can give the address of your hotel and the British High Commission. Do not mention Calcutta Rescue.

It also asks for an itinerary in India. This can be worked out from a guidebook – e.g. Kolkata – Varanasi – Delhi – Agra – Rajasthan etc.

See below about booking your flights before you get your visa.

A tourist visa is valid for a maximum of 6 months. Apply for a Multi Entry Visa – even though you will not be able to go in and out of India, this is the only visa that permits the maximum of 6 months. You are not able to extend a Tourist Visa in India. It is no longer possible to leave the country, for example to Thailand, to get a new visa as you cannot now apply for another tourist visa until you have been out of India for 2 months.

3. Flights and trains

Prices vary considerably, depending on the airline and the travel agent. The peak season for flights is September to December when prices will be higher than the rest of the year.

Transport from the airport is provided for long term volunteers. Other volunteers will be informed by the Coordinator of the arrangements they can expect.

Please send flight details to the Coordinator - all flight numbers, including connecting flights, and arrival times. We will then be able to check these online in case there are delays and arrival details to the Coordinator. ou will be met at the airport by a Calcutta Rescue driver who has a dark blue Calcutta Rescue minibus. A Coordinator or another volunteer will meet you at your hotel.

Please do not arrive or leave on a Sunday unless unavoidable, as this is our driver’s only day off. Late evening arrivals also mean a long working day for our drivers.

Information on the VFS Global visas website says that you should not make final travel arrangements until you have a visa. This presents a dilemma as flights are likely to be

3

cheaper the earlier you book. You may therefore want to consider buying a flight that can be amended if necessary.

You might want to consider the flight’s arrival time in Kolkata, allowing also for possible delays. The journey into the city can be less daunting for jet-lagged passengers if they arrive early in the day.

Trains

We advise new volunteers not to arrive by train unless they have travelled in India before. The stations are chaotic and it is difficult to meet people. It can also be difficult to book asame day train ticket for long distance travel. The journey from Delhi to Kolkata is 17 hours at least.

4. Insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance is essential for all volunteers.

The price of long-term travel insurance varies considerably. Online comparison sites are useful to check prices.

Read the small print to ensure that it provides all the necessary cover, especially for medical expenses and theft. Check carefully how the company deals with medical emergencies – some will admit you only to hospitals of their choice; others will fund the hospital advised by your doctor in Kolkata. Be careful to declare all pre-existing medical conditions so that cover for these is approved by the insurance company.

Check with the company or broker that it covers you for volunteering and unpaid work. Some policies exclude cover under travel insurance for ‘business or professional’ activities.

Check the contact numbers in case of an emergency. Note the policy number. Leave a copy of the policy with a relative or willing friend. Email the policy to yourself.

Calcutta Rescue also needs details of the policy so we can help if needed.

5. Immunisation

If possible, start planning immunisations up to six months in advance. While some vaccines do not provide total protection, you should make use of such protection as they do afford. For up to date information check with your own surgery or a travel clinic.

Useful and accurate websites are:http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk www.nathnac.orghttp://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/staying-safe/health/http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Immunisation/Greenbook/index.htm

Cost: Typhoid, hepatitis A, diphtheria, tetanus and polio vaccines can be obtained from your UK doctor’s surgery at no cost. Other vaccines will be charged for; travel clinics are often more expensive than a doctor’s surgery.

4

Recommended vaccinations in 2010.

Tetanus, diphtheria and polio: Check that you are up to date with these vaccines and if not you should have boosters.

Hepatitis A and typhoid: These are very common diseases in India due to limited sanitation and contaminated water supply. It is highly recommended that you are vaccinated against these diseases.

Hepatitis B: There are an estimated 50 million Hep B carriers in India and the disease is transmitted via bodily fluids. All volunteers should consider being vaccinated against Hep B and certainly those working in a medical or school environment. The course is 3 injections which can be given over a minimum of 3 weeks, but is more effective if spaced over 3 or 6 months. Boosters are needed after this initial primary course.

Hepatitis C and D: At present there is no vaccine but this is still relatively rare in India.

Rabies: This is transmitted via a bite or scratch from an infected mammal, particularly dogs. There are a lot of feral dogs in Kolkata and in India 80,000 deaths are reported annually from rabies. Medical intervention must be sought if you are bitten/scratched. This must be within 24 hours if you have not had pre-exposure vaccinations or 48 hours if you have been vaccinated; this could be a problem especially if you are away from a main city. Once rabies develops it cannot be treated. You are strongly advised to have the course of 3 vaccinations which, ideally, should be spaced at 0, 7 and 28 days with a booster 2 years later.

Tuberculosis:. Most older UK citizens will have had a BCG vaccination at age 12-13 years of age. This lasts 15 years and is 70% effective, but you can only have the BCG once. If you have not been vaccinated and are under 35 years old you should obtain it from a travel clinic. On your return to the UK if you have any signs or symptoms of TB, night sweats and raised temperature, cough, sputum, general unexplained weight loss, then you should seek medical advice.

Japanese Encephalitis: Vaccine against this mosquito spread disease is recommended if you are spending time in rural areas.

Meningitis: Recommendation to have this vaccine varies; at present (October 2010) it is not advised. Make sure you check the ‘Fit For Travel’ website (see above) for up to date information.

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR): These illnesses are widespread in India. If you have not had all of these diseases you should ensure that you have had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.

6. Mosquitoes

i) Prophylaxis for malaria in West Bengal

If you plan to travel to other areas of India, you need to check the malaria prophylaxis recommendations for those areas as well as West Bengal.

Recommended is Proguanil (Paludrine) 100mg, 2 daily and Chloroquine (Nivaquine) 150mg, 2 weekly. This is usually packaged in a strip with a complete week’s treatment and is sold

5

under various trade names. Bring enough with you for the whole duration of your stay in India. Other anti malarial drugs are available and you should check with your GP or travel clinic if they are more appropriate for you.

Tablets should be taken in a single dose with or after food. Start taking the tablets 1 week before arriving in India and continue taking for at least 4 weeks after leaving an infected area.

A study in India showed 30% of volunteers and tourists stop taking their prophylaxis at some point. Malaria is a real risk in Kolkata and we hear all the time of local people and foreigners contracting it. It is a serious illness. Volunteers should stick strictly to the advice given by their own doctors and should not stop taking the prophylaxis.

Some volunteers have come to Kolkata without any prophylaxis, relying instead on drugs they have brought with them to use if they contract malaria. This is not recommended as the p. falciparum strain which is active here could kill very quickly. You may also contract other strains, e.g. p.vivax, which can cause chronic malaria after the acute stage has resolved, and this can last for years. Prevention is better as there may be no cure.

ii) Mosquito nets and repellents

Some types of malaria have become resistant to the tablets, so we recommend that you use a mosquito net. These can be bought in India, although they are very thick and so when it is hot, can make you even hotter. Volunteers recommend buying a good quality one in England, preferably one that is treated with Permethrin as a second line of defence.

Mosquito repellent should be used to cover all exposed skin after dusk. The most effective ones have a high DEET content (50% is recommended).

It is wise to take a sufficient supply with you for your whole stay. Repellents have been introduced to the Indian market but are not always easily available. Plug in mosquito repellents can also be bought in India.

The use of mosquito nets and repellents will also help to prevent dengue fever, though there is no prophylactic medication. The dengue mosquito is most active in the morning and so you also need to wear repellent at this time of day as well. In fact wearing it all day is a good idea.

7. Costs of Living

i) Hotel accommodation

The Lonely Planet guide gives a good description of what is available in Kolkata.

Budget accommodation for tourists is mostly in the Sudder Street area, where rooms cost from Rs 300/- a night. Most volunteers choose to stay in budget accommodation for the first few nights and the Coordinators can book this for you.

The Ashreen in Cowie Lane, off Sudder Street is popular with volunteers. It has en suite rooms with air conditioning for Rs 890/- and some cheaper rooms with fans. We find that we cannot book the cheaper rooms at about Rs 450/- in advance and volunteers are usually put in the more expensive rooms initially. Most volunteers move to the Alfridi Hotel opposite the Ashreen which is run by the same management. There may be a wait of two or three weeks

6

depending on the time of year (winter & particularly December very full; summer less so) a month for a vacancy there. A private room, with shared courtyard, shower, loos and kitchen costs Rs 6,500/- per month.

There are also more expensive hotels in Sudder Street and near to the office in Mirza Ghalib Street (formerly Free School Street).

ii) Flats

Calcutta Rescue has agents who can help you find a flat. Their commission is about 10% of the first month’s rent. The Coordinators can out you in touch with an agent. Flats close to the office are expensive and difficult to find for short stays. Further out, good flats can be found for Rs 7,000 to 10,000 but this involve travelling into the city and to placements on the busy Metro or buses. Flats may be unfurnished but you can rent furniture for about Rs 1000/- per month. Electricity will be billed separately at about Rs 400/- per month. More luxurious air-conditioned flats are from Rs 20,000/- upwards. Renting a flat can be less expensive than most hotels, especially if two people share.

Another good source of accommodation is as a paying guest in a private home. These are often in very good flats, sometimes with a living room for the guest’s sole use, and the host can provide food. Rent for a room is around Rs 4500/- and full board another Rs 2,500/- . You can get details from the West Bengal Tourist Office.

iii) Weekly budgets

It is possible to live on Rs 500/- a day (about £200 per month) but this would be a quite restricted lifestyle and not easy for more than short periods. As a guide, Rs 5000/- will give you a comfortable lifestyle (£70 in January 2011), This will provide for accommodation at one of the budget hotels, food, local transport, clothes, the occasional beer and a more expensive meal, and extras like toiletries, batteries, and clothes.

If you want to join a gym (up to Rs 6000 per month), drink alcohol regularly or go to clubs and events and go away for occasional weekends, you may need more than this.

iv) Money

You will not be able to buy Indian Rupees in your home country. You can change cash at the international arrivals airports in India but not at the domestic arrivals. Dollars are advisable but avoid torn or soiled notes.

Credit cards are now more widely accepted in India in the major cities, restaurants and larger stores.

Cash points are widely available in the major cities and many volunteers now prefer to use their bank debit card rather than bringing large amounts of cash and travellers cheques. There is a cash point close to the Ashreen Hotel and volunteers will show you others near the office. You will need to keep receipts from cash points until you leave as you may need proof of exchange.

There are plenty of places where travellers’ cheques can be changed so it’s best to check around for rates and commission charged. Travellers’ cheques can be cashed at the Hotline Internet Café on Sudder Street; take a photocopy of your visa and passport.

7

8. Mobile phones

Indian mobile charges are very cheap and an occasional international call is affordable at around Rs10/- per minute. Volunteers keep in touch with each other via mobile phones mostly using text.

You may be able to put an Indian SIM card in your home mobile. The Hutch shop (by the Spanish Café on Sudder Street) will test whether this will work. If not, a new phone is cheap in Kolkata. You will need a copy of your passport and visa, a passport photograph, and a local address to sign up for an Indian mobile contract.

A foreign mobile needs to be set up for roaming if you want to use it in India but check call costs which can be very high.

9. Things to Bring

Kolkata has a wide range of shops from markets and small roadside stalls to air-conditioned shopping centres where most things you need can be found. Volunteers have found the following useful: -

• Swimming costume • Universal sink-plug• UK to India adaptor for chargers etc.• Light sleeping bag if you plan to go trekking or if staying over winter.• Sheet sleeping bag can be useful, especially on train journeys• Mosquito repellent and mosquito net• A basic medical kit - eye drops, plasters, antiseptic cream and liquid, bandage, anti-

fungals, and anti-diarrhoeals. An elastic bandage could be useful as strained ankles are common on the rough pavements and unlit staircases in India. You can buy many drugs over the counter here that would be prescription only in Europe.

• Antiseptic hand wash gels are essential before eating. You can buy them here now.• Any regular medication that you take• Condoms – Indian condoms are often kept in unsafe conditions so are not reliable.• Couple of padlocks. You need one for your door at cheap hotels. You can get them

here but they are not as secure and you will need it when you arrive.• Lightweight chain (to secure luggage when travelling on trains)• Sewing kit• Swiss Army penknife often useful but pack in hold not hand baggage.• Earplugs - good for rail journeys and noisy hotels• Sun cream and lip balm• Playing cards are often handy• Money belt - for travelling• Corkscrew/bottle opener• Trekking or robust sandals are useful in the potholed Kolkata streets and, in the

monsoon, flip-flops will float away.• Laptop or notebook if you have one – there is a wireless network in the volunteers’

room at the office.

It is advisable to take your belongings in a rucksack as that will be much easier when going on holiday and travelling around India. A small backpack to carry things around in Kolkata is also useful.

8

10. Arriving in Kolkata

Kolkata is five and a half hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. You will be met at the airport and taken to your first accommodation.

i) By Air

When you arrive at Kolkata’s Dum Dum airport, change some money at the bank in the International Terminal (adjacent and to the left after leaving the Arrivals Terminal). It is easiest to change an American dollar bill, although the exchange rate may not be very good so use a small denomination. You have to fill in paperwork, show your passport and keep the ‘encashment certificate’ they give you to show when you leave the country. If there is a long queue, you can get money from a cash point near your hotel.

If you are coming into Kolkata alone, you’ll need to get a taxi and should use the pre-paid taxi booths. There is one in the International Terminal and, if that is closed, another in the Domestic Terminal. The fare to Sudder Street in September 2011 was Rs 400/-. You will be given a receipt with the destination and taxi’s registration number printed on it. The pre-paid taxi rank is marked on the opposite side of the road from the arrivals exit. You will be accosted by men who appear to be official to help you find the taxi allocated to you – they will expect a tip..If the taxi booths are closed, take a taxi from the taxi rank outside the airport. Either insist the driver uses the meter and/or clearly agree the fare before setting off. The amount you pay is double the meter price plus Rs 2/-

It is useful to know that spoken version of the written English word can be slightly different in India. Sudder Street may become Sudderi St; Park Street becomes Parki St, and so on.

Taxi drivers sometimes have a male companion with them. This is not usually a threat but can be daunting for female passengers. If you don’t feel comfortable, use another taxi.

At Dum Dum airport there are a lot of people trying to help you with your bags when you come out of arrivals. Unless you want to give them money for doing so (which is difficult if you don’t have small change in Indian currency), we suggest that volunteers do not accept their help. They can get a bit aggressive if they help you and then you do not pay them.

If you are arriving late at night, and are booking a hotel in advance for that night, make sure it has a night clerk on duty. Some volunteers arriving alone book into the hotel near the airport for their first night in Kolkata. When you are tired, it is dark and the streets are quiet, getting into a taxi on your own and going somewhere unfamiliar is not a good idea.

If you decide not to book a hotel, we suggest that you remain overnight in the airport and travel into the city once it is light.

ii) By Train

Be prepared for chaos at the station! Hold on to your luggage.

The taxi from Howrah Station to Sudder Street takes between twenty minutes and one hour, depending on the traffic. There is a pre-paid taxi booth at Howrah station – follow the signs and pay at the booth. A receipt will give you the registration number of the taxi allocated to you.

9

If the pre-paid taxi booth is closed, make sure you agree the fare before taking a taxi. It should cost approximately Rs 60 / 70 to Sudder St. Taxis charge more if it is late at night or if it is raining.

The taxi from Sealdah station will take about 20 minutes depending on the time of day.

Alternatively there are buses to the Indian Museum (on the corner of Chowringhee Road andSudder St). However, if you are new to Calcutta and carrying baggage, a taxi will be much easier.

Living in Kolkata

11. Getting your bearings

The Oxford Bookstore on Park Street sometimes has a street map. More reliable, but further away, is the A-Z from Crossword Bookstore on Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani. Many streets have two names – the old and the new one. Free School Street is also Mirza Ghalib Street. The map does not always give both names. There are very few street name signs but you can identify the street from the address on shop fronts. Quite often buildings on small streets take the name of the main street adjoining it, which adds to the confusion. Taxi drivers do not know the city well and so are not always reliable guides either. Finding your way about, added to the traffic noise and volume, is probably one of the most difficult aspects of life in Kolkata but you will get used to it.

Tired after a long flight, your senses may be further tested upon initial exposure to the noise, traffic and pollution of Kolkata. You need to two or three days to settle in, adjust to the pace of India and meet people. An orientation programme will have been arranged but this is flexible and in the hot season you may need longer. Work half days for a while.

12. HealthYou must have your own medical insurance. Calcutta Rescue is unable to take responsibility for your medical expenses.

Most volunteers fall ill at some point and fevers and chest infections are common. If you are ill, it is important to take adequate time to recover before returning to work. Let someone know you are ill so that things you need can be brought. If necessary, arrangements will be made for your duties to be covered in your absence.

The Coordinators can recommend good medical facilities and dentists but most of these will be private and will need to be paid for by the volunteer. Doctors tend to prescribe more drugs and order more tests for common complaints than we would be used to at home – it is up to you whether you want to take these but experience has shown that the doctors know which drugs to prescribe for diseases here and they are effective quickly.

Anyone who suffers from a pulmonary illness should seriously consider not coming to work in Kolkata because of the heavy air pollution.

Stomach upsets are almost inevitable but can often be avoided by drinking only sealed bottled water and eating at tried and trusted restaurants. A vegetarian diet, at least initially, may help.

10

• Do not drink tap water. Drink only bottled water and make sure the cap is sealed. Filtered water is also safe but you need to make sure this has been done correctly. In the more expensive restaurants, you can drink filtered water they offer from jugs.

You need to drink at least 2 litres a day and considerably more in the hot season. A good guideline is to drink as much as you feel you want and then as much again. In the hot season, replacement salts (electrolyte) may be added to bottled drinking water to avoid salt loss and heat fatigue. The replacement salts can be bought at any pharmacy.

• Avoid ice in drinks unless you know the water used has been filtered.

• Wash your hands or use antiseptic hand wash gels before eating. These can be bought in India.

• Avoid salads unless you are sure how they have been washed.

• You should wash in bottled water all fruit, salad and vegetables before eating.

• Prawns, fish and meat are sometimes of dubious quality.

Once you are acclimatised, you don’t have to avoid street food. But take advice from volunteers and go to the stalls that have piping hot food and the most customers.

As in any tropical country, serious health problems can usually be avoided by living sensibly.

• Don’t walk barefoot but wear flip-flops/thongs in your hotel room and in the shower.

• Apply antiseptic to cuts, grazes, burns, etc. as soon as possible. Cover with a plaster. Wounds can be quickly infected in a tropical climate.

Take your malaria prophylaxis right throughout your stay, and for the required time afterwards, and use your mosquito net and insect repellent.

13. Food and Drink

The Alfridi has basic cooking facilities but most budget hotels do not , so it will mean eating out most of the time. Places to eat are many and varied, including Chinese and international as well as Indian. Volunteers will point out the current best places and their favourites

Fruit is on sale everywhere and is very cheap. Curd is popularly held to be good for wobbly tummies. Bottled mineral water is widely available and costs about Rs 20/- for a two-litre bottle. Be careful that the cap is sealed. Other soft drinks are also readily available.

Free School Street and Park Street, not far from Sudder Street, have some more expensive restaurants serving good food. Meals are between Rs 300 and 500/- and are worth an occasional visit if your budget can stretch to it.

14. Clothing

Cotton clothes are best. A light jumper will be needed in mid-winter evenings in Kolkata. Flip-flops are useful but these can be bought cheaply in Calcutta.

11

Don’t bring too much with you. Local tailors can make clothes inexpensively and there are many ready-made clothes at good prices. Women often choose to wear salwar suits as these are comfortable in the heat and cheap.

Laundries are easily available and cheap. A booth on Cowie Lane, between the Afridi and the mosque, takes in laundry or clean clothes just for ironing. Wash and iron is Rs 8/-, ironing only Rs 3/-. There is a dry cleaner on Collin Street as you walk to the office from Free School Street. Don’t put in valuable clothes as laundry often comes back with colour runs or grey.

15. Entertainment

Kolkata does not have a particularly busy nightlife. There are bars in the bigger hotels and bottle shops (off licences) in the tourist areas. Kingfisher or Black Label Beer is good. Mixed drinks are usually served lukewarm - don’t accept ice.

There are nightclubs again in the better hotels. Volunteers will be able to tell you which are the current favourites.

Sunday lunch at the Oberoi is a pleasant luxury. At the Hotel Hindustan on Sundays, you can swim all day for approximately Rs 300/-. Take your own lunch and bottled water as the beer is overpriced.

Calcutta has a range of venues for concerts. There are several air conditioned cinemas, which are cheap and show the latest ‘Bollywood’ films and films that have been on general release in Europe two or three months previously. One of Calcutta Rescue’s estate agent contacts regularly lets volunteers know about events and sightseeing tours in Kolkata.

It is best to go sightseeing in a group or with a companion. Sexual harassment (groping, pinching) is unfortunately common for women in crowded situations, when shopping or on buses or trains at peak hour. Most buses and the metro will have seats reserved for women, often at the front. Wearing modest clothing may help to reduce the incidence.

16. Shopping

Volunteers will show you the shops around Sudder Street and New Market where you can get most things. There is an air-conditioned shopping arcade opposite the cinemas at the back of New Market (Sree Ram Arcade).

‘More’ is a western style supermarket on Free School Street (Mirza Ghalib St). It is not cheap but it is air-conditioned and hassle free. Vegetable stalls are plentiful along Collin Street and lots of spice, lentil and rice stalls on Free School Street.

There are large modern malls on the outskirts of the city which can be reached by Metro and then taxi or motor rickshaw.

17. Local transport

Public transport is very cheap and chaotic. Buses, both privately and state operated, are invariably full to overflowing but have a good network. Trams are excruciatingly slow but not too overcrowded and can be useful for sightseeing.

12

Kolkata Metro useful for travelling north south and is used by volunteers to get to their places of work. It’s cheap, much quicker than travelling on the roads and pretty reliable.Taxis may not be for everyday use if you are on a tight budget. The cost to Tala Park, one of the clinics furthest from the office, is about Rs 130/-; it is Rs 30/- to Sealdah the nearest clinic. Taxis are probably the most comfortable way of getting around but not the quickest because of the constant traffic jams after 10 am.

Make sure the meter is used. The drivers usually respond to a demand and pointing at the meter. If they won’t, then get out of the taxi. It’s sometimes easier to get the meter put on in taxis you have hailed in the street rather than those waiting at the roadside. If you want to travel further in a taxi or have it wait for you, you can negotiate a fixed price.

The driver should have a fare chart but most don’t. The price is twice the amount shown on the top right of the digital meter plus 2 Rupees. Tips are appreciated. Occasionally you may see an old meter on the outside of the cab – these start at Rs5/- and the fare is triple the meter reading.

Rickshaws. Central Kolkata is one of the last outposts of the hand pulled rickshaw and there are cycle rickshaws outside the central area. If you use them, agree a price with the rickshaw puller in advance. Some volunteers feel uncomfortable about using hand pulled rickshaws; others feel that, in not doing so, they are depriving the willing rickshaw puller of some income. Calcutta Rescue has many patients who earn a meagre living as rickshaw pullers.

18. Post and telephone

Volunteers can receive mail in their hotel or flat though it can take a few weeks to arrive. The postman will (usually!) leave a note at your accommodation if you have been sent a parcel. You collect the parcel at the Post Office at Park Street. Sometimes parcels get lost or tampered with, so please advise friends and family not to send very valuable items. DHL is quick and efficient and best for more valuable items (e.g. replacement credit cards) but it is expensive.

An airmail letter to Europe costs Rs 25/-. You queue first at the general enquiry counter for the cost, based on the weight of the letter. Then you queue at the far end to get the stamps and pay for them. Then go back to the original counter where the stamps are franked and put in the post. If you post letters directly in the post box without them being franked in the post office, they may go astray as postal workers steal un-franked stamps for resale. Envelopes are not pre-glued and sometimes stamps have no glue either.

You can make direct dialled international phone calls and send faxes from shops on Sudder St. Indian mobile prices are very reasonable even for the occasional international call.

There are several Internet cafes around Sudder Street. They cost about Rs 40/- per hour. Some places have special deals with a number of hours for a fixed price.

Volunteering with Calcutta Rescue

19. WorkStarting workYou should take at least two or three days to acclimatise when you arrive in Kolkata. Coordinators will introduce you to the office and brief you on Calcutta Rescue before you start work. Another volunteer will take you to your place of work so that you will be able to

13

find your way alone later. A tour of Calcutta Rescue’s clinics and schools will be arranged to give you an overview of the services.Working hoursCalcutta Rescue clinics and schools are open 6 days a week Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays. Volunteers work 5 days a week with most choosing to take Saturday and Sunday off. It is sometimes useful to work in the office on Saturdays when it is quieter if you need to catch up on paperwork or complete a report or project.

There is time after clinics and schools close for volunteers to do administration and computer work and attend meetings. This is expected, particularly of recruited volunteers.

Volunteers are entitled to two weeks holiday for every three months worked, dates to be agreed with the Coordinator. Volunteers are strongly encouraged to take this time off and have a break from the work and Kolkata.

Sick leaveIf you are unable to work due to illness, volunteers must tell the Coordinator so that a replacement can be arranged at the clinic or school. Relax take care of yourself, and return to work only when you are feeling really better.

20. Respecting cultural differences

It is important to wear appropriate dress at the clinics to show respect for the local staff, whose workplace this is, and patients and to avoid misunderstandings. Therefore, we maintain the following dress code:

Women should keep their knees and shoulders covered. They should not wear shorts, short skirts, or lunghi worn above the knee, sleeveless or low-cut tops, leggings etc.

• Men should not wear shorts or sleeveless tops.

Volunteers need to be aware that because we come from a different culture and country, our thinking and behaviour will at times be different from the local staff. We ask you to be sensitive and tolerant about this and avoid judging. This will lead to mutual respect between us all and enable us to work well together in meeting the needs of the patients.

Please remember that there are volunteers of several different nationalities working with Calcutta Rescue. The first language of some of them is not English. Please make allowances for this.

Some staff do not speak English and others have only limited understanding. Be cautious that they really have understood what you have said. But also be sensitive to the demands that can be placed on staff with good English to always be the translator for you.

You will need to ask questions to understand the work but remember that volunteers before and after you will be asking the same questions. You might talk first with other volunteers who may have the answer to your questions.

21. Visiting other projects

Clinics and projects receive a large number of foreign visitors. We are pleased to show our work to actual and potential supporters. But we need to be careful to respect the time of staff and the dignity of patients and pupils.

14

Volunteers are welcome to visit other Calcutta Rescue projects but there should be a purpose to the visit. Please discuss requests first with a Coordinator.

The sensitivity of some of areas means that prior permission to visit should be obtained from a Coordinator. The No. 1 School is in a very sensitive and volatile area. Visits MUST be arranged through a Coordinator - not the School Nurse or any of the staff members at the school. Please do NOT take photographs, either around the school, from its roof, or in the area away from the main road. Go directly to the school and straight back. Do not wander around or visit local chai stalls.

Chitpur is also a sensitive area. Again, please check with a Coordinator to arrange a visit.

22. Discretion

Please be careful about talking openly about the organisation as there have been problems in the past. This applies also when you are socialising in restaurants and cafes.

Although Calcutta Rescue is a registered NGO, there are some tensions between NGOs and the government of India. Many people come to visit the clinics, including journalists and photographers. Damage can and has been done, although inadvertently, by careless remarks.

If a journalist approaches you, you must refer them to the Coordinator immediately and should not even try to answer their questions. The CEO deals with all journalists.

You should inform the Coordinator if anyone visits your project without prior arrangement having been agreed. You may meet people socially or at the Handicrafts Sale at the Fairlawn Hotel who show interest in Calcutta Rescue’s work and who may be enthused to be supporters and donors. It is not usually economical to run a tour for one or two people but there may be a tour already planned which others could join. Find out a bit about the person and refer them to the Coordinator.

23. Handicrafts sales

In addition to their normal work, volunteers are placed on a rota to work on Thursdays at the handicrafts sales at the Fairlawn Hotel. Two volunteers each week distribute flyers to shops and tourists in the area in the afternoon and then cover the stall in the evening from 6.30 – 8.30pm. This is a very important source of income for Calcutta Rescue.

15