The Man Who Sells Me My Toilet Paper
byNote the tee-shirt-resting-on-the-belly method of keeping cool, an extremely popular practice in both Nicaragua and West Virginia.
India
Map: Birpara Town, Jalpaiguri District, North Bengal
byWhen I showed my map of Birpara to Tay, and asked her if I’d missed anything, I was startled when she immediately declared “Yes! 
Palm Reading: Of Mystery and Marriage
byThe first time I had my palm read on this round-the-world trip was by a man named Manzoor in the back of a Pakistani…
Bengali Birthday Bash: Bulbulda Will Arrange
byVikash “Bulbul†Roy, is much more than the owner of the vehicle we rent. He is our Godfather, our band manager, our bodyguard, and…
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary: After the Revolution
byOur elephant’s name was Purnima, “Full Moon†in Bengali, and she was silent save for her heavy footsteps as she carried us through the…
Tenjewberrymuds
byI had an unbelievably similar dialogue from my hotel room in Siliguri the other day (minus the crisp bacon). The following is a telephone…
Tea Time 4: The Survey Continues
byThe final phase of fieldwork for our tea worker nutrition survey has been frustratingly slow. Our work has been hampered by access problems in…
Swastika: Symbol of Peace
byIt is everywhere, this ancient sign of Hindu and Buddhist law. “Swasti†is Sanskrit for well-being, and the angular, clockwise-spinning arms are an auspicious…
Kalimpong: The Road to Lhasa
by“Buddhism is very simple,†said Ola Bantha, as he stood over our table in his dimly lit Road to Lhasa restaurant. “Nothing is permanent….