Meet Deepak's parents, Mr and Mrs Subhas and Subdra Das. About 30 years ago they fell in love and got married, completely at odds with the tradition in their caste of arranged marriages. Mr Das is a plumber and Mrs Das is a home maker. 28 years ago they had a son, Deepak, and 5 years later a daughter, Dipta. They are very proud of both of them.
Deepak is a driver for Europecar on contract to Thiess, and the main income earner in the house. He is the only member of the family that can speak English, which is completely self-taught after he left school at the age of 14. Dipta is completing her honours degree in philosophy which Deepak is paying for. Her parents will arrange her marriage next year - the completed degree will ensure a better class of husband. Deepak cannot marry until his sister does, but his mother has promised to take him to back to their homevillage as soon as Dipta is sorted out. He can then select some girls from which his family will try to arrange a marriage, depending on the dowry.
15 years ago Mr and Mrs Das saved enough money to buy a plot of land in an undeveloped part of Kolkata. 3 years of hardwork and savings went into constructing a 2 room house on the plot, made of earth bricks. One room is the kitchen and living area, and has a small table with 4 chairs and a gas cooktop. The other room is a bedroom, with a queen size bed that the whole family sleeps on, a small TV, a number of idols with their own hand-knitted winter woolies and a small screened bathroom area. Water comes from a pump outside the house. The walls are decorated with photos and drawings. It is very cosy.
I was very honoured that Deepak invited me to his house, and smiled and bowed and did my best to be unobtrusive - not easy - the house was not designed with 100kg Samoans in mind. Mrs Das made a lovely chai tea and insisted I sit on the bed. Deepak showed me the family photos and heirlooms. Dipta gave me a photo of her to keep, which I politely declined ("ummm...already spoken for, but thank you"). Mr Das stood in the corner, bowing to me and crying.
"Deepak - why is your Dad crying? "
"It's because not only are you the first foreigner to visit this house, but you are the first foreigner to visit this area. My Dad is very proud."
A humbling experience.
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