Behind the Beautiful Forevers

So, I went to the NGO office for the last time before the summer. The heat and humitidy is almost unbearable now, and mixed with the smell from sewage I was leaving the office quite quickly - hurrying through the dark alleyways. Suddenly there were two goats in front of me, almost blocking the alleyway - like a goat gathering of some sort. A black and a white, with flies all around, chewing on something and staring at me.

Before I even could start to push my way through, I heard giggle and someone shouting: - maybe they think you are the third goat only, Miss teacher? The smiling kids appeared from a doorway, and I recognized the one boy from my class. He was laughing and laughing. Aha! I started to laugh too! What a funny thing!

You see, dear reader, some months ago, we had read the fairytale about the 3 Billy goats and the scary Troll (Bukkene Bruse) and that was what he remembered! In an instant of a moment! So we couldn't stop laughing. There we were - in a smelly dark slum path - remembering the funny 3 fairytale goats who happily bounched up a bright green and flowery hillside! Contrasts?!

In contrast to the green hillside....

... where the 3 Billy goats lived happily ever after.... 

Back home I was still amazed by that moment. I sat down to read the online news from Europe. Of course I couldn't concentrate - on the article about the shopping mall who will charge their costumers for parking, the piece about getting in bikini-shape within 4 weeks. It all seemed unreal - and I could only think about the goats and the giggling kids... And how their voices are never heard and how the weirdest unimportant voices are heard... Contrasts!

If you should want to hear their voices? And I have mentioned this book before: Read Behind The Beautiful Forevers!  It is from the area where the NGO works. The goats are there, Priyanka is there and the other giggling kids are there - behind the beautiful hotels, the office buildings, the colorful gardens, the swimming pools, the spa and the tip top restaurants.

... a must-read ...

Fancy new buildings.. 

.. and the not so fancy behind...

Yes, I do look forward to go to my home country/-ies for summer holiday.  I havent been back there for a year. Still the expatlife in India, including the kids in the slum, has got under my skin now- so maybe I will see things differently back home? I don't know. What I do know is that some of the last things I will see through the small airplane window, before my plane takes off,  is the tall classy hotels and then the areas behind them, and my mind will go to the people who live there.

Bye bye from Mumbai! 

Because, after all, it is all about the people isn't it?

Have a wonderful weekend dear reader! Enjoy the moment!