■□■
原文
■□■
MY FIRST DAYS IN MAKAIBARI
It took about 9 days to get to know the new place and to get
used to it. I got introduced to the people and to the way of
living, working and cultivating in Makaibari. I got some
general idea about the plantation, since I visited it's
different divisions.
My stomach needed some time to get used to the food,
first it revolted with a bad diarrhea and I had very little
appetite.
After a few days in the rain I also caught a cold,
which I managed to cure very fast.
I met blood sucking leeches, toilet paper eating snails and
mice who slept in my bed. During this time it was still raining
very much, it was cool and wet. The surrounding nature was
hidden by clouds and fogs. It looked very magical like that,
it was an endless play of veiling and unveiling nature's beauty.
Only gradually I was allowed to get to see the more distant
beauties.
One day I was able to look down in the valley,
the next day I could see the houses of Kurseong on the ridge
of the mountains, then there appeared the mountains across
the valley and I was very stunned when I could see the plain
outstretched like the ocean far below with the rivers meandering
through it.
I wanted to experience the life in Makaibari, so I asked whether
I could do some work. I had imagined something like what we in
Europe call 'Praktikum' or internship, but I very soon realized
that it wouldn't be possible to do this in India. I couldn't be
very much of a help, because there are always lots of other workers
who could do the same thing much better and faster.
And it was unusual enough, that a European girl did some tea
plucking,planting and weedig.
