A Concise List of 10 Things I Learned from My Experiences in West Bengal

1. Food, gossip, poojas, family, and friends are the most important parts of life.  Oh yea... and more food, especially rice and potatoes!  Definitely an all carb diet!
2. Bengalis are crazy for their sweets- you should see the variety and plethora in the sweets shops!  Chocolate is replaced here by tiny balls of sugarry goodness!
3. Bodily functions are not an embarrassing part of life.  Rather, they are natural occurrences; everyone does them, whether it's hocking a loogie on the side of the road, finding an "Indian toilet," or releasing gas from different parts of the body.  I wish my room was sound-proof...
4. Staring is not rude.  Taking pictures of white people isn't rude either.  Whether you're in a crowded Pooja festival or walking down the road, you are free to completely stop whatever you're doing and let everyone in your group stare at the foreigner (probably 'cuz most rural Bengalis have never left the state). 
5. Everything takes fooorrrever... (say that just like Yeah Yeah from Sandlot).  Ok, maybe not everything, but the big, important things are very tough to find a path through the bureaucracy, corruption, prejudices, and jealousy.  The rickshaw vans are super duper slow and so are the trains, but it's better than congested roads right?  Can you imagine the streets if every person in one of the most densely-populated countries had cars! 
6. Some things are much easier to do though, like finding food or soap, or altering your clothes (and much, much cheaper).  But, of course, it takes time to get to the shop you need to go to.  Medical care is easy to find as well.  The other intern bought glasses for 400 rupees, less than $10! 
7. Time is different here.  Life is more easy-going and relaxed, but when a Bengali is ready to leave, they are ready to blow that popsicle stand!
8. Nobody, I mean no one around VSSU sleeps late (except the interns).  They're up at the crack of dawn and busy as bees with their work.  Life is always bustling, except when it gets dark and everyone hits the hay!
9. Unfortunately, poverty is a normal part of life.  Wherever you walk in a village or city, you can find someone sleeping on the ground in the train station or a child begging for money or bunking school to make a living.  Education is considered a luxury for some people...
10. I will appreciate the modern amenities, like clean water and proper sanitation, I have in America 100 times more when I come back home.  I miss toilet paper!