Few people have jobs that allow them to fulfil their desire to travel the world, as our member Mr D. K. Mukherjee did. But not all his trips were easily completed. Here, he recalls a particularly challenging assignment in Bolivia.

There was a time when I was posted in Bolivia, South America, for six months. It was one of the most arduous journeys I have made anywhere.
I had been selected to supervise a tea processing factory located at an altitude of 18,000 feet. Acclimatising was a huge challenge. We had trouble breathing and couldn’t walk for long without feeling exhausted. There were a few of us in the team, including members from other Asian countries. One Sri Lankan colleague, I remember, fell seriously ill. He suffered from extreme nausea and had to be rushed back home.
The assignment was all the more difficult because we weren’t allowed to take our spouses with us. On earlier assignments, such as in Africa, I had stayed in jungle areas—but those trips felt easier because our families were with us.
This time, in Bolivia, I was determined to stay the course. I pushed through despite the biting cold and the emotional strain of being so far from my loved ones. Occasionally, we would come down to lower altitudes, which helped us breathe better and feel more at ease.
Still, it was a memorable time. I ate well, sang and danced with the locals during their festivals, and travelled around the country. Although I enjoyed myself, I remained a stickler for discipline. From Monday to Friday, rain or shine, I would report to work at 8 a.m. sharp and leave only after 6 p.m.
When my assignment was over, I visited my son, then a student in the USA, before returning to Kolkata. Once back home, I felt as though I had returned from a grand adventure—one that tested me, but also left me with a sense of accomplishment.

(As narrated to Support Elders by our member)

It takes courage to start from scratch and build something from the ground up. Our member, Ms A. Poddar, recalls her husband’s sudden move to Durgapur and his efforts to establish the family jewellery store.

When I got married, I moved to Kolkata. My husband and I used to stay at my brother-in-law’s house, along with his three nephews and three nieces. We had a lot of fun together. Then one day, my husband told me he wished to move away. I had no way of knowing his reasons, nor did he clarify them to me. But he had made up his mind that we would move to Durgapur, where his parents and his younger brother, Amol, lived. Within 2–3 days, we left Kolkata.
We settled in immediately. My parents-in-law were very happy that we had moved in with them. But my husband, who was then unemployed, grew anxious. He tried his hand at several things but quickly lost interest in whatever he took up. Ultimately, he decided to manage my father-in-law’s jewellery store. He received a lot of help from the family—Amol, a very kind boy, supported his elder brother financially, and my father-in-law guided him at every step. Even my elder brother visited and helped us in whatever way he could.
Our store used to be in Chandidas Market. Those were very difficult days; the future was uncertain. We had no artisans of our own, and my husband would have to travel to another town to get his gold designed and crafted into jewellery pieces. Commuting in those days was difficult—there weren’t many buses connecting places. My husband used to walk to the next town and back.
Finally, he found an artisan. With our parents’ blessings, some work started to trickle in. My father-in-law used to say, “Don’t worry, everything will sort itself out.” His reassurance would put me at ease. My brother-in-law Amol’s contribution was immense; I will never forget it. Through it all, slowly but surely, my husband and I learned to support each other. We soon found another artisan, and work began to pick up. We expanded the store, and more customers started to come in.
Then one day, my father-in-law passed away. It was a dark time for us. I felt lost—but I also felt his blessings with us. Our income grew, and we were able to buy a new house. Our children grew up.
My mother-in-law then fell ill. We tried to cure her, but all our efforts were in vain. She soon passed, leaving us devastated.
After five more years passed, one day I heard we would have to demolish the store and sell the land. It was disheartening to see years of effort razed to the ground. But we were happy that we had built something meaningful with our lives.
I live with these old memories now. They have outlived so many of our near and dear ones. They have outlived the store. I have learned that there is nothing more important than the support we are able to give our loved ones. I want to pass on the blessings of my in-laws to my son now. I hope and pray that he grows up to be successful and happy.

(As narrated to Support Elders by our member)