Sometimes, it starts with a whisper—or a shared confidence. “Kolkata,” my friend Mohan said, “is an undiscovered gem in India.” That’s all it took. A whisper. A spark. What did I know of Kolkata or Calcutta then? Growing up in the Philippines, I knew of Mother Teresa’s work, her mission to care for the poor and the lepers. Beyond that, nothing. How I managed to stay so unaware is frankly unforgivable—but it’s also why I travel. To learn, to witness, to break ignorance with experience.