A land of contrasts

Bangladesh truly is a land of contrast. This contrast is obvious within a matter of seconds on a Dhaka street where one-legged rikshawalas and brand new four-wheel drives fight for the road , where beggars and naked children crowd the street outside luxury hotels and where blonde bideshi's turn heads.

Everyday is a bit of a struggle...just walking down the street you are confronted by poverty - beautiful children grab at my hands and beg for money or food. The other night we actually saw a mother sleeping on the cement side of the road with two very young naked children and today a beggar with a broken arm followed me down the street. It truly rips at your heart. It's confronting and horrible and reinforces why I'm here all at the same time.

The traffic is also an interesting (life-flashes-before-your-eyes) experience. Here, size does matter. Rikshaws make way for CNGs which make way for cars which make way for vans which make way for buses, etc. And horns here are a way of life. The cacaphony of horns and bells are much to say "hello, yes I'm here, it's me, let me through". Forget all road rules you have learnt. Lights are irrelevent. Lanes don't exist. But somehow there is method to this madness.

I've spent a lot of time on the roads in the last week travelling from Gulshan to Dhanmondi with my Matts to search for a place to call our own. We will hopefully have secured a place in Lalmatia in the next week, in time to furnish it (ceiling fans and light bulbs NOT included!) before we begin work next Tuesday. Lalmatia is a beautiful, green, residential area south west of the city where both beggars and expats are fewer in number - but where I'm sure we'll have a lovely year.

My Matts are truly fabulous and I couldn't have hoped for better friends to share this experience with. The whole Bangladesh group are amazing (Sean, Amelia, Lyrian, Nat, Claire, Dan, Jane, Amy, Chris, Rach - love them all) and I'm sure we'll have a life-changing year together. I've yet to devise nicknames for my Matts...watch this space...but they are both suave, sophisticated, wise and responsible (chuckle chuckle...well, it's mostly true).

As for me, each day is a rollercoaster, which I'm told is the Bangla AYAD way of life. I have managed to buy four salwar kameez which I'm slowly getting used to (I quite like that they are so comfy). And I'm surrounded by interesting and amazing people - older AYADs, VIDAs, BELTTS and other expats - who have great stories and experiences to share. Including one lovely man I met today - Greg, a VIDA child rights lawyer with Save the Children - who approved of my mantra (one day at a time)
nd suggested a second: small steps are big steps. Indeed.