It’s hard to believe I’ve been in Bangladesh dui maash(2 months) already. In some ways it feels like I’ve been here forever (work week routine firmly established, knowing my neighbourhood and familiarity with friends here), in other ways like I’ve just arrived (learning cultural differences one mistake at a time and sometimes when the staring can’t be ignored).
I’ve managed to see a bit of the country already. Arriving at year end has meant that everyone is busy reviewing kaaj (work) done in 2008 with a view to putting the 2009 kaaj plan together. To do this my team planned a trip up to Srimongol in the north east part of the desh (country). We drove up on Tuesday afternoon and stayed at the Bangladesh Tea Resort until Friday. We spent dui din (two days) busily reviewing all communications and media projects during 2008 and planning our priorities for 2009. It was a great team building trip and I’ve come back totally inspired and eager to be involved.
Srimongol itself was shondor (beautiful) - so shobuj (green) and QUIET (seriously, no car horns or mad traffic as far as the eye could see!) And we took some time out to visit the chai (tea) fields, climb a hill (from which we could see over the border to India) and taste the famous local “five colour chai”.
Only dui din later Matt Clancy, Lyrian, Rach, Mon, Steph, Michelle and I bussed our way down to Cox’s Bazaar (south eastern corner of Bangladesh) to escape Dhaka for Eid Al-Adha. A good decision it seems as the streets of Dhaka really did run with red and I’m not sure my stomach could have handled it. We did see one goat skinned on the ferry across to St Martens, but that was nothing compared to the bloodletting our friends witnessed in Dhaka.
Although the overnight bus down to Cox’s took egaro ghonta (11 hours) -everyone was on their way out of Dhaka for the holiday - it was worth it. The beach, the khabar (food), the drinks, the sunshine, the company – it was the perfect escape. We spent lovely long days sitting at beachfront cafe’s in Cox’s drinking fresh juices, eating seafood, playing cards, reading, swimming and talking rubbish. Matt and Michelle even had a surf with the famous Bangladeshi surfer (yes, the only one apparently), while the rest of us enjoyed the view (of his incredible abs...What? Staring is the national pastime here...it’s nice to be able to give back occasionally...)
We took an overnight trip out to St Marten’s Island as well. Catching the ferry across to the island I witnessed my first (and only) Eid slaughter. It was pretty horrific and I’d be happy to remain a naive meat-eater (or become vegetarian) before seeing it again.
St Marten’s itself is a tiny island, so a tour by rickshaw van took all of 15 minutes. We stayed at a remote camp site on the south of the island called Coral Blue. To get there we caught a speedboat, which got us as close to dry land as possible, before we jumped out, bags above heads, to wade our way in. The camp site was palatial compared to my expectation. The dui-jon (two-man) tents had king single beds (and bed frames) and the toilet/showers were very clean and western (no squats thankfully). The camp site could probably cater for ponchas-jon (50 people) at a time, but we had the place almost to ourselves (except for a small Japanese group). Luckily we’d brought alcohol and mixers with us because once at the site we were cut off from the world. We ate seafood, sat up drinking and chatting and listening to music.
The following day we let our gorgeous Bangladeshi tour guide, Pavel, talk us into snorkling.
Yes. Snorkling. In salwars. In Bangladesh.
It was interesting. Interesting in the sense that there were 7 of us, only 5 masks and sets of flippers, the sea was murky, the coral not colourful and fish non-existent. Still, we gave the Bangladeshi tourists a good hashi.
Eid al-Adha (the festival of sacrifice): what it’s all about
According to the Qur’an, Allah asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son as an act of faith. Prepared to make the sacrifice, Abraham proved his love for Allah and passed the test. During Eid al-Adha Muslims commemorate the sacrifice Abraham was prepared to make by slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, cow or goat.
Muslims believe that Allah has given us power over animals, allowing us to eat mansho (meat), if his name is pronounced at the time of slaughter.
The sacrificial mansho is mostly given away – one third is kept for immediate family, one third for friends and one third is given away to the poor.
Although it is a gruesome thing to watch, the underlying theme is very much about helping those in need...and that’s something to admire.
Fighting for the right
In about a week Bangladesh goes to the polls. The ‘State of Emergency’ has officially been lifted and everyone is waiting for the rallying and rioting to begin.
There is an overwhelming sense that whoever wins, we’ll see a return to governing of the past – with very few positive changes and corruption at the highest levels.
Both Awami League and Bangladesh National Party leaders have been charged with fraud and corruption and yet are able to lead their parties to the polls and one of them to government.
Whatever the result, it's going to an interesting few months ahead.
Life without hot water, tv or toast!
I know you won’t believe it if I told you, but I have actually survived these last dui maash without gorom pani (hot water), tv or vegemite toast....I wouldn’t have thought it was possible either, but I’m living proof.
It hasn’t been easy, but we do now have a toaster and I finally feel like life can go on (in fact, I’ve had four pieces of vegemite toast this morning!)
Electrics are so expensive here that buying these luxuries is not really an option when you’re a struggling volunteer only in country for ek boschor (one year). Matt Corrigan was vehemently opposed to paying more for a toaster here than we could get one for at Target...so it became a bit of a personal challenge. I’m sure all the New Market shop keepers knew us by the end as those stupid bideshi’s not willing to pay more than 500 taka for a crappy toaster. Anyway, we inherited a toaster (along with the bulk of our furniture) from dear friends Greg and Sara when they moved back to Australia on the weekend.
TV’s, even of the smallest variety, costs upwards of $200, so that idea was vetoed. Forget about washing machines – we prefer to wash our clothes by hand anyway (hmmm). And, like most places in Bangladesh, our flat does not have piping for gorom pani. Being now the middle of winter this is becoming an issue, but I haven’t yet progressed to heating pani on the stove.
We are so far surviving without the assistance of a cook or maid – much to the bewilderment of our Bangladeshi landlord and neighbour. (Who also find it extremely interesting that the cooking and cleaning is not done solely by me...I’m trying my hardest not to find this incredibly insulting. “But the boys like to cook and clean” does not seem to placate anybody – even accompanied by the boys’ vigorous nodding of heads).
While the khabar here is amazing (I still haven’t learnt that I don’t need to have morich (chilli) on everything...but I’m sure the day will come) and we have a large number of options (including Nandos, Pizza Hut and KFC), there are some things we dearly miss (most of all cheese and salads -lettuce consisting mostly of pani is not an option here). And although we expected a sober year, we’ve found a great little place that sells spirits, beer and wine! So despite my best intentions I’m actually partying as hard here as I did at home! (I’d still kill for a mojito or glass of champagne)
I had a lovely, civilised weekend which involved going to the hairdresser (which was almost a complete disaster...I had holud (yellow) hair at one point, and tears in my eyes, but they fixed me – okay so I’m still a little too blonde, but I might take some responsibility for thinking I’d be getting the same service I would at home, in a country where blonde is very much out of the ordinary. However the cut cost $2 and the colour $40!) and having a heavenly 1.5hr massage! I also managed a spot of shopping because (who would have noticed here) but Christmas is just around the corner. We’ll be spreading Christmas cheer from one Dhaka house party to the next and I’m even attempting an apple crumble (well, I’ll at least be Matt’s obedient sous chef) for Christmas lunch.
Anyway, I must be off. I have a loaf of roti (bread) to bake today and I must start now so that if I do, as I fear, fuck up the first batch, I have time to try again before the boys get home. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces...an interesting combination of shock, awe and dread (who will have to taste it first?)...wish me luck!
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