"Forecast for Dhaka, Bangladesh. 91 degrees, hazy sunshine. Feels like 111 degrees."
Walking out onto my balcony at 7:30 am on Saturday morning hoping to enjoy a nice breeze, I was bombarded with immense heat and humidity. I quickly turned back inside and mustered every ounce of motivation I had to complete a small workout in my room. With limited space, I managed some body-weight exercises and a lot of jump roping. Keeping fit while traveling isn't as hard as people led me to believe!
The morning then dragged on slowly as I listened to music, caught up on some work, and relaxed. For lunch, I heated up some left over boiled egg with chanadal and chapattis that Yasmin and Sumitra made earlier in the week. Yum!
Around 4pm, my friend Nofi and I took a rickshaw into Banani, a district next to ours, to do some shopping! We rode around the crowded streets and eventually made our way to stores Aranya and Jatra. The stores were filled with beautiful patterned clothing as well as earrings, bags, house accessories, quilts, and so on. It was like walking into a Bangladesh specialized Ten Thousand Villages that had acquired a clothing line! I'm not much of a shopper, but I could have stayed in those shops looking at trinkets and handmade items for days!
A few pictures from the afternoon:
I came back to the flat around 6 pm or so while Nick was getting ready to go downtown to meet up with a few other expatriates (expats for short) at a local hot spot, Mermaid Café. Nick and I strolled down the local roads until we reached the northeast side of Gulshan 2 circle where the café was located. Off the dirty, busy streets we marched up 2 flights of stairs and into a hip, bohemian, beachy lounge. The crowd was mostly young Bangaladeshi as well as international people wearing a combination of western and traditional clothing.
Through the tables, we made our way over to the group of people Nick had met the night before. Each was associated with various NGO's, public health systems, sustainability programs, developing world organizations and so on. I was delighted to meet a large group of other international students and expats! Each person I met had a wonderful story to share encompassing their many travels and studies throughout their lives so far. It was incredibly wonderful to meet people in similar situations as myself. The best aspect of meeting people abroad, Nick pointed out, is that you don't have to have immense amount of things in common. You end up meeting people you normally wouldn't and you instantly become wonderful friends from the moment you shake hands and share stories.
Mostly for advertisement purposes, many makeshift "film crews" were filming the bands as well as the people in the crowd. Unfortunately for our group, we were filmed quite a bit. The staring and picture taking of westerners is very common, yet I am uncertain if I will ever get used to it before my time comes to an end in Bangladesh.
The night wound down as a band from Calcutta played some of the most interesting music I have ever heard. The band consisted of 4 middle-aged men: a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and a poet. The lead guitarist explained how their music came directly from raw feelings and emotions relating to certain experiences and thoughts that have occurred in their lives. The band members played interesting melodies as the poet free-styled periodically in conjunction with already typed, intricate thoughts. Though very different music, I found myself getting lost in the words and sounds as I sank deeper into my own thoughts. I had to keep reminding myself where I was.
We arrived back home around 11pm and I was absolutely exhausted. I skyped Stu for a little before crawling into bed, that of which I fell into a deep sleep immediately upon laying my head down.
As days continue to pass I think of home and miss certain people, sights, smells and sounds from America. When feelings of longing flood my mind and I start to miss these things, I find myself looking around at all of the beautiful sights surrounding me and my heart is quickly filled again . I know when I leave Bangladesh in a few weeks, I will feel the same feelings I do now about home but vice versa. Once again I remind myself to "touch and go".
Walking out onto my balcony at 7:30 am on Saturday morning hoping to enjoy a nice breeze, I was bombarded with immense heat and humidity. I quickly turned back inside and mustered every ounce of motivation I had to complete a small workout in my room. With limited space, I managed some body-weight exercises and a lot of jump roping. Keeping fit while traveling isn't as hard as people led me to believe!
The morning then dragged on slowly as I listened to music, caught up on some work, and relaxed. For lunch, I heated up some left over boiled egg with chanadal and chapattis that Yasmin and Sumitra made earlier in the week. Yum!
Around 4pm, my friend Nofi and I took a rickshaw into Banani, a district next to ours, to do some shopping! We rode around the crowded streets and eventually made our way to stores Aranya and Jatra. The stores were filled with beautiful patterned clothing as well as earrings, bags, house accessories, quilts, and so on. It was like walking into a Bangladesh specialized Ten Thousand Villages that had acquired a clothing line! I'm not much of a shopper, but I could have stayed in those shops looking at trinkets and handmade items for days!
A few pictures from the afternoon:
Our view looking out the rickshaw
Busy street in Gulshan 2 Circle
Rickshaw walla taking a break on the side of the road
Men working hard in the midday heat
Fresh coconuts!
A rickshaw walla alongside his decorated prized possession. All of the Rickshaws are decorated with beautiful colors, traditional patterns, and paintings. Each a unique, beautiful expression of Bangladeshi art found all over Dhaka.
Through the tables, we made our way over to the group of people Nick had met the night before. Each was associated with various NGO's, public health systems, sustainability programs, developing world organizations and so on. I was delighted to meet a large group of other international students and expats! Each person I met had a wonderful story to share encompassing their many travels and studies throughout their lives so far. It was incredibly wonderful to meet people in similar situations as myself. The best aspect of meeting people abroad, Nick pointed out, is that you don't have to have immense amount of things in common. You end up meeting people you normally wouldn't and you instantly become wonderful friends from the moment you shake hands and share stories.
Mostly for advertisement purposes, many makeshift "film crews" were filming the bands as well as the people in the crowd. Unfortunately for our group, we were filmed quite a bit. The staring and picture taking of westerners is very common, yet I am uncertain if I will ever get used to it before my time comes to an end in Bangladesh.
The night wound down as a band from Calcutta played some of the most interesting music I have ever heard. The band consisted of 4 middle-aged men: a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and a poet. The lead guitarist explained how their music came directly from raw feelings and emotions relating to certain experiences and thoughts that have occurred in their lives. The band members played interesting melodies as the poet free-styled periodically in conjunction with already typed, intricate thoughts. Though very different music, I found myself getting lost in the words and sounds as I sank deeper into my own thoughts. I had to keep reminding myself where I was.
We arrived back home around 11pm and I was absolutely exhausted. I skyped Stu for a little before crawling into bed, that of which I fell into a deep sleep immediately upon laying my head down.
As days continue to pass I think of home and miss certain people, sights, smells and sounds from America. When feelings of longing flood my mind and I start to miss these things, I find myself looking around at all of the beautiful sights surrounding me and my heart is quickly filled again . I know when I leave Bangladesh in a few weeks, I will feel the same feelings I do now about home but vice versa. Once again I remind myself to "touch and go".
Wow Caitlen Your doing so many amazing things and I hope to follow in your footsteps ! I just read the whole blog today and I truly loved it! Your a great writer, your adventures in Bangladesh are truly Adventures. I love to know your having the time that you are and helping the people that you are! Your so great with people I can almost imagine how much their enjoy your company! I looked at the pictures of the amazing food you have been helping with cooking ! You have better cook some for me when you get back :) ! Keep doing what your doing ! Love ya
ReplyDelete-Karly
(Haha my dad loves lychee )
Karly,
ReplyDeleteIt makes me smile when you say you want to follow in my footsteps :) we will have to go on some adventures together in the future!! I would love to show you all of the food im learning to make. I don't know if I will measure up, but we can try :)
So great to hear from you!!!
Hi there!
ReplyDeleteI have 2 friends moving to Dhaka, Bangladesh in late August from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I am putting together a mini care package for them, and wanted to see if you had any recommendations of items that they won't be able to find in Dhaka, that they might appreciate bringing with them? Thanks in advance!
EB
Hello Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late response, hopefully my answer is still beneficial to you as well as your friends. Since Dhaka is the capital city, many "western" items are available at local markets- which is a plus! The main things I missed were different foods from the US. If there are any food items that your friends are in love with from Canada that you think they may not find in Dhaka, definitely send those! Also, words of encouragement and love are always something appreciated when you're far from home and in a new country. I know when I was having a bad day, notes from loved ones were what got me by.
I hope this helps! Best of luck to your friends!
-Caitlin