KolKota

I took a night long bus ride out I came to Kolkota, a place we hear a lot about. I pass through the long lines of check in and check out, changing bus at the border. I am able to move around the Kolkota on my own, I am able to speak the written bangla very well hear, Iam understood well hear, and Iam able to move free here. I went shopping on my own, not being asked a single question. Iam so happy that I came and that I am renewed too. I am not say that the poverty here in not worse than Bangladesh, but there is a greater difference here. They mind they own business (the beggars)...this is something I didnt see in Bangladesh. I have visited several places and its so amazing to see great pillars that hold houses that were build some hundred years ago...Its amazing. I will put out the pics later. It is a city of buzzling with noises and I should say that you will hear it all through out the day and night. But there is no chaos about it. I am ready to leave tomorrow for Bangladesh and hoping that I will come back again. I saw a baby with another baby lying down right beside the dump, the very little one was crying, screaming its head off, no one could hear her, it was bright day light...and as I continue mt walk I was thinking the mom must be out there some where looking for food....I lots of stuff but I cant share them.. its just too much...So Ill leave it here and put the pictures out later.

Eid 9th and 10th

So Tomorrow is Eid day. I am running away from the killings/sacrifice. I know I should stay for my first Eid celebration of witnessing the slaughter but I have to go because I just needed to get out of here for a while. So preparation for Eid started three days ago when bucks and bulls on the road. Every street I passed, men with one to three of the mentioned animals walking not giving you way if you are driving so you have to honked from far to warned them of your coming.

So, last night I traveled from Bogra to Dhaka and it took 7 hours...it was one of the longest bus ride ever from Bogra to Dhaka. This is totally because of Eid, there is no other explanation what so ever for the lateness. So today I walked around little and have seen bucks, bucks, bucks and bulls, bulls, bulls...here, there is no restriction of animal in a city, so it just looked like the farm except that the places are surrounded by tall buildings. So most of these animals will give their lives away for the name of Eid.. which I will not see it. Sorry to say but not pics because my camera battery is weak or rather I need to buy new batteries. So the sacrifice will take place only when the Imams will announce the sacrifice only when the lunar cycle is confirm right that is why also two dates picked, because don't know when will it happen. However, the celebration continues for at least threes.

Litte Accident

Well, I have not told some of you that I had an accident last week. I am totally fine and traveling to Kolkota. Anywhere the reason I am sharing this which I didnt want to sharing is because, this accident had opened my eyes. First of all, women are not threatened but having false statu statements about them being well respected when they are at home or not riding a motorcycle or are they that poor to be out on the streets riding motorcycle which they were told. So back to my accident that occured a week a go. It wasnt my fault, but I was left alone on the road. The road was quite frankly full of men no one came for my help. So I got up and lift my motorcycle and started it. How amazing ha...I was happy that I was ok, and that I was able to ride it back. But this made me raise questions like what would have happened, if it was a serious accident? would that make the men to come for help. I mean...I dont really know. So I went back to the office and asked my boss about what had happened and he sad that in this culture men are not allowed to touch a woman. So thats so scacry dont you think. I am right now seeing what the women here are seeing. First I thought, they just have to come out of it, but no, not when its a physical and mental fight the women have to put up with, it takes energy, time, money and support. Two weeks ago, the whole MCC Bangladesh had a training on gender issues and talked about nurturing the women. Really how can we do that? This is my question now. After that I have talk with a particular lady, about how she is handling this struggle. She mentioned that we women who are out there are strong ladies. There are things that we have done which most women here have not done, and we want to do more but we can only do if only our bosses, male co-workers and our husbands (families) are with us helping develop more. So I mentioned that they (ladies) have to be mentally prepared and that also they are competing with the male opponents in terms of crimbing the position, so they have to be ready for that. So now is my question left unanswered and that is how can we nurture the ladies. To be mentally strong to withstand the culture and with the competition with the hierachy position especially with the men.

Two hours van ride

Two hours van ride

Two hours van ride I go. Left Dhanjuri Catholic Mission at one pm. came out I at the gate and waited the van. A brown copper bag was laid just for me. I appreciated after ten minutes ride. So I asked the Van driver, does he knows the road to my next stop which is Khalipur and responded with a head shack as a yes. So I went and sat as comfortable as I could till after ten minutes of ride, I thought may be I made a mistake to hire the van. By the way, van for those of you don’t know the van I am talking about is a three wheeled transport similar to a rickshaw except that it has a flat form for sitting and is made for rough roads, so I don’t regret the ride but, I should say that it was a rough ride. It was going to be an hour of rough ride, which I saw later after an hour. So the van went swish, swish as it continued its motion. The fields were filled with golden brown ready for the harvest. I saw in the distances motion of heads of men going up and down was just an indication that harvest had started or rather to completion. Pass through canopies of bamboo as tall as the sky. I thought, were are the people, men that we talk about in Bangladesh, saw two or three school girls walking with books or scattered around or kits in their hands as they started laughing when they saw a lady with sunglass with two bags of course sitting down uncomfortable which I hope they didn’t see that sign. So I put a smile and gave a little wave and they all wave back with more laughter. So I continued my ride, wishing that time would fly and so to get there fast. But it seemed so forever, I thought of singing but decided not to after an hour and thirty minutes ride finally came to a stop and hip hip hooray I arrived, gave a fair amount of money for the save journey and wished him save travel back for I know the person and my bags were helped carried by this awesome man of Khalipur to my rest home.

Men is more wanted than women in the Muslim World

Men is more wanted than women in the Muslim World
Country like Bangladesh or another Muslim country wants many boys then girls in their families. This kept me thinking as woman. All I have been thinking was that the men are greedy, selfish and self center manners since I arrived here. And it took me a while to see the real reason why boys/men is wanted in the family. Every where I go, Shops, markets, rickshawals, drivers from big trucks to CNGs, on the road, is all about men. Even in the village, men are working double hours job working from sunrise to sunset and yet come home and go shopping. Old men ranching, young men with hoes and middle age men in rice field harvesting or planting. The Beautiful princesses stay in their homes relax and wait for the princes to come home and take them to go shopping. MMMM.... don’t you think this is one sided. I shouldnt blame the women but this is how it has been since, this is their culture. Well, in the Muslim world it is said that women are more respected than men. I really dont know whether this is true, but Ill go with it for now. Just from hearing stories from some of my friends, women are well protected by their laws and are greatly valued. Just to clear this sentence that during marital ceremonies the man agrees to pay the woman great sum of money according to the type of job the man does. This money is paid in installment as time goes by to the women’s use. This money is decided by Muslim leaders accordingly as I have mentioned. If something happens and the man decides to leave the lady then he has to pay that agreed amount before he leaves her. And I can see as bad side and good side. Good side is that there will be no divorce but on the other hand the man might decide to do some much damage to the woman because he can do get away which I have seen a lot here.

Anywhere back to my wanting men/boy more than a girl is because (this reasoning is totally my opinion and it does make sense to me) men are the bread earners for the families. This I have seen so far. Some of you will disagree with me.. so to say that please do write what you think in the comment box. In towns or small towns still it hard for a woman to get/find job therefore it is understandable that men provide for the family but how about the village life. Yes, I have seen trial areas women work hard, just remember I am talking about the Muslim world, where women can help the men more work with little time they have. Both of them can get more work done then one person. The women can water the plants or break the dirt with hoe or .... so here I pen off but ..not completed.

Making Decisions

Making Decisions
I have been living in Bangladesh for almost a year now and I should say that I have no good thing about it. When January 3rd comes will be my first anniversary here in Bangladesh. All I have negatives only. Most of you, who read my blog, have seen or read the bad sides only. Well, I have been thinking about this for a while and have decided for my next two years, I want to say good things about this place, the people, the culture, food and everything. I am praying for long suffering and increase patience’s in my life. I pray for love and self control, pray for strength to take me day at a time. When I am faced with dislike, I want to bless them. I want to be a living testimony now. Lord, I once again pray that you will continue to provide and extend your sufficient grace to take me through. Lord help me to be a salt and a light, let my light grow brighter as evermore. Let me be a salt that doesn’t loose its taste or goes bitter.... Amen

Those of you who are going though the same process or have gone through it and haven’t decided to change it or have similar cases but not exactly the same why do you do the same, pray for greater love, patience and humiliation.

Peace

Motorcycle ride for 2 hours

I had a rabbit nest box to deliver to Namuja. Its about two hour both ways. So today I decided to take my motor cycle out there. Some of you have seen how crowded the streets with ricksha, well I feel like I am The Pro...I gave no space to anyone..heheheh..no actually I gave way to the big guys, its so hard to keep going when they are right at your tail and having loud noise. I now know that I can drive safely. Comments that I got were not bad, like apa go right or apa go left...that feels good. I dont know what thee next ride will be like, hope to be just like today. So I delivered the box and hope to do more sinces it well fits the housing design. Before, this ride I had a Bangali friend who gave me a surprise visit and stayed home with me last night. It ok, till she kept pestering me to go to her village during EID, which I told her, I will think about it but she doesnt get it. I know this is Bangladesh and I have to be firm about what I say but...she just have ro respect my rights. This is making me dont like the people sometimes. So, this is say that I have been speaking Bangla whole night and the morning till at 10 am she left. I am relief right now and even better with my motor ride....ye.double koodos to myself.

Today is my holiday (weekend, Saturday), I am suppose to be resting have decided to go visit my project area. Around 2pm, I left and got there at 3 and have discovered that one of my rabbits was very sick. I watch it crying out, I have never hear or seen, Rabbits cry and I did today...I am so sad right now because I know that it is going through alot of pain and evetually die. My Assumption is that it is attacked by the tape worm and it has got into the brain. The story I heard from the farmer who take care of the rabbits is that they found it last night around 10 pm paralysed. Today, it didnt move but was just lying down and peed itself on its legs, how terrible is that. In the past years I have fallen in love with vegetables just because they dont move or make a sound so that I cannot be touched by their emotions..anywhere right now I dont know what to say about animals and with my position with the animals...So while I am writing this maybe I am lossing it or may be tomorrow but hoping for miracles to happen because in literature there is no cure for this parasite attack... and I am say a short pray for its life.

Also today is day when I felt winter is near. Its so cold the temperature went down to 75F and this afternon's wind cold.

lap being a seat

Ok, Bangladesh has good staff happening, but doesnt happen during my travel. Here is another story happened today, on a CNG. Coming form Namuja, I was sitted in the middle back seat guy on my left and women with her son on my right. After traveling for 20 minutes, one of the guy in the front seat was dropped off. Its the custom here that women are not allowed to seat at the fron seat, rather its me that I have seen women sitting at the front seat, because I have sat in the front seat once. So an elder lady walked to the drive to drop them off at the next drop off place. Ok, I am using "them" which I realised three full grown adults later when they came in to sit. So the guy next to my left moved to the front to make space for the lady, and there came one, two and three very elderly ladies. I just opened my mouth, because those of you know how a CNG looks like, yeh, it was packed. There were five full grown adults and a kid of may be 9 or 10 years old on his moms lap. So I made the allowance for the 2nd lady to sit on my lap since there was no space. What a day today.. sometimes thats how crowded I travel. Anywhere, Bangladesh is not that bad, may be... I think there are some good sides of Bangladesh, I am still discovering. So lady and the kid got off later and I had little space to seat but, the lady was sitting on my lap.

Very Unusual Stare

Today I went on my normal day as usual to visit one of my regular sites that I visit. I got a rickshaw and went straight to the CNG stand. Found a CNG and waited for two more people before heading. There came in a mother with her two boys and her daughter. As soon as she entered, she started from my toes and up to my clothes, every part of it even the stitched of my shalwa kamizes. Ok, I have been stared and asked questions but this was very unusual. She came to my face and towards my heard/hair. I was wearing my sunglasses and was observing every bit of her facial expressions. So I got out my camera and got some pictures of her to distract her but most importantly I wanted to post it on the web blog. When she was done with the staring she physically moved my head side ways to see my ears and then my nose. Finally she asked the questions that I get every daily move of my life either from men of women; am I married, do I have children. So I answered her questions the same way I answer the others who ask the same question. I said, I am not married and not ready to get married now. She paused for a while and she asked...is it a problem, and my answer was not a problem at all. The reason I am sharing this because people here can do what ever they want to do to you... This was my extreme part of experiencing Bangladesh.

Nepal Trip

One week Retreat in Nepal

This is Nepal, in Dhelikhule a small town where we had nice time there. We walked to the buddha temple and we almost ran back to the guest house back because was getting dark. These flag like things hunging on the third pic above are prayer flags.

Ghoripani Trekk

Berinthi

These pics were taken at the begin of our loop.

These pics are Himalayas range

These pics were taken from the room where we were staying; amazing. We woke up at 4:30 am next morning to see these view again together with the crowd but never cleared up and never saw them again. It was a walk of 3 thousand pulse meter up.

Chromrong rest area, nice houses and a little walk down and found the hot spring.

The fourth day pics, heading back to the loop; can you see the rainbow clearly...amazing place place

These are the sturdy ladies, walked the steep hills..yep people there call hills 9 plus thousand feet tall hills.

Motorcycle, Nose pierced, Rabbit housing and Ramadan

Motorcycle

I have not been so faithful with my blog so I will try as much as possible to fill you with what I have been doing so far. First thing is my motorcycle, I practice in the morning but lately have not because I have been so tired. Its kind a scooter version, and is wel suited for me, its the right size for me... not that I dont want to try the bigger enegine motorcycles.

Nose Pierced

Another thing I did here is that I got my nose pierced. I have never done piercing before so this is my first move. Anywhere, they didnt do it well and I got it off my nose. I kept it for three days and the third night I went to a friends friend to take it out because it was hard for me to take it out. Its was painful and was swollen...how sad is that. However, I have a small black hole on my left side of my nose... so I gues thats the sign that will show that I have got my nose pierced.

Rabbit housing

I have started my project with rabbit housing. I thought this was going to be an easy job.. small size houses and will take less than two weeks but no...its taking for ever. Its pretty small and takes so much time putting these small pieces together. However, they are coming together finally and hopefully next two days I will finish it. By the way I am not the one building them, but a farmer who was selected to do the project with is doing it. I am having problem with downloading pictures and hope put the shorts one at a time. There are about five treatments that I have come up with but time has not allowed me to carry on with one of them so I am slipping one and doing only four. There are bamboo mud house, bamboo house, wire netted and half bamboo half mud house. There are about seven replications and hope that they turn out well.

Bamboo treatment only but mud and wire is yet to post

these kids come watch me every day as we work

Ramadan

Is the big month for the Muslims. It started two days ago and will last of this month. This is the month when most of the Muslims fast, no water even if its so hot or, and of course not a single edible thing goes in their month. I did follow some of the things their did in the beginning of the Ramadan, like using a neem twig to clean my teeth, by the way it actually worked. I talked with someone mentioned that as early as five year old kids start the fasting. They start their fast after their prayer in the morning at 4:30 and have a heavy breakfast and go without food for the rest of the day and break their fasting at 6:30 after their prayer. Along the road there are speacial sweets made a wait for the breaking of their fasting.. people would buy as much as they can and share with everyone. Thats the fasting days/month and then the killing of cattles will come after that...

Rice

Rice, rice, rice, rice fields every where, no men is rested, back bended, covered with dirt up to their knees and faces. Rice is everything in Bangladesh, as I have mentioned in my previous blog that its the main staple food and it is also the staple food for most of the Asian cuntries. Well rice is really something here, its a lot of work planting it. Its not just the planting part but your first harvest you will not eat it as soon as it comes out from the field but has to go through a lot of process. Drying, washing, drying, turning and eventually its pulp but may be after your second set of rice planting is done. How sad is that, waiting for three months of rice growing period till harvested and one month of fallow period and a week of preparing the land for second planting and three to four weeks of tranplanting...yes its alot of work. I see why Bangali spare no grain on the plate because of the hard work, and this makes me appreciate rice in someways, knowing how much work it involves. I was just talking with a Bengali that one should come up with a machine that can plant the rice seedling. So its the fields of rice you pass through as you go to work or just field visit and its rice.

Seasonal Fruits

Its the next season of the year, summer. Although people have mentioned that Bangladesh gets pretty hot heavy rainfall during the summer season this year has been a great change. Its been raining but not downfall and its not terribly hot. Although there was one time I remember down fall was really heavy that we drove so slowly because we could not see the road at all. Anyhow, summer season is the season for second planting of rice and farmers are out in rice fields working their guts out. There is not much machine is involve, the rice fields are big yet it is cover by rice seedlings at the end of the day by 5 to 10 men working. Since rice is their main staple food, the other crops are season, rice is at least grown threes times a year.

The season for mango is almost gone and season for delicious Lichie (same family of Rabutang) is gone. While waiting for the mango season to arrive we have been eating pineapples from the one specific area Piragacha. These pineapples are very juicy and of course so fresh. The other crops are mostly grown in one particular area in bulk and sold. I have visited this area and have seen rows and rows of pineapple garden, taro garden banana garden and sugar-cane garden trees and it is so refreshing. Here are some pics I took, and I visited when it was pineapple season.

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Pirgacha Pineaple, the pineaple season, its almost over now.

I have a house

Recently I moved to my new house in Bogra. I may have mentioned that the whole office in Sirajganj moved. Anyhow, my move was very easy since I have so little stuff to move. but then I had to look for new stuff to fit into my new home for the next 2 years and may be few more months in Bangladesh. Its small but new, has two bed rooms with kitchen and two toilet and I am having the kitchen to myself, whow, I love it. It needs more furnitures and more face lif but I will do that as daysgo by but for now who cares I have my own house and I am so excited about it.

transportation system

Here in Bangladesh, there are so many different types of transportation. From the smallest to the biggest and driving is so crazy, I mean you as a foreigner, you have to be aware of everything when you are on the road. Even if it is the big highway, you just have to cross the road raising you hand as a sign to slow them down, isnt thats amazing. I mean it fricks me out but it works here. The road is not just meant for vehicles or anything with wheels but its also made for human, both men and wheeled things.



There are transports for longer trips and transports for few minutes walk to your office or you home. When a person is walking on the road you have to honk for more than five times or rather continuous honking than they move aside to the side walk. If you have a big truck or tranportations that have big engine than the two lane road is all yours. Anywhere, I should stop here and say something about each of the transports.

Far trips

Big airconditioned buses or not conditioned, trains and airoplanes are available for long trips like going to districts. Train is the cheapest for the three transportations for long trips.

City transportation
Small buses, open vehicles that have been changed to carry passagers, taxises, CNGs, rickshas, vangari. The cheapest transports are ricksha, vangari and the local buses but slower so when thinking of going faster, take a CNG or a taxi. Some times they will reap you off because youre foreigner. Of course if you have you own vehicle/bicycle, motorcycle, scooter which also adds to the trasnport systems here.

Mobil Gari, local bus and CNG

motorcycle and Black taxi

Outskirts of the city
outside the city lots of ricksha, vangari, tempo gari and mobil gari(car) available for moving around and of course person transportations are also included.

village transportation
There is ricksha, vangari and tempo gari available.

Van Gari and Tempo


Ricksha is mentioned in all sectors of this country and therefore it is most popular transportation in the country. it is very strong unlike bicycles. It has a crank shaft which is powered by man. it can take you to a 5- 10 km and if youre good bargainer then you almost get there very cheap. However, rickshaw is now allowed in some roads, but they do a good job taking you where you want to go if the rickshawal knows the route well. CNG stands for compressed Nitrogen gas and it is enviromental friendly. it is a three wheeled trasnsportation which a hard seats built to it and it an carry one person to four.