Once again

Thursday, March 26

Ok so I haven’t written in a while, but face it when was the last time YOU updated me on all that was happening in your lives?  Life in Bangladesh is coming along as well as coming to a close. It is a bit weird. I felt bad telling one of the farmers in Dimla that I would only be here another 3 months.  Just when I am getting to know names, I tell them I will be leaving.  I now really understand the 3 year idea that my organization has. Well, I think the last time I wrote was a few months ago so I will try and update succinctly (I am taking the GRE May 7 so I am trying to practice words.).

hmmmm February.  (This is taken directly from my monthly report to fellow expats here in country, so if you don’t understand something, just email me.)
    *Went to Dhaka for eye and dentist appointments. No cavities!! Yea!!
    *Discussed more "tweaking" of the biogas unit. (which was a bit frustrating as when it comes to designing structures I am only confident with what I know and there have been MANY modifications  to  this unit which reach far beyond my experience.)
    *Getting to hang out with Sara and Sri while he was
 here was a pleasure.
    *Retreat, of course, was great. My favorite was the cabin we rode back in on the train. It was cool, like you see in movies!!
    *Because I was out more there has been a lot of thinking about beggars. It is a complicated thing. I always want to give something even if it is just a sympathetic "maph korun" and an acknowledging look in the eyes. Even that takes a lot out of me sometimes. (I hate the way that reads and saying it allowed doesn't help either. "Oh poor me, with food and shelter, I am so weary from taking seconds out of my life to look at a poor person." I also generally don't give taka but rather food or something, but who am I to say that just b/c you are poor I have the power over what you can spend money on. Well anyway umm that was that soap box.
    *Went to Dimla for 7days. while there, the whole "situation" happened.  The border patrol held a coup, and held some high army official captive and threatened to do the same all over the country.   Due to my poor Bangla I didn't realize most of what was going on until it was over anyway.  It did however make me think (and believe me I had plenty of time to think as there is hardly ever electricity in the evenings in Dimla and there were many long van-gari (flat bed bicycles) rides out the site to think. ) On multiple occasions (3-4) there was yelling and crying  and hitting in or around the homes of the people we were meeting. I saw a small boy throw a 2x4 at an emaciated dog. There was a special on Al Jazeera, "Dining with Terrorists" that look at Sri Lanka and that added to my at that point borderline hopelessness. Where did we ever learn all this stuff?  How do people learn to hate so much?  Sarah Peace I am glad you are here.
   *Wow on a bit less depressing note, I got to spend much time with Sidul (MCC staff person in Dimla) his wife and their adorable 3 year old daughter.  She has taken a liking to me and is teaching me bangla. Although she kept calling her swing "julu" which Sidul has recently informed me is in fact not Bangla for swing but rather a made up word.  Well, I guess I know the "3yearoldchild" word for swing now.

That was Feb. I will update you in March when I write that update at the end of the month.

Peace

Jodi