This is the full entry for week
6
It feels like nothing really happened this week compared to recent
events (hence the picture of the dog that does nothing but sleep in our stairwell), but
that's no bad thing really. I did have a 24hr tummy bug though, but that's what you get
for buying fried food that's been sitting on the counter for a few hours. Very silly
behavior. Anyway...
Medical matters first. I've had the stitches out, the swelling has
completely gone and the wound is visibly healing very well. Even at 2 day intervals
people are noticing improvements which is all very encouraging. Personally I'm much
happier about how things are looking and the size of scar, and I'm sure it won't be long
before I have to start dreaming up more interesting stories about how I got it rather
than some dull road trafic accident, or RTA as those in the know seem to term it.
Last Sunday I met Nils, the Dutch representative of my NGO's main
donor which is an American organisation called CARE. They started out distributing
excess GI rations to the needy in Europe after WW2 and have gone on from there - quite an
interesting story if you have time to look at their web site. We had a really interesting
discussion about the current situation as regards my NGO and where I fit in. In the space
of 2 hours I was filled with a desire to get stuck into what I think will be some of the
most interesting work I've ever done. It will also be without doubt the toughest
professional assignment I've been foolish enough to accept, and I'll have to be careful
managing expectations from here on in.
I may be in Bangladesh but that doesn't mean that friends and
acquaintences don't come here on business from time to time. This week it was a friend of
a friend who flew into town for a week (friend is Sarah, her friend who flew in is
Matthew). Due to the postal system and unavailability of certain items over here, us
volunteers tend to profit shamelessly from anyone coming over and ask them to bring over
"stuff". This time Sarah (huge respect is due) gave the unsuspecting Matthew a
load of books, 3 ladish magazines (FHM, Men's Health and GQ, NOT Playboy, Hustler and
Kinky Latex Donkey Buggery I hasten to add) and a block of mature cheddar cheese (my
personal request). You've all heard it before, but it really is the little things in life
that make the difference and cheddar cheese is that little thing right now!
This week's surreal moment came while driving down Dhaka's widest
avenue, the very aptly named Manik Mia. I saw projected on a huge TV on top of a building
an episode of Mr. Bean. No seriously, I was there and it really happened. The big TV is
pretty bizarre on its own, I mean surely they could have spent that money on something a
little bit more useful like a road, or tetenus jabs for example. I won't even begin to
comment on the oh so essential construction of the Dhaka planetarium...
Having been here a month now I though it was about time I tried to at
least understand the Bangladeshi culture before being a very real part of it. So here
goes for what will doubtlessly be hugely wide of the mark anyway:
Family is absolutely everything. Being alone as us volunteers are
family-wise is in their eyes like a living death. As a result they want us to be part of
their families to compensate, and don't always understand when we want our own space and
time. I've not had much practice at "setting the boundaries" yet so will need
to tread carefully initially for fear of causing offence.
Bangladesh is known for being one of the poorest and the most
corrupt nation on earth (Transparency International report) but also allegedly has the
most contented people. Contradiction? I suspect they have learnt to be happy with so
little. There is an acceptance of their lot that enables them to get on but the danger I
see in this is of losing any ambition for a better state of affairs. You can say what you
like about the French and how often they go on strike, but they will get stroppy when
things aren't good enough and the quality of public services is damn good. Coincidence?
Interestly enough, I wouldn't describe the French as a particularly happy people despite
their quality of life, so as always there's got to be a happy medium somewhere.
The people here are amazing in a crisis, but then they get plenty of
practice with all the natural disasters that ravage the place on a nigh on annual basis.
On the other hand they are not good at planning, but then why plan if tomorrow a cyclone
could wipe your entire livelihood and family away in seconds? I can see the logic of it,
but I also know that the better you plan, the better you prepare, the more you can lessen
the impact of disasters when they do happen.
It's been said before but they have an amazing sense of hospitality.
Foreigners are literally seen as honoured guests in their country, and just this week a
guy I'd never met before drove me to a food place just because I'd asked for help from
our local Internet cafe boys. It's also surprising how "normal" I found that as well.