Blogs from Chittagong, Bangladesh, Asia

According to astronomers the red ball sun is only medium-sized. Among stars it is unimpressive yet to our planet it brings life. It’s a standard arrangement, in Hatiya, in Bangladeshi villages, the central courtyard area of dirt surrounded by several modest houses of wood and tin or thatch. There are the mud verandas the women have patiently patted into place at the front of each house, where the roofs overhang the building; and the small windows of carpenter’s hands with frames that aren’t entirely square and shutters that don’t absolutely meet. There are trees including coconut palms and bananas in the patch of ground carved out away from the road amongst the rice fields. It’s typical, the household where Nobir and his extended family live. In the evenings when the hurricanes are turned down in each ... read more

Cousin Arif knew there were guests and on that account the likelihood of tasty food was high. Stepping through the doorway and without a word by way of greeting he positioned himself on the chair beside the table and said, ‘give rice.’ His predictions proved correct and a rice and fish lunch soon appeared from the back room. In Bangladeshi villages including in Hatiya, doors are most often open. I don’t remember Kohinoor but she remembered me. She was just one amongst the flock of children thereabouts whose childhood memories feature a bit of ‘staring at the foreigner’ as a not irregular past hobby. She was Monir’s sister she said and I’d eaten lunch at their house. It was years ago but an occasion I can recall. Kohinoor’s become a woman with her family of her ... read more

I remember so many invitations, though it was in later years that it really got out of control. There were occasions when someone would want a time for lunch or breakfast or dinner and, flicking through the mental obligation list, after some minutes I’d suggest a week into the future: the earliest vacant meal slot. I remember the demands from my friends in the village to the south for a fixed time. For many years I used to refuse to nominate one, knowing all the trouble that would result: five courses minimum, slaughtered chickens, no expense spared. It was the same with Selim who used to invite me to a banquet every single year. Initially I used to refuse him too: all the trouble his wife would go to, the finances of a rickshaw driver and ... read more

Well, its nearly time for me to pack up all my things and leave this wonderful city that has been my home for three months. Its a time of the entire cacophony of emotions - i feel sad to be leaving such wonderful people that have become my family and friends, but also i feel happy to be seeing the UK again. Overwhelmingly i feel a sense of acheivement and joy with everything that i have done here in Bangladesh. This week has been one of two things; Goodbyes and Shopping!! Each day of teaching has been difficult, with each successive class that i have had to teach asking the same question, 'Why do you have to go Mr Will?'. I have been inundated with gifts (seven mugs at the final count - not all of ... read more