Blogs from Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Asia - page 4

Day 47, July 13, 2008 It’s kind of surprising that it’s my 47th day in Bangladesh. It actually does feel that long, I suppose, because I feel very settled here. I think I stopped writing as frequently because the everyday things I experience are generally not very new and exciting as they once were. I have a much different perception of everything now. Perhaps I am more callous, I’m not sure. If I’ve developed any character trait, it’s the ability to feel fine in the most bizarre and uncomfortable situations because they seem to arise pretty frequently. I have a better ability to differentiate between when I should be cautious in a situation, when I am unsafe, and when I’m completely fine and just uncomfortable. I also have a better understanding of what it means to ... read more

The first thing I did on arriving in Dhaka was throw up against a wall. Considering I’ve been wanting to visit this city for eight years, it wasn’t really the entrance I was expecting to make. The bus from Kuakata had taken eleven hours, and we had travelled through the night. It was a great journey. All of the stars were out. ‘The Plough’ - that great saucepan of the sky - was the most prominent (quite appropriate for the subcontinent, I think.) The headlights lit up the endless rows of bushy trees, which appeared bright green momentarily then whooshed out of sight. Big grasshoppers kept jumping in through the window and landing on me. I know they bite (a bad experience in Agra four years back…) so I always just wait for them to move. ... read more

It’s been awhile since I’ve done much because I got pretty ill. And I thought salads were supposed to be good for you…Truth be told I do know that this is an unsanitary place and you’re not supposed to eat produce that isn’t peeled or cooked thoroughly. But I’ve had some salad and fresh veggies and fruit because really, it’s the only consistenly good food Bangladesh has to offer. Sometimes I guess you get reminded arrogance can bring you to your knees, quite literally. So after all the vomiting and fevers finally stopped, I’ve begun to recover though I still have only left the apartment to go to the grocery store down the street. Sooo now I know why people come back from South Asia so skinny. One of my roommates also came down with ... read more

Kairul claims he is 18, but it is highly unlikely that he is over 15. His waist is not much wider than the bicycle seat that he hovers over, and his legs are barely long enough for him to reach the pedals while seated. He spends most of his work day peddling standing up. His pre-pubescent looks aside, Kairul’s boyish curiosity and fascination with the world also give away his age. As he peddles down the streets of Dhaka, avoiding gaping potholes and confidently pulling u-turns in the middle of oncoming traffic, I often catch him letting his eyes wander around and up. Airplanes capture his attention fairly consistently, and he is fond of pointing out architectural curiosities. “Khub shundar,” he announced one evening as we curved around a traffic circle featuring a modern silver sculpture ... read more

I finally left Dhaka. I suppose it was about time since there is an entire country and continent that is left to see outside this metropolis. I planned to spend two nights in Matlab, though I ended up shortening it to one night for various reasons. The trip started early at 7:00AM when a car came to my apartment to pick me up. From that I switched to a van, which jostled and honked its way out of Dhaka’s morning commute. After about an hour and a half, we stopped in this little town. A few boys around nine years old rushed to the van to carry the passengers’ belongings but I insisted on carrying my own. This country has been a confusing twist of needing to be very independent and yet let others do menial ... read more