diggin'dhaka

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asalam walekum!

if dhaka were a person, its one of those people that might rub you the wrong way the first time based on appearance or the way they speak to you. they might sound slightly contradictory, brazen or hopelessly hippocritical. yet somewhere between this interesting cocktail of personality flaws lies a flicker of curiosity. as you tread carefully, your questions at first polite and mildly inquisitive, soon give way to an avalanche of conversation, and soon you find yourself immersed in this person's past--and their hopes for the future. you scold yourself for your incorrect assumptions, and realize that this person might very well become and old friend. you know that parting ways in the future is inevitable, yet for the time being you ignore it. it is very possible that this is someone you will look back on in twenty years with a sense of familial nostalgia.

yesterday i decided to get to know the area a bit better on foot. my plan was to walk from justin's apartment through the "dip zone" and into DIT II, the local shopping area. from there i would continue on through the mess of traffic and head towards the american recreation club. immediately walking out the front door, which by the way is guarded by vinnie the dog, a bengali four-legged fellow which i would diagnose with multiple personality disorder, i was swarmed by rickshaws and their drivers expecting to give me service. politely shooing them away was a task at which i became increasingly talented. while many of them would peddal slightly behind me for a few hundred meters in case i changed my mind, many other curious pedestrians stopped to stare at the mini parade that was tagging along behind me. at first i didnt quite know what to do. here was the tallest, baldest, whitest being these people must have aver seen. somehow my original tactic, attempting to "fade into the tapestry of daily life" wasnt really working. while i was originally kicking myself for forgetting my camera in justin's backpack--i quickly realized that i was the picture that needed taking.

after a few hundred meters i was getting used to the curiosity of these neighbors. often they went back to their work after i returned the signature smile they first flashed at me. a simple hello, or asalam, helped them understand that i was just another human trying to make a friendly connection. this however didnt stop a few persistent bengalis from following me at a close distance while i stopped to look for directions, chatted on the cellphone, and meeandered through the city streets. DIT II seems like a place where we will be able to get most of our household wares--from completely domestic items to some beautiful artwork that will hang on our walls. i dipped in and out of some brass shops and was amazed at the wonderful craftsmanship. for the price you would pay for knock off art at department stores in the usa we will have original works that have been expertly restored by hand.

i carried on through the market and was becoming increasingly used to my fan club and decided, after about one hour in 100 degree weather to make my way to the american club. there i rewarded myself with a couple of ice teas in the shade and wait for the arrival of justin and kelly after they finished work. the american club will become a bit of a second home for us. centrally located, with all the amenities of leisure, will create for us a cute little place to spend time on the weekends. justin, kelly and i played a game of doubles tennis with one of the bengali tennis boys at the club. this was loads of fun and i found after my second straight day with a racket in my hand that i was able to actually put the ball in bounds. after a losing 6-2 effort, justin and i licked our wounds with a beer and plate of black bean nachos. we had to make quick work back at the apartment in order to prepare for the event of the day: the latino ball.

after admitting to jen that i didnt quite know what a ball was, i was still very excited to check it out. it was held at the radisson hotel, an extremely nice five star situation with a huge ballroom where we were treated to a 3 coure seafood meal that had been flown in from outside the country. there was a program put on by an amateur latin dance troupe made up of expatriates also living in dhaka. there was flamenco dancing and samba and even a few guitar pieces. of course after the program, when everyone was loosened up by a few (or several) glasses of wine, the dance floor was flooded by people ready to try to keep up with some salsa music. when it was all said and done it was a fun night out, and an easy reminder that wealth and charity in this country go hand in hand. justin and kelly told me that there are several "balls" during the year and that this was the third event that they have attended.

with the bengali weekend winding down i am looking forward to heading out to our new school tomorrow morning. yes, the work week here in dhaka starts on sunday morning. i will be touring the facilities and meeting with some of the staff there. you can look forward to another entry soon with photos of isd. thanks for the messages and hope you are enjoying following me around dhaka!

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Comments

[Barbara]

Amazing!
Jake, as always you have managed to write the most amazing commentary and have given me some wonderful insights as to where you two will be next year. Enjoy the time at your new school this week. I will be waiting to hear all about that! Love, Barbara