http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Bangladesh , Dhaka en-us Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:57:02 BST Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:57:02 BST We ventured to a little town called Sonargaon for the day with a few coworkers. We didnrsquot know much about the city beforehand but were able to calculate two things 1 that Sonargaon was the countryrsquos first capital city and 2 its about an hour away from Dhaka. We went by van and it was nice to get out of the city scene and into a bit of countryside for awhile. We were surprised an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-320351.html I never realized just how bad men can smell until I came to a place where they donrsquot believe in deodorant. Itrsquos one of those things I took for granted in the US. In Italy itrsquos the same story. It is girlish to cover up manly odor with perfumes and deodorants. Irsquove never understood the olfactory philosophy of those who choose to go orsquonaturale. I certainly donrsqu http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-320026.html I have developed a scale of hotness for Bangali food. It ranges from forehead sweat hot to ass sweat hot as in the sentence That red gravy is so hot it will make your ass sweat. I havenrsquot eaten any Bengali dish that wasnrsquot at least forehead sweat hot and most dishes fall into the latter category sending shivers down your spine and making your stomach feel as though a Royal Bengal http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-319625.html These aren't the most exciting pictures but I'll post them anyway. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-319611.html My main purpose in coming to Dhaka or rather the reason my trip was funded by UVA is for me to teach Western Blotting in the Parasitology Department of the ICDDRB. For those of you without a science background I will provide a simple explanation. It is very useful in the study of microorganisms little animals to see if under certain conditions concentrations of certain proteins increase http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-318914.html Riding rickshaws is a necessary part of getting around in Dhaka.Last week I was still getting used to asking an extremely skinny old man to cart me around on the back of his rusty bike. At the time I had no idea what a rickshaw ride was worth and even less idea of the best route to my destination. The first few times it took an hour and a half to travel what was actually about the distance of a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-316856.html I just got back from my first run in Dhaka. All I was trying to do was get a little exercise. I've been cooped up in my room all day reading and watching Dexter. But it turned into something of a cultural exchange. I had groups of little boys running along side me people pointed and laughed rickshaw drivers rang bells and cars honked either their approval or disgust. It's not entirely unp http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-315293.html Aug. 21I've been in Dhaka for a week and I'm starting to settle in. My new room is much better than the old one fewer roaches. And Mrs. Obeida's cook makes excellent Bengali food. I take a nice cold shower every morning at around eight eat a breakfast of toast and fruit and set out onto Gulshan avenue. By nine the road is teaming with Rickshaws baby taxis and giant dented buses. The ICD http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-314654.html Dhaka is not a pleasant city. The air is thick with the exhaust from thousands of motorized rickshaws. The smell of sewage is rarely absent in the labyrinthine network of dirt side roads. The sheer number of people is astounding. Crowds pour through the streets alongside cars and rickshaws. It is complete chaos no rules no laws no limits. I still can't believe that I will be living here f http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/blog-313047.html So we have arrived safe and sound in Dhaka After an extremely long flight we arrived at the airport and were taken straight to our new apartmentwhich is absolutely huge We live in a brand new building on a quiet side of town and are quite happy with our new home. As soon as our shipment comes in we will be able to cozy in a bit but until then we are happily busying ourselves with exploring the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-310076.html Teaching in BangladeshOn June 1st Al flew off for a month of snorkelling in Indonesia and then more travels in Thailand while I flew off to Dhaka Bangladesh and 6 weeks of teaching nursing at IUBAT International University of Business Agriculture and Technology. IUBAT was founded in 1991 and the College of Nursing began here 4 years ago started by some amazing Canadians from BC. Currently th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-304748.html Two stories about children that Irsquod like to remember Child beggars are pervasive. Itrsquos one of the more difficult things to deal with here even after a long time. In a car they will swarm me pressing their faces against the window yelling ldquoMadam Madamrdquo While walking they will run towards me grab my hands try to pull my bags if Irsquom carrying any. ldq http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-299897.html Day 47 July 13 2008 Itrsquos kind of surprising that itrsquos 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 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-299046.html With 24 hours to take on Dhaka with a vengeance we waste no time getting stuck in despite my still somewhat feeble condition. We ride cycle rickshaws all around Old Dhaka even though the UK government travel pages warn against it. I think we only live once but it's debatable. These are the first subcontinental vehicles i have travelled in that crash constantly. As Seth puts it when you'r http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-295546.html The first thing I did on arriving in Dhaka was throw up against a wall. Considering Irsquove been wanting to visit this city for eight years it wasnrsquot 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. lsquoThe Ploughrsquo that great saucepan of the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-295351.html Irsquove been staring at the water for some time now. The burning sun is hazy and doesnrsquot reflect much off the calm brown water. All of the sudden I see an animal jump. ldquoA dolphinrdquo I say to my friend next to me. ldquoDid you see itrdquo She looks at me ldquoA dolphin I donrsquot think river dolphins come up this far.rdquo ldquoIt was shiny and gray and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-291070.html Itrsquos been awhile since Irsquove done much because I got pretty ill. And I thought salads were supposed to be good for youhellipTruth be told I do know that this is an unsanitary place and yoursquore not supposed to eat produce that isnrsquot peeled or cooked thoroughly. But Irsquove had some salad and fresh veggies and fruit because really itrsquos the only consistenly good f http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-289563.html To get to work I am picked up and dropped off by a van in a large traffic circle which is a 15 to 20 minute walk to my home depending on how long it takes to cross the road. I tend to take a rickshaw in the morning because itrsquos so early and in the evening I walk home since Irsquove been sitting all day. I often get children mothers with babies disabled people old people calling http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-289544.html Hi allI swapped onto this flight. Its not a very popular one and after doing it I cant really see why yes it is busy and hard as most travelling dont speak English but all the passengers are lovely xI was unsure as what there was to seedo in Dhaka as most crew tell you that its the best places to buy copied dvds but I was looking for a bit more than that I had heard of an orphanage you coul http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-287136.html 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 prepubescent looks aside Kairulrsquos boyish curiosity and fascination with the world also give away his age. As he pe http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-287069.html Tomorrow marks two weeks from my arrival in Bangladesh. Everything has happened so quickly and already I feel that Irsquove come a long way from my first days in the country when I was positive that my body would never adjust to the heat and that I would never figure out how to say ldquodhonobadrdquo thank you properly. I landed in Dhaka at 6 am on a Saturday and was met at the airport http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-286963.html Anyone who has ever travelled in India will know that it doesn't always come easily. Delays lies scams and all number of other hassles are simply just something you have to put up with and get used to. To be honest it all adds to the fun not necesarily at the time but afterwards when all you have left are stories and memories. Still nothing prepared us for Biman Air Bangladesh's national ai http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-286474.html 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 700AM 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 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-286400.html Friday I found myself going past carpacked white mosques to a centuriesold quiet church. Located in the heart of Old Dhaka the Armenian church is a remnant from a forgotten past when the Armenians bizarrely enough become powerful landowners in Bangladesh. Being the oldest of Christian societies the Armenians brought their religion with them over the Asian continent and built this church c http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-284938.html Mollie's birthday yet another Scavenger Hunt. Anyone would think we would be sick of these by now but it's such a fun way to interact with the locals. They love seeing us do stuff that to them is just their everyday lives but to us is crazy.The winners of this hunt was determined by everyone voting on the best picture for each task. It was our first loss. We are now 2 for 3. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/blog-284383.html What do you think is the best way to see your own city in a new light Participate in a crazy scavenger hunt to help celebrate your mate's birthdayLori let us loose with cameras and a list of weird and wonderful items to source go team http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/blog-284323.html The world changes when yoursquove got a man around. Our third flatmate Luke began work at ICDDRB in the clinical division working on a cholera surveillance project. So yesterday I began to commute with someone else which was a welcome relief after a disastrous trip home on Tuesday. Irsquoll drop my feminism a bit and admit that I never feel vulnerable when I am with a man here. Even w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-283956.html Yesterday was fairly uneventful which can be good and bad. Uneventful leads to not being overexerted and homesick but it can also lead to overthinking and homesick. Not that I feel homesick necessarily. In the morning I did the first level of a workout video I bought in the States and it was actually really great and kicked my butt a bit. The first workout video Irsquove taken a liking t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-283163.html Irsquom in such a good mood. Work kind of sucked as observed by my ramblings above as well as freaking myself out about the H5N1 virus having its first human victim in Bangladesh. This place is fantastic and like nowhere else in the whole world I think. Irsquove been very nervous to do much on my own because the upper class is driven absolutely everywhere. I was somehow afraid Irsquo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bangladesh/Dhaka/Dhaka/blog-282803.html