Only in Bangladesh

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The most random things happen in Bangladesh that would never happen to me anywhere else. For example, the other day I was visiting a small indigenous NGO and they got all excited that I was there and asked me if I would be willing to be the narrator for the English version of a movie they are making about one group of indigenous people in Bangladesh. Ok, sure. Then, the back of my neck broke out in this nasty rash that was so itchy it was driving me crazy. I asked a friend at BRAC to come with me to the pharmacy to get some topical cream to take away the itch, but she suggested I see a doctor. When I told her how complicated that is with my insurance company she brought me downstairs to the BRAC Health Unit where no less than five doctor-staff stood around me examining my neck in the middle of the office, with plenty of on-lookers. Absolutely no sense of privacy about these things in Bangladesh. When they had finished debating and settled on a prescription I thanked them profusely and got up to leave. Here is the conversation that followed:
Doc 1: “Wait, sit down.”
Natalie: “You are not finished?”
Doc 1: “We need a picture.”
Natalie: “Of my neck?”
Doc 1: “No, your hands.”
Natalie “You want to take a picture of my hands?”
Doc 1: “Yes, you have very beautiful hands. Just wait.”
Natalie to Doc 2: “Why does she want a picture of my hands?”
Doc 2: “Let me see. Yes, you do have very beautiful hands.”
Doc 1: “Ok, now put your hands on the desk.”
Natalie: “Like this?”
Doc 1: “Yes, now pretend to scratch. Very good.”
Natalie: “You want a picture of my hands pretending to scratch?”
Doc 1: “yes, for some poster or something.”

So there you have it, I am know BRAC Health Program’s bideshi hand model. Only in Bangladesh would this ever happen to me.

Other than running around being a hand model, scratching the back of my neck and narrating videos, my work is going along well. The political situation has been quiet, thankfully, for the past week, so I’ve been able to get interviews everyday. Since I last wrote the President swore himself in as the head of the caretaker government. Although the opposition deemed this unconstitutional, it seemed to quell the violence. The opposition gave the President until last Friday to meet a number of demands, and this was extended until November 12. People are hopeful that there won’t be too much violence after the 12th, but everyone is on edge and expecting the worse. Given the political situation which has me stuck in Dhaka and the success of my research so far, I decided to do as much work as possible in the next two weeks and changed my ticket. Now I’ll be coming home November 16th, less than two weeks from today. For those of you who are prone to prayer, please send some positive energy my way! If there is a strike called on the day I am to leave I’ll have to hire an ambulance to take me to the airport in safety as the Canadian High Commission can’t provide safe transport for non-embassy staff. I’ve always wondered what people do if they actually need an ambulance during a hartal while they are all running to and from the airport!

Can’t wait to see everyone!
Natalie

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Comments

[Marsha]

Just caught up on your tale
Hi sweetie, Just read the past few weeks in your journal. Being away in Myrtle Beach, then having my cataract surgery (when I couldn't read or use the computer for a while) put me well behind. But what a lovely time I had reading your stories. You really should write a book. Sounds as though your experience could have been better, but hopefully, you have been able to get everything you need for your studies. Glad to hear you've recovered from ass grabbing, stalking, cock roaches (hey, they're everywhere--even Myrtle Beach). And some day I'll have to tell you about my "admirer" experiences in Germany, Spain and Africa. Now that you have become a famous model, you won't have the time of day for us. Looking forward to your safe return and lots more stories. Continue to be careful. Saw an interesting documentary on the Bangladeshi "steel workers" who dismantle ships destined for the graveyard. Of course they do it for the steel, working horrible hours for very rich entrepreneurs there who buy the ships from foreign countries like Russia etc. Along with all of the scrap steel, which they dismantle by hand, they gets lovely things like asbestos and have all sorts of nasty job accidents. Kids of 12-13 were doing it just to make money to live. We're dumping our garbage on their beaches so we don't have to pay to get rid of it. Another good DVD TV series is "24". We got hooked on it in Myrtle and that's what we did everynight! Love to you from both of us. Take care.