Rain in October?

A few days ago a tropical storm Rasmi, building strength in the Bay of Bengal, hit landfall in the southern region of Bangladesh. According to Reuters some 15 people were killed and roughly 300 injured. Power and phone lines were disrupted, cropland damaged, and houses left in disarray. River siltation, continual loss of coastline, and overpopulation are already norms in one of world’s most beautiful countries. Now add to the list tropical storms.

Often terms like climate change are attributed for such growing occurrences. Debates are constantly going on around such heated topics. In response, policies are being globally created – some implemented, some just on the books. The biggest fight is over whether or not human beings are adding to this impartial force. If people, such as the ones that live in Bangladesh, are directly suffering because of such forces does it really matter who or what caused global climate change?

Here in the city of Dhaka, hours to the north, it was four days of unusual rain. Many a rickshaw driver was found to be wearing an assortment of plastic bags for hats and rider tarps for covers. Traffic was still jammed; students were still going to class, and shopkeepers selling their goods. Life got on as usual – whatever usual means.

Down a drain (of sorts)

Here in Dhaka, like most of Southeast Asia, the most of toilets are of the squat variety. This takes some getting used to as most travelers from the Western world use the seating/bowl style. Now, normally such matters of preference and comfort levels, and well taking care of personal relief, is best not to be talked about aloud. Why then for such openness?

The other night I was preparing my kitchen to have dinner with some friends of mine that arrived as well to start their life with VSO in Bangladesh. The kitchen ready, plates out, cutting boards, and knife ready, I thought I would take a moment to have a bit of well- relief.

At this point in the story I should mention that I have been keeping the habit of leaving my local, brand new, mobile phone in my shirt pocket. As I stood over my squat toilet something quite serendipitous happened-- my mobile phone slipped out my shirt pocket and fell straight into the drain of the toilet. And no, before you ask, I didn't take care of my private matter after the phone went plunk. Now, unlike a western bowl toilet there was no final safety net of a pool of water to catch my phone, no, no, no, there was nothing to stop my slick plastic phone from making a dive bomb straight down the drain. Swoosh! Gone. It took about 1/2 of a 1/2 of a second for my brain to realize what just happened. I then ran into my room, grabbed my flashlight, and walked back into the bathroom to see just how far the "rabbit hole" went. Yes, before you ask, there was the idea of sticking my hand down there too. Then as suddenly as that not so smart idea entered my brain it left.

I took the most responsible approach and walked downstairs (just one flight) to talk with my buildings security guard. Most apartments have them here in Dhaka. In my broken Bangla and English I explained to him, using hand gestures as well, that my phone fell down the toilet. He then followed me back to my apartment, walked into the bathroom with me, and in his most fluent Bangla and also using hand gestures, told me "mobile shesh" or finished. He then guided me back out of the apartment, around the back of the building and showed me just where the pipes lead to-- the sewer system. Again, "mobile shesh" he said. He then went into asking me if I wanted the mechanics to come tomorrow and take apart the pipes. I said no thank you (in broken Bangla) and proceeded to meet my friends at the head of the road to pick them up for dinner. Very kind of him though.

10 minutes later, and my ego still bruised, I then explained to my friends why they were unable to reach me for the past 1/2 hour. They all seemed quite shocked and a general mood of consoling went over them. Dinner prep went off without a hitch despite my head bobbing down a few times in utter shame and laughter. Being the great friends they are each one told a story equally if not even more embarrassing. Only good friends would do such a thing.

Of all the events to have happened during ones first week in a new country this one wins the prize for me. Fortunately I put aside some extra money for such an "oh, didn't see that happening" event, and better yet, my friend Oliver, who was also at dinner that night, just happened to have new phone he was trying to get rid of as he needed a different one to use to connect to the internet with.

All in all everything worked itself out just fine.

Post-note: From time to time it's fun to play the game with my friends "just where in Dhaka is my phone".

Dhaka, taka, and the maze

I arrived to Dhaka four days ago- safe and sound with all my bags too. My first day consisted of meeting the rest of the new in-coming volunteers, getting lost at night tying to find my apartment (quite funny and at the same time not), and partaking of the VSO Bangladesh training course.

How can I begin to explain Dhaka? The maze of my neighborhood, and the entire city for that matter, is not for the uninhibited or shy. The good thing is that the locals are beyond willing to help give directions when I walk up to them with the blank look of a lost sheep.

I would like to write more but I am still a bit turned around from my twenty hour journey. That, and well, I just arrived and am barely able to take it all in let alone write it down. More later I promise.

Visa in hand!

It has been well over a month since I last posted anything. My apologies. The quick version is my assignment in Dhaka was supposed to start on Sept. 25th. Around the end of August I received an email from the VSO office in Ottawa telling me the the VSO Dhaka office was now going to be closed for the entire month of Ramadan. That said my short trip to Washington DC ended up being a month long trip. Many fun adventures have occurred since while visiting some of my oldest and dearest friends in our nations capital.

All of that being said my Visa application was approved. My passport, now stamped with my two year Visa, is in hand! I leave this Saturday night and will arrive on Monday morning in Dhaka. I imagine the eleven hour time difference will be interesting to get used to.

Just what I will be doing in Bangladesh for the next two years? VSO Canada matched me with the Bangladeshi Non-Governmental Organization Uttaran (which means Upliftment in Bangla). I will be working for Uttaran as an Advocacy and Networking Adviser. As of now I understand my assignment to be focusing on the realm of Organizational Capacity. For a good explanation of just what that is simply click on the following link http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-43616-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html.

Once I arrive I will begin my month long in-country training course. Upon completion of this course I will then begin my assignment for Uttaran.

That is the quick version. Please feel free to send any questions or comments you might have to the following email address: notestofloatingplanet@yahoo.com