Fardipur...volunteer visit

So I am back on line today. What luxury! I have been in the district of Fardipur for 3 days visiting volunteers here. And I am most happy to be away from my "host" family and in the company of fellow Americans. It is so nice to be in a home where the rules are American and I do not have to worry about all the cross cultural issues inside the doors of these fellow volunteers. It makes life so much easier. I am staying with a female volunteer and have gone to her classes as well as a male volunteers classes. The first night we all got together and they brought a bottle of local moonshine Bangladeshi vodka. It was so nice to have a few drinks even though the vodka tasted like petrol. You can get lascivious things here but they are hard to find and the quality is often poor. I am still trying to get my head together about being here but as I have been in several classroom settings I find myself getting excited about teaching again and can hardly wait to get back into the class. One of the hardest things that I am experiencing is adjusting to the Bangladeshi "time" or cultural schedule. Here is a typical day for me:
4:45am: Awake to the call to prayer
5:00am: Go back to sleep.
6:00am: Wake up from sleep and put on my "maxi" the Islamic dress required of the women to wear indoors here. Basically it is a big MooMoo.
6:15am: Shower in the scary bathroom with the scary toilet.
6:30am: have a yummy Bangladeshi breakfast of rice, curried meat and tea.
7:30am: leave for language class.
8:00am-12:30pm is my Bangla language class and it is grueling. Unfortunately I have a terrible language instructor who is terrified of women and going outside. Though in 3 weeks I have learned more language than in an entire semester of Spanish in college and i am able to communicate basically.
12:30 pm-2:30pm: Lunch with my host family which is more rice, curried meat and vegetables.

2:30-5:30pm is technical training at another school. This is where I learn about Bangladeshi school systems and their curriculum. Also we are learning about classroom management and teaching techniques. Most of this is review for me but the school system is new as it is modeled after the British style of schooling.

After this full day I go home and have to deal with the family. Don't get me wrong they are super sweet and so good to me but it is tiring to deal with all the questions and the cultural differences. They like to watch me eat and when I don't eat properly my host mother comes over with a dissatisfied look on her face and holds the back of my head with her left hand and feeds me with her right hand. It is the strangest thing as an adult to be hand fed as another adult. Thank the gods that she dose not want to chew my food for me too. The sad thing is that we eat at 10pm and i am so tired by this time. Before that I practice my Bangla with my host father who is convinced that America is cold and that i am really from Mexico not New Mexico. Also every Bangladeshi I meet tells me how wonderful it is that I have a Bangladeshi name.."Maya" and that I look like Kate Winslet or some other actress they forgot the name of. So then at 7pm the electricity goes out and I lay as still as I can on my bed as the sweat pours out of me and i pray to Allah to restore the power. I usually go to bed around 10:30 or 11:00 and i am completely exhausted. 5 more months of this......blehhhhhh!!!!! Though I already have a trip planned to Singapore and a place to stay there too. I think I am going to get the whole Asian experience before coming back to the States. So not too much to report. Not much has changed in the few days since I last wrote but since I am at another cafe i decided to write again. I have been thinking a lot about things like marriage, life, death, and social norms but i have not formed any real opinions yet. When i do I will write to you or vent here on this blog. I do now realize that i am not a completely independent unit of self sufficiency. So I need you all to write me. If you have my physical address in Bangladesh and all of my close family and friends do I want you to write. It takes very little time to write, place the paper in the envelope and go to the post office. Lettered mail is cheap and most of you in the developed world can get stamps from the machines you do not have to go to the "posht offish" that is run by Harry Potter type gremlins with stacks of mail behind them that looks like it has been sitting there for 50 years. So feel guilt and write. So I am well. Still haven't got sick and things are going good. Just missing many, many, many things and a few people in particular.

So Fardipur is more chill than Gazipur and the volunteers here are really nice, though they have been in country for 2 years and are definately ready to go home. The female volunteer here was actually one of the women who was attacked at home. 4 guys busted down her door and attacked her. She of course fought back and they were so scared and taken back that she fought back that they all ran away. It was of course because she is a "martial arts" expert or ninja as the rumor goes because of course that would be the only way a woman could fight back here. She was ok but had to move to another home. So there are many interesting stories to be told.

Alright my lovlies i will write again when i can. The bastards here are charging me 1 taka a minute!!

M

Gazipur...week 3

Well I finally made it to an internet café! The power was down of course and it takes about a million hours to load anything from the internet but hey I am here. And for 20 taka an hour (30 cents or so) I can ride the information super highway. Yeah I did step in cow dung on my way here. Anyway, I would like to address the bombing first. We are all safe and the bombing was a coordinated attack by the Awami League. It was not meant to hurt or kill, just to scare and it was not directed at Americans in the country. We are all fine and dandy.
As for me I am adjusting to life here the best that I can. It is very difficult and training is brutal. We work 8 to 9 hours a day at our language schools and our training halls then we go home to our host families. Of course going home is not restful either because we are with people we do not know and often times I feel like I am in a fish bowl. IT is very tiering and hard to deal with the language barrier. My family is pretty cool however, my dad is a shop keeper and he dyes his hair and beard bright orange which is a local male style. Also I live with my host mother who is sweet but bossy as hell and my host brother and his wife. I have met my extented "family" who all came from Dhaka to see me and ask me to sing the American national anthem. My sisters gave me jewlery and henna'd my hands. They also gave me sweet meats and we talked about many things. They are all so very sweet but it is hard to get any private moments. I have had to adjust to so much. The food is good but I am fricken sick of curry and rice for EVERY meal and going to the bathroom is wicked fun. The left hand is used and I have had to get to know my body in ways that I never thought possible. My biggest frustration is the language and i struggle with it. The language instructor that i have is paranoid about everything and has a hard time speaking to the women in the class. I am trying to find a new language instructor. Most of the PEace Corps people and staff are great. There are a few knuckle heads but so far they are pretty cool. This weekend I am going to do a mini site visit to a town called Fardipur to the south. I will be visiting another volunteer and will be riding the bus with only one other newbie. Yipes! Bangladeshies are mostly a kind and hospitable people and way curious. I have not felt threatened just that my privacy is always invaded. The family I live with is pretty middle class by these standards. I have my own room and veranda but if my door is open they come in and sit on the floor and watch me do everything. The most unerving thing is them watching me as i eat. I am steadily getting used to the conditions here...I think. And i only had one mental breakdown. I was just sitting in my room after lunch with the door closed and practicing my Bangla when I just started to cry and cry for no apparent reason. But it passed as all these little trial do. My health is fine I just have a rice pot belly now and had to get some antibiotics for an insect bite that made my foot swell up twice the size. Other than that I am fine and I am very careful about my food and water. The most horrible thing that happened was that my first time in a rickshaw we recked. HE had no breaks and slammed into another one. My host mother and I tumbled out and the rickshaw fell ontop of us. I thought I broke my arm and i could not move. I was just laying in muck on a street in Gazipur, Bangladesh thinking I was going to die. A huge crowed formed and someone helped me up. Ultimately i was fine but I have a huge bruise. Anyway, I will try to get to a computer when I can. I cannot promise to e-mail everyone directly as our time here is so jam packed but I will try. I can recieve mini e-mails on my mobile phone. But they cost me. I have already e-mailed some of you from my phone. Also write me letters!!!!!!! That is the best way to communicate to me allbeit slow. But I could really use the support. I will be sending some of you letters too.... hopefully they will get to you within the next week. I love you all bunches and I miss you so incredibly.

Always
M

Whats next???

So I am not sure when I will get to a computer next but hopefully soon. I just wanted to post one last time since I have computer access here at the hotel. The days have been flying by fast and I am mostly exhausted. We got shots yesterday and I basically need all of them. We get them in a series and my arms are killing me. I will get more as the weeks pass at training. I also started my malaria drugs which supposidly can cause psychotic dreams and episodes. So far I am fine. Also my face has been breaking out like mad! Probably from the stress and humidity. I hope it calms down soon as it is awful. We have been doing lots of training too, language and culture. The language is intimidating but the entire hotel staff has made it their personal mission to help us learn Bangali. And they are so happy that we are here learning their culture as they are so proud of it. And yes I will have to learn how to go to the bathroom using my left hand! So there is no using of the left during meal time. We also (the girls) got our shalwar kameezes yesterday. Mine were a dark burnt orange one with silver embroidery in the pattern of spirals. Pretty cool. The other is a dark purple and blue with antiqued gold embroidery. They are both very beautiful and comfortable. You wear them with an orna, which is a scarf around the neck to cover the boobs. Your hair does not have to be covered.

The food here is awesome here as well, all spicy curries and sweet mangos and rice. Like eating at the India House everyday. I also got my new mobile phone number and e-mailed it to close family and friends. So talk amongst yourselves and share that number.

Today we have more culture and after noon we move to our host families. All I know is that my family is 4 people which is small. But I do get my own room and there is running water and electricity. So here I go. Out of the protection of this hotel with all the PEace Corps babying. I am nervous but excited too. I know I will make many misteaks but what a joy it is to be here. The Bangladeshis are so warm and welcoming. They gave us a show last night with folk singing and dancing and it was wonderful. I will definately be looking to learn traditional Bengali dance.

So I am not sure when the next time I will get to internet but I will when I can. Those of you close to me have my address and soon my mobile phone. I can be reached by those methods as well.

Kisses and Love
Maya

In the "Desh"

So I have found internet access in Bangladesh aka the "Desh". It has been a long and harrowing flight and travel over 24 hours in fact and I am tired and jet lagged like hell. We started out from San Francisco to Tokyo which was a 10+ hour flight. After that we flew to Bangkok which was another 6 hours and stayed one night in Bangkok...heh and no we did not go crazy we were too tired. The Bangkok airport was insane. There was no rhyme or reason and security and protical were lax. It was very frustrating as the "officials" them selves did not seem to know what was going on. However, once through immigration things were fine. Thai airways was very impressive and makes our American flyers look cheap and dirty. They gave us fresh orchids on the flight as a gift and I bought a bottle of my favorite perfume that was half priced...can I say woo hoo duty free!!! I liked the Tokyo airport a lot and think I will have to visit Japan someday.

Upon arriving in Bangladesh we had to retrieve our luggage and were greeted by the Country Director and other Peace Corps staff. I had changed into a very conservative ourfit similar to SCA garb so I felt quite comfortable. Out side of the the airport walking to the busses we were mobbed by children begging for money and food. IT was a bit disconcerning but alright. However, a huge crowed had come to see us arive. People were everywhere, hanging from railings and staring from windows of near by buildings. Mostly they just stared but a few tapped on the bus windows. Driving to the hotel in Dhaka was interesing too. The poverty here is unbelievable. Shacks upon shacks and disfigured beggars and people living in the most horrid squaller. Of course the streets were clogged with rickshaws , cars, busses and big oxen. So interesting I am quite over whelmed. Our arrival at the hotel was an event too. They gave us leis of jasmine and roses and I have never had this kind of service in my life. We are staying at one of the most expensive hotels in Dhaka and it would be econo in the US. But there is bottled water a plenty and I start my malaria pills tomorrow.

There is much to do and I will try to get to the computer again while I am here to give you updates. I am in Dhaka this weekend then move to a host family in the town of Gazipur to the north for three months, then onto my site. I will keep you posted as I can. I may not be able to write to you all individually but I will try. I will however, keep updates here. I love you all and miss you all and I am safe and fine.

Kisses
Maya

Last American Transmission.....

So this is my farewell to my friends and loved ones. Friday I leave for staging and then Monday I fly to Tokyo and then off for a fun 19 hour flight to Bangladesh. Thank the Gods for sleeping pills!

I just have to say that being back home has been a wonderful mixed bag. I was very depressed to be back here at first as I left New Mexico when I was 18 and have not been back since. So lots of old stuff came up, mixed with anticipation and excitement in leaving the country. Doing something so foreign and unknown is really scary but I know it will be worth all the doubts in my head. 2 years of my life dedicated in service to help a nation of people that live in depravity that we cannot even imagine here in the US is a worthy cause. I am proud to be a teacher and I love the work.

I have also made some discoveries about being back in New Mexico. First of all I have enjoyed being around my support network of family and friends. I truly have a group of amazing friends here and that is something not easily found. Being back has made me realize how much I missed them and that kind of quality. I have also enjoyed being back around my brother, Che and I have gotten much closer and there is an amazing bond there that I will miss being around again. I also have missed playing in the SCA and the few events that I have been to have been amazing! Gotta get back to that when I return! And I have to say thank you to a certain Pirate who has stolen my heart. Wonder how they will sing the Bangladesh National Anthem over there? Certainly not as sweetly. Wowie!

So off I go into the soppy Bangladeshi monsoon! But remember to check back from time to time as I will be writing in this here blog! I love all of you guys so much! And I miss you all so much already. My amazing New Mexico friends, my family, my loved ones in California. Mucho Besos!!!

Miss Maya