I love Baby Cowlets....

So I have been at site in Moluvibazar for a few days now. Things are slower here. I feel strange going from Dhaka full throttle to peaceful country life. Now don't get me wrong this is not the "sticks" its a medium sized city with all the amenities one could want. I even found a store that sells oatmeal. Life is sweet. My town also sells canned tuna fish and mayo. So between that, the oatmeal and hard boiled eggs I should be just fine. Also I plan to lose some of this pre service training weight. I have told my new family that it is culturally inapproprate to make me fat. Life here in Mbazar is slower (thank you Goddess!) and I have been walking to my school these past few days. It is a nice walk from my house which is up on a hill. I wind down the street passing various village homes and rice paddies. Mostly there are farmers who are walking there with their live stock and children playing in the paths that criss cross between the houses. The weather is cool (80ish) and no one really pesters me. There are the wide mouthed stares but mostly they are just dumbstruck. What the heck is this white woman doing out here anyway?! The only people brave enough to talk to me are the little old ladies, but I do not speak the local dialect so I just "Assalam Walekum" them and salute and walk on by. The men here are simple and provincial so they avert their eyes (well they try to anyway but I am just such a sight) and they say nothing to me which is polite to unknown women. I am not harrassed. Going into town is different though. But that is the way cities are I suppose. There are beggars here but that is a fact of life in Bangladesh. WE are not to give to them. There are also the groups of young men that hoot and holler, but it dosent seem so bad here. THat or mabey I am beginging to grow a thicker skin. I do not respond to any kind of verbal shouts , I just ignore it and keep on walking.

I have also been getting to know my new host family and they are pretty nice. They give me lots of space and are not pushy. I like them very much so far. Since I have my own kitchen I boil my own water for my daily bucket baths and boil my own drinking water. It makes life easier if I can be more independent. Yesterday John and I were walking around town and we heard there was a gym and tennis courts so we went off in search of them. We did find them and shocked the hell out of the men who were hanging out there. Actually, no one was working out at the gym as the big Muslim holiday of Eid is coming up and many things are closed. But there is a lounge there that the "boro loks" (big men) hang out in. They almost jumped out of their skins when they saw us. Can you imagine 2 Americans walking into your gym??? Anyway, it turns out that one of them had a PEace Corps teacher back in the day and they all spoke some English. They were also impressed that I spoke some Bangla too and could not believe my name was Maya since this is a Bangladeshi name. One of the men asked John who the "leader" of the 3 volunteers in Mbazar was. (Typical to Bangladeshi culture men tend to ignore women when there is another man present husband or no). John was unsure of the question so I piped up. "Naturally Sir, I am the leader here in Moluvibazar. John and Leif report to me." There was about 2 seconds of silence and then a roar of good natured laughter and one of the guys slapped John on the back. My gentle readers Mouluvibazar is about to get the "Maya" experience and they are going to have no idea what has hit them.

So I am just exploring my town. Getting to know people. Seeing what is around. I am pretty happy here. It seems so much more chill and I am excited to get started. Of course we three are the talk of the town and actually the internet guys are talking about me right now. Typical. My every move is watched and pondered upon. If I go into a store and buy something every one wants to know. Why did you buy that color? Where did you shop? What do you like? I am totally living under a microscope. And actual I am afraid to throw my trash away b ecause I know the people will go through it and then gossip. And though Bangladeshis bash American policy (and who can blame them) they are bonafied America-philes.

So that that brings me to the title of this blog... "I love baby cowlets...." Yes my friends I am in love with the baby cows. They are the cutest things I have ever seen all shiny coats and big brown lovey eyes with curling eyelashes. My fellow volunteers who are vegetarians often ask me... "Maya how is it that you love baby cows so much and still eat cow meat." To which I respond "I guess I am diabolical but if you were allergic to half the food on the planet your choices would be pretty diabolical. Besides I dont eat the baby ones......"

Oh yeah I was on national tv. I was interviewed by Bangla N-news about Peace Corps and being an English teacher. So yeah I guess I am famous. John was on the tv too and the guys at the gym said they saw the program. Tee hee. So let me just say that when I get back to the States and am not famous anymore please be patent while I adjust to mediocraty.

So for now I am well. Just settling in. It feels good to finally be a volunteer. I have worked my ass of that is for sure. I hope you all are well and things are going well back in the states. I will get back on when I can.

M