We are safe...

I would first of all like to address the recent bombings and bring you all up to speed. All Peace Corps Volunteers are safe and accounted for. The past 3 days have seen violent demonstrations and suicide bombings. The worst of the bombings have taken place in Gazipur, which is where we did our 3 months of training. Peace Corps has us on "Alert" status which is the lowest status of our emergency action plan. Basically we are to be careful and keep our eyes and ears open in our sites. We are also to avoid courthouses which is where a majority of the bombings have taken place. Unfortunately, my college is right next to the courthouse here in M'bazar so I must be very careful. The good news is that the court closed the day of the bombings and will remain closed for one month. All the volunteers in Gazipur have been evacuated and consolidated to Dhaka. The site is being assessed as to its safety and to see if the volunteers will return. If not they will be assigned different cites. Sadly one of my fellow B8's students and a collegue were killed in the bomb blast. She herself left the boming zone only minutes before the blast and I believe that it is fate that she missed the carnage. I am not sure if she will remain as a volunteer in Bangladesh after this experience. I am not sure I could concentrate after such a horrible experience. However, we are all "safe" physically and accounted for. Peace Corps holds our safety as its main priority and will pull us out if things get worse. I actually am beginning to have my doubts about remaining here for the 2 years. Peace Corps already pulled everyone out 3 years ago for minor elections and this year (2006) will be the presidential elections and it will be insane for sure. Also we just recieved a contingency plan from Washington in the event of bird flu. If there are human infections here in Bangladesh we will get pulled. So far Thailand, China, and Vietnam all have the flu but Bangladeshi scientists have not discovered its presence here (umm ok I guess we have to believe that for now.)

I was planning on getting to the internet a few days ago but a hartal was called amidst all the bombings and I could not leave my house. Mass angry crowd. Umm no thanks. Actually I am going through a lot right now. My heads a bit twisted and I think its the stress of the violence, not knowing if I am going to be staying here in Bangladesh and also the holidays. I had this really funny blog ready to publish about the ridiculousness of the culture here and the little foibles I have been getting into but I will save that one for later. I am not feeling too funny at the moment and actually had a panic attack as I was walking home. I couldn't breath and I felt like I was going to faint and everything got to be spinning and my heart started to race. I had just had Malik deal with another stalker the day before and all the bombings and crap going on was too much for me. I pulled out my mobile and called Lief. I said "Leif I am having a panic attack!!!" and he was like "Ok Maya just breath! Its Ok!" and I was like "Really is it ok? Cause I am not sure anymore." Actually it was ok in the imediate sense but I am not myself and have not been feeling very well. Physically I am fine but theres a lot going on in my head. I've been talking to my fellow volunteers and its not me just being high mantenence. This country is really unstable and no one is sure what is going to happen. Gee why could I not get a chill country like the Dominican Republic?! Yeah so moving on.....

I did go over to Johns house the other day and he made chicken tacos. Well sort of. The "taco" was a rice shell and inside we put shreded chicken, chillies, pinapple, and cooked lentils (supposed to be the pinto beans) we also had some local cheese which was like Mexican cheese. Actually the rice tacos were pretty good.

I have been designing my Spoken English course also and today had the girls sign up for the English interview. I am really looking foreward to my spoken class as it will only have 30 girls (my regular class has around 200) and it will be my own little universe. I am getting into things more at my school but it is really hard. There is this national apathy and the school system is so different here. ITs hard to get people excited about teaching and learning, though there are some very interested students. But because they are girls they are not given the same chances. I am planning on starting a student newsletter for the girls and by the girls. I have so many plans!! Damn it!! I so don't want to leave! I really hope that things calm down. Today they are fine but things are still tense. I feel tense and unsure.
Blehhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So yes packages: Got Dad and Grandmas thank you guys sooooo much!!! Cathy and Erin got yours! I loved it especially the Halloween pics. And thank you for the music I was getting bored with what I brought. My favorite mixes are the "Cosmo Mix", the "Mellow Mix" and the "I am not getting any mix" (Tenacious D & Barry White??!! are you trying to kill me or what??!!). Aunt Kathy: Thanks for pawning off all of your Halloween candy on me. ***Please note in earlier blogs ***Miss Maya has gained training weight and must lose it!!! Mammacita thanks for the ginger gummie bears (which by the way the dudes at the post office opened and helped themselves to)

PLEASE NOTE: MISS MAYA DOES NOT NEED ANY MORE HAND SANITIZER!!!!!!!!!!! I have enough of this to clean the nation thank you family and friends. Please send

****************************** BOOKS !!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!!!!!! ************************************************************************

Alright. I am finished for today. Gonna check e-mails then go eat some more fricken curry. I will write when I can. And remember you have my mobile number. Go to Albertsons and buy an international phone card (only $10) and call me. Its easy.

M