in Dhaka

So Medical called me into Dhaka for various reasons. They are quite concerned that I have lost 22 pounds in two months. I am sure there are various reasons for this but naturaly being the sadists that they are I have to do various "tests" (let your imagination wander) and then get flu shots. Ugh. I am quite happy to have lost 22 pounds and if it is a tapeworm will gladly introduce this diet method to the project cases I worked with in the entertainment industry. So Dhaka... yeah... well getting here is always interesting. I got a bit of a late start and my counterpart Malik who is ever worried for me lectured the bus conductor about getting me a cab once we arrived in Dhaka. I can tell you to that the bus stops in Dhaka are some of the most dangerous places in the city. I of course arrived at dusk. The bus conductor being a good Bangladeshi and taking his job of finding a cab for me quite seriously went in search. This of course left me on the street alone. I timed it too... 14 seconds before the crowd formed. Some teenage boy was trying to get me to let him "carry" my back pack. "Ami shahijjo dorkar nai..lagbe na... jao." (I don't need help, no need. Go away) Yay for Bangla skills. Of course my bus conductor could not find me a taxi and there were only CNG's (they are these green three wheeled micro car thingies). But none of them wanted to take me all the way across Dhaka to the diplomatic area so my conductor ran and found a cop. That cop found another cop who found a tea guy and then I had all these guys looking for a ride for me. Woo hoo. So I found a CNG and then of course his meter was broken (funny how every CNG I have ever ridden in has a broken meter....must be the will of Allah.) So I had to barter a price which was way too much .... but it was getting dark.

Driving along is ok except when you are stuck in traffic and the beggars come and bother you. But off we went and then his tire popped. "Ai Allah! Banani Kothay? Beshi shamoy achhe?" (Oh God! Where's Banani? Do we have a lot of time?) No thankfully we were almost to Banani but we came in a different way so he stopped on road that my hotel was on but I did not recognize where we were. However, a rickshaw wallah came by and I asked him and this was his turf so he knew. It was of course pitch black and I have to say I was a bit nervous.

I met up with some other B8's (that is Bangladesh year 8 volunteers like me. I am a B8) and we went to the American club and had food and wine and were going to play pool but the B7's were hogging the table. I also met some other guys there and thought they were marines from the embassy because they were definately military. They were like all shifty eyed when I asked them and were like "were... cough ... cough... special forces... cough cough.... " "Did I hear you correctly did you say Special Forces?" "Shhhhhhh!!!" ER yeah... so it was interesting to talk to them. They were all quite insane. I mean who in their right mind would come to a junglous 3rd world country.... er moving on... Then I made it to my hotel and then I watched tv until 2am. Hey it was Oprah and some strange British serial. Anyway it was a nice evening.

Today I was at Peace Corps all day doing office stuff and surfing the web (a luxury one such as myself took for granted back in the States). After I was finished at the office I went to my new host family in Dhaka (the American family who adopted me) which is where I am now as I type this to you all. I just finished having a hot luxurious bubble bath and I shaved my legs, which I had not done in 5 months. And I never knew this before but I really am not that hairy. Must be the native american blood. So gonna go eat now.... yay baked salmon... potatoes... salad.... mmmmmmm........

M