Ami Margo: Dhaka, proposals, villages, language partners, dreams

Listen to this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8pQLtHTPaI 

And if you want some Bangla:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGSxRYtIBU4

Alright! Here we go!

(I promise to have pictures in the next post)

So, first of all I would like to apologize for not posting.. We had some serious Internet issues at the beginning of my stay in BD... aside from that I am all out of excuses.  If it is any consolation, per usual, I have been journaling! Don’t think that I stopped recording my experiences all together!

At this point I have been in BD for almost three weeks? Wow… how did that happen already..

Where to begin?

So DC was wonderful. We listened to several panels of speakers, and of course met with the ambassador of Bangladesh at the Bangladeshi embassy. 

I also had the chance to meet up with so many friends who all hold different places in my heart… Becca, Nevin, Stephen, Hasan, Alli, and Colin… So many reunions! So little time!

Some from Colgate, some from CLS, and even a high school friend that I ran into on the street!

Oh life, how you surprise me!

 ...

Right off the bat I was struck by the different dynamic that the CLS group has this year.  I realized, as did one of the returners who was having similar feelings, that I was approaching this summer with expectations: Mistake #1

This summer will not be like last summer.

The end.

Once we got over that, all was well :)

Also, we flew through Qatar this year! NOT DUBAI, WHAT?!?

I actually had a pretty horrible experience with the man that I was sitting next to on the connection flight from Qatar… I think from now on I am going to start wearing a ring on my ring finger and telling people that I am married….

Now, three weeks later my current wedding proposal count (for this year) is

(drumroll)……….. 3!

________________________________________________________________________

This next year is quite the trip for me.  I am all over the place traveling and I will not be home until next summer (most likely).  Home shall be wherever my feet are in the moment.  All that is left to do is live in the moment, breathe, and soak it all in.

These past few months I have grown up a lot.  This year was challenging for me in a lot of different ways and certain situations forced me to reevaluate my commitments and priorities in life.  Not to mention, my first experience of this summer, spent in South Dakota, really pushed me out of my comfort zone in many different ways and has made me a better and stronger person.

______________________________________________________________________________

I love Bangladesh.  Every time I go I learn so much, not only about the country, but also about myself. This is my third time in Bangladesh and I will actually be returning over my winter break with a group of Colgate students to study microfinance (Through BRAC) and the NGO sector in Bangladesh..

People keep asking me why I am going back and why I want to learn bangla?  I am back for a second summer of CLS because I really want to be proficient in Bangla and there is no other way that I would rather be spending my summer! :) I had such an amazing experience last year that I knew I would not be sorry and that this is where I should be.

But WHY am I here?  Because I always become so inspired when I come here! Because Bangladesh is the place to be if you are interested in development at the grassroots level and NGOs! Bangladesh is a breeding ground for NGOs. Some are good, some are bad, some play it by the books, and others are innovative and new. 

Also, my first summer here spent as an intern for Grameen Bank showed me how much more I would get out of my experiences if I could speak Bangla.. relying on a translator really is not good enough.

Do I like Dhaka?  Yes and no.  There are things that I like and there are things that I find challenging.  Do I like Bangladesh? No. 

I love it.

In my opinion, if you come to Bangladesh and spend all of your time in Dhaka then you did not really see the country, and experience culture.

But that’s not all.  There are so many reasons why I am here! I’ll talk more about them in future posts.

_______________________________________________________________________________

For the sake of time (and the time difference since I get up every day at 6 am) I am going to make the next part kind of brief… I promise more posts soon!!!

• I am in the Intermediate Class this year!
• I LOVE the BLI crew :) 

• My language partner this year is Shamima! Shamima shobcheye bhalo language partner! I will post more about her and our adventures.. I want to do it justice and can’t in this post.

• I really want to visit a village in Mymensingh that I stayed at for a week two years ago.. been trying to figure out exactly where I went… (I didn’t speak bangla then so I am facing transliteration difficulties)..

• I am going to the Chittagong hill tracks in two weeks!

• I am going to start drawing again. 

• Made the rounds to Sonargon, Dhanmundi, and Old Dhaka for the CLS field trips.

• I have been leading workout classes every day on the roof at 6am sharp! Ok.. maybe more like 6:10..  I also do yoga in the evenings during the azzan.. and I’m choreographing a dance for the talent show at the end of the summer! If you have any song suggestions, send them my way! :)

• Also, I’ve been busy meeting up with all of my friends here! At this point it is a very substantial amount of people.  Yay for two families on opposite sides of the world!

Lots of adventures! I think this is a decent first post… stay tuned for more!

Peace,

M

(Oh! How could I forget?! My name! This summer the name of choice is Margo)

This is Bangladesh: Rule # 1 and Rule #2 (rolling blackouts, traffic, onek manush, cha stalls)

 Rule #1 and Rule #2:

As some of my friends here have joked: There are only two rules for us ‘Bedeshis’ (foreigners) here in the ‘Desh’:

1) This is Bangladesh (T.I.B.)

2) Don’t drink the tap water 

When we witness something out of our comfort zone or something that really does not make sense, we simply refer back to rule number one.  “Rule #1” explains it all.  Now, please do not misread my sarcasm as disdain! While I might have faced many “close calls” and many a rickshaw and motorcycle might have swept my side from behind as I walked down the street, this is what makes Dhaka, Dhaka!  The traffic, the smells, the rain, the blackouts, and the unpredictability - I take it all.  It is all part of the experience.   Now, without further adieu, I shall take a few moments to elaborate on some fundamental realities that characterize my life in the 'Desh'... both of the expected and unexpected nature!

Onek manush (a lot of people)…

As currently reported, Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.  To give you some perspective, it is like taking more than half of the population of the United States and stuffing it inside the state of Florida! There are people EVERYWHERE. 

No, but really.

I grew up in a suburb right outside New York City, so the hustle and bustle of city life is something that I have been constantly exposed to. I feel that I am able to be here and not (easily) get overwhelmed because of this “exposure.”  That being said, it still amazes me when I go out into the city and look around at the SEA of people at seemingly EVERY public venue. 


Let’s take an example… hmm.. shopping? Okay!

A few weeks ago I went to nearby with Konica.  I love bargaining shopping in the states and I am good at weaving in and out of aisles that are congested with too many shirts and people. I argue that this “acquired skill” has served me well in Bangladesh.  If you see something you want, you have to be fairly aggressive to push your way past those in your way.  You should also be prepared to quite possibly have to step over a few children or small people in order to reach the item of your desire.  On this shopping excursion I bought the soundtrack and DVD for the Bangla movie Monpura.  I LOVE the songs and I figure that watching the movie will help me practice my Bangla (despite the fact that it is spoken in a dialect).  I’ll let you know how I like the movie, but in the mean time I suggest that you look up some of the songs on YouTube! Totally worth checking it out…

Anyways, on we go!

Black outs

Do NOT be fooled.  The rolling blackouts are a common occurrence that WILL strike at the most inconvenient times of every day.  Whether you have just arrived home from a day in the heat and are wishing to feel the nice breeze of the air-conditioner, you are uploading pictures or blog posts (ha ha) on facebook, or, my personal favorite, while you are taking a shower (which can be extremely inconvenient at night), the power WILL go out… and better yet, you WILL be surprised EVERY.  SINGLE.  TIME!

On average each blackout will last about an hour and they can occur at intervals as frequent as every other hour (and of course, sometimes more frequently).

Coming from a place where having internet 24 hours a day is considered 'the norm', having power every other hour (if I’m lucky) can sometimes pose itself as a bit of a challenge and inconvenience.  Further, I cannot help but feel this constant feeling of “surprise” that I mentioned above.  As if, for some reason, I believed that there would be a day where the power would not go out...

...

In my last post I talked briefly about the hype, enthusiasm, and zest that was sparked in Dhaka by the World Cup.  Now, being the smart cookie that I am, I know what question you must find yourself asking: “But WAIT! How can everyone consistently watch the football (soccer) games when there are these ‘rolling blackouts’?”  I shall tell you, my friends, that this is a very valid question to ask; and it is at this point that I shall take a few moments to relay a small anecdote…

One of my first Friday nights in Dhaka I was hanging out with a couple CLS-ers watching a football game.  Honestly, I do not remember which teams were playing, but I think that one of them was either Argentina or Brazil (the two Deshi favorites)!  Anyway, someone was about to score a goal and, surprise, surprise, the power went out!  Frustrated, and of course, “surprised” we then decided to head out into Noda Bazaar (aka: Narnia) to check out the scene and possibly grab some food.  Everything was nice and dandy until we saw a scene that made us look twice.

Despite the fact that seemingly no one in Baridhara had power, there was one tinie, tiny cha stall located directly outside the Baridhara gate that DID have power!  Better yet, the stall was equipt with a T.V. and currently being shown was the football game that we had left behind.  Surrounding the stall was a pack of easily 30-40 spectators.  How could this be?  Well, there was a man standing on top of the cha stall fiddling with the power lines and a pair of metal pliers in hand.  The Deshies had taken matters into their own hands and channeled power to this cha stand despite the fact that no one else in the region had power!  Rule # 1 stands strong! T.I.B. (This is Bangladesh)…  Where there is a will, there is a way!

Traffic

The traffic (and driving in general) here is unlike anything you have ever seen.  Every now and then you will find a traffic light or two, but they might as well not be there at all since no one pays attention to them.  The concept of "lanes" does not exist on the roads of Dhaka.  Driving is best described as a free for all competition! "Survival of the fittest!" or shall I say, fastest and smallest vehicle with the loudest horn?

While last year the driving might have overwhelmed me at times and kept me on my toes, this year I have found the driving to be less of a shock.   In fact, I have found within myself a level of omnipresent calmness that I did not know existed. Just yesterday, a car came millimeters away from running over my foot, yet I barely flinched.  Better yet, I laughed.  I continue to walk on the sidewalk even when there is a motorcycle heading straight at me. I have to have some faith that he will dodge me at the last second, right?  That’s kind of the way it goes here.

What is life without some jumps?  What is life without some risks?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CF7sER73TY




That's all for now!  Stay tuned for more thoughts/ life updates!


Peace,
-M

Week One: Bangla, Rickshaws, & Friends

Hello all! :)

Life Update: I have officially concluded my first week of classes AND I have all of my luggage!

Name Update: Currently people have been referring to me as Margo or Margaret.. whichever way the wind takes them! I basically respond to anything that begins with an “M.”

Health Update: No ailments so far! I have been drinking LOTS of water (pani) to make sure that I stay Hydrated!

Thoughts:

Classes are HARD and I get lots of work but I am motivated by the prospect of being able to roam the streets of Dhaka and converse with people on a deeper level. It really is true that there is no better way to learn a language than to be immersed in the culture where it is spoken. There are countless opportunities for me to practice my language proficiency and skills. Whether this means practicing to read the script on store signs and packed items or chatting with the chai wallah and door gaurds, there are people who are accessible and willing to help me with every step along the way in my quest to gain a legitimate level of proficiency of Bangla. I try as often as possible to engage in conversation with people who have poor English skills (or are willing to speak to me only in Bangla) so that I can improve my conversational capacity. I spent SEVERAL hours this week practicing my bangla with the door gaurds of my apartment building. Joined by Jodi and Nate (my flat mates) we went down to the garage at 10pm or so and talked for 1-2 hours in ONLY Bangla! This opportunity has been invaluable as I have not only improved, but also I have made friends who want to help me and look out for me.

As far as the instruction, aside from moving at a fast pace, it is clear that all of the instructors want to do everything they can to help us learn. In an average day I have four classes taught by three different professors: alphabet, style, grammer, conversation. Each teacher has a different teaching style and while this can be somewhat frustrating at times, I have found that in the office hours they are more than willing to sit down with you and help work out your problems. The main problem that teachers and students of Bangla face is that there are VERY few credible teaching resources. The main reference book that we are using is actually catered to Kolkota Bangla (not Bangladesh Bangla) and thus not everything in the book can be taken as truth. Our teachers have made many of their own worksheets and we mainly rely on the notes that they give us in class.

In just a few short days, I, along with my fellow CLS-ers have learned to read and write the Bangla script as well as some basic grammar and tons of vocab. Now I know what you must be thinking: Really? That sounds like A LOT of material, and aren’t you going to be there for ten (dosh) weeks? Answer: YES! And YES!

The workload is steadily piling up and there is a pressing need to keep up with the class and meet the academic standards of the program. It is somewhat challenging to find the balance between mingling with my new friends, exploring Dhaka, chatting with our Bangla neighbors, and also being prepared for all forms of in-class evaluations. We have our first test on Sunday (after our full-day trip to Old Dhaka).

I am staying in Baridhara, an affluent community which is surrounded by an opaque fence. My friends and I have taken to referring to it as “Narnia” because Baridhara is relatively calm, clean, and peaceful, but the second you walk through the door to the street life… BAM! Dhaka city life IN YOUR FACE!! Why Narnia? Because walking through that door is like walking into another world. I did quite a bit of exploring in Narnia all week long, and it was not until the end of the week that I made my way out into Gulshan 1, Gulshan 2, and Bonani for a better taste of Dhaka.


In addition to morning classes which end around 1, we are expected to come back in the afternoons one to two days a week for additional lectures and small trips. This past week we had a series of orientation lectures including but not limited to: a panel discussion with former Peace Core volunteers and Boren Fellows (also former participants of CLS), a security briefing from the US Department of State, a lunch date with our instructors to practice our restaurant vocab, and a lecture from an esteemed professor from North South University on Hinduism in Bangladesh.

It was interesting to hear a religious lesson from a foreign teacher. After the talk, I sat down with him and told him about my plans to either major or minor in religion and my reasonings for doing so. I am not so much interested in Theology as I am in the study of the different religions in the world, their similarities and differences, and how religion has both shaped cultures overtime and caused uprisings and misunderstandings. (Unlike my brother Sean who remembers everything he has EVER learned haha) I am not one of those people who can remember all the important names, dates, and historical events that have occurred throughout history, and I realize that I will never know everything about the politics and cultures of every country around the world (including my own). That being said, I feel that by studying religion in all forms and placing it in the societal contexts in which it functions, I am better able to understand HOW to learn about other cultures. I have also become aware of the pressing need for patience and religious literacy and dialogue to ease some of the cultural tension we have going on in the world today. This year, I come back to Bangladesh with tools to be more culturally sensitive due to my deeper understanding of Islam.

Next week I will meet “my conversation partner.” CLS has essentially hired a Bangladeshi to be my best friend and show me a side of Dhaka that I would not have otherwise seen. I also hope to meet up with my host family from last year, some of my Colgate friends who are in Dhaka for the summer, and at some point shuffle off to Mirpur to visit my good friends at the Grameen Bank headquarters… I can’t wait!!!:)

I am happy to be here and I am taking life as it comes day by day. My close friends can attest that I am a girl who lives by a carefully planned schedule (and I have always chosen to make it this way). There are so many things that I want to do in this life that I try to make as most as I possibly can out of every day. Because of this, I can sometimes find it hard to just “go with the flow” and let life happen. Dhaka is forcing me to work on this. My life and experiences here are completely unpredictable and I NEVER know what new experience each day will bring. I am finding a sort of thrill in this inescapeable element of unpredictability. Maybe it really is okay to let loose every now and then… maybe I don’t always HAVE to know where my day is going to end. After all, what is the fun in that?

As the fortune cookie I ate the day before my departure so perfectly said:

“You only live once, but if you do it right once is enough.”

Although I do not know where I will end up, I feel confident that I am “doing it right” this summer, and I already feel myself growing from this.

PEACE,
M

Katie and Holly Anne walking through the Baridhara gate, and entering Narnia.

Getting some help from some friends! :)

Most of the Chai wallahs that I have seen are men, so it was a pleasant surprise to stumble upon this nearby stall.

Fresh fruit from the nearby market!  Buying fruit is a great way for me to practice my bangla skills in a practical way!

Stipend number one: Yep! That's your tax dollars!!!