Take a deeeeeeeeep breathe....
Last night the power went out in the middle of the night and I awoke in a sweat and actually didn't get back to sleep until the early hours of the morning. Still, I woke early and planned to go for a walk/run at the local park that we passed walking to the American Club.
Now I know I am fully immersed in this culture when I felt completely naked wearing a pair of normal length running shorts and tee-shirt to the park. Since Malaysia and Bangladesh are heavily Muslim countries, it is the norm to cover up your skin. Hence, I have been wearing long pants and a shawl over my tank top each day. I saw a woman (foreigner) wearing a pair of shorts walking the other day and knew I would be way too hot in long pants during the exercise.
This morning I also got to meet Rick's housekeeper/cook today named Milan. He is absolutely adorable and I have learned was bedside with Rick in the hospital during his operation last week. He lives 4 hours bus ride away in the village with his mother, wife and 2 children.
So anyway, I headed out...and YES, they say that traveling as a single female here is not recommended. The "harassment" that goes on is like a cat call....literally "meowing" at you. To be honest, I didn't hear too much of that...mainly just staring because you are so foreign...again literally! Plus, I had my head phones on. The morning was not as cool as the days before, muggy and I think some rain is headed our way over the next few days.
I enjoyed the run around and also enjoyed watching the ladies in their sarees getting their morning workout in. Also, its a big social morning hour with groups of men and women meeting up and sharing their breakfasts(?) and pastries (which I got to buy some later on in the day).
On return, I got to shower and have breakfast all laid out for me on the table by Milan...feeling absolutely spoiled and called "Madame"! I then got the opportunity to walk to the main part of the area to go grocery shopping with him at the local market. Now I've seen some incredible produce over my time and I am quite picky about it too but WOWWWWWWW! I am convinced Dhaka has some of the very very finest. Vibrant colors of vegetables and fruits are displayed and hung so elaborately in the stalls. Also, since there are no plastic bags, their creativity in making bags for the customer is so cool! We then got to the local bakery and purchased 250 grams of what I think may be pure sugar in a donut looking dessert pastry. Actually, it tastes like baklava (Greek dessert) without the pastry. Perfect tiny piece to have with some plain hot tea.
Rick returned to work and taught one class for the very first time today after being out for 5 weeks. He got home around 12 noon and Milan had lunch all ready for us. The next part of my afternoon was an experience that is again hard to explain---like many of the things here in Bangladesh.
Milan helped me get a taxi on the main street to the National Museum. The taxi driver would wait for me at the museum and drive me back home. The museum is right by the main Dhaka University and local "hub" of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE! Soooo, you could imagine that traffic to get there was going to be about 30 minutes to 1 hour. The taxi ride itself was an experience of course with near misses on the road and a small collision with a rickshaw driver that led to some death stares between the two drivers and verbal exchange. People are just everyyyywhere! Selling things, begging for things, staring at things, buying things, catching a bus, and more....And it's dusty, hot and muggy. I ended up wrapping my shawl around my nose too. The little "tuk tuks" of Bangladesh are green caged vehicles that are actually run on natural gas. I can't imagine if they weren't!
Anyway, after a couple of u turns, we made it to the museum which itself was old and dusty. Many local families visiting and I guess this is the norm since tourism as I have mentioned in earlier blogs is NOT a big industry at all here. There were 3 levels and each room conveniently labeled with its contents (such as musical instruments, boats etc.) beginning with room number 1. Their room of Buddha statues was immaculate and I learned from Rick that Buddhism was actually prevalent in the country before the Moghul times. Also, the boat room with little miniature and one giant display was impressive. Lastly, I learned much about the Liberation for the country's independence in 1971 at their last exhibit. Much bloodshed occurred for this to happen and the country honorably remembers its struggle for this independence.
Now a number of people came up to ask me where I was from in the museum, young and old people, and unfortunately with the "front" that you have to put on, I feel like my true personality is not expressed to them when I answer. I guess that is something that comes with any new meeting in a land where women are minimally seen around.
The ride back home was a lot shorter at 30 minutes than the ride there (but just as hot, muggy and dusty!). I tapped out for the day and got in for a good scrub in the shower and downed at least 3 bottles of water!
My friend arrives to join me on my Bangladesh adventure tomorrow and I am excited to share the experiences of this country with her...and maybe also know that people are staring at both of us and not just me! :)
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