last night and tonight

well, yesterday i met my friends girlfriend and her mate.. as a treat, these two ladies wanted to take me out and show me dhaka, but the honest truth is, there aint much to do for teenagers in this city. it became apparent today for me that i realised this city really lacks facilities to keep young people occupied... maybe someone can correct me but there aint really that many things to do as a young person. thank goodness for stoke and footy..

so, we went to a coffee shop called cafe mango, very contemporary and cool. but its full of american culture influenced kids thinking its cool to talk like Tupac.. but what can you do, TV creates culture and this is what they feed on. im just happy my influences are real people i have met or read about than see on TV shaking their booty or boobies... yes, i also remember when i was young, but i wasnt like them.. i liked to climb trees and beat up weirdos

the two ladies are jinny and sanjana, they are both 18, sweet and innoncent and bubble wrapped away from the truths of reality. but that aint their fault, its the culture here. anyways, conversation was interesting, i didnt have a clue what i used to talk about when i was 18, so i just started chatting about music, that was a good conversation starter.

i treated these 2 ladies to choco cake and coffee.. the food wasnt too bad there. and for the price, i have no problems.. if u want advice on a good coffee shop in dhaka, avoid coffee world, its a joke when it comes to the prices... and the prices have a bloody hidden VAT charge. tossers, and the coffee aint good either.

so anyways, afterwards the girls took me to a really nice place called atrium. its a popular restaurant because it has an open rooftop and people can be seen chilling with shisha.. so the three of us shared a strawberry flavour one and i admitted i had TB, silly girls believed me.. lol

but it was cool, very scenic and they have really nice fountains and a pseudo waterfall. and jinny lost her virgin lungs too..

afterwards, i went home cause they were reaching their curfew bedtime.. it was cool, no more chit chat about teenage things and back to the reality that i would have to wake up early again....

today my mum/dad and sister/bro in law came to dhaka. in fact they are staying in the same hotel as me.. it was good to them again after 3 months.. they are cool. my dad is really surprised at how i am getting on in dhaka, he thinks i must have a girlfriend doing things for and looking after me. but i am proud to say that i am getting on fine without the aid of any relatives or girlfriend.

i finished work late today, i left the office at 6pm and it took a solid hour to get back to the hotel via baby taxi. but its cool.. an hour commute is standard wherever.. so this evening, i went to pizza hut in gulshan..

it aint the same as england, but it wasnt bad. they use a bit too much salt and the cheese aint that good but the placebo makes u think otherwise. they were really busy tonight and were reluctant to give us a nice table.. so i just begged and said it was my sister's birthday and she has never been to pizza hut and bang, we got our table. the guys were really nice friendly staff..

anyhow, that was my day and i am missing my mushroom!!!

some pics for the day..

the girls are jinny and sanjana. and the couple are my sis and her husband and birthday pic with the pizza hut staff and also a nice pic of some kids i saw playing with a cute little kitty..

catch you later

shuw

ekushey... patriotism and pain

today is the day that commemorates the saving of the bangla language so we would not speak urdu. it was quite a moving day and i feel very proud that my bengali heritage allows me to take part in today..

so, aresnal lost and i woke up a few hours after to meet a friend at gulshan circle at 8.45 to get down to dhaka university. the sun was out and it was a beautiful day and so many people were out. today is a national holiday also, so many offices are closed and luckily mine too.

so, we went down to dhaka uni, and the place was packed like bees in a hive. there was lots of secruity because of the small terror risk from crazy muslim groups but it felt safe never the less. anyways, my friend (showan) that i met today is the friend of a colleague of mine at the office. she is a photography student studying here after leaving the states a few years ago. she was very friendly and very patriotic about bangladesh. she wants to live a bengali life and not give in to the superficial western culture that has infested into dhaka.

so, the we walked around the campus, and paid homage to the students who were murdered on the eve of ekushey. one can call them martyrs i guess. i dont want to sound inappropiate but i am really happy that i wasnt living in that time and its things like this that make me realise how special life is. i value life even more now especially after the holiday to france where we were involved in a near fatal accident.

so, i bought a flower from the most adorable girl, sadly she is a poor girl, i dont know where she lives and the thought of imagining it scares me. so i bought a flower from her and paid her a little extra and she also gave me the honour to take her photo..

so afterwards, we went to a traditional bengali tea house where i had a really nice liquid lemon sorbe and a khala mishti. really cool. the place is so authentic that its menu is only written in bangla. i liked this place because it is maintaining its own identity and not trying to be some american style starbucks like many of the other places.

i took quite a few photos today, one thing about the country is that people love having their picture taken. they are not shy and will not be offended. so guys, enjoy the pics and i hope my morning has been insightful for you all.

shuw

another day and its ekushey 2moro!!!

sorry guys no picture today but it has been a long day never the less

my car to the office didnt show cause the old man cant fucking read english house numbers!! twat

anyways, i got a cab this morning!! even he didnt know the way!! so i got into the office for 10.30 but madam was cool about it.... what would bangladesh be like without the ritual of not being on time!!

so today i was in the office preparing my notes on making this poster.. basically there is an evaluation of FPAB and the boss has asked me to make a poster which summarises the positives and the negatives of the NGO throw some pictures in and bang! thats her product...

ive brought the work home with me but luckily its a day off tomorrow cause of it being a national holiday commemorating the language movement..

long story short, feb 21 was when bangalis told the pakis to fuck off when they tried to convert the country into speaking urdu.. people got massacred and lots of blood and mess...

so, im gonna head to dhaka university 2moro, take loadsa pics, get a bit mashed up on mango juice and etc etc...

no picture, sorry guys.

shuw

he overcharged me!!

today was ok, there is a clinic on the ground floor of FPAB in naya paltan. for those who dont know what i am doing, i am doing family planning and sexual health medicine for my elective... the reason why i am doing this and not the stereotypical things is because a country like bangladesh needs more people behind this speciality because it is still viewed as taboo by many and also the horrible morbidity rates of these illnesses..

today was officialy my first day at work. it was similar to firms at uni, first day, bit disorientated and all that. but i submitted a written plan of what i want to do in the next six weeks.. i feel this shows my enthusiasm and that my elective has a real purpose..

anyways, the clinic was good stuff, got to see an ultrasound scan and see babies having their vaccinations.. bit like the GP over in england, but in bangladesh, all this stuff is still contemporary and is not taken for granted..

madam (my boss) let me have the afternoon off today... i cant believe she has already given me homework to do.. i have to design a poster highlighting the successes of FPAB that have been highlighted in this document she gave me... exciting eh!? it shouldnt be a problem, i will just onto the case..

anyways, today was the first time i wasnt dependant on anyone from the hotel or FRAP or friends in getting home from the office. the main road is about a 2min walk from the office and there i was shitting my pants how to go home.. eventually, i managed to hail a 'baby' taxi for the 7 mile journey.. the cost, 80tk!!! 10 more than what the meter said.. doesnt matter, it was only 60pence in GBP. anyhow, i think i might stick to normal cars for transport, i swear dhaka air (pollution) cant be good for the lungs...

this evening my plan is to do some work, and maybe go for a walk around where i live... need to find where the hot chicks are.. the ones at KFC dont do it for me.

fucking mosqitoes! they feasted on me last night!! wankers... the thing that pisses me off is the silly places they bite, eg eye lid and finger...


shuw

so i'm here

man, i have not slept for the past 24 hrs!! and i am about to go for dinner

the weather aint too bad, its nice and warm but the traffic jams!!! jeez man!!!

anyways, i am shattered so i shall end with the promise of the contrast photo!!

shuw

1 day left

so i have woken up early again today, with feeling of a thousand butterflies volleying in my stomach. why am i so anxious about the next 2 months? i really dont know..

anyways, i am happy its a nice day today, i can get some things done and some last minute shopping to buy presents..

i was left a message yesterday saying internet connection is crap in desh, or there is a lack of good internet.. i wont allow that to defeat me. so, hopefully there will be a post almost everyday, even if it is a few words to say i am ok..

anyhow, 1 day left, so i better make the most of it..

shuw

this is the view from my room

i live in student accomadation in barbican, and this is the view i have of my room.

i hope i will be able to put the contrast of this up soon..

shuw