being here

It's been only 2 weeks since I arrived in Bangladesh but it feels much longer. There’s been constant instruction about the project that started to make more sense, culture and life style. I spent the first week in the crazy and chaotic city of Dhaka for the team leader training which was a nice and fun experience. I slept through most of the second day, though, as I was so badly jetlagged. VSO Bangladesh staff and other team leaders are super lovely and I never felt alienated. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to do any sightseeing in Dhaka due to the long hours of training as well as the traffic, which never stops and is a real time-waster. It sometimes looks like a scene from an exaggerated comedy where cars, buses, crazy- old rickshaws, CNGs, pedestrians, street vendors and beggars are on the road all at the same time, trying to find their way through. This city is rammed and jammed, with never-ending buzzing and humming. I don’t think it is easy to describe Dhaka; one has to live it!

Part of our training with the Global Platform, we went to the slums (apparently it was an upgraded one!) for the field work which was very interesting and sad at the same time. Guilt washed over me thinking what we’ve got and what they don’t. I felt helpless witnessing a school teacher hitting her students with a stick because they hadn’t done their homework L On the bright side though, our small session on the maternal health with 20 young girls from the slums went really well. They were smart, engaged and responsive which gave me so much hope! I was also pleased that one of them was willing to take responsibility for conducting more sessions like that whilst the rest of the group promised to support her. We left the posters, leaflets and a big encouragement for their future use. This small victory made my day. 

As I get to understand what we will be doing more, the project’s making more sense day by day especially with the help of my lovely counterpart. Our project falls under these three main target areas; livelihood, governance and Sexual Reproductive Health. To implement the project we’re cooperating with 4 youth clubs from 4 different villages which are our beneficiaries. We’re currently in the community sorting out the host homes and meeting with the youth club members. We’re going back to Dhaka in a few days to meet the volunteers and for the ICO (In Country Orientation).

seventhMay.16