Make for the Hills!

Induction Shesh (finished)

After 5 long weeks in concrete, gridlocked, polluted Dhaka, our induction period is coming to an end. Whilst there have been times of boredom (I assure you, much to disagreement of the Bangla language, that boredom does exist here) and frustration, the time has been very useful and randomly enjoyable at times, if a little confusing. Our Bangla teacher Mary from the HEED language centre was brilliant and may have actually managed to teach me a language, whilst the multitude of sessions on Bangladesh and development have helped provide clearer picture of life and work here. Next week, I’ll leave the safety of the VSO flat, which is becoming more like a cell, the familiarity of VSO head office and say good bye to the Dhaka based volunteers and to Kun (from the European Union) and his wife Rachel who have provided me with numerous indescribably tasty meals – having feta cheese, olives and bacon here is almost too much too handle. Saddest is saying goodbye to the wonderful 7 other fellow new VSO volunteers who been on the induction with me as they head to their placements in Bogra, Rajshahi and Khagachuri. And me? I’m off to Bandarban, what awaits me? Rumours are a tribal king and rice wine, the usual.

A few parties here and there

With the induction period coming to an end we have had time to relax a bit and put our efforts into exploring more of the social life available in Dhaka. One evening we stumbled across a lounge holding band sessions. A crowd of ‘Western’ (our definition) dressed 18-20 year olds sipped soft drinks in a dully lit venue whilst listening to bands perform songs with English lyrics. True, surrounded by teenagers drinking soft drinks did make me feel a little like a teacher supervising a school dance but there was a real liveliness to the place, a feeling of freshness and not imitation but adaptation, whilst one groups performance of Placebo’s ‘Every you, Every me’ with a spot on American accent  was eerie. Together with other VSOs and Alice, a friend from the UK who is working for the World Fish Centre in Dhaka, we attended a Halloween party at the British High Commission. As always, it complied to the Bangladesh type – ie, it was bizarre and random. Notable was our sheer joy of discovering we could buy Rioja red wine. As we stared at the bottles, the elation was like looking at an oasis after 2 months in the Sahara desert. Weird, but good. Then dancing to standard UK club classics surrounded by diplomats and development professionals dressed as pumpkins and draculas before riding a rickshaw home, well, it’s not Derby that’s for sure.  

What awaits?

Tomorrow I load my belongings, which now include a rather fetching blue and white plastic dinner set acquired for £2, on to a pick up truck and head South West towards the Chittagong Hill Tracts and to Bandarban where I will be based for 11+months at Bolipara Nari Kolyan Somity (BNKS). Whilst I feel, in a similar way to my pre-departure, a touch hesitant, the last 5 weeks induction process have made me feel more comfortable about the situation as I have become more aware of the things I do and do not have power over. I admit that I am not a huge fan of Dhaka, but, it does have, once you find them, places to enjoy and relax (rabbit holes), and whilst being different, has more familiarity – coffee shops, other volunteers, beers, TV; than what I have heard awaits me in Bandarban. (This is what I have been told so far and apologises if the information is incorrect). I am likely to be the only Caucasian in the area and only one staff member at my organisation speaks good English – with my job description based on documenting the organisations work, this communication barrier could present numerous difficulties to work and socialising. In addition, for the first month I will be living in a spare room at BNKS’s office until a flat becomes available meaning I will not be able to fully settle and form some sort of foundation. My motivation to contribute and find out more about development combined with my enjoyment of a challenge is one of the reasons I am here, hence, the last paragraph is not a cry of worry from scared Englishman abroad. Instead, more a snap shot of the unclear issues surrounding where I will be going, how I’ll be living and what I will be doing which will hopefully help to frame my next blog detailing my first week or so in Bandarban (if the internet works). I’m looking forward to getting involved more, testing myself, but like most things in Bangladesh, it is impossible and pointless even trying to imagine what will happen, as you will not even be close.