Only the Beginning (Heather)

I finally arrived in Bangladesh!

With 2 months of adventure ahead of us, there will surely be plenty more to read – so for now, I will summarize my first thoughts in bullet point format. (Sorry for the deviation from this blog’s usual eloquence!)

• The drivers are incredible. A bulky, 12-seat van doesn’t hinder our driver from weave through traffic with the agility of a World Cup soccer player. Completely disregarding the 3 lane street, cars honked to signal turns and passes, squeezing through within inches of each other. Although a tad frightening, I have yet to see a single collision – now that really speaks to the drivers’ mad skills.
• The BRAC headquarters was a beautiful and impressively tall building. A breathtaking view from the 19th floor showcased much of Dhaka. But it was right across the street where I saw the most startling sight – 30,000 people living in tiny, tin-topped shacks so densely packed together that I wondered how people reached their homes. I know Bangladesh was quite crowded, but it’s simply unfathomable how THAT many people could be crammed into such a small area.
• Just a quick note about the food – it is DELICIOUS. Everything is so flavorful! Dishes seem to be swimming in sauces with all sorts of wonderful spices! I love it already.
• And last but not least, I was really taken aback by the friendly and super outgoing people. They have a tendency to stare a bit, but many of them also speak great English and just couldn’t wait to start a conversation with you. It’s just so different from the states where people busily rush about their own affairs with the occasional “How are you?”

This is only the beginning. I still have so much more of Dhaka to explore and so much more about BRAC to learn! This summer is going to be grand indeed.

-Heather