It will be a wee bit too early in the morning here (not to mention impossible, due to internet speed) for me to catch USC's first game. But today is still GAME DAY, and I'm doing alot of fighting on from Chittagong.
The ability to "fight on" is essential for life here. Sure glad I'm a Trojan! Chittagong is certainly an interesting home, but it's also a difficult one. When I've asked people who have been here longer than I, like some professors at Thursday night's lovely faculty dinner, if they "enjoy" Chittagong, I've gotten various equivocating answers starting with pauses that hang in the air. I understand. AUW is the reason I am here, and within its walls I am myself, free to walk and talk and roam as I like. I am comfortable dressing fairly freely, smiling, engaging both men and women in conversation, and performing gestures like shaking someone's hand.
But outside campus, deep in the city's harried streets, I move quickly to avoid blatant and elongated stares stares, calling, and sometimes even touching. I should not speak to men, nor smile. The smells and noises of the city are unfamiliar and jarring. I sweat profusely under culturally mandated conservative clothing. I cannot hope to be a "normal" shopper in a market or store, nor to really understand everything around me. I am always charged exorbitantly higher prices and constantly feel that I am a target to be taken advantage of. Groups of men form around my friends and me in public places, making it impossible to do quiet reading on a beach or go for a pleasant stroll.
But through all this, I remind myself to fight on, to keep going out there and trying to comprehend it all. I also remind myself that I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. These crazy streets represent a way of life that so many people in this world have, and that so many people do not understand. These crazy streets, chock full of fruit and food and people and animals and vibrant colors, sounds, and smells are giving me a window to it all.
And slowly but surely I am learning how to be a somewhat successful navigator of mayhem. The other day I did a long walk by myself to get money, inquire about bus tickets, and go grocery shopping across town. Alone I was able to blend a bit more seamlessly into the mix. And anyone who knows me knows I self-describe as directionally challenged. Whenever I move to a new place I struggle at first but know the day will come when I actually understand how to get around. That day has come in Chittagong!
Also, an exciting update about what I will be doing here: I came to AUW under the guise that I would be a TA in addition to doing writing tutoring and other support tasks. But now I will also be teaching! Another volunteer and I were asked (just a few days ago - that's AUW for ya) to take over for an instructor at the Access Academy - in short the preparatory year for the students before they enter undergrad - who bailed last minute.
I will have my own section of language & composition with 15 girls from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, India, and Afghanistan. My group will be known as the "pearls." Each group level has a gemstone name (gotta love all-girls schools), and I especially requested that one! The class will meet three times a week, plus office hours, all year. I was a bit hesitant at first to be thrown into teaching again, but after giving it some thought I am quite excited. I really think meeting with a small group for the whole year (and working on writing - yay!) will be an incredibly meaningful way to get to know the students and their backgrounds, and to contribute to their education here. And the Access Academy has a wonderful team that is providing us with much support in planning and curriculum building. I will also likely still be a TA and work at the Writing Center, but I am waiting (patiently or not!) for my assignment.
So excited to meet my pearls later this week :) More to come soon on this week's fabulous escapes to Dhaka and Cox's Bazaar. And, as always, FIGHT ON!
The ability to "fight on" is essential for life here. Sure glad I'm a Trojan! Chittagong is certainly an interesting home, but it's also a difficult one. When I've asked people who have been here longer than I, like some professors at Thursday night's lovely faculty dinner, if they "enjoy" Chittagong, I've gotten various equivocating answers starting with pauses that hang in the air. I understand. AUW is the reason I am here, and within its walls I am myself, free to walk and talk and roam as I like. I am comfortable dressing fairly freely, smiling, engaging both men and women in conversation, and performing gestures like shaking someone's hand.
But outside campus, deep in the city's harried streets, I move quickly to avoid blatant and elongated stares stares, calling, and sometimes even touching. I should not speak to men, nor smile. The smells and noises of the city are unfamiliar and jarring. I sweat profusely under culturally mandated conservative clothing. I cannot hope to be a "normal" shopper in a market or store, nor to really understand everything around me. I am always charged exorbitantly higher prices and constantly feel that I am a target to be taken advantage of. Groups of men form around my friends and me in public places, making it impossible to do quiet reading on a beach or go for a pleasant stroll.
But through all this, I remind myself to fight on, to keep going out there and trying to comprehend it all. I also remind myself that I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. These crazy streets represent a way of life that so many people in this world have, and that so many people do not understand. These crazy streets, chock full of fruit and food and people and animals and vibrant colors, sounds, and smells are giving me a window to it all.
And slowly but surely I am learning how to be a somewhat successful navigator of mayhem. The other day I did a long walk by myself to get money, inquire about bus tickets, and go grocery shopping across town. Alone I was able to blend a bit more seamlessly into the mix. And anyone who knows me knows I self-describe as directionally challenged. Whenever I move to a new place I struggle at first but know the day will come when I actually understand how to get around. That day has come in Chittagong!
Also, an exciting update about what I will be doing here: I came to AUW under the guise that I would be a TA in addition to doing writing tutoring and other support tasks. But now I will also be teaching! Another volunteer and I were asked (just a few days ago - that's AUW for ya) to take over for an instructor at the Access Academy - in short the preparatory year for the students before they enter undergrad - who bailed last minute.
I will have my own section of language & composition with 15 girls from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, India, and Afghanistan. My group will be known as the "pearls." Each group level has a gemstone name (gotta love all-girls schools), and I especially requested that one! The class will meet three times a week, plus office hours, all year. I was a bit hesitant at first to be thrown into teaching again, but after giving it some thought I am quite excited. I really think meeting with a small group for the whole year (and working on writing - yay!) will be an incredibly meaningful way to get to know the students and their backgrounds, and to contribute to their education here. And the Access Academy has a wonderful team that is providing us with much support in planning and curriculum building. I will also likely still be a TA and work at the Writing Center, but I am waiting (patiently or not!) for my assignment.
So excited to meet my pearls later this week :) More to come soon on this week's fabulous escapes to Dhaka and Cox's Bazaar. And, as always, FIGHT ON!
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