The rain that cancelled a weekend

This was the scene outside the gate of AUW on Thursday afternoon. Photo courtesy of Becky Rysinski.

This weekend was supposed to be spent in Bandarban, an area of the Chittagong Hill Tracts on the border with Myanmar. I had really been looking forward to escaping the bustle of the city and spending some time outside in rolling hills and green. I need sun! But unfortunately, nature had other plans.

As Becky and I attempted to leave for the bus station Thursday during what was a pretty fearsome storm, we were told - and saw - that the streets were too flooded to leave. That didn't stop a few industrious rickshaw drivers from still ringing their bells, though! Regardless, the bus station was too far away to get any transit to take us there. The guard told us to wait two hours - the streets here lack the draining infrastructure one might find in a more developed country - and try to leave again then. But that would have been too late to catch our our bus. Darn! We'll make it there! And I'm already planning an escape back to the beach for next weekend :) 

It's probably for the best that we didn't end up going also - unfortunately I am a bit sick again and really needed the time to rest and figure out da situation. It's always difficult to be ill in another country, especially one in which you do not understand the healthcare system or speak the language. But I'm making it work the best I can and do have alot of support in my job here. A couple weeks ago I had to have several routine tests done at the hospital, and a very nice nurse from AUW accompanied me. We also had a fearless Bangladeshi hospital employee who was our guide to worlds unknown, leading our way through HUNDREDS of people and always seeming to get us to the front of the line (sigh). I felt ridiculous walking through rows and rows of people, turning heads at every moment, and being a source of amusement even for the man drawing my blood!

Funny story: I left a cardigan at said hospital and thought I would never see it again. But never fear! Our trusty employee guide called and said he was holding it for me. I returned, and instead of being given the sweater right away, was taken on a VIP tour of the hospital with some important English-speaking hospital guy. And when we finally made it back to the room with the cardigan, I was not allowed to hold it until we returned to a reception and and the man had it put in a bag and delicately placed it in my hand. I am to call that man if I "ever need anything." LOL

In other updates, work continues to be empowering and energizing. This week was full of staff interviews for the magazine, and I am doing a polling workshop for the girls Sunday night. My class is going well. I am eating (and loving) lots of spicy cafeteria food, baking, writing graduate school essays, and reading it up. I am also counting down to fall break in Malaysia/Singapore in only about 2 more weeks! I'll be in Penang aka the food capitol of Malaysia for a couple days before spending the weekend in Singapore with a USC friend. Bring it on!