tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544872011-04-21T21:26:47.729-07:00Root: Adventure in BangladeshAs I venture off to Bangladesh as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I now begin this on-line account of my many adventures, and misadventures.Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comBlogger831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1138330380014750442006-01-26T18:16:00.000-08:002006-01-26T18:53:00.063-08:00Here in lies the final entry for this Blog. After a long 30 months, my travels and experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer are over. I write to you know from the home of my in-laws in San Diego. Now, what have you missed sincE Thanksgiving?After Bikaner, we traveled by the cold midnight train to Jaipur, the silver/jewlery capital of India. It was our intention to find our wedding rings, but theDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1132914593421060572005-11-25T02:03:00.000-08:002005-11-25T02:29:53.433-08:00Its the day after Thanksgiving and while you all may be out shopping, I sit in an internet cafe waiting for the night train to carry me away to Jaipur. Last week Shannon and I spent a surreal few days in the fort of Jaislamer, and I do mean fort! What an experience, here is this little sandstone town in the middle of nowhere desert and they have this old fort built around 1161C.E. sitting on a Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1132129226768505742005-11-16T00:00:00.000-08:002005-11-16T00:20:27.473-08:00Today finds Shannon and I in Udaipur for the last full day and night. We have been residing at a phenomenal hotel, which is an old converted Haveli (essentially an old mini castle). I'm sad to report that Udaipur on its own has recieved mixed reviews from us and is sort of a let down. Compared to the chilled climate and easy pace of life in Goa, Udaipur is just a bit too hustle bustle, Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1131363568193376302005-11-07T03:18:00.000-08:002005-11-07T03:39:28.243-08:00I realize that this blog has been designed to document the time I spent in Bangladesh as a Peace Corps Volunteer; but due to my laziness, I will continue to write about my post PC travels until I reach home. Enjoy...So, this vacation/trip has been quite a trip thus far. Here is a quick update of the last 12 days or so.Oct. 26, Flight delayed causing us to miss connection flight so we work our Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1130162838487818032005-10-24T06:37:00.000-07:002005-10-24T07:07:21.503-07:00"This is the end, my one and only friend The End." 27 months have past and now it is my turn to move on and beyond Bangladesh. But before I go, it would only be approriate to take a quick look back. What are the highlights, the things I have learned, the things I have seen?On arrival, the view from the plane as we were coming in was of a country that appeared to be completely underwater, with Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1127731233200286492005-09-26T03:30:00.000-07:002005-09-26T03:40:33.266-07:00Invited Shuvo, a Bangladeshi friend of ours, over for pizza night the other day. He has been pestering Shannon and I for nearly a year now that he wants to make pizza. Well, it so happens that recently Shannon and I have been indeed learning to make completely homemade pizza. So, we invite him over and the three of us work in our kitchen, making mozzarella cheese (completely from scratch! A Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1125883329644640772005-09-04T18:20:00.000-07:002005-09-04T18:22:09.650-07:00ITS SIMPLY RIDICULOUS!!!So, I’m at a football game (soccer) that one of my student’s was in. Its in a inter District tournament, nothing big, just two local soccer teams playing each other. Well, this was a quarter-final game that we were at and the opposing team, which is being sponsored by the Chairman of the Portasavar (basically he owns Waterworks and Electric Company for the town in Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1122987971288955342005-08-02T05:21:00.000-07:002005-08-02T06:06:11.320-07:00The Update:Life here for us here in Bangladesh is beginning to wrap up in a crazy whirlwind of activity. We are now 2.5 months away from our official Close of Service. Anywhere from the 19th of October and beyond we can leave, and obviously Shannon and I are itching for the 19th. That said, it is easy to conclude that we are done. But we are not. We still have our classes that we are Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1122557593112576112005-07-28T06:12:00.000-07:002005-07-28T06:33:13.126-07:00As many of you may know, Shannon and I have been working on a photo project with the children of sex workers at the NGO that I have been involved with while living in Jamalpur. Well, today we were in Dhaka to collect a small donation that was granted to us by the parent NGO. The following is a brief description of just how that went.We arrive at the main office of the NGO at noon. We called Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1119943713657147942005-06-28T00:21:00.000-07:002005-06-28T00:28:34.120-07:00Time. It is odd how we view and experience time. For the majority of my life, I have always viewed the passage of time in terms of school years and academic calendars. My life flowed on the redundant river, which is way over used, as I passed through an easy nine month block of scholastic progress with the needed three month vacation when I somehow managed to evolve to the point of jumping up Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1118295916462877492005-06-08T22:43:00.000-07:002005-06-08T22:45:16.476-07:00A Bus Ride:You arrive. In front of you lies a colossus mass of confusion, noise, and filth. Finding your proper bus in this mess will be an impressive task. After dodging numerous hawkers assaulting you in the attempt to temp you to take their particular bus, you are correctly directed to your personal chunk of piecemeal metal, scrapped and twisted, set on top of a set of dubiously bald rubberDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1117799390437795172005-06-03T04:48:00.000-07:002005-06-03T04:49:50.446-07:00Click click click goes the gas before being ignited and filling the square box full of heat. The main course is stripped down to just its skin and placed inside as the heat steadily rises and the flames lick at the fresh flesh that it is being served. As the food bastes in its own juices, they cry out in misery. The flesh is still alive, and the creatures writher in misery before the all Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1116233892794266232005-05-16T01:54:00.000-07:002005-05-16T01:58:12.803-07:00Chillin' in the Singapore airport (MY FAVORITE) and just saw on the forecast that it is 36 degrees Celcius in Dhaka. WE ARE GOING TO F*CKING MELT!!!!! The flights haven't been too bad, got a complimentary room at the SIN Airport for 6 hours, which was very nice. One flight left and we are back. I just consumed my last deli sandwich for at least 6 months, and also will be holding my wife's Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1116099347667481792005-05-14T12:14:00.000-07:002005-05-14T12:35:47.673-07:00"Well, we now have to medically seperate you." These were the words that sent my heart racing and my stomach to plummet. Good ol'boy Jimmy Austin (imagine the full thick Don't Mess with Texas accent) very casually said to me after the camera that I swallowed came back with a completely normal record of my small intestines, "Normally no news is good news, but in your case its bad." So yes, Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1114755124467623122005-04-28T22:47:00.000-07:002005-04-28T23:12:04.470-07:00Pause...Stop...Breath. Brain crashes about in a whirlwind of thought and confusion. Tests are done, more to come. Results inconclusive, future dim. Chaos reigns in this foreign land and foreign home. All that is known has been left behind and adjustments to this stress remain elusive. What has happened? As you know, Shannon and I returned to the United States to deal with a family emergency Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1113717448908816862005-04-16T22:47:00.000-07:002005-04-16T23:52:48.256-07:00Ready for a mind trip? Shannon and I are coming back to the states...tonight!!! F_cking crazy!This is only for a short time though, last week Shannon and I learned of a family emergency in San Diego, so we are giving up a large part of our readjustment allowance that Peace Corps has been hanging on to and flying out. Needless to say, we were totally unprepared for this. The states. The United Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1111151563753520562005-03-18T05:12:00.000-08:002005-03-18T05:12:43.756-08:00In stark contrast to the previous few posts, I shall work on something a bit less depressing. Bangladesh may be bad at the moment, but it is bad for me. It is all a question of perspective. I walk through this land and have no choice but to be a foreigner; yet, there is so much that I see that I wish I could really observe, closely and intimately. I am prevented from fully integrating myself Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1111151515348482012005-03-18T05:09:00.000-08:002005-03-18T05:11:55.350-08:00And this is a little something from my Beautiful Wife: Spirits have risen. It’s my belief that David and I are getting into the groove of our lives within Bangladesh. The month of February was emotionally hard and for some reason we battled with the reality of eight more months in Bangladesh. A couple of weeks ago, we spent an evening reevaluating what we wanted from our two years of service andDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1108985250938613912005-02-21T03:24:00.000-08:002005-02-21T03:27:30.993-08:00(Warning, this came from an email to a friend where I was just getting things out. I am not going to say that all that I have written is untrue, or even that any of it is. Seriously, I am not even exaggerating. I am just trying to express how it is. Peace Corps is not all glamor.)A little steam……imagine being isolated and locked into a small room crammed with all these people that are Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1108985049163845522005-02-21T03:21:00.000-08:002005-02-21T03:24:09.166-08:00Personal Journal Entry 13/02/2005:‘Bailey died. We had to put Bailey to sleep a week after he suffered a terrible accident. For a week we all wallowed in the pain of Bailey’s two unusable hind legs, destroyed internal organs, and dead tail. But there were those moments when Bailey was Bailey. Incredibly cute, with huge longing eyes and an insatiable curiosity, and lets not forget a stomach Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1106214840370572632005-01-20T01:30:00.000-08:002005-01-20T01:54:00.370-08:00Married life is so GRAND!!! Especially when you don't have to work, are given a good stipened, and can spend all day in bed with your new wife if you wanted to...which I did. Shannon and I don't start classes until after this curent Eid, which takes place over the next three days, so we have spent the past two weeks at home, doing home improvements, playing games, watching movies (Shannon got Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1105088543981241702005-01-07T01:59:00.000-08:002005-01-07T01:02:23.983-08:00And this is a sweet write up of the wedding by my Beautiful wife Shannon:
Hey y'all,
I have to apologize for being a horrible correspondent. Organizing the wedding, moving, breaking my foot, and not having good Internet access has been major factors in my lack of communication. David and I have arrived safely back in Bangladesh and we are taking a bus back to Jamalpur this afternoon. Returning Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1104734015920212372005-01-02T22:18:00.000-08:002005-01-02T22:33:35.920-08:00Happy New Year!! This has been a phenomenal week on the Island of Koh Tao. Minus the scam and being placed in the Buddy suit, we are well and having fun. We have explored this tiny secluded island and have deemed it wonderful. Not high end resort like, and not grungy backpacker either. It is a perfect blending of all those componets. The resort we are staying at, the Thipwarmin, has been Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1104305414669634072004-12-28T23:10:00.000-08:002004-12-28T23:30:14.670-08:00A few minutes for a quick update of the adventures in Thailand:
1st: Bangkok Rocks!!! Old white guys with young Thai girls is disgusting. OH MY GOD THEY HAVE MOVIE THEATERS!!!! The Incredibles is hilarious and Ryan Reynolds is very funny in Blade Trinity. Has anybody else noticed that Ryan Reynolds and Scott McIntosh could be twins? Same look, same humor, and same delivery. Damn I'm Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1102588233238474652004-12-09T02:08:00.000-08:002004-12-09T02:30:33.236-08:00I am getting married! Yes, you all knew that, but its going to happen really soon now. As you can imagine, the stress level has been rising and dramatically shot up these past few days. But, we have packed nearly half of our belongings into an incredibly overstuffed beast of a suitcase, which my father will have the dubious honor of hauling back to the states with him. I can garuntee that Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1099989460395550342004-11-08T23:52:00.000-08:002004-11-09T00:37:40.396-08:00Craziness. Simply pure craziness is how I would describe the past few months here in the Desh for me. Sorry bout the long drop in communication, but if you would view the previous sentence you would see that it has been CRAZY!!! I suppose that most of this chaos took place in October. See, Shannon has some pretty awesome friends here in BDesh and all these awesome female PCVs decided that it Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1094982287027746902004-09-12T02:09:00.000-07:002004-09-12T02:55:11.446-07:00Greeting to all from India!! Just let me say that everything is better in India. I am now wrapping my a short two week vacation from the Desh and chilling in Delhi until I fly back. So, if you read my last post, Bangladesh was experiencing some good old political violence and upheaval. Due to this, I secreted out of country on a night bus to Kolkata...(don't tell PC). Arriving there safe and Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1093610589265447302004-08-27T05:00:00.000-07:002004-08-27T05:43:09.266-07:00Some of you may have noticed some extra media coverage on Bangladesh over the past week; but, for those who have not, here is a little update. Last Saturday there was an assasination attempt on Shiek Hasina, the leader of the opposition party the Awami League, and much of the leading rulers of the party. There was a mass gernade attack upon as they held a rally to protest the use of bombs due Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1089365059145365242004-07-09T02:02:00.000-07:002004-07-09T02:24:19.146-07:00Time for a little Blogger Announcement:
So, if you have not read the previous/following (depending on how this is displayed and read) two blogs, or if you just didn't pick up on it, here is a little update on the love life of David Donald Root.
Shannon and I are getting married...yup, we be gettin hitched!! Crazy isn't it? But oh so grand and joyous. In December of this year (2004) we will Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1089363731378933252004-07-09T01:49:00.000-07:002004-07-09T02:02:11.380-07:00And here in another personal journal entry that comes on the same day as the last.
July 4, 2004:
I am completely lovesick for Shannon right now. I am completely in Love with her. I can't concentrate at all, my thoughts endlessly turn to her. I am being utterly pathetic too. Why? This girl has me all broken up. I Love Shannon. As I read of love in my books, listen to the songs of James, IDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1089362947138563862004-07-09T01:31:00.000-07:002004-07-09T01:49:07.136-07:00Well here is another little page out of my personal journal that I keep. Please don't mind the less than chipper tone, but not all can be bright and merry. While much truth lie in this page, please keep it in context as well.
July 4, 2004:
I realize that I am not living. I merely exist here. How does one define what living is? I have nothing that I'd consider to be work, no community, no Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1087136965367995102004-06-13T07:26:00.000-07:002004-06-13T07:29:25.366-07:00Two quick book recommendations:
Ismail by...um...sorry, forget authors name.
Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins.
Both good and they relate to one another. (Becca, think you'd dig Roadside.)
If you have any good books, feel free to send them over. I love books!!Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1087136788125511992004-06-13T07:19:00.000-07:002004-06-13T07:26:28.126-07:00Just want to give a shout out to all those Crazy Cats in DC. Miss you guys. Sometimes I still don't know why I left the place, cashed in the small bank and jetted out to this Heat Trap of Human Congestion. It was a good thing and I miss it, and I miss you all.
Could really use Stone's and then a crash on the green sofa in that little studio of yours. The random dates, blind and the ones I Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1087128524898664522004-06-13T05:04:00.000-07:002004-06-13T05:08:44.896-07:00Its Fucking Hot!!! I have stopped sleeping its so hot. My ceiling fan in my bedroom is completely ineffectual. I have resorted to putting my portable fan under my mosquito net to attempt to keep me cool, yet I still wake is a pool of salty sweat. I have to get up two or three times a night and take a shower to cool off. They really don't have deodorant here, none that works at least, so I Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1087128234688243142004-06-13T04:56:00.000-07:002004-06-13T05:03:54.686-07:00My Theatre Class Rocks My WORLD!!! The students are awesome. I am working them up, getting them out of the routine and making them do some really cool (and funnily stupid) stuff. Last week, I had my class do Trust Falls!! They have never even heard of such a thing. (For those of you like them that have no idea what I am talking about, this is where you stand on something tall off the ground Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1087127670549829932004-06-13T04:52:00.000-07:002004-06-13T04:55:53.533-07:00And yesterday, a Bangladeshi man Beat his Rickshaw Walla (the poor man that pulls these bulky contraptions) to Death over a difference in price of One Taka.Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1086339179551570712004-06-04T01:24:00.000-07:002004-06-04T01:52:59.550-07:00All is going well here in the Desh. Just began my new class, its a Theatre Course and so far it is really good. It is so much fun to make the students just do stupid human tricks. This is particularly funny cause they are obsessed with appearence here, and seeing their reaction when I tell them to do stupid shit is funny. But it all has a purpose, beside my sadistic sense of humor. They needDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1086337465968905362004-06-04T01:19:00.000-07:002004-06-04T01:24:25.966-07:00Three Days of Rain, One Flooded Bedroom, Need to Wade through Muck and Mud to reach the Street. My walls Leak and the Power Fails. Welcome to the Monsoon!!Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1084106176349937082004-05-09T05:29:00.000-07:002004-05-09T05:39:32.186-07:00Have I mentioned that politics in the Desh are deadly? Two days ago, a prominent Awami League (the opposition party) minister was shot at a rally in his hometown just north of Dhaka. About ten men opened fire on him when he went to go to Jumra Prayer. Four others were killed as well. Obviously this caused a severe and serious reaction. The neighboring towns of Gazipur and Tongi both erupted Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1084105734340831902004-05-09T04:55:00.000-07:002004-05-09T05:32:10.233-07:00THE SUNDORBONS ARE FREAKING COOL!!! Yup, just got down with a sweet journey into the World's Largest Mangrove Forest! Honestly, the trip was great, but the tour we were on kinda sucked...but all good. I had a good time. I saw some of the most incredible village scenery I could have ever imagined. Pristine mud and thatch huts virtually floating on the water, small wooden fishing vessels with Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1083744393740930072004-05-05T00:57:00.000-07:002004-05-05T01:09:45.686-07:00I'm just throwing this out there, cause maybe, just perhaps, one of you faithful readers would be awesome enough to be a kind Philanthropist for yours truly: I would greatly love, and appreciate, a subscription to "The Economist". Though I am living in the international world, I am highly isolated from the happenings of this world. I have no radio/tv for news, nor do I have readibly accessible Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1083478094007496812004-05-01T23:07:00.000-07:002004-05-01T23:11:22.860-07:00So, it was a hot and steamy night in the good town of Jamalpur. Shannon and I were relaxing under the mosquito net, enjoying our few moments and romantically sweating together. WHEN!!! All of a sudden a GIANT fruit bat decided to spice up its night by dive bombing a couple of poor innocent foreigners! See, here in Bangladesh, they have this huge species of fruit bat, we’re talking positively Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1083478029721179642004-05-01T23:06:00.000-07:002004-05-01T23:10:18.590-07:00A word on Mosquitos...They suck!!! (Both literally and figuratively.) How I am going to emerge from this jungled farmland without malaria or Dengue I simple do not know. I have grown up with mosquitos all my life, but never have I traveled across such cross little buggers. The particular mosquito in these parts have some sense of rational I do believe.
They are cunning, persistent, and deadly.Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1083477969017751082004-05-01T23:05:00.000-07:002004-05-01T23:09:17.890-07:00You won’t believe what I stumbled across on my walk along the river with Shannon the other day. Go on, guess....no....no....guess again...come on, guess!! Okay okay...We ran across a Gypsy encampment!! That’s right, we found Gypsies. They have set up camp along the Brahmaputra River near my place for a few days. They live in these tiny little trash bag dome tents, have tons of little kids...Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1083477894060358252004-05-01T23:04:00.000-07:002004-05-01T23:08:02.950-07:00Hello you comfortable readers at home in your nice air conditioned rooms. I don’t even know if you need AC where you are reading, but I am F_cking roasting over here in the Desh!! The heat is up, but on the good side, it is mostly a dry heat and there have been some phenomenal lightning storms. Heat lightning is really cool! On more productive news, I have finnished my first class. It went Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1081245302235520172004-04-06T02:39:00.000-07:002004-04-06T02:58:25.530-07:00Okay, so I am at the factory where I do my internetting and I'm in the main office where the owner and the account have their desks. For the past hour they have simply been reading the paper and passing the time, and now they are both slumped down in their chairs fast asleep to the soothing sound of the fan above. So naturally I am trying to type as softly as I can. But this is a perfect Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1079689867779911702004-03-19T01:42:00.000-08:002004-03-19T01:53:32.076-08:00Quick thought on the arranged marriage scene over here. While in the past I have been a pretty decent supporter and believer in the system, certain things have happened that are effecting my thoughts. First of all, men and women have no, and I mean absolutely NO idea, on how to interact with each other, especially in a romantic manner. Yet, they are all obsessed with romance and love. It is Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1079688396036091312004-03-19T00:55:00.000-08:002004-03-19T01:29:00.653-08:00Got a request about the music scene over here:
The Bangledeshies LOVE their music over here! This cannot be understated. Everyone sings, and they are simply amazed...Well actually they don't believe me, when I tell them that I don't know any songs nor can I sing. It is very literally a national past time for them. And they are all love songs! Yes, all nice and romantic; but, let me say againDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1078476779048261472004-03-05T00:14:00.000-08:002004-03-05T00:55:10.093-08:00"The toughest job that you'll ever love," so says the wonderful Peace Corps recruitment pamphlets!! Well, they're not too far off the mark. Bunch of ups and downs over here in the Desh. A big balancing act of trying to keep my sanity, have fun and laugh, and not drown in the overwhelming mass of stares/questions/touching/hostility/and hospitatlity. So much!! Recent thoughts have revolved Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1076668339100882352004-02-13T02:32:00.000-08:002004-02-13T02:34:08.700-08:00Excerpt from Personal Journal from February 02, 2004: (Names have been changed.)
...Also thinking alot about Clay and his language and mannerisms, especially when dealing with homosexuals. Maybe that is what gets under my skin so much about him. He symbolizes so much of what I find disgusting. Frat boy that just fucked girls cause he could with no more thought than that. Just a selfish Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1076667505243558482004-02-13T02:18:00.000-08:002004-02-13T02:20:15.030-08:00Excerpt from Personal Journal from October 6th, 2003:
So here is an obvious thought that just hit me as I was watching some quality Bengali Drama. One reason for the strict adherence to a very conservative dress code, especially for the women, is derived from the fact that arranged marriages are the rule of law here. Neither party, in particular the women, have much of a say in the marriage. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1076581524005319422004-02-12T02:25:00.000-08:002004-02-12T02:27:12.780-08:00Quick Update: Moved into new Apartment, really nice but having some western guilt of having a pretty fair sized place all to myself when a family could be using it. But is was unfinnished until I came along, so oh well. If any of you get a chance, you should really come check it out. Got a balcony that comes out right at tree top level. Palm trees and coconuts right there!!! Also have a Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1075208238979792492004-01-27T04:18:00.000-08:002004-01-27T04:58:51.263-08:00Seems that I have gotten carried away with my fancies of pirates and the like and have departed from the actual substance of this blog; so, here is a quick recap of what I am going here.
Department of Youth Development: I am now teaching a Conversational English course to roughly 18 students. These are all mainly students that have completed there Master's examination (our Bachelor's Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1073907818782715562004-01-12T03:43:00.000-08:002004-01-12T03:44:56.560-08:00Well, I've got to apollogize for the mass amounts of boredom found on this blog for the past week weeks, but it seems that really not much has been going on...none that I can safetly write on such a public forum at least. New things with me are that I am now teaching my English conversational class to the unemployed youth of this nation and looking at moving into my new apartment in the next fewDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1073900035531831282004-01-12T01:10:00.000-08:002004-01-12T01:35:13.280-08:00Well, I've got to apollogize for the mass amounts of boredom found on this blog for the past week weeks, but it seems that really not much has been going on...none that I can safetly write on such a public forum at least. New things with me are that I am now teaching my English conversational class to the unemployed youth of this nation and looking at moving into my new apartment in the next fewDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1073391299581612612004-01-06T04:07:00.000-08:002004-01-06T04:16:11.590-08:00Happy New Year All!!!
All well here in the Desh, I have started my classes, but still not really excited about that. I had an awesome little trip around the country with some good friends over the Christmas and New Year break. I even managed to go swimming in the Bay of Bengal...the site of two whitties in the water really shocked and excited the locals!! Had a great time, and even managed Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1072876736050460162003-12-31T05:07:00.000-08:002003-12-31T05:20:02.123-08:00Random...what is random?
The occasional thoughts of what life is like outside the Desh, the sudden appearance of holidays and friends amongst a solitude existence? Complete seperation but a bond that saves. A hi and hello with meaning and thought. A brief embrace and search of the soul. A gaze into the night sky to share a glimpse of a star that all can see. Flashes of anger under the Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1072004181934577822003-12-21T02:54:00.000-08:002003-12-21T02:57:17.576-08:00HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE DESH!!!!
I hope that you are all enjoying the sunset of 2003 and looking forward to the rise of 2004. May all be Merry and Jazzy for you all. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1071668363281391982003-12-17T05:02:00.000-08:002003-12-17T05:41:33.936-08:00The Bitch Page:
Okay, we know that not everything can be all rosey with wonderful experiences, so I've recently had a bad week and decided that I put some color of that on this forum...
First of all, EVERY single day I have to answer the same stupid questions. ALL DAY LONG. There is never a break. "What is your country?" "What is your name?" "What is your religion?" "Are you married?" "Do Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1070870392468543112003-12-07T23:52:00.000-08:002003-12-08T00:00:35.013-08:00I am beginning to realize that my friends are all part of some Mafia type thing here. It is very interesting, cause I really do think that something of that nature is going on. Not so much Mafia...but yeah, that would be accurate. It is clear that there are many various sorts of power dynamics in this country, and that there is a prolific balckmarket and other such extacurricular activities Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1070869892193221632003-12-07T23:15:00.000-08:002003-12-07T23:52:14.843-08:00No good travel narrative is complete without an entertaining bus story. While this one may not be all that impressive, it is all I got thus far. So, when leaving Dhaka after Thanksgiving, I was "fortunate" enough to jump immediately onto an express bus leaving for Sherpur...a town an hour away that my friend Tim was going to, so I was going to join him on the trip instead of waiting in Dhaka Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-107010529738302712003-11-29T03:24:00.000-08:002003-11-29T03:28:51.653-08:00Hey Yall...still here in Dhaka, burning through taka like no other, anyways I hope that you all enjoyed your holiday, mine has been enjoyable. Some of you have requested my mailing address again, so here it is.
David Root
Peace Corps
House 57, Isakhan Avenue
Sector 6, Uttara Model Town
Dhaka 1230, Bangladesh
Now that you have it, use it!! The mail is a bit unreliable, but it will get here.Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1069934875563430582003-11-27T03:47:00.000-08:002003-11-27T04:08:28.186-08:00Happy Thanksgiving All!! It is Thanksgiving day here and I am chillin at the American Club, which is suppling a plethora of Traditional Thanksgiving grup, unfortunately, they are charging Bedeshi prices and I cannot afford to eat such scrumptious food, ah well, I am here with friends and having a good time. Yesterday was Eid!! Awesome!!! Incredibly Festive and joyous...really think Xmass in Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1069499017149584472003-11-22T02:46:00.000-08:002003-11-22T03:04:04.763-08:00WHATTZZZZZ UUUUPPPPPPPPP?!?!?!?! Did I mention that the other week I saw an Indian version of that commercial. The funny thing is that I never saw the American version for I was in the Middle East and anyone that knows me knows that I don't watch tv. I don't know what is going on! Still don't! Anyways, all is good in the Desh. The weather is really awesome. Completely beautiful clear skiesDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1068468064982733512003-11-10T04:26:00.000-08:002003-11-10T04:41:02.343-08:00And I have found the Romance!!! I have finally made it to my site, Jamalpur. Pretty good here. I basically live on my own...which is awesome and the envy of all my fellow PCVs. I am set up with a host guardian that manages everything for me, but he really doesn't like people so much, so he lives by himself off the way a bit. I essentially have half a wing of a floor in a house type thing. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1067594832114630422003-10-31T01:41:00.000-08:002003-10-31T02:07:11.256-08:00A few points about my experience in Bangladesh:
* Eating mass amounts of rice, fish, and greasy vegetables all day!
* Squating over a whole in the ground and wiping the shit with the left hand
(No toilet paper!) (Actually not too bad, easy on colon and hemroids.)
* One of the most beautiful stary sky's.
* Sleeping in a mosquito net.
* Incessiant horn blowing, it is seriously unreal.
* RandomDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1067426843045687832003-10-29T03:15:00.000-08:002003-10-29T03:27:22.170-08:00Hey Folks! It is now official, I am a Peace Corps Volunteer. October 26th I took the oath and now stand firm as a PCV. Nearly eveyone has gone out to site, but my host family situation seems to be in continual flux so I am chillin in Dhaka for about a week. So nice, but really expensive. Have I mentioned that PCVs don't get paid shit? My allowence is roughly $1.30 a day. Not too bad when Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1066975344957856292003-10-23T22:29:00.001-07:002003-10-23T23:02:25.043-07:00Thoughts on my future plan:
Well, as many of you know I at times seem to obsess about my future plans a bit. I am glad to say that has not changed. I like to think of it more as a continual reflection and contiplation. For the past few years it has been my goal, for my retirement at the age of 45, to set up a nice little Dive Shop/Brewery (called the Dive Bar). The other night as I was up onDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1066975008217131192003-10-23T22:29:00.000-07:002003-10-23T22:56:47.566-07:00Thoughts on my future plan:
Well, as many of you know I at times seem to obsess about my future plans a bit. I am glad to say that has not changed. I like to think of it more as a continual reflection and contiplation. For the past few years it has been my goal, for my retirement at the age of 45, to set up a nice little Dive Shop/Brewery (called the Dive Bar). The other night as I was up onDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1066213833727444142003-10-15T03:25:00.000-07:002003-10-15T03:30:33.450-07:00I thought that some of you would be interested in this. It is a little project that I put together while I was sitting around the office the past two days.
Islamic Holidays
The Muslim Calendar:
The lunar calendar determines festive dates in the Islamic calendar. Months alternate between 29 and 30 days in length. This results in a year 354 days Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1066213477065604682003-10-15T03:22:00.000-07:002003-10-15T03:24:36.860-07:00Quick Request: Please send me your recommendation for good books. Title, author and a brief discription would be great. Actually, if you so choose, you could send the books on to me. I am expecting much down time in the next two years and would like to get some good quality reading in. Thanks!!
Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1066125475687349672003-10-14T02:36:00.001-07:002003-10-14T02:57:55.866-07:00(PLEASE BE WARNED...THE FOLLOWING MAY BE A BIT GRAPHIC FOR OUR YOUNGER/OLDER/PARENT/RELATIVE READERS...)(...IN ADDITION FOR THE POTENTIALITY FOR GRAPHIC IMAGES, i really don't know if it will be graphic or not for i have not written it yet, THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE MUST BE READ IN A LOUD ANGRY SCOTTISH ACCENT, because we all know that if it ain't scottish its CRAP!)
You MUST FEAR the fiery Piss of Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1066125226447412112003-10-14T02:36:00.000-07:002003-10-14T02:53:46.650-07:00(PLEASE BE WARNED...THE FOLLOWING MAY BE A BIT GRAPHIC FOR OUR YOUNGER/OLDER/PARENT/RELATIVE READERS...)(...IN ADDITION FOR THE POTENTIALLITY FOR GRAPHIC IMAGES, i really don't know if it will be graphic or not for i have not written it yet, THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE MUST BE READ IN A LOUD ANRGRY SCOTTISH ACCENT, because we all know that if it ain't scottish its CRAP!)
You MUST FEAR the Firey Piss Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1065861130316970332003-10-11T01:10:00.000-07:002003-10-11T01:32:10.030-07:00So, I think that I want to become a River Pirate while I am here in Bangladesh. See, I have a small obsession with Pirates and have always wanted to be one. Well, my new site is located next to the Brahmaputa River, so where better to begin my Pirate life? The problem is if I will be able to talk Peace Corps into letting me have a boat. But then again...I am going to be a pirate, so maybe I Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1065160209919576602003-10-02T22:37:00.000-07:002003-10-02T22:50:10.163-07:00I will be heading to the District town of Jamalpur...I just like to say Jamalpur, it has a nice ring to it and slides off the tongue effortlessly. I really don't know much at all about this city, Lonely Planet has nothing on it. It is in Dhaka Division, north and slightly west of Dhaka along the banks of the Bramahaputa River west of Mymensingh. I will be the only volunteer there, all by Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1064821924864459462003-09-29T00:11:00.000-07:002003-09-29T00:52:04.273-07:00Random Thoughts/Feelings:
I finally have figured out what one of the things that has been bothering me here is. The PCTs, as a whole, are too conservative! For some reason, I assumed and expected that most everyone that would be doing PC would be quite liberal, politically and personally. I thought that I would be coming over here with a bunch of super awesome activist liberal folk, like my Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1064215327242922382003-09-22T00:22:00.000-07:002003-09-22T00:22:07.083-07:00Life has been a bit boring since my return from the site visit. The only major development has been that Model School has begun. This is where I get to practice my awesome teaching skills for a short three week course in English. This really worried me for a time, for I really do not want to teach English, especially the basic grammer stuff. I really don't think that I would be that good at Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1063114336157766832003-09-09T06:32:00.000-07:002003-09-09T06:32:16.450-07:00This past week has been very eventful. We all seperated and journied off to visit current PCVs that are at their sites. I was one of the very lucky two that was able to go up to the small town of Shrimongal in the district of Sleyt. This area is renowned for its beautiful tea estates that the British set up during the Raj era. I traveled with a fellow PCT, Tim, via train to this region in theDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1062423143168856342003-09-01T06:32:00.000-07:002003-09-01T06:34:28.786-07:00So, I have received a few requests from readers to describe a typical day in my life, so here it goes.
I normally wake up in a sweat from the heat and humidity at around 7am. Even with the ceiling fan going all night, it is still pretty warm, but has been cooling off recently. I get up and make my way to the shower room in my lungi, a large circular skirt that the men wear here, and proceed toDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1061812835719739212003-08-25T05:00:00.000-07:002003-08-25T05:00:35.786-07:00Guess what...it is still hot and humid!! Actually it has been raining a bit more so that has helped to "cool" the temp and cut the humidity. There is a promise of cooler temps come the end of September. All is still going well. Training has been a slight drag for it is not living up to my expectations, but it is still early. We had a free day on Saturday and a bunch of us got together and Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1061471213200441162003-08-21T06:06:00.000-07:002003-08-21T06:11:43.750-07:007 Days in and still HOT and HUMID!!! At least I am having a blast. This the the fourth day that we have been with our host families. I am living in an area called Upazilla. I love it. It is very small and intimate...think tree covered park. It is actually a government setup housing area. I think that everyone in the particular area I am in has someone in the house working for the Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1061054799427820252003-08-16T10:26:00.000-07:002003-08-16T10:26:39.396-07:00NOMOSKAR!!
Greetings from Bangladesh...pronounced Bongladesh. I have had a great journey to reach the capital city of Dhaka. Seattle orientation, or staging as Peace Corps likes to say, was very cool. There are 43 total volunteers coming in on this, the sixth rotation of volunteers to Bdesh. These people are really awesome. Most of us all have bonded very well over our last couple of nightsDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654487.post-1060229537480346322003-08-06T21:12:00.000-07:002003-08-06T21:12:17.530-07:00Hello All! This is the first installment of the Root: Adventure in Bangladesh Blog, or on-line jouranl, which ever you prefer. Needless to say, I am new to such fun things. It is now nearing midnight on the eve of my flight to Seattle, Washington where I shall meet up with my best friend Becca. Come Sunday, I will be reporting to the Peace Corps. Excitement, nervousness, and stress are all Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02161699203824264643noreply@blogger.com