Day 2: Riots Turn Buses into Planes...

Okay, so Day Two in Nepal. The plan was to take a bus to Pokhara, the second biggest tourist city in Nepal, home to the Annapurna mountains. Arriving at the bus stand, we dosciver that Maoist rebels have taken control of the highways and the bus is cancelled. No road traffic for the whole day. Apparently its common for this to happen and it usually only lasts for a day, but that didn't really help us considering we were only in the country for like 5 days total. K. had planned to meet a friend and really wanted to head out there, so we forked over the money to take a 20 minute plane ride there.

Arriving at the airport, it was so weird to see how many domestic carriers existed for such a small country. It was probably twice the size of the international airport section we arrived at (!). Flying just above the clounds reminded me again of Girl with a Pearl Earring (the book, not the movie) (what colour is a cloud?) Seeing these white, puffy, cotton balls in the sky is my favorite thing about flying and the view of the cities and landscape was worth the extra money to fly here and not miss this part of the country!

Once we got there, apparently everything in the entire COUNTRY was closed due to the revolt. We had to overpay a taxi to tak us to our hostel. Considering how often these revolts happen, I was surposed at how much it still stops everything. Since we couldn't get rickshaws or CNGs into town and around, we decided to rent bikes and just rise. Armed with a small map with no names, we set off to see Pokhara. First stop: a Hindu temple (Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave) where a stalagmite in a cave was worshipped as Shiva. Next: getting lost trying to find a waterfall. Then we were watched by an entire family (5 sisters!) while we ate lunch. Although we found a bunch of temples on the map, we missed all of these and then finally, we came across a monastry emerging from the top of a mountain (Karma Dubgyu Chokhorling Monastery). Climbing a ridiculous amount of steps, we ran into two girls who were kind enough to show us . Other than the amazing view, it was completely peacful with the soft boom of the drums.

On the way back, we crossed a bridge and my bike faltered over a bump. Catching my balance and trying to be aware of my surroundings, I looked to the river below. Looking back up, out of nowhere, the Annapurna mountains emerged (our first glimpse!). As if cloudy Nepal couldn't get any better, the clounds parted and it did. I tried to follow the mountain ridge, but unfortunately, it disappeared behind some clouds. Being completely ecstatic at having seen one mountain, I could return to Bangladesh.

We stopped at this big lake (Phewa Tal - apparently famous in Nepal) on the way back and K. really wanted to oar a boat - appaarently he didn't get how difficult it could be. After about 15 minutes, he was really tired and gave up. We got to watch a beautiful sunset and if it hadn't been so cloudy, apparently the mountains reflect into the lake. I've decided I want my honeymoon here, haha. Apparently you can also go paragliding here!

Way Back in September: Day 1: Nepal

Okay. While I'm writing, I may as well try and get as far as I can...The first week of September, I took a last-minute trip to Nepal because my project was running into so many delays. A fellow ICDDR, B intern (K.) was already going, so it seemed easy enough and I need to get away from Dhaka and the office and everything before I screamed - I don't think that's appropriate here.

Anyways, we took Biman Airlines, notoriously know for it's untimeliness and the fact that its not commissioned by the World Organization for Planes (or whatever it's called). Everything turned out fine and we ended up in Nepal, inact and on-time (surprising!).

I fell in love with the country before the plane even landed - it was just absolutely breathtaking and while I wish I could post pictures, my computer has subsequently crashed and that's just not possible anymore (I did grab one in time and will attach with a later post). Kathmandu sits in a sit just below the Himalayas, so matter where you looked, majestic mountains rose from the fog and mist around us - an amalgamation of blues, greys, and purples. Absolutely stunning. We had come during the end of the rainy seasosons, which meant that the view wasn't as clear as it could have been and the Himalayas were hidden by the clouds...Granted, I was so blown away as it was, I couldnt even imagine what we would have seen had we come during the winter - peak mountain viewing time.

The owner of the hostel we were staying at picked us up from the airport, which was great! Although he had never been outside of the country, his accent was definitely not South Asian - some words were British, some Aerican, and some Aussie all mixed with his Nepali accent to make something...weird is all I can ascribe to it. Coming from Dhaka, Kathmandu was paradise. Although we were staying in the tourist district, the noise was monomal, there was barely any trash on the ground, and the putrid smell of public defication was absent. Just standing there made me happy and more relaxed. The city was also less hectic and less crowded - no honking of cars or CnGs or anything. And people were wearing Western clothes (!) Things I had forgot existed. Now, granted, we were probably in the tourist section of town, but there were definitely Nepalis who were ascribing to all the things I have described.

Side note: before going to Nepal, I had found out that Marijn, an exchange student who had gone to McGill with me was also there - somewhere. I had sent M. my details and had never heard back, but knew he was going to be in Kathmandu Saturday. I was waiting on pins and needles. As we described our plans to the hostel owner and how I was going to meet up with this Dutch guy, he, funnily enough, told us that M had just been at the hostel the day before! How did we know we were talking about the same blue-eye, blonde-haired beauty? The hostel guy described him "yeah, the guy who never stops smiling?" I knew it was him.

Since we only had an evening left by the time we got there, we decided to hit up Durbar Sqaure. Durbar = Palace and back in the day of Nepal (around the 15th century), the land was divided into three kingdoms - Kathmandu being one of them (Polan and Bhaktapur being the others). [Side note: an invasion by outsiders to all three kingdoms occured in 1768 which unified the kindgoms to what Nepal is today.] The Durbar Square was where the kind lived and reigned from, so the small block is filled with temples and old buildings that resemble courthouses and town halls. This sqaure dates from around the 17th - 18th cenutries, but in 1934 there was an earthquake that kinda destroyed a bunch of the buildings. Although the section was quite touristy (you had to pay to "get in" and everyone kept asking if you needed a guide and people wanted you to take their pictures for money - come on guys, the whole thing was like one city block by half a city block), it was still one of those places that if you lived here, you would come on a weekend and read a book or sit and people watch. If you are ever there, I suggest climbing the tall stairs and just looking down watching the sunset. Again, unfortunately no pictures.

While walking to this place many things amazing me: 1) the amount of people who spoke English - A LOT. One little boy, probably around 12 asked me what coutry I was from. When I said Canada, he replies "capital: Ottawa" and then starts telling me about snow. When the boy asked K., he stupidly replied Zimbabwe (he's from the Netherlands in reality) and the boy replies "capital: Harare" I felt like we were on a game show; 2) how every time you turned a corner, there was a shrine or temple just sitting there, being worshipped, covered with garlands and candles. It was like everything around you was sacred - how could you walk anywhere? It's also such a great mix of Buddhist and Hindu shrines - it seems much more harmonious than other places I've been. And the fact that it was so "out there" - for everyone and anyone to see and worship; 3) The presence and dominance of women - women driving motorcycles, women selling nuts in the street, women just everywhere. Although I never really saw a huge presence of women in Dhaka, it wasn't something that struck me as so odd. However, now comparing it to the overwhelming amount of women here and the openness with which they walk around, I was srtuck by how deserted Dhaka actuallly is - a complete different role of women.

Getting back to the hostel, the owner tells me my Dutch friend is back - early! I bounded up the stairs like a kid in a candy store and after two years, got to see him! We spent a couple hours talking before we had to hit the hay, but just that little bit of time could definitely hold me out for another two years!

Thoughts of the Morning

1. When the sunrise prayer call from the mosque next door doesn't wake you up, you know that you needed sleep. And such a good sleep it was.

2. When the pitter-patter of the rain wakes you up two hours later, you know it's a perfect time to rise. One of those not-too-tired, not-too-awake type moments where you can lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the rain, and just be content?

3. There is a spider in my room. Total, a little larger than my hand (or equal to what a normal person's hand would be), with a body that's quite small - maybe the size of an apricot - but HUGE legs. You know how I feel about spiders. I found him one day and freaked out. I have learned to live with him, but every night when I return, I turn on the lights before I step into the room to make sure I know where he sits. He never moves. I sleep. When I wake, he is gone. However, the next night, he is in the exact same spot - how does he know? And why can I never find him during daylight? There are only so many places in the apartment...

4. Living my food life vicariously through bloggers these days, I realize that it is coming ridiculously close to Thanksgiving...and I long for the pungent aroma of rosemary and garlic turkey in the oven, the taste of wild mushroom stuffing, and the sweet tang of homemade cranberry and walnut sauce. Cheesy-chili cornbread and dense pumpkin pie with light-as-air whipped cream. Freshly grated nutmeg and cinnamon stick twirlers in my piping hot apple cider....Unfortunately there are no ovens here. Let alone anything else I mentioned. My dreamworld comes to a crashing hault.

I just can't seem to get this right...

So, I guess I'm not too good with the blooging culture and I keep trying to figure out what it is...sometimes I have time to update it and either it seems like such a laborious task or I have no motivation to write about things here or...oh, what does it matter. I realize that even if short, I should update you all and that one of the main daunting tasks is updating you on the month of September (really, I haven't done too much since then!). SO, I'm going to ignore it for now and eventually, one day, my trip to Nepal will be detailed. For now, I am just going to take it day by day and try...and then try some more to post.

It's been a while...

So, I obviously haven't updated this in a really long time...mainly it was because I was really frustrated with my project and the delays we had been encountering that I didn't want that frustration to taint the rest of my experiences...the issues haven't really gotten much better, rather they have morphed into new and different issues. I figure its all part of the research game and definitely the internship experience, so I might as well update you all on what else has been happening since the beginning of September. I will detail it slowly over the course of a while so bear with me.

September 2 - 7: I went to Nepal, which is one of the most beautiful places I have been, so I definitely need time to expand and put up pictures.

September 8 - 19: I took a visit to my field site, which is GORGEOUS. Although we didn't have IRB approval to actually do any research, I met the staff, introduced myself at the hospitals we would be working at, and made some field visits to see how the actual project was going to work.

September 19 - October 12: I sat in Dhaka waiting for my project start. Eid occured and my advisor from Hopkins came for a conference. I went to the conference, attended a planning meeting for a new neonatal health study, and just hung out. Once the beginning of October hit and my project still wasn't off the ground, I began to look for extra work to supplement my time. I found 3 new projects/people to involve myself with...I then FINALLY got IRB approval and headed down to my field site to start my work.

October: Throughout October I have been travelling back and forth from Dhaka (the capital) to my field site by overnight bus (it takes 11 hours) to handle the extra projects I am working on and my own research project.

October 29: We had a Hallowe'en party where we got to invite all the Bangladeshi's from ICDDR, B and exposed them to a wonderful Western holiday - complete with costumes, decorations, candy, and candied apples...mmmm.

So, now I am again at my fieldsite for a week before I head back to Dhaka for a week to have some more meetings and trainings. Throughout the week I will be updating and expanding on all of the things above, complete with pictures!

Paddy Fields

My obsession with rice fields only grew while in Nepal and I found a close-to-perfect description of the colors of the rice paddies in BG.

"The land was divided into rectangular plots of rice, framed by a raised mud bank the width of a footprint. Different stages of growth were segregated in the plots: there were the pale, tiny shoots the colour of limes, which would be pulled and replanted when they grew waist high; and then the established shoots, denser and slightly darker; and finally the milk-toned paddy, ready to be harvested. the plots were miniature islands, each in its own flooded pool; together they were a chequered palette of green and gold." 

The Golden Age, Tahmima Anam

Different from the rice paddies of BG, because Nepal is rooted in the Himalaya mountains and the consequent valleys, the plains for rice are limited. I was impressed with how the Nepali's used the sides of their hills to grow rice and maize; usually area reserved for forests or rocks in West, not agriculture (from what I have seen, I mean). I assume terraced rice paddies are common in South East Asia, as well...It lead to the varying green hues interspersed with the lush greens of the forests, dotted with sunlight and the rich yellow of corn. 

Side note: Although BG seems to produce tons of rice throughout the country, all the rice in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is imported from Burma - I guess they haven't learnt how to use the sides of the CHT hills for rice yet.

Much Seen and Done

So, it's been like three weeks since I've written anything! In that time, I went to Nepal for a week and I visited my fieldsite for a week and a half and am now back in Dhaka for Eid and Durga Puja holidays...It will take me a while to update on all these things, so bear with me. 

My new fascination is South Asia history, as pushed by my trip to Nepal and the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The more I read about how the history of each of these countries is linked, the more interested I become in reading each side of the story - Indian v. Pakistan, Bangladesh v. India, Pakistan v. India. Because of being in BG, my first priority was attempting to understand the events leading up to the Liberation War in 1971 and political control after that. My first foray into the subject was a fiction novel called The Golden Age. It relays the life one family through the year of the Liberation war - a mother with a son and daughter, both involved. It gave me a lot of insight into how families were ripped apart between West and East Pakistan, how Hindus felt loyalty to a country that had a single (and different) religion associated with it, and, of course, the process of fighting for independence of a country. If anyone is interested in the subject, I highly recommend it as a read.

The one thing that most struck me about the war was women's involvement. Not just were they nurses and caretakers, but they were trained in fighting, and led a lot of the frontline efforts. Shortly after finishing this novel, I read A History of Bangladesh in which I found the following poem, written by Sufia Kamal. She was one of East Pakistan's literary figures, before BG independence. Throughout the 40s and 50s, she was prominent in speaking out against the suppression of Bengali language and culture by the Pakistani government, and was also highly involved during the war in 1971. She wrote a poem, copied below, called No More Time For Braiding Your Hair.

There's no more time for braiding your hair in patterns, 

Or for being concerned with the glamorous border of your saris,

The tip mark on your forehead, your mascara or lipstick. 

No more time, no more time - for the battle for life is on!

There's no more laughter in blossoming girls, or in young widows. 

Their mouths and lips are firmly pursed in stern resolve. 

Restless now, like the sharp edge of a sword

Are the ender eyes, now piercing and raised. 

Not like the frightened doe are these eyes any more. 

They are searching, like a hunting hawk.

Their bitter hearts have turned cold, savage, hard, 

To take revenge on the brute ravagers. 

The women have shed their coy, delicate gentility

To wreak vengence for the sorrow of their lost dear ones. 

In the slender bodies and hearts is gathered 

The courage of lions.

Boudless strength they hold - these valient women. 

No more mere love songs - instead, 

They sing: 'Victory for my motherland, 

My people, the heroic fighters!'

Dipping their onchol in the martyrs' blood

Spilled in the street, they repay their debt

To Mother Earth in blood.