Well folks, we finally arrived. Our flight from Dubai to Dhaka was in an enormous plane with 99% Bangladeshi workers returning home to see family. These fellows had 'duty free' packages, suitcases, roped up bags, you name it, they carried it. They tried to force everything into the overhead bins, Ralph helped the flight attendants close bins because they were too full and too heavy to lift.... when we landed, as soon as the tires touched down you heard "click, click, click....", they were undoing their seatbelts and jumping up to get their items out of the bin, it was really mayhem.... We sat near a woman from Ohio, whose husband retired from US airways and now flies for a local Bangladeshi airway. He also flew in Afghanistan and Dubai since retirment. She had lots of stories to share, she does like it here. We may meet up with them while here.
It then took 2 1/2 hours to get our bags, 3 out of 4 arrived. Ralph and I were escorted through the VIP doorway, into a lounge. Our passports were quickly stamped, we had a "Ministry of Health" representative meet us, with Dr. Nazul Hada. Nazul works for the College of Nursing, has his medical degree, then a Masters in Social Health and then did his Phd in Public Health at University of Alberta in Edmontorn (he was there for 4 or 5 years) He does alot of research on the health issues in Bangladeshi society. He told us about a study he did on the brothels in India, since they have 40% Bangladeshi girls in them. I'll save you the details, but.... some young girls are given steriods at 12 years of age to enhance their appearance. He wondered if these girls return to Bangladesh with HIV and other diseases, so his study looked at diseases in regards to these women. It caught national attention, and then international health partners also got involved to stop the trafficing of women, and if the women are there by choice, then to do some health screening and care.
While we were on our 1 1/2 ride to our hotel from the airport Nazul got a phone call from a researcher with Columbia University in the US, asking about the payscale for nurses with the BScN in Nursing versus RN grads. Columbia may become involved in funding the Nursing program here. Nazul explained that they have been trying to recruit girls into nursing from the poorer regions, to help a village understand that a nursing education for their daughters can open up new opportunities for the whole family. He mentioned that although families may think their daughters have good jobs in Kolkuta (was Calcutta), they appreciate the money the girls send home to their families, they ignore their suspicions that the girls may work in brothels by choice.
The garment industry here is now partially regulated by the gov't. Before regulation, workers were paid $10 a month ($2, went for makeup, $4, toward their housing, and $ 4 for food (for the young girl workers)), now they are paid $50 a month and standards are improving too.
I'll post pictures in a bit and I'll try not to be so long-winded.... it is a little overwhelming the standard of life here. We both slept well last night, it took about 45 hours of travelling to finally arrive at our little hotel. Breakfast was superb, chapattis (like pita bread), vegatables cooked in a spice, samosa style paddy stuffed with spices and veggie's, coffee, juice..... so so good.
We're going to go out for a walk and see the local life. It's Friday here, their day off, so the streets are a bit quieter. Watch for photos coming soon.
It then took 2 1/2 hours to get our bags, 3 out of 4 arrived. Ralph and I were escorted through the VIP doorway, into a lounge. Our passports were quickly stamped, we had a "Ministry of Health" representative meet us, with Dr. Nazul Hada. Nazul works for the College of Nursing, has his medical degree, then a Masters in Social Health and then did his Phd in Public Health at University of Alberta in Edmontorn (he was there for 4 or 5 years) He does alot of research on the health issues in Bangladeshi society. He told us about a study he did on the brothels in India, since they have 40% Bangladeshi girls in them. I'll save you the details, but.... some young girls are given steriods at 12 years of age to enhance their appearance. He wondered if these girls return to Bangladesh with HIV and other diseases, so his study looked at diseases in regards to these women. It caught national attention, and then international health partners also got involved to stop the trafficing of women, and if the women are there by choice, then to do some health screening and care.
While we were on our 1 1/2 ride to our hotel from the airport Nazul got a phone call from a researcher with Columbia University in the US, asking about the payscale for nurses with the BScN in Nursing versus RN grads. Columbia may become involved in funding the Nursing program here. Nazul explained that they have been trying to recruit girls into nursing from the poorer regions, to help a village understand that a nursing education for their daughters can open up new opportunities for the whole family. He mentioned that although families may think their daughters have good jobs in Kolkuta (was Calcutta), they appreciate the money the girls send home to their families, they ignore their suspicions that the girls may work in brothels by choice.
The garment industry here is now partially regulated by the gov't. Before regulation, workers were paid $10 a month ($2, went for makeup, $4, toward their housing, and $ 4 for food (for the young girl workers)), now they are paid $50 a month and standards are improving too.
I'll post pictures in a bit and I'll try not to be so long-winded.... it is a little overwhelming the standard of life here. We both slept well last night, it took about 45 hours of travelling to finally arrive at our little hotel. Breakfast was superb, chapattis (like pita bread), vegatables cooked in a spice, samosa style paddy stuffed with spices and veggie's, coffee, juice..... so so good.
We're going to go out for a walk and see the local life. It's Friday here, their day off, so the streets are a bit quieter. Watch for photos coming soon.
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