Hello everyone, I'll go ahead and start the blog, as Ralph just walked up the road to see if he can get into a Cricket Match at the nearby stadium. Since we last wrote, we finished the first two-day workshop and it was a great success. Such fun to work with these women, so interested in Nursing in Bangladesh. Standards in hospitals are low, hygiene is non-existant in some, but they try to do their best. After our training, the smallest of nurses (about 100 lbs) was able to move Ralph (a giant by Bangladeshi standards) quite easily.
We then took off for a 3 night/ 4 day trip to Morrelganj, a distant village that required 2 nine - twelve hour boat rides to get there. 3 of the boat rides were with an old paddlewheel boat (The Rocket) that had lots of charm, but a bit rustic in other ways (held about 800 in 3rd class, 400 in 2nd class and 30 in 1st class). We then took a small motorboat (loud and fast) to reach the village. There were about 25 women gathered on straw mats waiting for the 4 of us (Ralph, myself, Semina and Dr. Nazmul) to come, to interview them on their perspective of nursing in the villages. One girl from the village, Ruma, is in her 2nd year of the nursing program at Grameen, so her parents quite proudly gave their opinions first. The colourful dress, head coverings and jewelry were stunning. We were the highlight of the village and had dozens of people following us everywhere. After our discussion we were served fresh coconut milk, then off we went to see a local hospital.
Women in the Workshop The Rocket Paddlewheel boat
Our smaller motorboat, we took to the village A typical crowded boat on the river!
Women at the outdoor meeting, very talkative and excited!
Women watching themselves on the laptop after the interview
We then took off for a 3 night/ 4 day trip to Morrelganj, a distant village that required 2 nine - twelve hour boat rides to get there. 3 of the boat rides were with an old paddlewheel boat (The Rocket) that had lots of charm, but a bit rustic in other ways (held about 800 in 3rd class, 400 in 2nd class and 30 in 1st class). We then took a small motorboat (loud and fast) to reach the village. There were about 25 women gathered on straw mats waiting for the 4 of us (Ralph, myself, Semina and Dr. Nazmul) to come, to interview them on their perspective of nursing in the villages. One girl from the village, Ruma, is in her 2nd year of the nursing program at Grameen, so her parents quite proudly gave their opinions first. The colourful dress, head coverings and jewelry were stunning. We were the highlight of the village and had dozens of people following us everywhere. After our discussion we were served fresh coconut milk, then off we went to see a local hospital.
The hospital was very primitive, 2 nurses for about 60 patients, used syringes in boxes on the floor, no accessories in the large ward, just bed, after bed, after bed. I'm sure infection control is seldom considered, and while we were there, the power went out so we were in darkness. The nurses shared their perspective of nursing in their present situation. Then we walked in the dark with flashlights to the Grameen Bank Building in the village and were served 4 different platefuls of fruit, bori (like a small apple), banana's, cuc's, carrots, papaya's, sofadu(a bangladeshi fruit) and then tea. We slept on boats each evening, large boats with first class cabins (about $ 12 ea cabin). It was really an unforgetable experience. Ralph said "Straight out of Nat'l Geographic". So interesting, and so informative. We had breakfast at a typical Bangladeshi stall, chapatti's and dal, so good! Riverlife was really so interesting, everything is carried by boats, so spectacular. I'll now attach some photo's, we took hundreds, so I'll just add a few.....
Women in the Workshop The Rocket Paddlewheel boat
Our smaller motorboat, we took to the village A typical crowded boat on the river!
Women at the outdoor meeting, very talkative and excited!
A beautiful young girl
Breakfast anyone?
Life along the river!
What an experience! How did Ralph make out at the Cricket Match? You will have so much to tell us when you get home! J
ReplyDeleteWell, he ended up looking through a large hole to see the action with a bunch of local Bangladeshi's, then came home. The ticket price kept jumping up, so he did without and peeked through the hole!
ReplyDeleteYes, we will have lots to share when we get home. Such a great place, not for everyone, but it's fun for us, for a while! The US Ambassador arrived at the same shopping plaza as us today, armed guards with him... so different. Thanks for your note. Debbi
I would like to be a mouse in your pocket and share every adventure with you. It must be very interesting. Good luck and take care.
ReplyDeleteAnna Widmer