We just enjoyed a few days in Comilla, a rural area about 2 hours from Dhaka, on the Indian border.We travelled there with Nazul, Semina and Moyna. Semina is a 32 year old lawyer from the UK of Bangladeshi heritage. She wanted a change, as she was a fraud lawyer in the UK and got tired of working in the business fraud area. She is also volunteering with Grameen, looking at the legal description of the role of the nurse here. Very interesting young lady, I think we'll do some more travel with her before we leave. Moyna is a shy Bangladeshi young woman, studying to be a Paramedic, because she was too old for the nursing program. I guess you have to apply right out of high school.
You have never seen wild traffic like this... Imagine a two lane road (roughly paved and part dirt road). We are heading in one direction and our driver wants to pass a truck, so now two vehicles going in one direction, then a public bus passes us, so 3 going the wrong way, and then on the inside is a tuk-tuk, so everyone pushes over a bit more to make room, while blareing their horns! Then of course, there is a bus or truck bearing down on us, so now everyone speeds up to get past the vehicle they were passing, to avoid being hit by the bus! Crazy, crazy, crazy.
You have never seen wild traffic like this... Imagine a two lane road (roughly paved and part dirt road). We are heading in one direction and our driver wants to pass a truck, so now two vehicles going in one direction, then a public bus passes us, so 3 going the wrong way, and then on the inside is a tuk-tuk, so everyone pushes over a bit more to make room, while blareing their horns! Then of course, there is a bus or truck bearing down on us, so now everyone speeds up to get past the vehicle they were passing, to avoid being hit by the bus! Crazy, crazy, crazy.
In Comilla we saw a WWII cemetary, with 12 Canadians buried there along with 400 other Allied graves and about 25 Japanese graves. Very well cared for. We also saw the guest house that Queen Eliz stayed at during her coronation tour, we stayed next door. We saw some newly uncovered Buddist temples from the 7th - 12th century. Men were carrying large bowls of dirt on their head to carry it away from the archiological site, Ralph joined the procession of men, with a bowl of dirt on his head, all the men chuckled and even the local security came out to take Ralph's picture. Lastly we stopped at a brick factory,such hard physical labor. Many are slaves to the work (from what we have been told), but the process is so interesting to see.
The local people are so happy and so curious about us. What a great place to be!
D & R
So let me try this again. Third time I try to post. Must be me. What's the temperture like. i see a few locals in long sleeve shirts and Ralph in his jeans.
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Hi Adrien, It's warm, about 25 C plus or minus a degree or two. But for Bangladeshi's it's their winter, so they often have on sweaters, and long sleeved shirts. The women wear Sari's or Long tunic tops and loose pants. Today was our first workshop, quite interesting trying to do manouvers with long flowing dresses or Sari's on (not Ralph though). Everyone is so very, very nice. If I ever lose Ralph, I just look for the cluster of young giggling girls, he is happily entertaining them! Ralph is playing ping-pong with Rakesh right now, a Nepali male nurse who is working and teaching here in Bangladesh. We are having quite a time!
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