Dhan, chal, bhat

The literal English translation of the title is "rice, rice, rice". It makes sense that there are multiple names for it in Bangla because one can see it in many forms on a given day. Dhan is rice still in the field. Right now the paddies are being planted in my area. As I ride through the villages on my bike, the sight all around me is small green plants popping up through water in the fields. Chal is rice after it has been harvested but still uncooked. It is often sold in huge 50 kg sacks. Finally bhat, as you might have guessed, is the fluffy white stuff you eat. I eat bhat at least twice a day here. Bangladeshis aren't satisfied with a meal unless they have eaten rice. A common way of asking someone if they have had their meal is saying "Apni bhat kheyechen?" (lit.: "Have you eaten rice?") Sometimes people ask me what my parents do. I tell them my mom is a teacher and my dad is a farmer. A common question is "Oh, how much rice does your father grow?"

In Bangladesh, rice is the undisputed staple food. The per capita consumption here is higher than anywhere in the world. I've read that 70% of the average Bangladeshi's caloric intake is from rice. It's hard to describe the reliance on rice here. It also gives a new definition to what food security means for the people here. If the price of rice goes up even 10 or 15 taka (15 or 23 cents) per kg, people starve. If the rains come late or a cyclone hits the south, people starve.

When I first came to Bangladesh, I was overwhelmed a bit with the amount of rice I was expected to eat. In Canada I would eat rice a few times a week. I thought that was a lot. Now when I tell Bangladeshis that I might eat rice 2-3 times per week in Canada, they laugh at me. They can't believe that we survive on bread, noodles and corn.

But there's a lesson to be learned here. In Canada, we eat because it tastes good. A side effect is that it keeps us alive. Here, its the other way around. I used to crave food from home, but now I'm fine with rice twice a day. Because nothing keeps your belly fuller than a big plate of bhat.

Brishti hoyeche

This morning I was woken up early by rain on the tin roof. It was the first time it had rained since I moved in with my current host family over four months ago. My sleep deprived mind first jumped to "why is it hailing?" because it was really loud. But then I realized it was rain and I rolled over and went back to sleep.

Yesterday evening I got a haircut. It was long overdue. My host brother's friend has a barbershop so I got it cut there. He did a good job, but I forewent the massage this time.

Tonight I get a new shirt. My host family gave me a piece of cloth for my 21st birthday last weekend. I took it to a tailors and it should be ready today. Usually on my birthday, I feel older. When I was in school I often was older than my classmates because I have a birthday early in the year. Now, however, I'm about the youngest person I have regular contact with. Piyash bests me with only 2 years under his belt. Also, I think this is the first birthday since 16 that doesn't have a milestone associated with it. At 16 I could get my G1 licence, at 17 I could get my G2, 18 I could vote, 19 I could buy alcohol and tobacco and 20 marked my second decade of living. I guess 24 or 25 I can rent a car (or something like that).

Hopefully I'll get a new camera sometime soon so I'll have more pictures to share. Until then, take care.

Ben

Sylhet

Last Saturday I had nothing to do, so I started writing this nice, long informative post about my trip to Sylhet. I was planning on adding some pictures but when I went to get my camera it wasn't in my bag. I looked all over but I couldn't find it. My conclusion is that it fell out of my bag onto the luggage rack in the bus when I was getting a book out. This discovery put me in a bit of a funk and I no longer felt like blogging. I'm hoping to contact the bus company today, but I'm not holding my breath. Anyway, I decided I owed you a post regardless so I'll recap some highlights of my trip.

Sylhet is in the north-east corner of Bangladesh. The countryside is quite pretty with nice rolling hills and expansive tea gardens. Other than here and Chittagong, Bangladesh is flat and boring as far as topography is concerned. After a 10 hour overnight bus ride, we arrived in Sylhet town. I made the mistake the previous night of not claiming a seat on the bus before joining the others at the tea stall, the result being I was stuck with one at the back behind the rear axle. While the bumps might have exhilarated me when I was in grade 5, my 20-year-old self was not pleased when the time came to sleep. I didn't get much of it.

We first checked out a tea garden. We saw how tea is processed as well as how rubber is made. Rubber has nothing to do with tea by the way, just the plantation had a small rubber making operation. In the afternoon we visited some burial sites of old Mughal conquerors. They are now pilgrimage sites for Muslims. It's interesting how that works. The remains of men who once conquered the Bangladeshi people by military force and converted them to Islam are now revered.

The next couple of days were spent visiting some local NGOs and national parks. The national parks were quite nice. One of them had a waterfall. I believe it is THE waterfall in Bangladesh. It was a pretty location. There would be a picture here, if that were possible. A quick note on litter. A while back I made a post on garbage. I commented that I understood the reasons for garbage being everywhere here. However, I thought it was gross that in the national parks there was still litter everywhere! People threw garbage into the waterfall. There were even signs stating "Do Not Litter". True there weren't any garbage cans, but I feel like the parks don't have the budget to hire people to empty them. It can't be too difficult to keep your trash in your pocket or bag and dispose of it outside the park. But I guess that's my Western bias again. I suppose if you consider that until maybe 30 years ago pretty much all trash produced in Bangladesh was decomposable, it makes sense that those habits of tossing waste haven't died yet.

On our trip we ate at hotels for all our meals. Hotels are small restaurants that can be found almost everywhere you go. It is amazing to me how cheap one can eat at a hotel. Breakfast of two naan, dal, an egg and tea is 38 taka (60 cents). Lunch or supper consisting of rice, dal, meat, vegetable curry and tea goes for 90 taka ($1.25). Fish is even cheaper. One can eat very well for a whole day on $3.50.

Overall it was a good trip. I got to see another part of the country and a lot of the REAP staff did too. I was surprised how many of my co-workers had never been to Sylhet. Most of them are in their 30s and 40s and have lived in Bangladesh their whole life. Well that's it for now.

Ben