Day trip to Sonargaon!

Around 11 am this morning Hasan came to pick up Fina and I and we headed to the old capital of East Bengal, Sonargaon for the day. After being stuck in traffic for a fair while we eventually reached our destination and made our first stop at the Lok Shilpa Jadughar (Folk Art and Craft Museum) and Bara Sardar Bari House from 1901.

Fina, me & Hasan outside the Bara Sardar Bari House.

Hi there..

Nice architectural details!

In the park surrounding the museum was a lush garden with a pond and handicraft shops where we went strolling with bangladeshis enjoying their friday. 

Fina by the pond..

...me crossing the pond (why take the easy way, right?)

Carousel for the kids.

By one of the colorful saree shops were an old man and a teenage boy making the traditional jamdani fabric. It was really impressive to watch them throw the spool between them.

Saree-shop!

Making the saree fabric jamdani.

Further down the road was the majestic but ghost-like ruins of Painam Nagar. It was the trading centre for cotton fabrics during the brittish rule and built between 1895-1905 by wealthy Hindu fabric merchants. During partition the merchants left and the buildings were occupied by locals up until recently when it was enlisted on the World Heritage list and emptied for preservation. 

Building in Painam Nagar

Time for refreshments! 

A door. 

The ghost city of Painam Nagar.

Oh Dhaka, you’re breaking my heart..

Today has been a bit tough. It started with a heart breaking interview this morning with someone who has been through hell for many years. It is very hard for me sometimes to accept how it seem that for some in this culture, divorce is often considered a bigger shame than beating someone half to death.

 Feeling very emotional after the interview, it was very hard getting out of the office and into the streets and facing the beggars. Because of Eid Celebrations (national holiday and religious celebration) next weekend the streets are filled with more beggars than usual.

 To start with, a little boy, maybe three years old grabbed my sleeve, said he was hungry, asked for money and wouldn’t let go. When he eventually did let go, his mother (18 yrs the most) followed me to the CNG with a baby in her arms and kept asking for money. It feels so utterly cruel to keep walking, but I know that if I would have given them some, there would have been a swarm of people around me shortly. Minor inconvenience in comparison thou I guess. 

Tears were not far away.

 My flight tickets for Cox’s Bazaar got cancelled for an unknown reason so I was making my way through the city trying to first get a refund and then book new tickets at a different agency. Complaining about this matter would be ridiculus. Especially after walking down the streets watching disabled people placed on cardboard on the side walk with a beggar bowl in front of them, little babies not more than a few months old sitting all alone in a corner, blind people making their way through traffic and knocking on car windows, little kids pulling your sleeves asking begging you to give them a few taka. 

All this was just too much for me today. My heart is aching. It is breaking.

I was so happy to meet up with my roomies Fina & Sara Jane for dinner at ”Spagetti Jazz” for some delicious food and a really nice time.

Facing the streets again after dinner thou, with a belly full of food, made me feel even worse. And here I am in my air conditioned room and my comfy bed, just a few hundered meters away from some child sleeping in the gutter. 

Heart breaking. 

It's a small world indeed & The History of Bangladesh - for dummies ;)

I just got back from a really great dinner at a Thai-restaurant in Gulshan. I went there with my lovely flat mate Fina who told me that her friend Frida (also from Sweden) and her flat mate was meeting up with us there. Imagine my surprise when I realized that her flat mate is my cousin Hanna's friend Sean, who is from the states and also writing his thesis here, and who I've been in contact with through FB and wanting to meet up with! :) It's a small world indeed. We had a really nice time and decided to do some exploring of Old Dhaka next weekend.

Other than that I've been busy with my research for the past few days. 

On friday thou, Hasan and I went to the Liberation War Museum & the Bangladesh National Museum. I learnt so much about the history of Bangladesh and was lucky to have Hasan with me as a very knowledgable guide! 

Outside the Liberation War Museum.

Hasan and I about to enter the National Museum!

Since I learnt so much I thought I’d share the essence of the Bangladesh history with you all- so here it comes:

The History of Bangladesh for dummies! 

Ok, so going all the way back to ... 

17th century- Bangladesh (and Pakistan) was a part of India, although the power in all of the country was divided in regions by different land lords. 

1757- When India was colonized by the brittish, the power was centralized. Thou the colonization brought some positive things to the country, such as an educational system, the developement of roads etc. the native Indian people was taken advantage of by the brits and suffered in many ways. 

1947- Because of political and religious reasons, the pakistani and bengali regions of India was divided into its own country when the brittish left. Bengali regions was referred to as East Pakistan and remained a part of Pakistan up until the elections of 1970.

1970- Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose party won a majority in Parliament in the Pakistani elections, was blocked from taking office. This because Rahman won the majority of votes in East Pakistan, while Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto won the majority of votes in West Pakistan. East Pakistan/ Bangladesh then wanted to separate from Pakistan and become their own country, something that West Pakistan did not accept. And so in spring 1971, the war begun.

1971- The war went on for nine months and soruces say that between 300,000 to 500,000 bangladeshis lost their lives during this time. The war was fought on Bangladeshi land and pakistanis especially targeted academics, who they considered responsible for the war. Millions of bangladeshis sought refuge in India, being forced to live in packed camps where starvation and famine was ravaging. 

Women in military training for the Liberation War.

Eventually India finally decided to come to the assistance of the bangladeshis, and in nine days Pakistan Army surrendered to the joint forces of India and Bangladesh.

1971 to present-  Bangladesh has endured political turmoil, natural disasters, famine, religious indifferences and poverty, and is now celebrating its 40 yr anniversary as a country. They still face many challanges but it is also the fastest developing country in the world, with great improvements in many areas ever since their independence. 

’Ain o Salish Kendra’ annual staff retreat!

Today I got back to Dhaka after spending three days in the serene country side just outside of the town of Savar. I was there because of the ‘Ain o Salish Kendra’ annual staff retreat, which is a conference the organisation holds once a year for all their employees ( everyone from the janitor and the tea- and coffee maker to the executive director and board members are there) and where they go through what each unit has achieved during the year etc. 

We left Dhaka on tuesday morning in four busses and arrived at the BRAC CDM Resort around noon. As serious as a ’conference’ might sound it was actually a blast! In between lectures and talks about budgets etc. were singing and dancing and everyone was dressed up in colorful salwaar and sarees the whole time and were so happy and giddy! Those bangladeshis sure knows how to make a conference into something FUN! :)

The staff arriving to the retreat.

A dressed up staff-member and Sunjida.

Nasima and the maintenance-man/(woman?:) )

The PsychoSocial Counelling Unit!

The retreat it self was really nice with beautiful surroundings and a fantastic view over bangladeshi landscape.

Gorgeous Jafrine.

Theatre, fun and games with the kids.

My supervisor- lovely Nasima- getting celebrated on her birthday!

Games!

Last night it was time for solidarity night, which meant even more music, singing, dancing, laughing, glitter & glam! Before it all started three of my co-workers helped turning me into a real Bangla-girl. They did the whole sh’bang with a colorful saree, golden necklace, earings, bracelets and make-up! I’ve never felt as glamorous before in my life! ;) 

Rakhi helping me putting on my saree!

All dressed up!
Runa, Rezina, Nasima, Me, Sunjida.

Most of the staff participated in some way in the performances, as did I. My contribution was singing an a capella love song in swedish! :) 

I have gotten the promision to mention the organisation’s name - Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK)-  here in my blog because I would really like to tell you all about their work. I was so inspired and impressed after hearing the passionate and intelligent staff share their work, that I would like to dedicate a later blog post to what I have learnt about the organisation during the conference. 

অফিসে একদিন / One day at the office

I had a very nice start to the day today as I got the friendliest CNG driver so far! He had a big cheeky smile on his face and thou he couldn't speak any english at all, we both tried to communicate through sign language which went surprisingly well! When he wasn't trying to speak to me a was singing happy bengali tunes and his happiness was contagious. I was happy as a lark when I arrived at the office :)

My mood got even better after spending the day with my lovely co-workers. They are such amazing and ambitious people who really inspire me.

The counselors.
Standing:  Nasima Akter (supervisor), Runa Khandaker & Sunjida Islam
Sitting: Rezina Parvin (supervisor) & Roushan J Parvin (lawyer and department director)

Me together with my supervisors and the department director.

The whole organization is going on their annual retreat this week and since it will end with a party I decided together with my colleges that I needed a saree! One of my supervisors, Rezina, promised to help me with the shopping once we finished work. I can't even begin to say how thankful I was that she came with me! I would never have been able to find the right shops and get everything I needed at a reasonable price without her help. I bought a lovely saree in indigo and purple, a beautiful set of pearl (necklace, earrings and bracelet) and also a new salwaar. I can't wait to wear it all!

The Jewelry Shop owner who makes all the items himself.

The shop owners wife, showing off a necklace :)

Sightseeing!

Yesterday was an awesome day. After a nice and slow morning, Hasan came and picked me up around 12 and we headed for Old Dhaka. On our way there we stopped at shining white Baitul Mukarram, the biggest mosque in Dhaka. It was fun to see all the mosque-goers arriving for their friday mass.

Cute kids outside the mosque

Outside of Baitul Mukarram

Old Dhaka has really narrow streets and so it was quite an adventure to make our way through all the rickshaws and people. I'm so impressed with anyone daring enough to drive in this city; you must have nerves of STEEL. I really enjoyed watching everything going on outside the car. So much to take in and look at.

 Our first stop was the Sadarghat boat terminal where we managed to find a man who offered a little tour on one of his boats. It was a small wooden row boat and because it was friday the river was free from the huge ferries that usually traffic the waters, otherwise I would have thought twice before getting in. The water is really dirty and all the sewage from all of Dhaka has its outlet into the river, but the tour was a really nice way to enjoy the everyday life of the bangladeshis. Little wooden boats packed with families, people cleaning themselves and swimming along the river banks, cargo boats filled with sand for construction sites driving past.

Our next stop was the Pink Palace of Ahsan Manzil. It was built in 1872 by Nawab Abdul Ghani, one the most influential persons in East Bengal in the last half of the 19th century. It was restored in 1980 and now seemed to be a quite popular friday excursion for bangladeshi families, as the garden was filled with people. The palace it self has definitely seen its glory days, but it was nice to get a glimpse of what it might have looked like some 140 years ago.

People in the Pink Palace garden.

Pink palace

The last stop of the day was the house of the National Assembly. A very cool building designed by Luis Kahn in 1963, during the Pakistani rule.

You're not allowed inside the building, but on the opposite side of the road is a park were we went for a stroll in the sunset and enjoyed the festival-like spirit of bangladeshis enjoying their friday evening.

It was so amazing experiencing Dhaka together with someone from here. I can't even imagine what it would have been like if I was to try to do the tour myself and SOOO appreciate having met Hasan!

I ended the day with going to dinner in Gulshan 2 with my flat mate Nobuko and her swiss friend Nora.  Gulshan 2 is the upper class area of the city and it almost feels surreal after spending the day in old Dhaka. The contrast couldn't be any bigger. After dinner we went to the Nordic Club for a drink before we headed home in a rickshaw. I was a really cool and quiet evening and nice to cruise the streets at a time when there is no traffic.

I ended the day with a Skype call with my man and went to bed as a happy little swede.

Thursday- Pheew, what a day!

Thursday was a bit of a challenge.

It started wednesday night with me not being able to get the AC in my room to work and had to try to and sleep in about 30 degrees celsius. On top of that, when trying to go to sleep, the roof fan kind of sounds like a helicopter trying to land in my ear. Needless to say, I didn't get very many hours of sleep that night. When I woke up and went to the kitchen for breakfast I was in a bit of a haze and forgot for a few seconds that the doors here lock from the inside when you close them and so did the door to my room. I panicked for a little while before I got a hold of my roomie who told me where to find the spare key.

 Running a bit late for work I caught the first CNG I could find. The traffic was pretty bad as usual and on top of that the driver managed to slightly bump into a motorcyclist right in front of a police officer who angrily demanded that he was to pull over so that he could write him a fine. Since we were in the middle of the highway I could not catch another CNG so I had to patiently wait while the police, the driver and the motorcyclist were yelling at each other in Bangla.

Once I got to work all was good thou. My colleges are such nice people and do an amazing job every day with their clients. After another traffic jam back from work I went to Gulshan 1 to find a mobile since the old one I brought broke. It was a bit of a hassle to find the right shop, but a little cute boy ended up guiding and following me there.

As I got home I was exhausted and ready to just lie in bed and just watch a movie. I just had about 5 minutes left on downloading a movie program to my computer and just as it was done the power went out (happens at least once a day here). My first massive pangs of missing my boyfriend hit me. I just wanted to teleport myself back to his house for a few hours.

You really need your sleep to function in this city. Fortunately the AC worked last night and I also got myself some earplugs and so when I woke up this morning after a good nights sleep I felt a lot better. In Bangladesh the weekend is on friday and saturday, and today Im going sightseeing with Hasan-the-Bangla-Angel!:) Very excited!!!

Amar ghar / My room

Another intense day! But just as fun!

I slept like a rock for ten hours straight and almost over slept, but after a quick brekkie I got on the road in a CNG (kind of like a rickshaw-motorbike but with a cage over it) and fought my way through traffic to get to my organization in Lalmatia. I was greeted in the elevator by two of the team members of the unit where I will be working and they took me to their office where the whole team was waiting.
They asked me to tell them about myself, my family and my study and when I was done they took turns in introducing themselves. They made it clear that I was considered a part of the team now and gave me my schedule for the next few weeks. I'll be way more busy than I thought I would, but I'm stoked about it. I had lunch at the organization cantina and tried my best to master the hand eating skills- to the entertainment of my colleges :) They said I did ok thou.

After five hours at the office I went to a shop and got myself another Salwar before I hailed a CNG and made my way back to the guest house through CRRRRRAAAAAAZZZZYYYY traffic!! I picked up my bags and caught another CNG to MY NEW HOME! :)

My oasis!

A colorful bundle of shawls (and a fjällräven)! 

After getting settled in I had a chat to my roomie Nobuko and around 7pm Hasan-the-Bangla-Angel (thats your nickname from now on Hasan ;) ) came to pick me up and we went for a really nice dinner at Nando's in Gulshan. 

Tomorrow will be another big day and it's time for me to charge my batteries, so Good Night to ya'll! 

Exhaust exhausted in Dhaka!

I'm here!

After a two hour delayed flight from Istanbul I finally made it to Dhaka 6am this morning.

And after waiting for my bag for about an hour I walked through the exit gates and was immediately greeted by Hasan who drove me to my guest house. I was so jet lagged I forgot to give him the swedish candy I brought him as a thank you. He'll get it next time ;)

After a little nap I decided to go for a stroll around Banani and try to see if I could find a SIM-card shop somewhere since my swedish phone doesn't work here.  My first little expedition was successful

since I not only found and bought a SIM-card, but also managed to find my way back home by rick-shaw... Fun!:)

After another little nap I caught a rick-shaw to Gulshan 1 to meet up with Nobuko who is renting out one of her rooms in an apartment. I got there about an hour early so that I could just sit and watch the commotion for a while. I love it! Its utter chaos with people jumping on and off buses and climbing up on the bus roof,  rickshaws struggling to make their way through traffic, women in colorful salwars and sarees, families having a picnic in the middle of the round about, huge billboards, half-built buildings, electrical cables, vendors trying to sell their merchandise. So awesome.

The apartment in Niketan was like a little oasis and Nobuko seems very nice. I took it on the spot and am moving in tomorrow!

My head is spinning from the jet lag/ exhaust/ dehydration/ overwhelming city of Dhaka and I'll probably go to bed really early. But it'll be with a smile on my face.

xx

Ready for take off!

Im sitting in the kitchen at my parents house in Tisselskog. My bags are packed and my dad and I will head to the airport in about an hour. I'm not so much looking forward to the flight but can't wait to get to my destination in Dhaka and let the adventure begin! 

(Although when I hugged my boy good bye yesterday I was almost considering canceling the whole trip.. )

When I was in Härnösand I was lucky enough to bump into the very nice Chiran from India in the kitchen at SIDA. He is studying in Sundsvall and was in Härnösand to talk to the MFS-students there about India. We had a chat and he ended up giving me the contact info to his friend Hasan that lives in Dhaka. Turns out this was a stroke of luck! 

When I woke up this morning I had an email from my guest house saying that their driver was on leave and was not able to pick me up, but they suggested I would call another driver and gave me his number. When I went to my room to get my phone I had a missed call, which turned out to be from Hasan. He asked me if I had arranged to get picked up and when I said no, he offered to do it! Even when I told him it is 5am in the morning! What an angel!!

Catch you on the flip side! (=Dhaka)

Why Bangladesh?

I just realized that I haven't mentioned why I'm going to Dhaka and what I will be doing there! :)

As a part of the psychologist program degree in Sweden the students spend (almost all of) the last semester writing a graduation thesis. This can be within a very large area of subjects. After a lot of thinking I decided to try and apply for one of the "SIDA Minor Field Study Scholarships" that the Department of Psychology offers every year. After being in contact with at least 30 different NGO's around the world, I got in contact with a Legal Aid Organisation in Dhaka that were interested in cooperating. Together we decided to focus my study on Help-seeking processes in Bangladeshi women subjected to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).  After finally getting my application accepted in June I was lucky to get a superb supervisor in Ph.D Mina Sedem who has been, and will be, an enormous support in my study.

Because of it's sensitive subject I will not be writing about the study it self in this blog, but rather my experiences of living in Dhaka and traveling through Bangladesh.

If you understand swedish you can find more details about my study at
http://www.psychology.su.se/om-oss/nyheter/ida-martinsson-far-institutionens-mfs-stipendium-1.97809

Salwar kameez!

I got a nice little parcel in the mail today: My very first Salwar Kameez! 

Its filled with embroidered pearls and even has tiny little bells at the end of the scarf. So beautiful. And comfortable! 

SIDA's 3-day introductory course!

I'm spending three days in beautiful Härnösand for the SIDA 3-day introductory course.
 (SIDA: Swedish Board of International Developement Cooperation)

                                           (The beautiful Härnösand SIDA-building)
                             
I arrived last night and didn't have a clue about how to get from the train station to SIDA, but was lucky enough to ask a very sweet couple for directions as they ended up driving me there. Considering the 5 degrees Celsius outside you can imagine my gratitude. I ensured them that a truck load of good karma would be coming their way.

Today has been intense but fun and very useful. I was stoked to find one of my classmates in the breakfast room this morning! He is going on a MFS to Malawi but I didn't know he was going to be here. It is always nice to see a familiar face.

The lectures started at 8 am this morning and finished at 9 pm. Tomorrow will be just as intense and the day will end with a scheduled Skype-call with a person from Bangladesh that I get to ask about anything I want to know! Yay! I've got about one hundred questions already. Poor hen (:him/her).

ONE WEEK LEFT!!

Two weeks left!

Little travel bugs are slowly sneaking up on me! Only two weeks left. This very writing minute two weeks from now (12.45pm) my plane for Dhaka will be closing its doors. Excitement, anticipation, butterflies, nervousness and a little bit of worry. I still havn't managed to find accommodation.