Theme song

I've have decided that my theme song is Interpol's "Next Exit" from the Antics album. I was on the plane swooping down into Bangladesh, my nose pressed up against the glass and wondering what the crap I was doing, and that song was my money song. Thank you iPod.

This is day 2. We're still at the hotel in Dhaka (3 stars. Yup. They're cushioning us.). Forthcoming: about 7 shots. For starters. Also: cell phone. They give us all cell phones, and apparently they're even pretty nice. AND! We get free incoming calls, even international. So, I won't be so isolated from you all as once thought. However, it might be limited minutes and it'll probably be really expensive. Phone number will be posted as soon as I can post it.

Each and every one of the speakers and instructors that have been talking to us takes great pains to use phrases like: " . . . despite the frustrations you'll encounter . . . " and " . . . sure, you'll have bad days--it'll be a tough couple of years, but . . . " It's like people think that they can sort of lessen the bad stuff by making SURE we all know how "tough" and "challenging" and "rewarding" it's going to be. I guess I should be thankful that they're not lying to us.

Tomorrow we go out to the host families, in a village about an hour outside of Dhaka (the capital city). Then, for three months, we take classes about learning the language, staying safe and sane, and how to teach English. Everything is a barrage of stimuli. And they really do sound like Apu.