Devendra Banhart

Just started listening to this person on my iPod. Cool folky stuff. Also interesting to note -- about 4 out of 5 of the Peace Corps volunteers here have an iPod. Somehow, when the Bangladeshis pull out the "You are rich man" bizniss, I can't really argue with them.

Model school today. That means a little class of about 15 to help us get our feet wet teaching. It's a hard thing to do, of course, but it's not so hard on the self-esteem: they treat us like we're Avril Lavigne.

But the bigger issue lately has been surviving versus thriving. One volunteer recently ET'd (early termination'd), which brings the number to 3. Last year's group has lost 16. Suffice to say it's hard for Americans here, especially women. And a lot of the ones who haven't ET'd are really negative about Bangladesh, sort of as a coping mechanism. My goal has been to maintain an even keel, not getting too excited or too down about anything. The hardest thing lately has been the balance b/w personal (alone) time and actually engaging the culture. Some volunteers here are good at continually engaging and making friends. I just want to go back to my room so I can be alone. It's hard to know when to push yourself to do better and when to give yourself a break. Will I be best off driving myself insane and then growing from it into a new person, or should I gradually try to take on more, while gingerly taking care of my sanity?

Hi Corinne. Hi Luke. Thanks for posting. For the record, it's definitely a bright spot in one's day to open up the blog and find that people have posted stuff. On the computers here you can accomplish in about 1 hour what you could previously have done in 15 minutes in the States. Notice my new Links section. Took me about 1 1/2 hours just for the ones I put there.

Do you have any idea how much rice a person can eat when that's the main staple? Picture a mound the size of the top of a basketball that's been eviscerated Hannibal Lecter style. Now picture a little bit extra. There you go.

I hear Delta and Northwest went bankrupt. That stinks for them. Glad I'm here where I don't have to deal with the repercussions of THAT.