Saint Anthony
So this past year I hear we (B'desh) tied with Haiti for the world's most corrupt government. Pop the Kriss, man! That's a step up from holding the honor solely for the past several years. Funnily, there's an organization called the anti-corruption agency -- you guessed it: it's the most corrupt agency in the entire government. Let's just say the palm greasing goes on in more ways than one. But then again, last time there was a cyclone here and they had to stuff 7000 people into facilities built for 1000, there wasn't any looting and rioting, like in New Orleans. Yesterday, in a conversation with a friend, we decided that were it not for the constant stares and overabundance of attention we receive here, we'd choose to live in Bangladesh over one of those monotonous USA suburbs.
Smacked a cow with a deftly hit ball during cricket the other day. Ground rule four runs. Unless the cow is killed. Then you die.
The ludicrousness of the requirements imposed on the Peace Corps' training regimen reached a new high yesterday: We had a seminar about a seminar. Yes, we were instructed what the supervisor's conference on Saturday will entail, using bullet points and small-group discussion. It's quite funny, actually. As a friend put it, it's like sitting outside the Library of Congress while someone tries to explain assorted classic novels using a power-point presentation. Apparently it's like this everywhere on Peace Corps.
Went to some students' home for lunch yesterday. As always, mountains of food come from lord knows where, and literally the ONLY way to keep them from putting way too much on your plate is to physically cover it like you're saving your buddy from a grenade. And it's not impolite. I quite enjoy it actually. They take the spoon, dig for about a half pound of rice or curry or whatever, and bring it towards your plate. You duck and cover and go "Na! Na! Aro Na! Amar pet bhore gechhe!" which means "rubber chicken purple monkey! I am forty-seven cheese!" (or something like that) and you hold it there while they try to penetrate your fortress of arm and shoulder with spoon of food. If you don't cover the whole plate, they may sneak it in through one of the holes. Really good food, though. People are really, REALLY nice when they wanna be.
Tabil = Table
ChEr = Chair
posted by Adam @ 4:30 AM
10 Comments:
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Let's hear it for a real comment! Hey there Assface-Do you recall how that name was forced upon you? Anyway, love the entry. I laughed enough to make my roommate look at me like I was odd. I guess that isn't a big thing though, I am rather odd. London's decent. Let's just say making friends can be a long process and internship is not a British word. Anyway, life goes on. Keep it up kid, you're doing great!
Yeah, monotonous US suburbs suck. We're now living in the non-monotonous suburb of Oak Park with my aunt and uncle. Though it has tons of character and charm, it is evil in a more insidious way: to preserve this character and charm, the village government enforces 8,000,000 stupid rules (like no parking on the street overnight...?) and everyone who lives here has a major stick up their ass. Well, almost everyone. Not me, of course. :) I laughed out loud at the 47 cheese translation.
hey adam,
just thought i'd send a quick note of encouragement--feel like i owe you at least that much after being entertained and enlightened for the past hour ;)
i don't know if you remember me, i'm a dordt grad a couple years under you, but i got hooked up with your blog through jack's (and his from his fiance!! yay jazz). i'm far from america too, teaching 3rd grade on a tiny island in the middle of the pacific: Saipan, and while the culture isn't nearly as foreign as where you're at, it's no america. i've been here for bout 16 months, and it's flow by--hope the same proves true for you.
enjoy the craziness of a new culture before you become too climatized and don't even recognise the strangeness anymore!
peace out,
jolene
Hey Kristin. Are you back in Chicago by now? Sorry, I'm way out of date. Say hi to the hubby for me.
Heather: I don't remember how the name came, but it was so over the top that I kind of liked it, in a twisted sort of way. But I don't want it to get popular. Only sweet midwestern girls may use it.
MJ: You, on the other hand, may not. I can see why you are a writer. You pull some really funny stuff out of the air. Nice on the Swedish exposure.
Hi Jolene! Good on yah, teaching in Saipan. Of course I remember you. Thanks for the words.
. . . . . . . .
Wait a minute.
. . . . . . . .
. . . um . . .
FIANCEE!?????????????
Must kill Jack.
Then congratulate his bloody corpse.
thanks adam.
...from the mouths of corpses...
please no... i ... love... him!
No, we'll be in Oak Park for a year. Free rent with relatives. Although it is only 6 blocks from real Chicago.
Too bad you're not around for the Halloween party this weekend. Do they have Halloween in Bangladesh?
What? Concrete proof that something Mike has told me about actually happened? Excellent.
Okay, homicidal urges aside, I'm pumped for you guys, Jack and Jasmine. Bummed that I'm going to miss another wedding which, based on the participants, has the potential to break the mold and actually be relevant, meaningful, and non-tedious. But so it goes. Have fun getting unsingle.
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