We are here! We arrived in Dhaka around 8:30 AM Thursday morning. Layton had fallen into a deep asleep an hour before we landed. He was exhausted and tearful so I had to carry him all through the airport and through immigration. Immigration went smoothly just had to fill out one paper that we didn’t have, they didn’t even blink at our health declaration papers. When we were waiting in line at immigration there was a lot of families with small children waiting. They saw us there holding Layton and said “Bring baby and come.” So we got to skip to the front of the line. Looked like they were doing the families first or something! We found our way to the baggage claim and all 6 suitcases were either piled off in a heap or still going around and around on the belt. Jared and I were trying to grab them all and a Bangladeshi man grabbed my arm and said “No! I’ll do it!” So we let him load our cart up and gave him a tip. We went and stood at the curb and waited for Daniels to come pick us up. The traffic was jammed so we just waited and tried to take in all the sights and sounds. Green CNGs, rickshaws, buses, private vehicles all trying to get as close to the curb as popsicle. Constant honking to make sure you got your spot, hollering… There was a fence on the opposite side of the street where it was lined with people. Not sure if they were waiting for people or just there for the show! Anyways it was all very entertaining except to Layton who was barely able to walk from being half awake. Daniels came and it was so good to finally see them! We were soon on our way. The 7 mile drive from the airport to our flat took about an hour. Stopping every few feet and slow driving. People would drive by us and stare at the white folk in the van! Layton soon get sound asleep again and slept all the rest of the way home which I was thankful for because a sleep deprived Layton can be abit scary.😂 We dropped everything off at our apartment and then went to Daniels for lunch. Amber’s food tasted divine after eating airline food for the past 2 days. We went home and fell asleep and the next thing we knew it was dark outside! I fried some eggs for supper and it wasn’t long and we were all back in bed again! We slept until 4 the next morning. So began our jet lag….
The days have all blurred together since we got here. We have been waking up between 2-4 AM, some nights Layton sleeps all night other nights he is up early eating chocolate or begging me to make “fresh bread.”The past few days either we are at our apartment getting settled in and learning how to do wash and cook or at Daniels or going around the city to learn where things are. I only unpacked the things we need for the next 3 months since when Daniels leave in January we will move into their apartment. This apartment has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a good sized living and dining room. The hardest thing for me to get used to is all the windows have heavy drapes on them, I was going to go around and open them all like I do every morning at home but every one I opened was facing a nearby apartment a few feet away so I left them all shut😂 Figured the neighbors didn’t need a front row seat to how we live! The kitchen window faces the courtyard so that it is a fun sight to watch while I’m doing dishes! Daniel’s apartment is abit bigger than this one. This one has an enclosed veranda off of Layton's bedroom. He likes to go stand out there and yell at the cats that are sleeping on the neighbors roof. It’s also where we hang our laundry to dry. The banana trees are enormous here. Several stories high, palm trees abound. Lots of green plants on peoples doorsteps and anywhere where there isn’t a road or street.
There’s been so many sights and sounds that we have observed. And smells to smell too I might add! Haha! I hardly know where to start with that all! Life is definitely slower here, everything takes longer which isn’t so bad. The people love to visit so small talk is important to them. Every morning between 4-5 AM we wake up to the Muslim call to prayer. We hear it around 5 times a day. There is a nearby mosque so it generally has plenty of volume. Not really a chant or wail.. Layton calls it “music.”
Our first trip to the market was something Jared and I will never forget! Us and Daniels took a rickshaw there and back. Layton loves riding on them. Jared said “I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything!” Trying to explain what a Bangladeshi market looks like it almost impossible… rows and rows of fruit and vegetable vendors, shops selling everything you can imagine (baby clothes, adult clothes, cell phone accessories, flip flops, things you didn’t know you needed, even a place to weigh yourself) all along the opposite side, the walk way is crammed pack with people. Crammed to the point where I hung on to Jared with one hand and had Layton firmly in my grip in the other! And look where you stepping because…. One minute you could smell dried fish which was rather unpleasant and the next you could smell something amazing cooking. Then you would smell mosquito spray and traffic exhaust which would then be combined by the smell of sewer… you get the point! People here love to talk to white children. If the kids wave back or smile at them they just are delighted. It’s taking a bit for me to get used to that… to realize that they don’t mean any harm by it they are just curious! That night in bed I just laid there and thought off all the things we had seen seen, smelled and heard! It was a lot.
We had our first Bangla meal on Saturday. It was so so good! I learned the hard way to first inspect my food for cardamom seeds. I bit into one and was astounded at the incredible “burst of flavor.”😂 Layton had a hard time eating with his hands. He freaked out that his hands were dirty so finally I went and got him some cutlery much to his relief.
We have church on Fridays here. Friday is Sunday here. Our Sunday is the first day of their work week. We have services in a little room at the clinic. Jared had opening and Daniel the message. The one brother interprets. It was a really neat service. Met the two sisters and the clinic nurse. They all think that Jared and I look like Duane and Chelle Johnson! The brother said he was glad we “were pleasant to look at” since he has to see us for the next 3 years😂 Layton wondered where Sunday school was and how many kids would be in there. I didn’t have the heart to tell him there wasn’t Sunday School. A lot of beggars are out on Fridays hoping for the Muslims to give them extra since it is custom for the giving to be more prosperous when everyone is out going to the mosques frequently.
Anyways this is just a drop in the bucket with what we have all seen and done so far! We are really enjoying it so far. We started language study yesterday. It’s very overwhelming to me but Jared seems to enjoy the challenge. We have it every morning from 8 to 9:30. The lady is doing a 1 year course in 3 months. So it is very intense and fast paced so you can pray we can learn what we need to. And pray I can understand it all. Jared is much better at book learning than I am. I am more of a hands on type of learner. Trying to read and learn things out of a book drives me crazy. Our teacher kept calling Jared “Duane.” 😂
Our love to you all….
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