Monday 11/13: Jared had a busy morning at the dispensary again! Layton and I did kindergarten this morning. Sumita came to clean. Layton likes to run and slide on the wet floors after she mops. He said “mom, she told me to stop because she doesn’t like when I do that.” I said “well then you better listen to her!” When she sweeps Shania likes to follow her around. She scoots after her so fast in her walker. Shania doesn’t want to sit or lay she just throws a fit. Wants to be held or in her walker so she can see what’s going on. Jared got home at 1:30. We had a quick lunch and then headed off for the traveler’s clinic in Mahawkali. It’s a clinic that is specifically for foreigners that are NGOs. Took a CNG because there’s no van parking. We thought the commute would take all afternoon with the way traffic has been lately. There was a peaceful protest on the street right when we got into the CNG by Farmgate but they were just marching down the street with Bangladesh flags and chanting. The guards didn’t seem concerned so we kept on. The clinic was well marked and easy to find. (Which you can’t always say that when you’re trying to find new places in Dhaka!) The two ladies working there could both talk English. After helping us the one lady said, “now if you’ll excuse me I need to have my prayers!” Usually just the Muslim men have public prayers so it was interesting to hear a lady say she needed to pray. Shania got her vaccines and we headed back home. They didn’t have all the ones she needed so we decided to just get the ones that are available and then fill in the gaps when we get home. We got home an hour after we left. Like who are we and WHERE do we live??? We went all prepared for bad traffic. Fully charged phone, big water bottle, plenty of formula for Shania, blanket, pacifier, toys… πone just can never guess at traffic in Dhaka. Riding in a CNG this time of year is so much more bearable than when it’s 115*. Came home and rested. Spent the evening having family time. One of Layton’s friends came and got him because they had the badminton net set up and they wondered if he wanted to play. Jared went down and visited with one of his friends.
Tuesday 10/14: Jared had dispensary and Layton and I had kindergarten. Jared found a private driver to take Lawrence’s to Kuliachar today! He only charged 3,000 taka a day which we thought was a very good price.. They lived at Kuliachar 30 years ago when they were here. Sounded like quite a few people remembered them! This afternoon around 3:30 I took Shania down to the courtyard in her stroller to walk for awhile. The guard came up to me and was very distraught. “Madam!” He told me someone had died, but I couldn’t understand who. I thought maybe it was his wife because she recently had a stroke. No, that wasn’t what he meant. There was a group of men all standing by the gate looking very sad and solemn. The drivers, the dokan man, different men that live in Siza Court, the chicken man and the sobji man. I thought maybe someone famous had died. One of Jared’s friends came through the gate on his motorcycle right then. He talks English and so I asked him about it. He said “so and do died at 1:30.” I didn’t recognize the name. (We don’t know hardly any of our friends names here because they are so hard to understand and pronounce. Layton just calls his friends “hey girl” or “hey boy!”) Meanwhile Shameem the caretaker was going around asking people for money to help cover expenses for a sudden death. Jared gave him some money. We finally decided that the elderly man that lives here must have passed away. We left at 5 and went to the clinic for singing. The drivers and guards were still standing sad and solemn by the gate. After supper I took Layton down to play with the kids and then I finally pieced together from one of the older children what had happened. Our short night guard was sitting in the guard booth around 1:30 and told the other guard that he needed gastric medicine. Then he promptly slumped over dead!! Very shocking. They say it was a heart attack. We see him every day and he always gives the children lots of attention. So much so that it’s been making Jared and I somewhat uncomfortable. As is custom here right away after the death they are transported back to their village and buried. Layton overheard me talking about this with one of the girls and he said “we have a cemetery by our church at home but it’s almost full.” The girl told me that “the guard was a really religious person so that’s why they are all so sad.” We would often see him having his prayers in the guard booth.
Wednesday 10/15: Jared and Layton went to the new Farmgate metro station and recharged our MRT cards. In case if any visitors want to use them this winter. Jared took Layton on a ride for fun! They could see our veranda from the station. If the trees were still in the backyard they wouldn’t never have been able to. The nice thing about walking to the station is that we don’t have to cross any busy streets. Just stay on the sidewalk and go around the corner by Farmgate! Any time I don’t have to cross a busy street here in Dhaka I am a happy woman. Went to the clinic for lunch. Josna made pilau rice, beef curry, mixed vegetable bajhi, and then chichinga/carrot/scrambled egg bajhi. Shania had her first taste of Bangla food and ate pilau and the vegetables. It was met with unanimous approval from the ladies.π Later in the evening Lawrence’s came over for a snack supper. Layton had been telling me “Tyson and Zane’s mom lets THEM make cookies so why can’t I?” So tonight I said “here’s your chance.” Of course the mixer must be run on full speed at all times and the dough sampled multiple times.π When we had our evening walk in the courtyard one of our friends stopped and visited. He is a high up in a bank here in Dhaka. He has been working on getting an American visa for several years. His interview isn’t until the end of next year, which isn’t bad considering some interviews are 5-10 years away. He said “please pray that the Almighty would grant visa.” Tonight Jared said seeing the guard’s chair by the guard house made him feel sad. Grief lingers over the guards and drivers. Even the jolly moyla ladies soberly swept the courtyard this morning. There is a young kid filling the night guard spot. He had been working nights the past few weeks with the guard that died yesterday.
Thursday 10/16: Jared got up at 6 and took Lawrence’s to the airport. This morning it sprinkled off and on. Was cool and cloudy so it gave me all the fall vibes. After kindergarten the children and I set out on an adventure. Layton was being hyper and onery. We went to the tailor and dropped off two more pieces of fabric for him to sew. Then stopped at the fruit dokan for oranges apples and bananas then finally stopped and bought eggs. I told layton since it was so nice outside we were going to walk to the tailor and the other places instead of taking a rickshaw. By the time we got home he was wore out from all the walking and much more subdued and inclined to listen to his mom. We stopped at the butcher and bought beef as well. I told them “no fat or bone!” I just wanted beef chunks for beef curry. Jon happened to meet us at the beef dokan. He told the butcher “I know her so only give her good meat.”π He told me next time to just ask for a whole front leg of the cow. That way there’s not much fat and you can cut the bone out. I have no idea how to do such but why not learn something new? The beef was just hanging out in the open on massive hooks and I couldn’t tell what the cuts where so next time I shall haul home a leg after I figure out how to ask for such a thing in Bangla. When we got home I quick put my beef in the freezer before Sumita could see it. I knew she would want to know where it came from, how much it cost and then she would tell me it was bad meat. I just didn’t feel like dealing with that. It’s the same butcher they use. Sometimes I hide what I buy if her or Lucky are around otherwise I get “educated.” I don’t mind but sometimes it gets a little old! I’ve decided Americans have a much lower standard of food then Bengalis. Some won’t cook or buy vegetables that have small blemishes or are abit soft. I just figure it’s no big deal and just cut around the bad spots or put it in soup or cut the vegetables up and roast or cook them. If my potatoes even have the slightest black spot Lucky doesn’t like it.
Friday 10/17: Woke up to 74* and rain! A cyclone made landfall at Coxs Bazaar. We walked part way to church and then took a rickshaw the rest of the way. The streets were so muddy. The sidewalk is still tore up along airport road so that’s all mud too! I have quit trying to keep Layton out of the puddles when it rains. Figure a good bath will hopefully take care of whatever lies in those puddles.π Natun was wearing a thick sweater to church. He wondered why we weren’t wearing jackets. By the time church was out the rain had picked up. Some of us were quite wet and cold by the time we got home. I told Jared it felt good to shiver again. What a strange feeling after the summer! We changed clothes and headed out to shop. Stopped and bought more dress for Shania. Got her new dresses two sizes up and they are finally long enough. She seems tall to me but Lisa says she’s “average.”π Had lunch at Farmhouse Burger. It was cozy in there with the rain outside and our yummy food inside. The traffic wasn’t bad at all. Today and tomorrow there isn’t any sort of blockade so wasn’t sure if the roads would be jammed or not! Got our groceries and came home. Napped for awhile in the afternoon . It rained all the rest of the day. Poured rain I should say! Good amount of wind too. Before bed it stopped raining long enough I could take Layton down to ride bike to wear some energy off.
Saturday 10/18: A challenging day… we shall leave it at that. Trevors came to Dhaka to do some shopping! We got together in the evening and had pizza and good talks for supper. The day improved 100 fold.
Sunday 10/19: Jared canceled clinic this morning. He had other things that needed to be taken care of. He got some business done at the bank then him and Jon had a meeting with the auditor. Every two weeks they go and have a meeting with the accountants in hopes of getting the audit done sooner! Jared had to go take care of some loose ends with some patients so he quick did that before lunch. Later afternoon we grilled a bunch of chicken up for the freezer! Trevors headed back to Kulna. I did the usual. Folded laundry, did kindergarten with Layton, etc. Lucky came to cook yesterday. Usually we eat the leftovers for lunch on Sundays, however this time I discreetly tossed them in the trash. The food had a very funny taste and later I realized she had used a whole bottle of mustard oil. π³ Next time she comes I will hide the mustard oil!π In the evening we were down in the courtyard walking our neighbor leaned over his veranda and hollered for us to come over! We went and had a really enjoyable time. He’s the one I mentioned earlier that is applying for a US visa. His daughter is home from Melbourne Australia now for three months. She goes to university there. Their youngest daughter in 7, and Layton plays with her a lot in the evenings. Here having your children far apart is quite common. No one even bats an eye that Layton and Shania are 6 years apart. Which is a relief to me. Anyways, as soon as the man let us in he said “excuse me I must go have my evening prayers.” True to Bengali culture they tried to stuff food in us every few minutes! The man was so excited because he had recently been to Aarongs and bought Jared and Layton Bangladesh cricket jerseys. He wanted them to wear them right away. We stayed and visited with their girl about Australia and with the rest of the family. When we left he asked us to pray for his parents. He said “ I know you do prayers so please pray.” I was struck by this as this is the second time this week that he has asked us to pray for him. Muslims don’t typically ask Christian’s to pray for them. And what about us makes him think we “do prayers ?” They’ve lived in Siza Court for maybe 6 months so it’s not like some of our neighbors that have lived here for years and watched all the CSI couples come and go. This evening the big boys here had their first badminton game of the season! They redrew the lines and got the caretaker to install new lights for them! They had a captive audience on the A2 veranda. π€