I won’t complain about the weather again (I thought this was only a Dutch habit, but it turns out to be a Bangladeshi habit as well!). I just want to state that at this point even the ceiling fans bring no relief anymore. But according to Bangladesh very popular “daily star” newspaper: monsoon is knocking on the door. Mesmerize me raining season!
Scenery is changing these days as the Boro rice is ready to be harvested. Many people gather in the fields to harvest by hand, roads turn yellow and only poor looking sterns remain on the endless fields. In the fruit department: the (almost) ripe Mango’s, Litchi’s and Jackfruits are now everywhere to be seen. Mmm!
Now summer is beginning the notorious power cut has reached my area as well in a surprisingly predictable manner. Especially in the evening, usually between 7 and 9 pm with a duration of about an hour. Or as my friend put it: it’s not a rule, but somehow it’s just always around 60 minutes’. Unexpected accuracy.
In those hours we sit outside near the paddy fields. Only silhouettes of my friends and the vague shadows of a tropical landscape can be seen. Temperature, accompanied by a soft wind, has dropped to a comfortable level. Stars lit the sky above. Far away there is some lightning. Moments like these ease my soul.
More fieldtrips this month! By company air-conditioned car driving for 2 hours is no problem. First a visit to the regional GBK office and then the village itself. Women, children and some men await our visit. Villagers show proudly their cow’s and chickens’ offspring and tiny trees with first fruits (from seeds donated by GBK). But also here the hardships of the water crisis are visible. Only few tube wells are active in dry season, providing water for the whole community. In the next field I was shown two other examples of GBK projects: workshop for teachers in indigenous communities and the set up of handicraft as income generating activity for poor women.
I also visited another VSO volunteer who is placed with Rural Development Academy at Bogra, a 4 hour bus drive from Parbatipur. RDA is a nice place to stay. And the two days were easily filled with catching up and meeting her colleagues and friends. I even played badminton (second time sports!). Although I do walk everyday 4 km to my home though, I wouldn’t call that sport.
In June another VSO meeting is scheduled in Dhaka. Two days of travel and two days of fun 😉 And tadaa: this is the European Championship (soccer) month! Time for me to listen to the radio (internet), the only way I can follow my national team. Supposedly listening to radio is way more exciting than watching on tv. Don’t know about that. One exception: I will be in Dhaka during Netherlands – Germany, so I must find a tv with international channels or a “I-can-handle-live stream” pc!
