Playing Catch Up: Week 1 Dhaka

Time to break the silence! I am very much alive, but have simply avoided blogging due to the overwhelming number of items I want to share. A bit illogical I'll admit, but so be it.

It seems crazy, but I have just one week left at Grameen Bank and Dhaka/Bangladesh. I won’t lie – I am very excited to be making me way to Nepal! Dhaka is an experience unlike any other, and I certainly do not regret my time here. I have made some amazing friends from across the world (and Bangladesh!), learned a great deal about microfinance/Grameen Bank/women’s empowerment, and experienced first-hand the difficulty of being a female foreigner in a developing Muslim country.

My home base is the Grand Prince Hotel. I never thought I would say this, but I have actually become a bit fond of the place and staff. It is what you would expect of an accommodation where you pay $12 a night (+ breakfast!). I have a silent understanding with my room that it will deliver what I wish given I try a magical number of things and wait long enough.

When I first arrived, I turned on the A.C. and water coming pouring out onto the bed. I quickly called Housekeeping and used all my Bengla (“No Balo! Pani! A.C.! aka “No Good! Water! A.C.!”). Many visits from hotel staff and a day later my A.C. works! I’ve decided to forgo the effort of fixing my slow flowing drain by taking quick showers and my squeaky room phone by making short calls. But hey, it’s really not all that bad!!!

My first week was much of an orientation on GB’s microfinance program and adjusting to Dhaka. We made our first trip to a Center Meeting, which is where the women borrowers gather and make their weekly installments on their loans. It is so insanely cool to see something you have studied, read and written about for six months actually occur right in front of you! I was in awe and filled with gratitude for the opportunity I have been given.

One of the women was totally transfixed by my glasses and traditional style dress and practically tried to kidnap me! She pulled me next to her, squeezing my elbow, before plucking my eyeglasses off my face and trying them on. Shortly after she produced a wad of money from her sari, which she placed in my hand and pushed me to the front of the center. It took me a minute to realize that she had given me the responsibility of handing her group’s weekly installment to the Center Manager! Way cool!!!

I’ll stop here for now, as the following weekend and week was packed full with adventure and microfinance!