13 January 2010 the adventure continues

In case any of our followers need to contact us in Bangladesh here is my number +88001738194024 and our Host the GSE District 3280 Coordinator Waseque +88001713375002. Our host immediately insisted that we all have cell phones so we are all in touch. Cell phone reception with these, Grameen Phones, in Dhaka is very good. I don't believe that this will be the case every where. Waseque will be staying in Dhaka though, and you can always reach him. (FYI Waseque speaks english probably better than I do. This also seems to be the case with all the Rotarians and their children thus far). At our host in Dhaka we have either a stationary computer or WiFi so we can use our computer. The photos that we have posted have all come off of our iphones and only where we have discovered that we have WiFi available.

We are having a wonderful time. From the moment we got here the Bangladeshi people have been very, very welcoming and giving, from the two hour wait for baggage, when Jim whipped out his Ukulele, to Kevin's host mother, who has lavished us all with new sweaters.

All of Waseque's family lives within one block of each other, brother, sisters and many cousins. I am envious of the family culture here. We have a lot to learn.

Today, most of the team is on a tour of the city, hosted by three Rotarians. Tonight we will be going to a wedding of the daughter of one of the local Rotarians, this will be amazing. We have driven by the brides house, a large apartment building 4 stories high, picture a large box 100 ft by 100 ft by 50 feet high, draped with colored xmas lights! Tomorrow we depart by bus for Kulna and the famous Sundarban, the largest mangrove forest in the world and will travel the entire time, four nights, by boat. We will not have any outside connection, (I'm guessing) We will be hosted by all the Rotary Clubs of the Kulna region. We will be there from the 14th to the 17th and then back again with our host in Dhaka on the 18th.

This is John signing off, pore dakhaa hobe (see you later)

John Kenyon

GSE Team Leader
District 5240 to District 3280