Touring Bangladesh

As mentioned in my previous post, after just two weeks in the country, I had a wonderful week-long break during which I had the opportunity to have many mini adventures (one of which was contracting Dengue Fever...). Here's a little bit about what some fellow teachers and I got to see on our break :)

This beautiful sight is a small glimpse of Cox's Bazaar, the longest unbroken beach in Bangladesh and in the world. My fellow teachers decided to take their cook and her family on a trip to Cox's Bazaar for break and graciously invited me along as well. On our way down (the day after Eid), we saw a few interesting sights - check out my previous post for more details!

Once at Cox's, we took them straight to the beach, where the four girls immediately ran for the water. They loved it! Eti, the youngest, loved it so much, she wouldn't leave - even to eat!

The girls ran back and forth all afternoon collecting shells. It didn't matter to them that some of the shells were still inhabited by animals!

We also visited the Safari Park nearby, where I finally got to ride an elephant! It was a bit uncomfortable, but definitely worth every odd sensation (including the fact that elephants are actually hairy!)

Interestingly enough (or maybe not, since this is Bangladesh), we the foreigners seemed more interesting to the local people than the animals themselves. We had our pictures taken - unwillingly, I may add - several times, and even made it into a few home videos. What's it like? Well, it's a bit like being a celebrity, with none of the fame, money, or prestige. Or, it's like being a zoo animal...

Qurbani Eid: The Blood, the Sacrifice, and the Celebration

About the middle of last week, I was walking through the street and almost ran into a group of water buffalo. Yes, in the middle of the street.

No, this is not a normal sight, even in Bangladesh. This, my roommate informed me, is a sign that the Qurbani Eid preparations have begun. Qurbani, one of the most important Muslim holidays, celebrates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, and Ishmael's willingness to sacrifice his own life to follow Allah's will.

As November 7, the day of Qurbani Eid, approached, I learned a lot about it from my students. One student, Aryian,explained to me that for Qurbani, each Muslim family goes out to buy, essentially, a sacrifice animal. These animals are most commonly cows, but families who cannot afford cows can buy goats instead. The size of the animal is important, because during the killing of the animal, certain names are read aloud for blessings. Therefore, Aryian said, big families need big cows, and smaller families only need a small cow.

The days approaching Qurbani Eid were very interesting to me, especially as more and more cows filled the streets. On our way up to the Leprosy Colony the weekend before Qurbani (stories to come), we passed massive cow markets. It was a common sight to see almost as many cows on the streets as people. This particular cow market took us more than a half hour to drive through.

On the day of Qurbani, my roommate and I took a walk around our block so that I could see what happens on Qurbani Eid. We walked outside, and these are some of the sights I saw: 

The evening of Qurbani, my student, Aryian, invited me over for Eid dinner. My first time visiting a Bengali family seemed a bit daunting to me, especially since it was for Qurbani, but his family was gracious and inviting, and we talked with Aryian for hours. Since each family sacrifices a cow for Qurbani, Qurbani dinner is primarily made of beef dishes. The food was absolutely delicious - spicy, hot, and way too filling, especially since Aryian's mom continued to fill our plates over and over with more food. My two companions, fellow teachers at WCA, were brave enough to eat with their hands. I, however, was not yet ready to embarrass myself with my lack of these skills. After my first visit into a Bengali home, I have realized a few things. First of all, if I am to converse with any of my male students, I will need to brush up on my knowledge of soccer teams. Second, I desperately need to learn how the game cricket is played. And third, there is a lot I would like to learn about Muslims and what they believe. This is not because I am interested in converting, but because their religion is so close to the Truth that if God ever calls me to work with them, I should know what our beliefs agree upon and where they disagree upon.

The day after Qurbani is for most, a day of traveling. On our trip down to Cox's Bazaar, we were met by pile after pile of fresh cow hides, sold after Qurbani festivities and ready to be shipped out. After that sight, how  about some leftovers?

The Beginning of an Adventure in Bangladesh

For those of you who don't know, my most recent adventure is student teaching in Chittagong, Bangladesh! I am just a few days into my 9 week adventure, and what a ride it has been so far. Here are a few of the interesting "adventures" I've had so far.


As teachers at WCA, we are required to wear the traditional Bangladeshi clothing. Typically, we wear a shalwar kameez, but for special occasions, we could wear nicer clothing too. These clothes are so comfortable, its like wearing pajamas all day! Here's a picture of my first day at school - you can kind of make out what a shalwar kameez looks like :)

Bangladeshi food is delicious. End of story. Rice (no complaints there!), naan, curry, and an array of other delectable flavors. Mmmmm.  We're even encouraged to eat with our fingers! Pictures of my attempt to eat rice with my fingers to come :) 


In Bangladesh, it is common for all households to employ people to cook and clean. This means that all the staff at WCA employ local people to work for them, not as a means of flaunting their status, but as a way to honor the local customs. Michelina and my cook's name is Raton, and he is awesome! He also makes a killer salsa and chicken quesadilla - two recipes I definitely need to learn from him. Isn't it ironic how I had to come all the way to Bangladesh to find my favorite recipe for a simple chicken quesadilla? :P 

Michelina and Raton

One last fun little tidbit about Bangladesh - the electricity is forever going out. Thankfully, we have a backup generator, but its been interesting being in school and having the power go out in the middle of class. Its even happened several times in the span of one class period....very interesting indeed...

Of all the new experiences I've been having, there is one in particular that has been unpleasant.


COCKROACHES. They are everywhere. I was not so pleasantly surprised by one crawling out of my purse this morning - AS I WAS HOLDING MY PURSE. Yes, quite the experience...especially paired with my roommate and I squealing and whining as we sprayed and [she] killed it. Ugh. 

Thankfully, everything else has been wonderful enough to cover the grossness of bugs :P More tales of adventures to come!

Reflections from Poland: Part 1

In my previous post, I mentioned going to Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau. At first, I wasn't going to share anything about our visit there, mainly because I felt I hadn't processed it enough, but on second thought, it might be better for me to write about it. Over the next couple of posts, I'll talk about several things that I've been thinking about regarding Auschwitz.

I have always been interested in the Holocaust. Ever since I can remember, I have loved reading and learning about the people who were brave in the face of the Holocaust. In the process, I have also learned just what evil things Hitler ordered to be done to the Jews and other minorities living in reach of his power, including the Gypsies and the disabled. I thought I was somewhat prepared for this trip into Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau. Wow, was I ever wrong.

Walking through those concentration camps brings up such a mixture of feelings, and rightly so. On one hand, I was so excited to be there, an actual, real-life, epically historic place. On the other hand, I was so aware of the fact that more evil than I could ever know about had taken place here, and that history itself set this place apart. I was excited and respectful, scared and horrified, disgusted, and yet intrigued.

After this visit, one question stood out in my mind. There is this one hall in Auschwitz that is lined with the photos of individuals shipped to Auschwitz. Their eyes literally follow you as you walk through the hall, but for me, they said something more. They asked, no challenged, me with one question: Now what? Now that you have seen, what will you do?

So, what now? Will my life change? If so, how? If not, should it? In a way, I feel like I'm facing a essay topic with a strong inkling that I will epically fail. Way overwhelming. Here's a bit from my journal putting into words my thoughts that very Friday:

"It's so easy to get stuck in the somber thoughts. Thinking of the silver lining seems too contrived, too forced, even a bit disrespectful. How do I see God in light of this? Do I still believe He works all things for His good? Have my arguments changed in any way? Perhaps that is something good - that all this horror forces people to rethink where they come from and where they stand. Perhaps the "lesson" is more of a challenge - a challenge to rethink and evaluate all that you believe in."

The Holocaust was a travesty - that is a truth. Many people have looked at the Holocaust and wondered how God could have allowed such terrible things to happen. Where was God through all this? How could He be a good and loving God if He let all this happen?

Honestly, I cannot answer these questions.  But one thing I do know - God is a an unchanging God. In the beginning, He was an all powerful yet eternally loving God. Throughout the ages, He has not changed one bit. Through the Israelites' obedience and disobedience, through the countless times we have each turned away from Him, our heavenly Father continues to seek after us - faithfully, adoringly, sacrificially.

Here's the truth: I don't know. I don't know how the truth of the Holocaust fits in with who God is, but here's a thought. On a cloudy day, you can't see the sun, but that doesn't mean the sun isn't still there. It still shines as it has been, right behind the clouds. Now, that may not be some philosophical answer, but its a thought :P

Lights Shining in Poland - SB 2011

Poland is a beautiful country, but it is still scarred from the events of this past century. Over spring break, my Taylor team and I were able to learn about Poland through our friends and students at Graceland, an English school in Krakow, Poland. Here are a couple highlights of my week:

I had a few students throughout the week, but two really stand out to me. In the adult class, Aiesha and I had some great conversations with a woman named Kashika. She was super sweet and really fun to talk with. The very next night, I was paired to tutor her daughter! Hania was so much like her mother. My favorite memory is probably of her trying to act out/describe a kangaroo to me. Apparently, she acted out a pregnant kangaroo? It's ok, she's precious :)



We also got to play at a preschool a few of the mornings we were there. The kids were so scared of us the first day! I guess it's because we were so much bigger than them :P Here are a couple shots of the cute little ones on the last day. They're all fairly happy because we made crowns that day :)



Ooo, they all had something against looking at the camera. So sad, right?


Please note that Zuzia cried the first two days we were there. On the third day, she made her crown and let me hold her without a single whimper. I even almost got her to smile! I'm telling you - bubbles are the answer ^^

Beside teaching, we also did a ton of sightseeing. A few of us girls also did quite a bit of shopping ;) One of my favorite sites, Wawel Castle (pronounced Vovel) definitely wowed me. It is absolutely beautiful!


This picture does the castle no justice whatsoever. I am, however, planning on visiting more castles in the future, so hopefully I can fix this no picture problem :)

On a more serious note, we also visited a few somber places, such as the Ghetto Wall in Warsaw and the Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. It is a truly chilling and eerie feeling to be walking the same paths as millions of innocent victims. If you ever get the chance, please take a tour of these places. It is definitely an eye-opening experience.