After finishing my studies yesterday, I met my friend Ropin and we went to his friend, Caesar's house for lunch on the other side of Mymensingh. Caesar had invited us and a dozen of his friends and I assumed that he would be cooking. When I arrived at Caesar's house, I discovered that his cousins, grandparents, and other family members also lived there. (This is quite normal as people rarely live alone and live with many family members. Everyone is always asking me how I can live alone.) But of course Caesar was not cooking lunch, I don't think men cook that often. His mom or cook prepared an enormous feast. Huge bowls of rice, chicken, beef, fish, different dishes of potatoes and vegetables. They kept putting food on my plate and I have never been so stuffed in my life. Then we sat around and talked and joked in Bangla and English. It is interesting and hilarious to discover what other people think of Americans, and what portions of our pop culture they know.

My next activity was a boat ride with Bubly and Orpha - it was Orpha's birthday and a whole group came along to celebrate. A few went ahead and hired the boat before they saw me so that they wouldn't raise the price because of a foreignor's prescence. It was so peaceful and calm on the river and we sang songs in Bangla and English until it was dark. Then we all went to a cafe by the river for coffee and hamburgers. I was a little freaked out about eating at this place, because everyday in the newspaper there are pictures and articles about food establishments with horrible conditions being shut down. I managed to eat most of it, and suffered no sickness. Then I went to Bubly's hostel and hung out there for a while and she made me eat more spicy food.

Today my tutor Lisa had a surprise for me - henna. Well, that is what it is called in English, but here women put the red leaf substance on their hands and feet in decorative patterns. When a bride is preparing for her wedding, she covers her arms also. Lisa decorated only my left hand, and I told her that it would help me remember not to use it. I have in the past accidentally handed money to rickshaw drivers with my left hand and offended them.