My work

What is a typical day at the office for me? No day is typical, and I spend less than half of my “work” time in Muktagatcha. The Muktagatcha office is more relaxed than the Dhaka office, and many times more relaxed than a North American workplace where you often have to look busy even if you have nothing to do. It’s a strange thing that there is no shame in reading the newspaper or playing cards on the computer during work hours. This relaxed attitude toward work isn’t a bad thing. Work still gets done; I know that some people are at the office until 8 or 9 p.m. frequently. (My theory is that in the most populated country in the world there are a lot of people who need jobs to do. Therefore, the amount of work that each person has to do is a lot less than if there were less people around.)

When I’m at the office I often tag along with my co-workers when they go to partners. During my first weeks I primarily went along with Deepa, technical officer, when she went to partners in Mymensingh or to the market. We traveled by bus or maxi. At this time I found I rarely went anywhere with the rest of the office staff who are all men and travel by motorcycle. This includes Abir, the designer, who I needed to observe as we have the same job.

When I learned how to drive a motorcycle, my trips out increased in substantial proportions. Now whenever Abir goes to Netrogona or Calabari or Mymensingh I can go along with him. We both drive our own motorcycle. This doesn’t make any sense to me, but I was informed that there is unwritten office policy that men and women don’t ride on the same motorcycle together. (I think it is a waste of gas, but I’m discovering that motorcycles are really efficient.) One Prokritee partner is about 5 minutes from my house in the opposite direction of Muktagatcha, but I never visited until I went with Abir by motorcycle. I got a personal tour of the papermaking process and met all the staff. I think that driving a motorcycle is essential to work here. This is difficult for women as they typical don’t drive motorcycles and are encouraged not to. Now daily I am going to Mymensingh or Calabari. I talk to the partner’s designers and make recommendations or give them design ideas. I also observe the women making crafts and talk to them.

When I’m at the office I talk to the engineers and designers about their handicrafts designs. We have meetings occasionally. I’m finding that certain things in the office are decided by everyone. It’s pretty close to a true democracy. We are having two picnics in January and for both we spent about two hours discussing when and where and what we would eat. The whole thing is in Bangla (local, fast Bangla – the kind that is hard to follow), and I have a hard time focusing on the menu (Bangla rice or Chinese rice?). I’ve been told that this is how everything about the new office will be decided (who gets which office and the decorating –an office of designers). I spend some time drawing designs usually by hand. The office has about three working computers, and finding a free one that does what I need it to can be challenge. Things I took for granted in college are an ordeal here: speedy internet, printers everywhere – also color printers, scanners, digital cameras. One office computer has internet which is usually so slow that I cannot use it (five minutes for the yahoo sign in page to load) and randomly disconnects. Finding color printer ink also took some time.

Tea is an important part of everyday “work.” In the morning before work can begin we all have tea together. After lunch we are also served tea. Everyday the office bearer asks me, “cha khaben?” I think he is offended when I refuse. Some people cannot function until they have tea after lunch. Of course, when I’m at a partner they usually serve tea even if I’m only there for 10 minutes. If I’m not careful, I could end up drinking 5-8 cups of tea a day.

The other half of my job is visiting MCC partners throughout Bangladesh, going to meetings in Dhaka, and doing cultural things – like attend wedding. It’s hard to say what I actually do in my job, because I don’t really know myself. I consider myself to still be in orientation to my job. My main responsibility right now is to advise the office staff on quality, design trends, and how to market the product in the export market. In any case I enjoy what I’m doing, so for now if that’s ok with MCC its ok with me!

This picture is of a retirement celebration at the office that we had for one of the guards.