Tea ladies

On Monday we returned from Sylhet on a train that wasn’t as first class as the one we had left on. This time the trip took about 7 hours and had lots of beggars and people trying to sell us stuff in the aisles. From the train we had an excellent view of the countryside. The rice fields were filled with people harvesting the rice. We passed villages and train stations. When we passed through Dhaka, the view from the train was not as nice. In the tiny space between the train tracks and the city were tiny shacks. The people who lived in these semi-structures could be observed in every moment of their daily routine: cooking, brushing their teeth, talking, children playing, etc. When our train had passed, the tracks would quickly be utilized for seating or as space for the children to play.

After we arrived in Dhaka, we had one final meal together at the Shank’s flat. Then Patrick and I escorted Carolyn home after going to a pharmacy and having ice cream. Tuesday I went to the Dhaka office and then Ethel took me and Patrick to get shots. I started my rabies series. Then I met Shilpi, MCC’s computer expert, and she took me and Carolyn to one of the biggest malls in Asia. We weren’t shopping during work hours though; I needed a new mobile as my old one had seen better days. Then Patrick and I had lunch at the famous feminist café near the office before we caught a bus back to Mymensingh.