It's Been a While...

Life has really gotten under way here in Dhaka. I find that the time I have free I like to enjoy on skype or hanging out in the living room with the roommates and our new fishies. As you've noticed, the blog has fallen low on the priority list! To try and make up for my lack of posting- I am going to let you see for yourselves what I have been up to.  I may not have been uploading posts, but you know I have been snapping photos! So: enjoy the view!

Dinner at a delicious Indian restaurant for Tracy's Birthday :) What a fabulous night with some of the other female teachers! 

Stella's for a Welcome-to-Dhaka cocktail for her daughter Kira- it was beautiful and we got to experience a huge lightning storm from the comfort of a cool rooftop

At the fabric market in Old Dhaka: dozens of vendors all selling tons of fabric for great prices! We went to a tailor party last weekend and are getting some great dresses copied with our new fabrics! (Savanna and Kira are trying to negotiate prices) 

A view of part of the fabric market in Old Dhaka

A street vendor in Old Dhaka

An organic food store we found on the way home

Dressed up and ready for a party hopping night in Dhaka- BHC and then ARA! (in our disco ball elevator at Dokhina) 

Savanna and I at a charity Poker Night at the British High Commission 

Donna cheeses for the camera while Lia and Rob are very into the game and Mark and Lisa decide to try their luck elsewhere.

Kelly, Donna and Lia looking gorgeous! 

Marine Dance Party at the ARA- We headed here after the BHC and it was fun! Not like dance nights at Boylan, though... ;)  We did manage to keep it open later than 1am! 

Some of the beautiful smelling flowers we bought in Gulshan 2. This white bouquet we took over to our new friend Dave's house for dinner with his family! Dave graduated from UVa with us, but we never knew him until he found us in Dhaka! What a small world!

SHIPMENT ARRIVED! I came home from school (it was spirit week- and I was dressed in an SK for opposite day) to 15 beautifully packaged boxes that looked exactly the same as they did when they left my house June 17th! It only took 90 days for them to voyage across the world! They all even have a pleasant aroma of pine from their crate. Pinkberry has been so happy to keep me company inside my mosquito net at night! I knew I was a grown up after unpacking because the thing I was most excited for was my bedskirt so I could cover up my ugly blue box spring! I'll post pictures of how made-up and homey my room looks after the carpenter comes this week to finish hanging my pictures! 

The high school participates in an activity called Service Learning where each student becomes a member of a SL group.  The teachers also join one.  The one I am working with is called Apon (which means close friend in Bangla).

We went out as a small group on a Friday to get a feel for what kind of help we could contribute to Apon.  It is a rehabilitation center for those addicted to drugs and alcohol.  

It took about 3 hours roundtrip for travel (on a Friday- when there is "no" traffic), but it was so wonderful to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a while.  We had to leave our bus and walk on foot because the roads aren't drivable, but being out in the lush green fields and seeing some of the local people was really an experience. (Pictured here is Robin and Barry- the HS art teacher and one of the HS history teachers) 

One night this weekend we went with a handful of Bree's friends to a delicious sushi restaurant- they served beer! It was very yummy... don't worry Mike- I didn't order any Cuttle fish.

Last weekend, there was a going away party for a group of Australlian volunteers here in Dhaka.  They had a decorating company come and set up everything on the rooftop- a tent, cushions, couches, tables, ice, glasses, and even a sound system.  I think Wahid (our driver) was very tired after we kept him out til almost 5am that night... 

One day when we came home this week, Misti had made us APPLE PIE! Isn't she the best?! We wanted it so badly we moved the microwave from the kitchen to our one outlet that works during a power outage to heat up a few pieces.  This is the quality downtime I've been having instead of keeping the blog updated- it is fabulous! 

Last night was Class Colors night at school.  I am a junior class advisor, so I donned my pacman themed jr class tee and headed back to school for some Thursday night fun.  They painted banners, played dodgeball and had an ice cream eating contest.  I was getting a brain freeze just watching them!  The students lined all three floors in the HS rotunda to cheer on their peers.