Dubai

I'm currently in Dubai right now. The slogan for the city on a book i saw said "Tommorow's city today". It seems like that is probably the truth.

Dubai, at least what i've seen of it so far, can be described as an oasis in the sand. Basically, some dude called a prince has a whole crap load of money and builds things; things he wants.

The market is really expanding in terms of Real Estate and Tourism. I went to a mall yesterday nicer then any in the United States. It was really quite an experience, having a section of the mall dedicated to different countires such as Egypt, China, or India.

I'll blog more when I have a chance. For now here's some pictures from Dhaka:

Chai with the boys.


In case you thought I was kidding about that one on hand on the wheel, one on the horn comment...

Bahalo Ache

What's this?... 2 blogs on the same day? (it will look like different days over there). I just wanted to point out two things, more for myself so I don't forget....

One of the idiosyncracies I love most about Bengal culture is when they touch thier heart after they shake hands. Also, I learned that yes is usually shrugging your head off to the side... we might say "ok sure" and do a similar gesture in the US.

One of the weirder idiosyncracies for a westerner is the fact that it is common place for men to walk down the street holding hands.

I was also thinknig about the whole being a responsible tourist thing. For instance, not paying double the price for things. It might sound stupid over there to argue about paying 20 taka for a 10 taka rikshaw ride (again 1 taka is 1/70 of a dollar), but I beleive it makes a difference to the local economy.

Perhaps, and I haven't thought it completly thorough yet, its simillar with paying "sweat shop prices" controvery. Maybe if American Companies pay over market price for services in another country, the local businesses will not be able to find the labor they need at the correct price. Essentially, it could be like walmart comming in and forcing local businesses out... instead of lower prices it's just higher wages. Perhaps the key is to not have foreign companies move the wage up faster then the local economy can move. Does this make sense? Am I sounding too conservative?

I was able to sit down today at a coffee place with a bengali guy who spoke decent english. It was rather funny, because I was just telling Christo, an Irish guy I met over here that it's hard in Bangladesh because I can't talk to everyone, to find out how they think. All of a sudden this guy starts talking to us... it was pretty cool. Anyways, I asked him what he thought about Americans, Bush, Osama Bin Laden, and the state of the world. The general consensus of the maybe 10 or so people in the coffee house was that Bush is not liked.. clinton was much better, Osama Bin Laden is not at all liked, and as far as the state of the world goes, I'll parapharase the consensus: we are all one people, our governments often do harm, they are not representative of our people. That was very touching to hear.

I was able to talk with another man who is the librarian for save the children UK in Bangladesh (he's bengali). He expressed similar sentiment to my coffee house friends.

I feel like I should mention: when I say coffee house: its a dude and a cart under a tarp with two benches. We always drink Chai... everyone uses the same cups... he just washes them and then pours boiling water into them to kill anything...

I am realy impressed. I handed one of the children my camera... I think it's cool to see what kids come up with.

On another note, I handed Christo the camera.. he took this shot. It's one of the best of the trip i think. (I'll post the shot a little later as i'm at an internet cafe w/out my laptop. '

Anyways... theres the two posts.. Have a good one... whenever that "good one" is occuring.

Btw the title means "i am well" in Bangla.

Lessons

I had some time to sit back yesterday and reflect on this entire experience so far. Tyler was correct in saying that there is much less to see in Bangladesh then to experience. This might change, as I'm thinking about doing my village stint in Khulna, taking a 26 hour boat ride through the sunderbans back up the river to dhaka when finished. Might be kind of expensive though at the equivalent of $9.25 for the boat ride.

I, however, am starting to think in Taka. I decided that my new coffee, or rather chai, shop is on the way to work. Yesterday, a fellow from North Ireland and I ordered dui chai (two chai teas) and talked with some bengali's. Humor works wonders. They all get a kick out of it when we ask them where their from... "Tumi desh scotland"? (literally: your country scotland?) That always gets some laughs.

For however much a break from the norm or rather "a pain in the ass" my view was on Muslims prior to visiting a Muslim country, expect it to be magnified when I return to the states. I realize I am saying this after this mornings new york times healine reads that 2 fox news reporters were released after they converted to islam on tape, but allow me to procede even if the well is poisoned.

I really must say that the beauty of the bengal countryside is only surpassed by the beauty of the bengal people therein. Everyone is soo nice. Yes I'm christian, I explan.. yes I'm from the united states... Absolutely no issues. They honestly invite me in to eat, to see their children, and take pictures. I realize that this probably is not representative of the entire population, nor do I have the right to talk about "all" muslims with my current sample size, but I will say that those I've met are some of the most hospitable, nice, honest, hard working people I have met in my 23 years on this planet.

My experience in Dhaka has been similar. Perhaps because I have been here longer, perhaps becuase I just don't understand the culture, I do think that I met a tad more resistance here. For instance I had one guy say that he could take me with a pillow. (no seriously). By resistance, I mean "amar desh america" (my country america)" is literally replied with "Ok thank you... " Definatly haven't felt threatened because of how I am. Even walking down the street with the equivalent of roughly 1.5 years worth of bengal sallary in camera equipment yields only deer in headlight stares. I am skeptical if it is the same for Muslims walking down the street in the United States.

Additionally, I have had the notion of much of the rest of the world being independently culturally and/or ideologically religious encouraged, if not confirmed. For instance, I talk with one Muslim that is actually quite agnostic, praying only at festivals because he doubts the existance of God. Bangladesh is, in my experience, a much more moderate islamic state then some of of the books i've read prior to my time here led me to beleive. On another note, I'm almost starting to enjoy the 4am "call to prayer" over the loud speakers from the mosque... its kind of like mary had a little lamb in arabic.

Benglai's are also optimistic people. I deduced this from the fact that they still paint lane divider lines on new roads.

Oh, like I was saying before. I got gyped by the Bengali elite. I met someone in Old Dhaka about my age who spoke english well enough to know where I was trying to go. He explained that his dad was a business man and his mom a house wife. He was a first year reading school student (for english). He kind of hurried me through old Dhaka, accross the river, back over a bridge and into old dhaka again. After which he introduced me to his friend. First thing I hear is do you have 50 taka. (under 1 dollar). Sure I say. Next thing i hear is that I should only trust them. People in Bangladesh can't be trusted they say. Then they take me to the nicest mall in dhaka... equivalent to no so nice of a US mall... and have me pay for lunch, and then both of thier cab rides back to thier houses. Luckily getting taken advantage of in Bangladesh is not too expensive, comming out to about 500 taka or $7.15 in American Dollars. I know that's not much, it's kind of just the principle of the thing. I should also qualify that by saying: if you had a house here and didn't need to take a 3 wheeler cab, you could get through the day on about 70 taka or 1 us dollar. As I was saying before, there are so many other really awesome people. I'll spend time getting to know them...

Hope all is well with everyone,

Keith

P.s. I posted a few more shots...

Also, when my website pulls from flikr the photo's loose some saturation. I'm almost wondering if this isn't embedded so you click on the "see full size" link. Oh well..

I got gyped by the Bengali elite...

So i'll post a story about that later... but for now I'm supposed to run out to see one of the old branches of grameen bank in one of the villages. I will be back tonight, I hope to be able to write an update then. 

I was able to connect my laptop. The internet is rather slow in Bangladesh, however, due to some bickering on who gets the contract to connect two lengths of fiber optic down in the south east. The guy I was talking to said 6 months or so... I'm pretty sure this is satelite at the moment and will be so for quite a 

Having said that: i posted a few shots online. I will convert a lot of the other more "snap shot" type photos to really small jpg's and post them on a separate flikr account sometime soon... but for now that will have to suffice. 

Direct link:
http://www.keitherickson.com/travel/
then click on Bangladesh
 
kudaf hafiz, 

Keith  

First Impressions

I have never before seen or even fathomed a city that pulses with as much raw energy. About the only analogy I can give would be the thought of putting a nitrogen bottle on its side and hitting the top off with a sledge hammer, watching the bottle fly off every which way.

I haven't been able to connect my laptop to the internet yet. The Monsieur said that it had something to do with changing an IP address. Whenever that occurs, I will post some pictures online.

I've met interesting people over here. I forced myself into a regular sleep pattern right away, so yesterday was difficult in the morning.

Yesterday I attempted to register with the embassy, arriving 20 minutes too late because we had to go around some military checkpoint thing. Gulshan/Banani (where the embassy is) are only a few miles away but they feel very different then Mirpur, the district I’m in - relatively more P.O.S.H. The people in Bangladesh have been really nice, although it's nearly impossible with my extremely limited Bangla to communicate.

I should mention, and I'm not sure if you know, but I'm sort of a big deal here. People know me (at least you’d think they do). Tyler was defiantly correct in saying that I would be an anomaly wherever I went. It's true. In America, it's so commonplace to see a cornucopia or different cultures walking down the street. In Bangladesh it's very homogeneous. I attract attention wherever I go. I'm trying to learn some of the language. I know I live in "mirpur ek" and how to ask a rickshaw to get there.

Oh, riding in a rickshaw is a crazy experience. I feel like crazy is the only way I could describe it because there is nothing to compare it too.., especially if you think about getting around the city at night. Something about paying someone about 5 cents to haul you a mile or so down the road is rather unsettling from an American perspective. If I could describe the driving situation over here: picture the 405 at rush hour, add bicycles with boxes, 3 wheeler cabs, no rules, lines on the road that are more weak suggestions then guidelines, and then add that drivers literally drive with one hand on the side of the wheel and one on the horn.

Phone Number in Dhaka: 01720119153

Flying Into Tomorrow

"Welcome to San Francisco, we are currently at homeland security threat level orange, if everyone could just act as paranoid as possible that would be great, thaaaaannks."

Actaully the first bit wasn't that bad. All these new regulations are starting to be relaxed a little, or maybe everyone is just starting to get it. From the time I walked into the door till the time I was sitting on my laptop next to the gate was a record 20 minutes. 

It’s a really interesting thing seeing the sun go through so many cycles within a 24 hour period. set-rise-set…and now rise again.

I got into JFK after a brutal red eye out of New York. After trying to figure out where terminal 4 was with a woman who was going back to meet her family in Sudan after 13 years, I ended up at the Dubai ticket counter too early. In fact, this was the best fortune I could have had as I made a UAE friend, Khalif.

After pontificating over economic policy with some guy from Grenada, a girl on her way to Ecuador, and Khalif, Khalif and I jumped in line to go through another security check. I think we might have unintentionally freaked out some people waiting to get into the terminal by talking about 9/11, Iraq, and neoconservative policy in the Middle East while in line. Not that we were talking about anything dodgy. It might not have been the best idea in JFK. I would imagine that the economist I walked around in SFO with touting the headline “Nazrallah wins the war" probably didn’t help me there either.

I am exited to get into Dhaka and see the bank. My first introduction to a Bengali wasn’t exactly what I expected, playing itself out in a spitting incident on the plane. Of course, this was contrasted by the wonderful hospitality of a Bengali guy in the flight crew about my age who offered to introduce me to some people in Dhaka.

I think I'm going to fly back out to dubai next weekend to visit. I am really excited about trying to see it and I don't think the 19 hour layover is going to cut it.

It’s been interesting traveling over Europe at night, most notably Paris and southern Germany. I can’t help but think about all the history and wonder when I’ll actually get to see it on the ground.

Oh and I don’t even know how long it’s been since I slept…. maybe Sunday night in San Francisco.

Hope all is well,

Keith - Somewhere over the Black Sea

Ps please send me your addresses. I'll send you a post card.

San Francisco/Good Bye

I guess its finally here. I'm about to leave for Dhaka, making stops in New York and Dubai. I'm not so sure it really feels like it though. Don't get me wrong. I'm excited to leave, but I've been in the planning stages for so long that its weird to see everything engage. A much needed haircut, dinner, and a taxi ride are all that stand between me and the plane (well, that and plenty of security checkpoints/restrictions).

The entrie weekend has been really relaxing. For some reason I feel way more at home in the city then down in Slo or southern california. I didn't exactly contemplate Jazz or "drag myslef through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix", but it was definatly nice to be up here. I took the greyhound out of San Luis Obispo on Friday morning arriving on Mission street in the afternoon. I'm sure I looked a little weird walking down the street trying to hail a cab with a few bags in sandlals still disheveled from a rough thrudsay night downtown in Slo.

The really short version of my time here: Shower, french vietnamese, sleep, french kicks @ cafe Du Norde, zzzz... maybe not the french kicks, coffee, bus 22, getting a cell phone, the haight, fire escape time, french vietnamese, irish pubs and art bars in inner sunset w/ paul, le, and felicia, le's incredible hospitality, breakfast, De Young, the "N", more walking around/ thrift store shopping, dinner at spices, Zeki's bar, sleep, cup of joe coffee, laundry, packing, supplies, Union Square, tea near china town/north beach @ an awesome bar across from pearls... bringing us to now.

So anyways. I'm off to that much deserved hair cut. I'll let you all know how the flight/s go. Hope all is well with everyone. Some of you are starting new jobs and new schools and some are traveling. Best of luck to you all. Your at the forefront of my thoughts.

The gooooood times are kiiiling me....

Dear San Luis Obispo, 

So about a week ago I found myself in this "I hate you" mode. Not gunna lie, but you were getting a little boring. I wanted to tell you that I've had a very slight change of heart. It was about the time I was walking back from booboos with a new coletrain (nbd) vinal sipping on my coffee with the sun falling under bishop's listening to duke elington streaming out of an art deco duplex when I started to think... "hey your not really THAAAT horrible". It's true. Every once in a while you still impress me from the grade. You have pretty good wine. Your farmers market is always fun. You have great movies playing at your Palm theatre. Your pretty close to both the city and LA. Most importaintly, you have more coffee shops then I can count. 

Maybe I'll have a change of heart in the fall when Jack and I are twiddling our thumbs (paws) with my whopping 2 classes, but for now I tip my hat (cowboy of course) to you... 

Yours truly, 

Keith

What have I been up to?

There have been a lot of things going on recently. Most prominently, there have been a lot of transitions. San Luis Obispo is definitely becoming a town of strangers. I've had to say good bye to a lot of really awesome people in the past few weeks. Having said that, it has been great to see some friends that came into town lately.

I think the upcoming trip has finally started to hit me. Although I must say that lately I've been a lot more thought then action in getting the last few things done (IE whereI'mm staying).


Last night I went to the rodeo in paso with Jed and Katie, which was such a great excuse to break out my cowboy hat. I was a bit out of place politically, however. Not to mention the fact that some of the exibitions would make a PETA supporter need therapy.

So to answer the question: I've been going to school (sort of), seeing off old friends, and getting things together for Bangladesh. Other then that, I've figured out finance is bunk and there are a few oportunities that i'm looking forward too.

The 5 day forcast puts me here in SLO. After, possibly orange county... then the city... new york...dubai... dhaka.


Ps. Jack has a nip issue: