Tuesday, November 11, 2008
It is an honor to work among so many veterans who have found their way to the State Department or have continued to serve in the Department of Defense. We work together at the Embassy in Dhaka and, indeed, throughout the world. We honor these and all veterans today and thank them for the sacrifices they have made on behalf of the safety and freedom of all Americans.
An amazing event took place last week with the election of a new President of our nation. It was a proud day to be an American, watching the election results from the other side of the world. The U.S Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh hosted an “election results gala” at a local hotel. There were over 700 guests in attendance, including many political leaders, business leaders and educators from Bangladesh along with members of the diplomatic corps of many other nations. As we watched the returns come in, we had a number of opportunities to present a showcase of American democracy in action with handouts, three live feeds from computer and television networks, democracy quizzes, mock elections, photos with life-size cutouts of Senators McCain and Obama and many casual conversations explaining the electoral system and other challenging concepts concerning our election system.
It was truly remarkable to see the people of the United States engage in the active work of democracy. The huge voter turnout did not include violence or threats at the polling place as can happen in other parts of the world. Voters were patient and persistent as they exercised their rights and duties to vote. The results came in quickly and without dispute in all but a few races. Most importantly, the concession speech by Senator McCain and the victory speech by President Elect Obama were strong statements to America and the world about the greater good served by an orderly transition in governmental leadership. It may be easy to take these events for granted. But many people around the world know from experience that they cannot.
Bangladesh is a nation in an important transition. It has been under a non-elected provisional government since 2006 and stands poised to hold free and fair elections on December 18, 2008. There is currently much anticipation and plenty of concern about the upcoming short campaign period and election as a large number of parties seek alliances, find candidates to place on the ballot, and negotiate on election rules.
The American election has not gone unnoticed here. Results and analysis has filled the news media and editorials for the past week. The hope of many here is that the Bangladeshi people can elect leaders who will serve the needs of the people that they represent. Strong leadership on behalf of the Bangladeshi people is vital to the development of this nation. The needs for education, health care, sanitation, transportation and other forms of infrastructure are challenging and pressing. All of us in the American community in Dhaka wish our hosts the very best during this election period.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
To USA and back again
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The first half of October has flown by. I left Dhaka on October 4 for a quick trip to Minnesota. All the new Regional Medical Officers and Health Practitioners for Department of State are offered the Comprehensive Advanced Life Support Course (CALS) within the first or second year on the job. As luck would have it, the course was developed in Minnesota so off I went to home territory. I was able to arrange for free weekends on both ends of the course to squeeze in a quick, but wonderful, chance to be with my family.
CALS is a compilation of curricula including elements of Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Adult Trauma Life Support, Pediatric and Neonatal Life Support and includes elements of Obstetric emergency management as well. The course is a very intense, team-based approach to dealing with stabilization of very ill or injured patients in relatively remote settings. It was designed for doctors, nurses and ambulance personnel in rural settings, and the course content and style lends itself very well to the more remote locations that we all work in – where high-tech back-up and emergency care is NOT a phone call and ten minute ambulance ride away. The course included a full day in the animal lab where life-saving airway management, central intravenous access and cardiac resuscitation skills could be performed on anesthetized sheep. All the content and skills are very important and have been used by State Department Practitioners to save lives in a number of remote world-wide locations. I appreciated the chance to take the course, and the bonus opportunity to meet many of my colleagues from around the world. Sharing stories, triumphs and challenges with others makes the experience I am having in Dhaka, Bangladesh all the more valued.
Aside from the excellent professional week I spent in Minnesota, I can say that being “home” for the week was a special treat. Minnesota shows off its finest weather and colors in early October and Minneapolis became a beautiful kaleidoscope that evolved before our eyes the week I was there. I stayed at the townhouse that Laura and I have purchased as a home base in Minneapolis. Oldest son, Paul, is currently renting that from us. It lies along one of the beautiful parkways that meander through parts of Minneapolis and it will be a very nice place to headquarter over the coming years when we get back to Minnesota. Laura spent both weekends with me and it was great to be together. Dealing with some house issues back in Willmar remains a challenge in the current economic times, but Laura is doing a great job with that. She is very busy wrapping up her Master’s degree, finishing some research work, and working at Ridgewater College in Willmar. We both really look forward to being back together again in January in Dhaka.
We spent time with all three of our adult children. Paul and fiancée Carly are busy with wedding planning for next summer, and Carly all the more busy with the start of medical school in September. She is studying at U of Minnesota – Duluth and we are very proud of her. Paul laments that the stage is now set for another generation of dinner-table medical talk! Paul remains happy and busy with the transportation engineering firm he has worked with for several years in Minneapolis but will be able to begin some telecommuting and spend 1-2 days per week in Duluth with Carly. Mark continues his work in technical support with Epic Systems in Madison, WI. Epic is the nation’s largest electronic medical records and business management firm. Sounds like Mark has enjoyed playing some great golf this summer and will henceforth leave me in the dust when we play together. Mary continues at St. Olaf College in Minnesota where she is thriving. She happened to have a concert with the band while I was in Minnesota that we enjoyed. She is looking forward to joining us in Bangladesh for the next several summers.
I spent a quick day in Willmar that included a short-but-very-sweet reunion at Family Practice Medical Center. I am so proud of the great work that is done there in caring for patients and families and in negotiating the always-challenging environment of private practice. An evening dinner with dear friends from Calvary Lutheran Church was a great chance to catch up on local events and friends and to share stories of the adventures I am having in Dhaka. The time in Willmar was way too short, but we look forward to return trips from time to time. Willmar has been a wonderful home for the past 24 years and will always be full of happy memories.
So after a whirlwind trip, it was time to get back to Dhaka. The combination of flights spans 22 hours, with a 6 hour sleep stop in Bangkok and several transfers filling out the schedule for a 34-hour trip. I am now past the jet lag, have gotten caught up at work and spent a very pleasant weekend with the moderating weather. It was remarkable to drive back from the airport here and see that things here look familiar. Familiar, friendly faces at the house, at the Embassy and around the community all made the return to Dhaka feel good. So, now it’s back to work!
The first half of October has flown by. I left Dhaka on October 4 for a quick trip to Minnesota. All the new Regional Medical Officers and Health Practitioners for Department of State are offered the Comprehensive Advanced Life Support Course (CALS) within the first or second year on the job. As luck would have it, the course was developed in Minnesota so off I went to home territory. I was able to arrange for free weekends on both ends of the course to squeeze in a quick, but wonderful, chance to be with my family.
CALS is a compilation of curricula including elements of Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Adult Trauma Life Support, Pediatric and Neonatal Life Support and includes elements of Obstetric emergency management as well. The course is a very intense, team-based approach to dealing with stabilization of very ill or injured patients in relatively remote settings. It was designed for doctors, nurses and ambulance personnel in rural settings, and the course content and style lends itself very well to the more remote locations that we all work in – where high-tech back-up and emergency care is NOT a phone call and ten minute ambulance ride away. The course included a full day in the animal lab where life-saving airway management, central intravenous access and cardiac resuscitation skills could be performed on anesthetized sheep. All the content and skills are very important and have been used by State Department Practitioners to save lives in a number of remote world-wide locations. I appreciated the chance to take the course, and the bonus opportunity to meet many of my colleagues from around the world. Sharing stories, triumphs and challenges with others makes the experience I am having in Dhaka, Bangladesh all the more valued.
Aside from the excellent professional week I spent in Minnesota, I can say that being “home” for the week was a special treat. Minnesota shows off its finest weather and colors in early October and Minneapolis became a beautiful kaleidoscope that evolved before our eyes the week I was there. I stayed at the townhouse that Laura and I have purchased as a home base in Minneapolis. Oldest son, Paul, is currently renting that from us. It lies along one of the beautiful parkways that meander through parts of Minneapolis and it will be a very nice place to headquarter over the coming years when we get back to Minnesota. Laura spent both weekends with me and it was great to be together. Dealing with some house issues back in Willmar remains a challenge in the current economic times, but Laura is doing a great job with that. She is very busy wrapping up her Master’s degree, finishing some research work, and working at Ridgewater College in Willmar. We both really look forward to being back together again in January in Dhaka.
We spent time with all three of our adult children. Paul and fiancée Carly are busy with wedding planning for next summer, and Carly all the more busy with the start of medical school in September. She is studying at U of Minnesota – Duluth and we are very proud of her. Paul laments that the stage is now set for another generation of dinner-table medical talk! Paul remains happy and busy with the transportation engineering firm he has worked with for several years in Minneapolis but will be able to begin some telecommuting and spend 1-2 days per week in Duluth with Carly. Mark continues his work in technical support with Epic Systems in Madison, WI. Epic is the nation’s largest electronic medical records and business management firm. Sounds like Mark has enjoyed playing some great golf this summer and will henceforth leave me in the dust when we play together. Mary continues at St. Olaf College in Minnesota where she is thriving. She happened to have a concert with the band while I was in Minnesota that we enjoyed. She is looking forward to joining us in Bangladesh for the next several summers.
I spent a quick day in Willmar that included a short-but-very-sweet reunion at Family Practice Medical Center. I am so proud of the great work that is done there in caring for patients and families and in negotiating the always-challenging environment of private practice. An evening dinner with dear friends from Calvary Lutheran Church was a great chance to catch up on local events and friends and to share stories of the adventures I am having in Dhaka. The time in Willmar was way too short, but we look forward to return trips from time to time. Willmar has been a wonderful home for the past 24 years and will always be full of happy memories.
So after a whirlwind trip, it was time to get back to Dhaka. The combination of flights spans 22 hours, with a 6 hour sleep stop in Bangkok and several transfers filling out the schedule for a 34-hour trip. I am now past the jet lag, have gotten caught up at work and spent a very pleasant weekend with the moderating weather. It was remarkable to drive back from the airport here and see that things here look familiar. Familiar, friendly faces at the house, at the Embassy and around the community all made the return to Dhaka feel good. So, now it’s back to work!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
A great weekend!
Sunday, September 28
I’ve just enjoyed a varied and eventful weekend. Here’s a little “blow by blow” to share a sense of life here in Dhaka. The normal weekend here is Friday and Saturday, with Friday as the Muslim day of prayer. Last night was a special night of continuous praying through the entire night at the mosques, and today was therefore a governmental holiday so that people could sleep and rest after praying through the night. Now, as the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close on Wednesday or Thursday of this coming week (depending on the sighting of the new moon), there is eager anticipation of the Eid holiday. This is the time of great family celebrations and gift-giving, often with new clothes for all the children that will serve them over the coming year.
Preparation for the Eid holiday is much like the December Christmas rush for shopping and socializing. For the past three weeks there have been hours-long traffic jams throughout the city as everyone tries to do the shopping. Prices are nearly double what they were a month ago for clothes, taxis, and basic foods. This happens each year, and is likely related to the Eid bonuses most employees receive at this time. But now, as Ramadan is nearly done, the city of Dhaka literally empties. Almost everybody in the city of 15 million have close relatives in one of the small villages that contain the other 140 million Bangladeshi, and most people return to the rural areas for a 4-10 day visit with the relatives. Later this week I am told the streets will be empty and devoid of cars, buses and rickshaws.
These events figured into parts of the weekend I will now describe. I began the weekend with a 6 am phone call Friday about a mental-health type emergency for an embassy family. Making arrangements to deal with this occupied the next hour, but with the scene set for ongoing intervention later in the day. Weekly early Friday tennis still took place amidst the medical management. I play with a group that includes the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Embassy, an attorney from Wisconsin who now works at the Embassy in the area of public diplomacy, an executive from Chevron who oversees natural gas production facilities in Bangladesh, and three business people from the U.S. who are engaged as project leaders for various NGO’s here in Bangladesh. The tennis is great fun and good exercise, but the burned calories are often quickly replaced as we enjoy a courtside breakfast spiced with engaging conversations that often turn to American politics and international developments of all sorts.
Friday afternoon was time for a shopping trip for some special Bangladeshi crafts or art that I will bring to Minnesota next week when I travel there for a continuing medical education trip. That meant jumping right into the busiest shopping day of the Dhaka year! It took time, but was fun. It is becoming great sport to engage in the bargaining that is part of every purchase here. My house steward and cook, Shah-Alam, joins me on these outings as a great coach and occasional translator. He is a wonderful man that I am pleased to employ and share time with. Later in the day I spent additional time with the family involved in the mental health issues, and provided a required briefing to the Ambassador about issues that are pertinent, but without compromising patient confidentiality. That can be an interesting dance at times.
On Saturday morning I joined others at the American Club to watch the Presidential debate, which began at 7 am here. Following that I enjoyed a very nice brunch at the home of a young couple from the Dhaka International Christian Church. They are both from Switzerland, here for 4 years working for an aid organization. They had also invited another couple, just arrived in Dhaka last week. They are both here studying on scholarships from the Finnish government in the area of Christian-Islamic relations. She grew up in Helsinki and he is from the UK. Again, this was an opportunity for stimulating conversation and a chance to learn more about the Muslim faith and how it relates past, present and perhaps future to the Christian community. I look forward to the ongoing opportunity for Christian fellowship, praise and prayer afforded by the DICC.
Saturday afternoon was slated for “project time” at the “flat” I am living in. I needed a small brick walkway built in a future garden that is currently lots of mud and weeds. The “gardener” that works here is slowly making headway on creating some nice plantings. He bought bricks and sand the day before, and I showed my driver and him how to dig out the mud/clay, place a deep bed of sand, place the bricks in a pattern, level the bricks, and then fill in between them with sand/granite fill. The finished product caused them to feel very proud, and they were quite surprised to have a “boss” who liked to join in and get dirty!
I enjoyed a good-bye potluck dinner last evening for one of the tennis-playing gang. The friendship and warmth that flows among the ex-pats that support and entertain each other is genuine and full of good humor. But everyone here is transient – usually here for 1-4 years. So saying farewell to some and welcoming the newcomers at the same time is also part of the fabric of life in Dhaka.
This morning started with a several-hour family counseling session in follow-up to events on Friday, followed by additional briefings with the Ambassador and consultation with other doctors that will provide some “coverage” while I am in the U.S. during the next few weeks. It is actually a joy to be able to spend as much time with patients as I wish or need without feeling any sense of time stress. While at the clinic, I spent several hours today working on review and writing of “nursing protocols” that allow our nurses to dispense certain medications to patients that fit select criteria in our absence. These protocols are in increasing use per nursing licensure laws, but need to individually edited, customized and signed on an annual basis. I got 30 clinical topics covered today and have 23 more to go some day this week!
The weekend was capped with an invitation to a Bangladeshi home - my first. I spent the Iftar (fast-breaking meal) with the Wahab family. Dr. Wahab is the German-trained internist that practices near the Embassy. He performs many exams on Bangladeshi visa applicants, and serves many Americans from the ex-pat community (who do not have privileges at the Embassy clinic). His wife, Afsane, is a delightful, talented lady who studied law in Great Britain. She prepared a traditional Bangladeshi Iftar that was a feast of fresh fruits, vegetables, curry-chicken, dal (made from lentils, not unlike split-pea soup), and a sweet rice pudding for desert. We were joined by their son, Tushar, age 24, who is studying fine arts in Adelaide, Australia and is home for Eid. Several others were there, including an Australian couple that work as principal and special education teacher at one of the international schools in this area of the city. This was a wonderful evening to make new friends and experience Bangladeshi culture firsthand while learning more and more about the traditions, history and people of this fascinating land.
All in all, a great weekend.
I’ve just enjoyed a varied and eventful weekend. Here’s a little “blow by blow” to share a sense of life here in Dhaka. The normal weekend here is Friday and Saturday, with Friday as the Muslim day of prayer. Last night was a special night of continuous praying through the entire night at the mosques, and today was therefore a governmental holiday so that people could sleep and rest after praying through the night. Now, as the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close on Wednesday or Thursday of this coming week (depending on the sighting of the new moon), there is eager anticipation of the Eid holiday. This is the time of great family celebrations and gift-giving, often with new clothes for all the children that will serve them over the coming year.
Preparation for the Eid holiday is much like the December Christmas rush for shopping and socializing. For the past three weeks there have been hours-long traffic jams throughout the city as everyone tries to do the shopping. Prices are nearly double what they were a month ago for clothes, taxis, and basic foods. This happens each year, and is likely related to the Eid bonuses most employees receive at this time. But now, as Ramadan is nearly done, the city of Dhaka literally empties. Almost everybody in the city of 15 million have close relatives in one of the small villages that contain the other 140 million Bangladeshi, and most people return to the rural areas for a 4-10 day visit with the relatives. Later this week I am told the streets will be empty and devoid of cars, buses and rickshaws.
These events figured into parts of the weekend I will now describe. I began the weekend with a 6 am phone call Friday about a mental-health type emergency for an embassy family. Making arrangements to deal with this occupied the next hour, but with the scene set for ongoing intervention later in the day. Weekly early Friday tennis still took place amidst the medical management. I play with a group that includes the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Embassy, an attorney from Wisconsin who now works at the Embassy in the area of public diplomacy, an executive from Chevron who oversees natural gas production facilities in Bangladesh, and three business people from the U.S. who are engaged as project leaders for various NGO’s here in Bangladesh. The tennis is great fun and good exercise, but the burned calories are often quickly replaced as we enjoy a courtside breakfast spiced with engaging conversations that often turn to American politics and international developments of all sorts.
Friday afternoon was time for a shopping trip for some special Bangladeshi crafts or art that I will bring to Minnesota next week when I travel there for a continuing medical education trip. That meant jumping right into the busiest shopping day of the Dhaka year! It took time, but was fun. It is becoming great sport to engage in the bargaining that is part of every purchase here. My house steward and cook, Shah-Alam, joins me on these outings as a great coach and occasional translator. He is a wonderful man that I am pleased to employ and share time with. Later in the day I spent additional time with the family involved in the mental health issues, and provided a required briefing to the Ambassador about issues that are pertinent, but without compromising patient confidentiality. That can be an interesting dance at times.
On Saturday morning I joined others at the American Club to watch the Presidential debate, which began at 7 am here. Following that I enjoyed a very nice brunch at the home of a young couple from the Dhaka International Christian Church. They are both from Switzerland, here for 4 years working for an aid organization. They had also invited another couple, just arrived in Dhaka last week. They are both here studying on scholarships from the Finnish government in the area of Christian-Islamic relations. She grew up in Helsinki and he is from the UK. Again, this was an opportunity for stimulating conversation and a chance to learn more about the Muslim faith and how it relates past, present and perhaps future to the Christian community. I look forward to the ongoing opportunity for Christian fellowship, praise and prayer afforded by the DICC.
Saturday afternoon was slated for “project time” at the “flat” I am living in. I needed a small brick walkway built in a future garden that is currently lots of mud and weeds. The “gardener” that works here is slowly making headway on creating some nice plantings. He bought bricks and sand the day before, and I showed my driver and him how to dig out the mud/clay, place a deep bed of sand, place the bricks in a pattern, level the bricks, and then fill in between them with sand/granite fill. The finished product caused them to feel very proud, and they were quite surprised to have a “boss” who liked to join in and get dirty!
I enjoyed a good-bye potluck dinner last evening for one of the tennis-playing gang. The friendship and warmth that flows among the ex-pats that support and entertain each other is genuine and full of good humor. But everyone here is transient – usually here for 1-4 years. So saying farewell to some and welcoming the newcomers at the same time is also part of the fabric of life in Dhaka.
This morning started with a several-hour family counseling session in follow-up to events on Friday, followed by additional briefings with the Ambassador and consultation with other doctors that will provide some “coverage” while I am in the U.S. during the next few weeks. It is actually a joy to be able to spend as much time with patients as I wish or need without feeling any sense of time stress. While at the clinic, I spent several hours today working on review and writing of “nursing protocols” that allow our nurses to dispense certain medications to patients that fit select criteria in our absence. These protocols are in increasing use per nursing licensure laws, but need to individually edited, customized and signed on an annual basis. I got 30 clinical topics covered today and have 23 more to go some day this week!
The weekend was capped with an invitation to a Bangladeshi home - my first. I spent the Iftar (fast-breaking meal) with the Wahab family. Dr. Wahab is the German-trained internist that practices near the Embassy. He performs many exams on Bangladeshi visa applicants, and serves many Americans from the ex-pat community (who do not have privileges at the Embassy clinic). His wife, Afsane, is a delightful, talented lady who studied law in Great Britain. She prepared a traditional Bangladeshi Iftar that was a feast of fresh fruits, vegetables, curry-chicken, dal (made from lentils, not unlike split-pea soup), and a sweet rice pudding for desert. We were joined by their son, Tushar, age 24, who is studying fine arts in Adelaide, Australia and is home for Eid. Several others were there, including an Australian couple that work as principal and special education teacher at one of the international schools in this area of the city. This was a wonderful evening to make new friends and experience Bangladeshi culture firsthand while learning more and more about the traditions, history and people of this fascinating land.
All in all, a great weekend.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sadabari, partly restored palace/manor house in Sonargaon, now a folk art museum.
Local squatters in the abandoned former Hindu merchant homes in Painam Nagar. Built around 1900, abandoned in 1947 as Hindus fled the area when East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) was partitioned from India.
Commuters on a small river boat along the Meghna River southeast of Dhaka. With frequent rain and hot temperatures when the sun comes out, umbrellas are used rain or shine.
Mount Everest thrusts through the cloud bank, dwarfing all the surrounding mountain ranges.
Busy in Dhaka, visiting Kathmandu
Sunday, September 21, 2008
OK, it has been almost a month since my last entry. That is a sign of getting acclimated and integrated into the local work and social scene. I am finding plenty to do and keep busy. Although I miss Laura and the kids daily, I find the days and weeks pass quickly. Laura and I can visit daily via Skype and it amazing how the distance shrinks with regular voice and video contact. I often make calls on Skype or Skype-to-phone early in the morning before work to catch people during the prior evening in Minnesota.
The past month has brought many new experiences. The car I had imported from Japan, a 2006 Honda Fit with right-side steering, arrived early in September. After carefully observing the amazing traffic system (see blog entry below) and watching every move the motorpool drivers made during the 4 weeks I got rides from them, I ventured forth. Driving on the left side of the road is actually very straightforward and hasn’t been difficult. Dodging 3-6 rickshaws every block IS a challenge, along with watching carefully for pedestrians who cross the street anywhere (often right in front of a stopped or slowly moving car) and walk along both sides of the street two and three abreast. It is especially difficult at night, because there are no street lights, and the rickshaws and pedestrians are very tough to see. I did hire a driver and that has been a great decision. Rakib is his name, father of four, and a professional driver for 19 years. He knows Dhaka and all of Bangladesh inside/out, knows the shortcuts, and handles the traffic without breaking a sweat. Since parking spaces are nearly nonexistent, having a driver lets you get out at the door of a shop or store and then get picked up when done without worrying about the parking.
Yesterday, Rakib drove two friends and me out of Dhaka to do some exploring of the surrounding area. That was great fun and we found our way to Sonargaon, an ancient capital of Bangladesh in the pre-Muslim Hindu period of the 13th century. Although there are no remaining structures from that period, there is a palace from the early 1900’s that has been preserved and is a folk art museum. We also drove to Narayanganj, a bustling industrial town along the Menghna River. There we hired a 16 foot motorboat for a “cruise” along the river where we enjoyed seeing river barges laden to “past full” with sand or clay along with small fishing boats that are built the same as they have been for hundreds of years. As we headed home, we encountered especially slow traffic and then saw riot police along with broken glass along the road. A front page story in this morning’s newspaper chronicled a riot that broke out when garment factory workers learned they were only to get a 25% monthly salary bonus for Eid instead of the 100% they felt they deserved. Most Bangladeshis receive the 100% worker bonus for Eid, which is the Christmas-like, gift-giving time of year that marks the end of Ramadan – the holy month of fasting and prayer for Muslims. Despite the ransacking of the factory and smashing up 6-7 cars, it is unlikely the bonus will materialize.
Another highlight several weeks ago was my first regional trip to Kathmandu, Nepal. I supervise and support the health unit at that Embassy. It is staffed by a nurse practitioner, nurse and receptionist. I saw a number of patients they had “saved up” for me. I had several very interesting and enjoyable meetings with Ambassador Nancy Powell. I met some of the local physicians. I was able to meet with the clinic staff and do some goal-setting for the coming year as we work on clinic management and quality improvement projects.
In the evening I enjoyed exploring the very old market region of Thamel Chowk, where Hindu and Buddhist shops abound. Here you can find great art works, handcrafts, many varieties of tea and mountain trekking gear, all at low prices. Prices are even lower after the bargaining. After asking the price and acting aghast at how expensive something may seem, the proper move is to offer 1/3 to 1/2 of the asking price. The bargaining continues from there, and the truly good deal occurs after you’ve left the shop and the shop owner follows you a half-block down the narrow, choked streets. Once a deal is struck, then all are on friendly and respectful terms and the shop owner is graciously thankful for having made a sale!
On the one hour return flight to Dhaka, I enjoyed soaring up and over the mountain range surrounding Kathmandu, part of the foothills of the Himalayans. We then passed up through the cloud bank. Just outside the plane I was amazed to see Mt. Everest jutting out through the cloud bank, absolutely towering over all the other nearby mountain ranges. It was one of the “WOW” moments that help me know that Laura and I made a great decision to join the Foreign Service and see the world while serving others!
OK, it has been almost a month since my last entry. That is a sign of getting acclimated and integrated into the local work and social scene. I am finding plenty to do and keep busy. Although I miss Laura and the kids daily, I find the days and weeks pass quickly. Laura and I can visit daily via Skype and it amazing how the distance shrinks with regular voice and video contact. I often make calls on Skype or Skype-to-phone early in the morning before work to catch people during the prior evening in Minnesota.
The past month has brought many new experiences. The car I had imported from Japan, a 2006 Honda Fit with right-side steering, arrived early in September. After carefully observing the amazing traffic system (see blog entry below) and watching every move the motorpool drivers made during the 4 weeks I got rides from them, I ventured forth. Driving on the left side of the road is actually very straightforward and hasn’t been difficult. Dodging 3-6 rickshaws every block IS a challenge, along with watching carefully for pedestrians who cross the street anywhere (often right in front of a stopped or slowly moving car) and walk along both sides of the street two and three abreast. It is especially difficult at night, because there are no street lights, and the rickshaws and pedestrians are very tough to see. I did hire a driver and that has been a great decision. Rakib is his name, father of four, and a professional driver for 19 years. He knows Dhaka and all of Bangladesh inside/out, knows the shortcuts, and handles the traffic without breaking a sweat. Since parking spaces are nearly nonexistent, having a driver lets you get out at the door of a shop or store and then get picked up when done without worrying about the parking.
Yesterday, Rakib drove two friends and me out of Dhaka to do some exploring of the surrounding area. That was great fun and we found our way to Sonargaon, an ancient capital of Bangladesh in the pre-Muslim Hindu period of the 13th century. Although there are no remaining structures from that period, there is a palace from the early 1900’s that has been preserved and is a folk art museum. We also drove to Narayanganj, a bustling industrial town along the Menghna River. There we hired a 16 foot motorboat for a “cruise” along the river where we enjoyed seeing river barges laden to “past full” with sand or clay along with small fishing boats that are built the same as they have been for hundreds of years. As we headed home, we encountered especially slow traffic and then saw riot police along with broken glass along the road. A front page story in this morning’s newspaper chronicled a riot that broke out when garment factory workers learned they were only to get a 25% monthly salary bonus for Eid instead of the 100% they felt they deserved. Most Bangladeshis receive the 100% worker bonus for Eid, which is the Christmas-like, gift-giving time of year that marks the end of Ramadan – the holy month of fasting and prayer for Muslims. Despite the ransacking of the factory and smashing up 6-7 cars, it is unlikely the bonus will materialize.
Another highlight several weeks ago was my first regional trip to Kathmandu, Nepal. I supervise and support the health unit at that Embassy. It is staffed by a nurse practitioner, nurse and receptionist. I saw a number of patients they had “saved up” for me. I had several very interesting and enjoyable meetings with Ambassador Nancy Powell. I met some of the local physicians. I was able to meet with the clinic staff and do some goal-setting for the coming year as we work on clinic management and quality improvement projects.
In the evening I enjoyed exploring the very old market region of Thamel Chowk, where Hindu and Buddhist shops abound. Here you can find great art works, handcrafts, many varieties of tea and mountain trekking gear, all at low prices. Prices are even lower after the bargaining. After asking the price and acting aghast at how expensive something may seem, the proper move is to offer 1/3 to 1/2 of the asking price. The bargaining continues from there, and the truly good deal occurs after you’ve left the shop and the shop owner follows you a half-block down the narrow, choked streets. Once a deal is struck, then all are on friendly and respectful terms and the shop owner is graciously thankful for having made a sale!
On the one hour return flight to Dhaka, I enjoyed soaring up and over the mountain range surrounding Kathmandu, part of the foothills of the Himalayans. We then passed up through the cloud bank. Just outside the plane I was amazed to see Mt. Everest jutting out through the cloud bank, absolutely towering over all the other nearby mountain ranges. It was one of the “WOW” moments that help me know that Laura and I made a great decision to join the Foreign Service and see the world while serving others!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Contoversy
I have received several controversial posting comments describing current events over the past week in Bangladesh by local readers. It is not my intent in this blog to host pollitical debate and these comments will not be posted. I appreciate your points of view but they shall remain private in this blog.
Mike Morris
Mike Morris
U.S. Embassy mission in Bangladesh
In a recent orientation program for newly arrived diplomats at the U.S. Embassy Dhaka we heard from Ambassador James Moriarty about the core mission of the Embassy in Bangladesh. He terms it “the Three D’s” -- Democracy, Development, and Denial of Space to Terrorists.
For many of the years since its independence as a modern state in 1971, Bangladesh has had a democratically elected government. However, there have been several periods of unrest and instability of the elected government, the most recent occurring several years ago. At that time a militarily installed temporary civilian government was placed in charge allowing a “cooling off” period in the populace and political parties. At this time, the interim government is planning a democratic national election in late 2008. There has also been a well-publicized crackdown on corruption at governmental levels and in the upper tiers of the business community. The United States is strongly supportive of these efforts and doing all it can to encourage an open, democratic, fair and transparent election process. It is felt that this is Bangladesh’s best hope of ongoing stable government, with the ability to meet the needs of the people, become more responsive to the constituency, and less influenced by inappropriate forces. You can read further remarks by Ambassdor Moriarty by following own the U.S. Embassy Dhaka link to the right.
The United States has been a large contributor to the development of this poor nation. Total contributions since 1974 have been over $5 billion. The budget for 2008 alone will exceed $170 million. This money is distributed mainly via the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID was established as a Federal Agency by President Kennedy in the early 1960’s, an offshoot of the post-WWII Marshall Plan, The USAID office at the U.S. Embassy Dhaka oversees the distribution of funding to many NGOs and direct aid programs benefitting the people of Bangladesh. The work that USAID does on behalf of the generosity of the American people has changed and saved many thousands of lives and is helping to stabilize and improve the fragile standard of living for the poor of Bangladesh. There is a great link describing this important work that I have also included along the right column.
There have been episodic terrorist attacks on a relatively small scale in Bangladesh over the past 6 years. The population here is quite homogeneous with a strong national Bengali cultural background. During the unrest that led to independence in 1971 from Pakistan, the clerics favored continued union with Pakistan. That is recalled by Bangladeshis and there has not been support for calls for outrage against the West on any widespread basis here. The Muslim and Hindu religious cultures of Bangladesh have existed together for centuries and most people here practice a very tolerant form of Islam. Nonetheless, poverty, lack of education and a difficult personal economy for many can set the stage for influence from groups promising radical and quick changes. Thus, a goal of successful diplomatic relations with Bangladesh continues to be promotion of a stable and growing economy, improved health and education standards, and respect for the rule of law. Helping the military and police with support and training against terrorism is another useful strategy.
As a moderate, democratic Islamic nation in Southeast Asia, Bangladesh is a land of promise and a potential model for other nations. It is clearly important that the United States remain involved here and provide encouragement and support in further development in Bangladesh.
For many of the years since its independence as a modern state in 1971, Bangladesh has had a democratically elected government. However, there have been several periods of unrest and instability of the elected government, the most recent occurring several years ago. At that time a militarily installed temporary civilian government was placed in charge allowing a “cooling off” period in the populace and political parties. At this time, the interim government is planning a democratic national election in late 2008. There has also been a well-publicized crackdown on corruption at governmental levels and in the upper tiers of the business community. The United States is strongly supportive of these efforts and doing all it can to encourage an open, democratic, fair and transparent election process. It is felt that this is Bangladesh’s best hope of ongoing stable government, with the ability to meet the needs of the people, become more responsive to the constituency, and less influenced by inappropriate forces. You can read further remarks by Ambassdor Moriarty by following own the U.S. Embassy Dhaka link to the right.
The United States has been a large contributor to the development of this poor nation. Total contributions since 1974 have been over $5 billion. The budget for 2008 alone will exceed $170 million. This money is distributed mainly via the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID was established as a Federal Agency by President Kennedy in the early 1960’s, an offshoot of the post-WWII Marshall Plan, The USAID office at the U.S. Embassy Dhaka oversees the distribution of funding to many NGOs and direct aid programs benefitting the people of Bangladesh. The work that USAID does on behalf of the generosity of the American people has changed and saved many thousands of lives and is helping to stabilize and improve the fragile standard of living for the poor of Bangladesh. There is a great link describing this important work that I have also included along the right column.
There have been episodic terrorist attacks on a relatively small scale in Bangladesh over the past 6 years. The population here is quite homogeneous with a strong national Bengali cultural background. During the unrest that led to independence in 1971 from Pakistan, the clerics favored continued union with Pakistan. That is recalled by Bangladeshis and there has not been support for calls for outrage against the West on any widespread basis here. The Muslim and Hindu religious cultures of Bangladesh have existed together for centuries and most people here practice a very tolerant form of Islam. Nonetheless, poverty, lack of education and a difficult personal economy for many can set the stage for influence from groups promising radical and quick changes. Thus, a goal of successful diplomatic relations with Bangladesh continues to be promotion of a stable and growing economy, improved health and education standards, and respect for the rule of law. Helping the military and police with support and training against terrorism is another useful strategy.
As a moderate, democratic Islamic nation in Southeast Asia, Bangladesh is a land of promise and a potential model for other nations. It is clearly important that the United States remain involved here and provide encouragement and support in further development in Bangladesh.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Social Life in Dhaka
Social life within the diplomatic community in Dhaka is not unlike that in many small towns throughout the U.S. I have observed that most of the social life revolves around activities at the local American International School, the “American Club”, and entertaining in homes for dinner, BBQ’s movie nights, game night, etc. There are organized sports, community education, some organized tours, as well as community stewardship activities. A number of ex-pats are active in two Christian churches nearby – the Dhaka International Christian Church and an Assembly of God congregation.
Shortly after I arrived in Dhaka, word was out that I enjoy playing bridge. I was immediately swept into the local bridge scene with avid players that get together several times each week. Last week I filled in with a group that included the U.S. Department of Justice attorney working here in Dhaka, a successful Bangladeshi owner of a construction company, and the Bangladeshi editor of the largest English newspaper published in Bangladesh. All very good bridge players and very interesting conversationalists. I look forward to sharpening my game in the next few years as I play often with these and other players.
The American Club is a cooperative enterprise operating as one of hundreds of American Recreation Association Clubs around the world. There is a moderate membership fee, then a very affordable monthly fee. The facility is about a mile from where I live, and includes pool, restaurants, training rooms with excellent equipment, squash court, tennis courts and social meeting areas. It is very comfortable, well staffed, and this is where you’ll find most families on the weekends. I have enjoyed resurrecting my long-dormant tennis game. Court fee is $1.25 for 45 minutes, and a lesson with the onsite pro is $1.50 for 45 minutes of individual instruction. When you don’t have a partner, the “marker” plays with you – matching his play to your level and giving you tips as you go while the level of play improves. League play begins in September and our club will compete against other international clubs here in Dhaka (British Club, Nordic Club, etc). The kitchen at the American Club does a great job, and actually is the caterer that supplies the midday cafeteria-style food at the Embassy each day. (Believe it or not, one of my responsibilities is to serve as the kitchen health-safety inspector of these two kitchens every quarter. I underwent training for this while in Washington this summer. I promise you that careful food prep in Bangladesh is important, so I shall be diligent!)
The American International School in Dhaka is well known in the diplomatic community for excellence in academics and student life. It is a reason that many young Foreign Service families choose Dhaka for a posting assignment. They run pre-K through 12th grade and offer many AP classes. Teachers are recruited at U.S. annual teacher conventions, and many teachers serve here for 2-10 years. The school’s recreational facilities are available to the community members for $35 per year. Today I got to the school after work for an hour on the elliptical in the weight room and this weekend enjoyed their full-size pool, set up for adult lap swim part of each day. It is 2 blocks from where I live. The school also offers a great array of community education opportunities, with classes ranging including crafts, ballroom dance, yoga, many intramural type sports leagues and others. I signed up for a class to learn to play two of the native instruments of Bangladesh – the tabla, which is a type of drum, and a hand-carved wooden flute. I figured this to be a fun way to learn more about Bangladeshi culture with a native teacher and about 6 others in the class.
“Dinner parties” are popular in Bangladesh. These can be formal representation dinners at the home of Ambassadors where American staff helps to serve, host and mix with foreign dignitaries of “strategic interest”. They can also be relaxed video-watching parties with pizza, popcorn and the like. We have a Dhaka diner’s club at the Embassy that ventures out every week to try a new restaurant. Restaurants in Dhaka can be a true adventure – there are hundreds around, but relatively few that Americans feel comfortable eating the food in…
I am looking forward to visiting the International Christian Church this coming weekend. Services are on Fridays, matching the Muslim day of prayer. Activities here begin to pick up with the school year, just as in the U.S. I have not checked out the local Rotary Clubs, but have learned there are many in the Dhaka area, some that conduct all the meetings in English. A number of Foreign Service staff volunteer in a host of stewardship opportunities with various aid organizations, mission groups, etc.
As you can see, there is plenty to do in Dhaka. I plan to try many of these avenues to find friends, build relationships and strengthen the sense of community here.
Shortly after I arrived in Dhaka, word was out that I enjoy playing bridge. I was immediately swept into the local bridge scene with avid players that get together several times each week. Last week I filled in with a group that included the U.S. Department of Justice attorney working here in Dhaka, a successful Bangladeshi owner of a construction company, and the Bangladeshi editor of the largest English newspaper published in Bangladesh. All very good bridge players and very interesting conversationalists. I look forward to sharpening my game in the next few years as I play often with these and other players.
The American Club is a cooperative enterprise operating as one of hundreds of American Recreation Association Clubs around the world. There is a moderate membership fee, then a very affordable monthly fee. The facility is about a mile from where I live, and includes pool, restaurants, training rooms with excellent equipment, squash court, tennis courts and social meeting areas. It is very comfortable, well staffed, and this is where you’ll find most families on the weekends. I have enjoyed resurrecting my long-dormant tennis game. Court fee is $1.25 for 45 minutes, and a lesson with the onsite pro is $1.50 for 45 minutes of individual instruction. When you don’t have a partner, the “marker” plays with you – matching his play to your level and giving you tips as you go while the level of play improves. League play begins in September and our club will compete against other international clubs here in Dhaka (British Club, Nordic Club, etc). The kitchen at the American Club does a great job, and actually is the caterer that supplies the midday cafeteria-style food at the Embassy each day. (Believe it or not, one of my responsibilities is to serve as the kitchen health-safety inspector of these two kitchens every quarter. I underwent training for this while in Washington this summer. I promise you that careful food prep in Bangladesh is important, so I shall be diligent!)
The American International School in Dhaka is well known in the diplomatic community for excellence in academics and student life. It is a reason that many young Foreign Service families choose Dhaka for a posting assignment. They run pre-K through 12th grade and offer many AP classes. Teachers are recruited at U.S. annual teacher conventions, and many teachers serve here for 2-10 years. The school’s recreational facilities are available to the community members for $35 per year. Today I got to the school after work for an hour on the elliptical in the weight room and this weekend enjoyed their full-size pool, set up for adult lap swim part of each day. It is 2 blocks from where I live. The school also offers a great array of community education opportunities, with classes ranging including crafts, ballroom dance, yoga, many intramural type sports leagues and others. I signed up for a class to learn to play two of the native instruments of Bangladesh – the tabla, which is a type of drum, and a hand-carved wooden flute. I figured this to be a fun way to learn more about Bangladeshi culture with a native teacher and about 6 others in the class.
“Dinner parties” are popular in Bangladesh. These can be formal representation dinners at the home of Ambassadors where American staff helps to serve, host and mix with foreign dignitaries of “strategic interest”. They can also be relaxed video-watching parties with pizza, popcorn and the like. We have a Dhaka diner’s club at the Embassy that ventures out every week to try a new restaurant. Restaurants in Dhaka can be a true adventure – there are hundreds around, but relatively few that Americans feel comfortable eating the food in…
I am looking forward to visiting the International Christian Church this coming weekend. Services are on Fridays, matching the Muslim day of prayer. Activities here begin to pick up with the school year, just as in the U.S. I have not checked out the local Rotary Clubs, but have learned there are many in the Dhaka area, some that conduct all the meetings in English. A number of Foreign Service staff volunteer in a host of stewardship opportunities with various aid organizations, mission groups, etc.
As you can see, there is plenty to do in Dhaka. I plan to try many of these avenues to find friends, build relationships and strengthen the sense of community here.
American Recreation Association - Dhaka
Clubhouse, with several small restaurants, a pub, youth room, nursery, meeting rooms and coffee shop
The pool and lakeside cabana are popular during the hot, humid summers in Dhaka
Tennis courts, served by energetic "markers," young men that chase all the balls, give lessons, and fill in if you need a partner. They are all great players, but match their play to your level!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Traffic in Dhaka
What’s transportation like in Dhaka? Crowded, disorganized, chaotic – in short, “jungle rules”! Dhaka is a city of 13 million people. Most of them are poor. They rely on walking, rickshaws, “baby taxis” and buses to get to and from work, the markets, and to visit family and friends. Nonetheless, there are also hundreds of thousands of cars on the road every day. The roads are narrow, rough, and full of puddles after the daily rain shower. Although one recognizes absolutely no sense of traffic organization on first glance, there is actually a system of sorts. Driving here is a daily Olympic event, risking life and limb if not fully alert and cautiously aggressive. Here is how it works:
Whoever gets to a narrow spot, a turn against traffic or a passing opportunity first -- wins. When it is bumper to bumper traffic, that means if you don’t nudge the nose of your car in front of the neighboring vehicle, you will sit still for hours. Honking is constant on every street, either to fend off an encroaching driver or bicycle rickshaw, or to warn pedestrians walking out in the traffic lanes that you are about to run them over if they don’t move aside (usually into a puddle…). Sitting still in traffic when everyone else expects you to poke your car into oncoming traffic also unleashes a barrage of community honking. Remember that driving is on the left side of the road here. If you are making a right turn, against oncoming traffic, local custom dictates that you do that with ANY break in oncoming traffic. Although you may be sure to be hit by judging the speed of the oncoming car, the “local rules” dictate that once you have gotten in the way of the oncoming vehicle, it will slow down and wait for you. If you don’t pull in front of it, it will speed up. Getting the idea?
Now add to that the baby taxis and rickshaws. Baby taxis are actually small motored tricycles with a miniature cab over the back axle that appears to seat two. Not for Bangladeshis – they routinely get 3-4 people in by being small, crowding together and sitting on each others’ laps. For every car on the road, add in 2-3 additional baby taxis that dart in and out of traffic lanes, occlude any space left between cars side-to-side, and sometimes go in the wrong lane into oncoming traffic.
Next we have the rickshaws as seen in the pictures below. There are several million of these in the streets of the Dhaka city district on a daily basis. They are pedal tricycles with single gear, that carry two people perched high above the rear axle. Although quaint in appearance, they are fairly dangerous with a high center of gravity and easy tipping if a sharp turn is taken. The rickshaw drivers are everywhere, 10-30 on every block of every street. Any Westerner seen walking is seen as “needing” a ride, so any vacant rickshaw passed brings on non-stop hawking to give a ride. A short ride of less than one mile is about 30 cents. Like the baby taxis they ride anywhere in the road, in the middle of intersections, against traffic, between cars, but not on the few sidewalks that are found. They must be as aggressive as the cars to turn or change lanes. In the Bangladeshi system, any accident involving a rickshaw and car is automatically the fault of the car driver. After accidents, large crowds of pedestrians are known to form around the involved parties, and sometimes mob rule leads to throwing rocks or bricks at the offending driver, despite the rickshaw driver being at fault much of the time.
Lastly, there are the thousands and thousands of pedestrians on every street during commuting hours. They walk on sidewalks, in the streets both with and against traffic. Crossing a lane of traffic is a daily act of devout faith for walkers. When a car is coming toward you, putting up your hand defensively brings on a prolonged honking, but also the slowing of the car.
Despite all of this, bad accidents are fairly uncommon. Why? One reason is that the norm is absolute defensive, but aggressive road behavior. Not paying strict attention to traffic all around is not an option. The other reason is that the whole system creeps along at 3-5 miles an hour on most city streets. My nurse lives about 6 miles from our health center. On a Friday morning (day of prayer, all shops closed, first day of the weekend) it takes 10 minutes to cover the distance. Most days she needs 1 ½ - 2 hours for her commute home!
This is why most Western diplomats and business people that live in Dhaka have a hired driver. They are quite skilled, patient, and appropriately aggressive. For $100 per month, they will drive you anywhere you want to go, whenever you need to go. Since no parking can be found, they will simple creep around the neighborhood while you are shopping. They will also keep the car gassed up, maintained, and hand-washed at all times. The traffic is also the reason that most diplomats live in the “diplomatic enclave”, and work is less than one mile away for most.
Learning about traffic in Dhaka is all part of the fun. After just 10 days in Dhaka, what seemed strange and uncomfortable at first is already becoming the “new norm”. Survival here is mostly a matter of resetting expectations, being a careful observer of differences, and adjusting behaviors as needed. I sold my Volvo in Washington, and a 2006 Honda Fit with a right-hand steering wheel is arriving by boat from an exporter in Japan in several weeks. I guess I will start looking for a driver to hire, but rest assured I am game to give driving in Dhaka a try!
Mike
Whoever gets to a narrow spot, a turn against traffic or a passing opportunity first -- wins. When it is bumper to bumper traffic, that means if you don’t nudge the nose of your car in front of the neighboring vehicle, you will sit still for hours. Honking is constant on every street, either to fend off an encroaching driver or bicycle rickshaw, or to warn pedestrians walking out in the traffic lanes that you are about to run them over if they don’t move aside (usually into a puddle…). Sitting still in traffic when everyone else expects you to poke your car into oncoming traffic also unleashes a barrage of community honking. Remember that driving is on the left side of the road here. If you are making a right turn, against oncoming traffic, local custom dictates that you do that with ANY break in oncoming traffic. Although you may be sure to be hit by judging the speed of the oncoming car, the “local rules” dictate that once you have gotten in the way of the oncoming vehicle, it will slow down and wait for you. If you don’t pull in front of it, it will speed up. Getting the idea?
Now add to that the baby taxis and rickshaws. Baby taxis are actually small motored tricycles with a miniature cab over the back axle that appears to seat two. Not for Bangladeshis – they routinely get 3-4 people in by being small, crowding together and sitting on each others’ laps. For every car on the road, add in 2-3 additional baby taxis that dart in and out of traffic lanes, occlude any space left between cars side-to-side, and sometimes go in the wrong lane into oncoming traffic.
Next we have the rickshaws as seen in the pictures below. There are several million of these in the streets of the Dhaka city district on a daily basis. They are pedal tricycles with single gear, that carry two people perched high above the rear axle. Although quaint in appearance, they are fairly dangerous with a high center of gravity and easy tipping if a sharp turn is taken. The rickshaw drivers are everywhere, 10-30 on every block of every street. Any Westerner seen walking is seen as “needing” a ride, so any vacant rickshaw passed brings on non-stop hawking to give a ride. A short ride of less than one mile is about 30 cents. Like the baby taxis they ride anywhere in the road, in the middle of intersections, against traffic, between cars, but not on the few sidewalks that are found. They must be as aggressive as the cars to turn or change lanes. In the Bangladeshi system, any accident involving a rickshaw and car is automatically the fault of the car driver. After accidents, large crowds of pedestrians are known to form around the involved parties, and sometimes mob rule leads to throwing rocks or bricks at the offending driver, despite the rickshaw driver being at fault much of the time.
Lastly, there are the thousands and thousands of pedestrians on every street during commuting hours. They walk on sidewalks, in the streets both with and against traffic. Crossing a lane of traffic is a daily act of devout faith for walkers. When a car is coming toward you, putting up your hand defensively brings on a prolonged honking, but also the slowing of the car.
Despite all of this, bad accidents are fairly uncommon. Why? One reason is that the norm is absolute defensive, but aggressive road behavior. Not paying strict attention to traffic all around is not an option. The other reason is that the whole system creeps along at 3-5 miles an hour on most city streets. My nurse lives about 6 miles from our health center. On a Friday morning (day of prayer, all shops closed, first day of the weekend) it takes 10 minutes to cover the distance. Most days she needs 1 ½ - 2 hours for her commute home!
This is why most Western diplomats and business people that live in Dhaka have a hired driver. They are quite skilled, patient, and appropriately aggressive. For $100 per month, they will drive you anywhere you want to go, whenever you need to go. Since no parking can be found, they will simple creep around the neighborhood while you are shopping. They will also keep the car gassed up, maintained, and hand-washed at all times. The traffic is also the reason that most diplomats live in the “diplomatic enclave”, and work is less than one mile away for most.
Learning about traffic in Dhaka is all part of the fun. After just 10 days in Dhaka, what seemed strange and uncomfortable at first is already becoming the “new norm”. Survival here is mostly a matter of resetting expectations, being a careful observer of differences, and adjusting behaviors as needed. I sold my Volvo in Washington, and a 2006 Honda Fit with a right-hand steering wheel is arriving by boat from an exporter in Japan in several weeks. I guess I will start looking for a driver to hire, but rest assured I am game to give driving in Dhaka a try!
Mike
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Arrival in Dhaka
Road No. 5, Baridhara, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Park, small lake in Baridhara
Modern apartment building in Baridhara
(note the multiple overhead cables, wires)
Present-day construction methods in Dhaka
There are just over 80 Americans at the Embassy and several hundred locally employed staff. I have now met many of them and am learning names and faces as quickly as I can. I feel very welcome. People are very friendly, helpful and appreciative of the health unit’s contribution to the community. The first days are filled with briefings of many departments of the State Department, along with getting to know other neighbors in the Embassy building, including a small contingent of Marines and a moderately large office of USAID (United States Agency for International Development). Getting everything in order with Human Resources, Housing and Transportation also filled several days.
In addition to learning the ropes of the Embassy, it was time to get rolling in the health unit. I have an excellent staff that includes two part-time American nurses, a local nurse, receptionist and lab technician. We began seeing some patients in between other meetings right away the first day. That feels good, after being out of the exam room since April at Family Practice Medical Center in Willmar. I appreciate the training I received while in Washington as preparation for the relatively independent practice I will operate here. I will be meeting local doctors and touring several hospitals in the coming weeks to size up the local resources and the time I spent in Singapore lends perspective about what illnesses can be treated here, there, or in the States. There is a basic electronic records system that is available to all of us docs in the State Department, but it hasn’t been in use yet here. I have now started with that and it is working well. I am sure there will be other opportunities to grow and improve the health unit in our service to our local patients.
I am living in a first floor duplex about seven blocks from the Embassy in a residential neighborhood called Baridhara. It is one of three nearby neighborhoods that make up the diplomatic enclave. It is an 8-10 minute walk to the Embassy, and many diplomats from a wide number of countries live here in proximity to their embassies. In several weeks I will move to a spacious 4-bedroom apartment just two blocks from the Embassy, across the street from the Chinese, Japanese, and British Embassies. All of the homes and apartments here are built very closely together, with small yards and patios, but often with roof-top garden terraces. Construction is all reinforced, poured concrete with a variety of facings. Many houses in the neighborhood are being replaced with 4-7 story apartment buildings (to gather higher rent per square meter of land) and all of the properties are surrounded by high cement walls, with wrought iron or steel gates to the driveways. Fortunately there are several nice parks nearby. Each property employs local guards that open and close the gates and watch the outside of the property throughout the day and night. Some of the guards double as gardeners for the people employing them. Most people here also employ a private driver, and a bearer/cook. More about the driver in the next post. The bearer is a person, usually male, who cleans house, does laundry, ironing, household maintenance and runs errands. In smaller households, cooking is also done, and in larger households a separate cook is hired. In most households, at least one of the house helpers lives on-site in a 12X12 foot room with small bathroom and gas cooking flame adjacent. This is accessible from the backyard.
Hard to imagine having so much help around, isn’t it? Since I arrived I have had over a dozen people patiently waiting outside my gate for several hours in the hopes of presenting me with his or her papers when I get home from work. They hope I will hire them. A cook/bearer live-in has a salary of $125-150 per month, a driver $100, and a full-time gardener $75-80. This is one of the best paying jobs people without much formal education can get. The top quality workers have been passed from one diplomatic family to another over many years as diplomats move from post to post every 2-3 years. I have interviewed three bearer/cook candidates and checked out references. I will likely hire someone in another week. One of the advantages of having this helper is his ability to do shopping on the local market, knowing the right local stands to buy produce and meat at and getting a far better price than a foreigner could bargain for. I shall see how things work out.
Overall, the first week has been a success. I feel comfortable with the job and the people I work with. I am intrigued with the culture and will learn to appreciate it more and more over time. I have begun to learn some basic Bangla phrases. I have been able to talk to my family readily on the phone, but found Skype to work even better once I had internet at home. If you haven’t signed up for free Skype service at home, it’s easy and allows for free communication around the world over the internet. My Skype name is “mike.mo54”. Send me an invite and then we can visit. Remember that Dhaka is 11 hours ahead of Minnesota.
Next post, I will write about traffic, local culture, and local recreation opportunities.
Mike
Dhaka
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Streets scenes in Dhaka
Decorated bicycle rickshaws abound 
Buses are small, crowded and banged up!
Beggars keep motorists company at busy intersections
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Scenes from Singapore
Singapore - the "Garden City"
While making my way to Dhaka I had a three day stopover in Singapore. It has been a fascinating visit. The journey here is long. 13 hours flying time to Narita, Japan, two hour layover, then another 7 hours to Singapore journeying westward (one can also travel eastward via London, it only takes an extra hour…).
Singapore is a “city-state” that has been inhabited for centuries, but developed into a modern state as a British colony. It has been independent since 1965, and today is Singapore’s “National Day”, full of open air concerts, a huge parade and dazzling fireworks displays. It has much in common with Western democracies, and yet is different. Singapore has an authoritarian form of governance, but follows free market economic principles and strict adherence to “rule of law” and freedom from corruption. They offer the death penalty for trafficking in illegal drugs. While riding in the taxi to my hotel at 1:00 am several days ago, the taxi driver reminded not to litter while here. “The first offense is up to $1000 fine, the second offence is up to $6000 fine plus 6 hours public service raking in public gardens!” He went on to explain that keeping this island nation clean and tidy “just becomes a habit”. Clean and tidy it is…the city is sparking clean, very green and lush, with towering apartment buildings and offices rising up from meticulously maintained tropical gardens.
Singapore lies very close to the equator and has a true tropical climate. There is very little day-to-day variation in temperature (usually 85-92 degrees) and high humidity with a brief shower many afternoons. People tolerate the heat well – but one quickly learns that the purposeful American gait is simply too fast and draining. Asians move at a much more leisurely stroll throughout the city, conserving energy and not even appearing to get hot and sweaty in the process.
There are four national languages in Singapore – English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. This reflects only some of the many ethnic groups that have inhabited the region for centuries. All children must learn at least two languages, but many island-dwellers speak all four and quickly adopt the most comfortable language with whoever they are speaking with. Singapore prides itself on hosting people from all over the world with equal standing for all.
The American Embassy sits on a small hill nestled between the Australian and British Embassies. I spent yesterday there meeting with my colleagues in MED services. The network of physicians and hospitals here is of very high quality and Singapore is one of four world-wide “medevac centers” used by the State Department to support the health of our embassy employees and their families. A medical evacuation is often not as urgent as the name suggests. If someone in Dhaka needs specialist consultation and no trained physician is available in Bangladesh, I can arrange for outpatient appointments in Singapore as an alternative to flying the patient to the United States. Rarely, a patient needs an emergency trip to Singapore (think worsening angina and the need for angiography) where special flying ambulances are utilized after initial stabilization in a Dhaka hospital occurs. While here in Singapore I reviewed medevac procedures, met all the personnel I will be dealing with over the phone and via email, and toured local hospital facilities.
Today was a “free day” prior to arrival in Dhaka tomorrow. Taking a city tour helped me get acquainted with Little India, Chinatown, the concert/theatre venue named the Esplanade, the water-spouting "Merlion" (head of a lion on the body of a fish, the city's symbol), Mount Faber, and the beautiful Botanical Gardens. Food adventures include cuisine from all over Asia, and I made a point to try teriyaki crocodile, but chose to pass on the fishhead soup!
Tomorrow morning, it's off to Dhaka. It is three hours by plane, with a short stop in Bangkok, Thailand. I am ready to get to work, meet my staff in the health unit and begin to get to know the embassy community I will help to care for over the next two years. The transition from the beauty and prosperity that is modern-day Singapore to Third World Bangladesh will likely be a stunning contrast. More on that later...
Mike, Singapore
Singapore is a “city-state” that has been inhabited for centuries, but developed into a modern state as a British colony. It has been independent since 1965, and today is Singapore’s “National Day”, full of open air concerts, a huge parade and dazzling fireworks displays. It has much in common with Western democracies, and yet is different. Singapore has an authoritarian form of governance, but follows free market economic principles and strict adherence to “rule of law” and freedom from corruption. They offer the death penalty for trafficking in illegal drugs. While riding in the taxi to my hotel at 1:00 am several days ago, the taxi driver reminded not to litter while here. “The first offense is up to $1000 fine, the second offence is up to $6000 fine plus 6 hours public service raking in public gardens!” He went on to explain that keeping this island nation clean and tidy “just becomes a habit”. Clean and tidy it is…the city is sparking clean, very green and lush, with towering apartment buildings and offices rising up from meticulously maintained tropical gardens.
Singapore lies very close to the equator and has a true tropical climate. There is very little day-to-day variation in temperature (usually 85-92 degrees) and high humidity with a brief shower many afternoons. People tolerate the heat well – but one quickly learns that the purposeful American gait is simply too fast and draining. Asians move at a much more leisurely stroll throughout the city, conserving energy and not even appearing to get hot and sweaty in the process.
There are four national languages in Singapore – English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. This reflects only some of the many ethnic groups that have inhabited the region for centuries. All children must learn at least two languages, but many island-dwellers speak all four and quickly adopt the most comfortable language with whoever they are speaking with. Singapore prides itself on hosting people from all over the world with equal standing for all.
The American Embassy sits on a small hill nestled between the Australian and British Embassies. I spent yesterday there meeting with my colleagues in MED services. The network of physicians and hospitals here is of very high quality and Singapore is one of four world-wide “medevac centers” used by the State Department to support the health of our embassy employees and their families. A medical evacuation is often not as urgent as the name suggests. If someone in Dhaka needs specialist consultation and no trained physician is available in Bangladesh, I can arrange for outpatient appointments in Singapore as an alternative to flying the patient to the United States. Rarely, a patient needs an emergency trip to Singapore (think worsening angina and the need for angiography) where special flying ambulances are utilized after initial stabilization in a Dhaka hospital occurs. While here in Singapore I reviewed medevac procedures, met all the personnel I will be dealing with over the phone and via email, and toured local hospital facilities.
Today was a “free day” prior to arrival in Dhaka tomorrow. Taking a city tour helped me get acquainted with Little India, Chinatown, the concert/theatre venue named the Esplanade, the water-spouting "Merlion" (head of a lion on the body of a fish, the city's symbol), Mount Faber, and the beautiful Botanical Gardens. Food adventures include cuisine from all over Asia, and I made a point to try teriyaki crocodile, but chose to pass on the fishhead soup!
Tomorrow morning, it's off to Dhaka. It is three hours by plane, with a short stop in Bangkok, Thailand. I am ready to get to work, meet my staff in the health unit and begin to get to know the embassy community I will help to care for over the next two years. The transition from the beauty and prosperity that is modern-day Singapore to Third World Bangladesh will likely be a stunning contrast. More on that later...
Mike, Singapore
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Life in Washington
It has not been "all work, no play" in Washington this summer. In fact, it has been great fun to get well acquainted with our nation's capital. I drove here in early June and have now sold the Volvo locally just prior to leaving for Bangladesh. Laura and I have purchased a Honda Fit with right-hand steering that is being shipped from Japan to Bangladesh. Bangladesh is part of former British India and still has left-side driving on its roads. We will use this for two years and then sell it on the way to our next post.
The State Department rents apartments for new hires to stay in during training. The "Oakwood Apartments" in Falls Church, Virginia are near the Foreign Service Institute and blocks away from a Metro stop. The two bedroom apartment I have had has been great for the visitors I have had through the summer. Laura and daughter Mary spent ten days here at the end of June, participating in the Security Overseas Seminar and researching our upcoming posting to Bangladesh. My son, Paul, and his fiancee, Carly, came out for 4th of July weekend and we all enjoyed spending that holiday together. We were joined by Phillip, Carly's brother, along with 500,000 other people for fireworks on the National Mall!
I did some fun weekend traveling throughout the summer, with short trips to Monticello (home of Thomas Jefferson near Charlottesville, VA), the seashore at Ocean City, Maryland, and Mount Vernon. I made a weekend Amtrak trip to Manhattan to visit my aunt Missy. I enjoyed a weekend visit with sister Patty from Florida that included plenty of traditional nearby sightseeing. A fun highlight of the summer was the Segway Tour of the capital I took with family in early July. Laura flew out to spend this past weekend with me and we enjoyed a great date at the Strathmore Music Center hearing the Baltimore Symphony in a Gershwin/Bernstein program. We then spent a wonderful day together enjoying the spendor of Shenandoah National Park.
Mike, Washington, DC
The State Department rents apartments for new hires to stay in during training. The "Oakwood Apartments" in Falls Church, Virginia are near the Foreign Service Institute and blocks away from a Metro stop. The two bedroom apartment I have had has been great for the visitors I have had through the summer. Laura and daughter Mary spent ten days here at the end of June, participating in the Security Overseas Seminar and researching our upcoming posting to Bangladesh. My son, Paul, and his fiancee, Carly, came out for 4th of July weekend and we all enjoyed spending that holiday together. We were joined by Phillip, Carly's brother, along with 500,000 other people for fireworks on the National Mall!
I did some fun weekend traveling throughout the summer, with short trips to Monticello (home of Thomas Jefferson near Charlottesville, VA), the seashore at Ocean City, Maryland, and Mount Vernon. I made a weekend Amtrak trip to Manhattan to visit my aunt Missy. I enjoyed a weekend visit with sister Patty from Florida that included plenty of traditional nearby sightseeing. A fun highlight of the summer was the Segway Tour of the capital I took with family in early July. Laura flew out to spend this past weekend with me and we enjoyed a great date at the Strathmore Music Center hearing the Baltimore Symphony in a Gershwin/Bernstein program. We then spent a wonderful day together enjoying the spendor of Shenandoah National Park.
Mike, Washington, DC
Preparing for the Foreign Service
Training began with 81 other newly hired Foreign Service Specialists. All of these individuals bring certains skills to the Foregn Servce from the private sector or previous military or governmental service. Our first three weeks of training covered a myriad of topics regarding the central mission and operation of the Foreign Service, operational procedures related to being a government employee and saftey issues regarding work and life overseas.
The mission of the State Department is to "create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community".
Orientation occurs at the Foreign Service Institute located on a beautiful campus in Arlington, Virginia. It is clear that the US government is a LARGE organization and with that comes a hefty amount of bureaucracy and paperwork. I have learned the mantras, "be flexible" and "it depends" as core to success in this endeavor. Taxpayers can rest assured that accountability is important in the State Department, and much of the bureaucracy relates to meeting accountability standards. Topics covered during general orientation were broad, including such diverse subjects as diplomatic immunity, crisis management training, cultural awareness, language training, traditional protocol and many others.
The Foreign Service employs over 13,000 career employees, serving at over 250 posts around the world as well as in Washington and other domestic posts. Theses employees are served by over 30,000 Locally Engaged Staff at embassies and consulates around the world. In the Medical Services Office, there are about 50 physicians and 80+ health practitioners that serve in posts around the world. Many of these posts are in locations with minimal local health care services, while other posts are in world regional centers such as London and Singapore where specialty referrals or hospitalizations may be arranged. In my medical orientation I learned the many administrative tasks that will become routine in time, along with helpful review of food safety mangement, tropical illnesses (malaria, dengue fever, diarrheal diseases, etc) and new information regarding areas such bioterrorism.
Along the way I have met many fascinating people with a host of experiences and backgrounds. Many have grown up or lived overseas in the past. It is common for State Department employees to speak 2-5 languages after working through their international careers. Many employees wed foreign born spouses. Stories they share can be funny, heartwarming, or alarming. It has been fun to gain insights about life overseas from these new friends, and I know Laura and I will continue to meet great people from all over the world in this adventure.
I write this with a day left prior to travel. I feel equipped and "ready for launch". I have developed relationships with the varioius officers that work at MED central office and feel ready to access the resouces I need when I need them. So, without further ado, "Dhaka, here I come!"
The mission of the State Department is to "create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community".
Orientation occurs at the Foreign Service Institute located on a beautiful campus in Arlington, Virginia. It is clear that the US government is a LARGE organization and with that comes a hefty amount of bureaucracy and paperwork. I have learned the mantras, "be flexible" and "it depends" as core to success in this endeavor. Taxpayers can rest assured that accountability is important in the State Department, and much of the bureaucracy relates to meeting accountability standards. Topics covered during general orientation were broad, including such diverse subjects as diplomatic immunity, crisis management training, cultural awareness, language training, traditional protocol and many others.
The Foreign Service employs over 13,000 career employees, serving at over 250 posts around the world as well as in Washington and other domestic posts. Theses employees are served by over 30,000 Locally Engaged Staff at embassies and consulates around the world. In the Medical Services Office, there are about 50 physicians and 80+ health practitioners that serve in posts around the world. Many of these posts are in locations with minimal local health care services, while other posts are in world regional centers such as London and Singapore where specialty referrals or hospitalizations may be arranged. In my medical orientation I learned the many administrative tasks that will become routine in time, along with helpful review of food safety mangement, tropical illnesses (malaria, dengue fever, diarrheal diseases, etc) and new information regarding areas such bioterrorism.
Along the way I have met many fascinating people with a host of experiences and backgrounds. Many have grown up or lived overseas in the past. It is common for State Department employees to speak 2-5 languages after working through their international careers. Many employees wed foreign born spouses. Stories they share can be funny, heartwarming, or alarming. It has been fun to gain insights about life overseas from these new friends, and I know Laura and I will continue to meet great people from all over the world in this adventure.
I write this with a day left prior to travel. I feel equipped and "ready for launch". I have developed relationships with the varioius officers that work at MED central office and feel ready to access the resouces I need when I need them. So, without further ado, "Dhaka, here I come!"
Mike, Washington, DC
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Time for Transitions/Training
Orientation for the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Specialist is a three week program that takes place at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, VA. It is followed by four weeks of training in the Office of Medical Services of the State Department. I began this program on June 9, 2008 and it marks the beginning of a big change for Laura and me.
As part of the Foreign Service MED office, I will be providing health care services to American Embassy communities around the world, with a 1-3 year posting in any given country. Posts are throughout the world, offering outstanding opportunities to travel and experience a broad array of cultures. In addition to offering primary care services, I will arrange for long-distance specialty care when needed, and help promote the health and well-being of the Embassy community.
Shortly after arriving in Washington, I learned that my first post will be Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Embassy community is comprised of several hundred people. The country of Bangladesh has a relatively young democratic government formed after a struggle for independence in 1971. It is one of the world's poorest nations, and also the most densely populated. There are 130 million inhabitants in a county about the size of Wisconsin.
This is quite a departure from the peaceful life in rural Minnesota. Why the change?
As friends and family know, Laura and I have had a long-standing interest in international travel, cultural learning, and community involvement. Our experiences in Europe, the Middle East and with many exchange student relationships have led us to this challenge. My experience and interests area a good match with the Foreign Service's medical provider needs. Laura is nearing completion of a Master's degree that will prove very useful for involvement with either government employment or non-governmental organization (NGO) work or consulting. After finishing one remaining course and doing some research for the International Studies Office at St. Cloud State University, she will join me after Christmas. She is now staying busy with work, getting the Willmar house sold, and organizing the "home base" townhouse we have bought in Minneapolis. Our children are quite independent and supportive of our "adventure". It is a great time to try something new.
The purpose of this blog is to keep friends and family up-to-date on our whereabouts and activities. Feel free to bookmark the site and check back from time to time for postings and pictures. Your comments and greetings will be much appreciated.
Mike, Washington, DC
As part of the Foreign Service MED office, I will be providing health care services to American Embassy communities around the world, with a 1-3 year posting in any given country. Posts are throughout the world, offering outstanding opportunities to travel and experience a broad array of cultures. In addition to offering primary care services, I will arrange for long-distance specialty care when needed, and help promote the health and well-being of the Embassy community.
Shortly after arriving in Washington, I learned that my first post will be Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Embassy community is comprised of several hundred people. The country of Bangladesh has a relatively young democratic government formed after a struggle for independence in 1971. It is one of the world's poorest nations, and also the most densely populated. There are 130 million inhabitants in a county about the size of Wisconsin.
This is quite a departure from the peaceful life in rural Minnesota. Why the change?
As friends and family know, Laura and I have had a long-standing interest in international travel, cultural learning, and community involvement. Our experiences in Europe, the Middle East and with many exchange student relationships have led us to this challenge. My experience and interests area a good match with the Foreign Service's medical provider needs. Laura is nearing completion of a Master's degree that will prove very useful for involvement with either government employment or non-governmental organization (NGO) work or consulting. After finishing one remaining course and doing some research for the International Studies Office at St. Cloud State University, she will join me after Christmas. She is now staying busy with work, getting the Willmar house sold, and organizing the "home base" townhouse we have bought in Minneapolis. Our children are quite independent and supportive of our "adventure". It is a great time to try something new.
The purpose of this blog is to keep friends and family up-to-date on our whereabouts and activities. Feel free to bookmark the site and check back from time to time for postings and pictures. Your comments and greetings will be much appreciated.
Mike, Washington, DC
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