First Saturday Back

Salaam.

I was standing in the kitchen over a pot of five lbs of chicken. That's right, people, I was cooking it. I thought that with all my free time, I should learn to do something useful. Since I'll have to feed a family someday, this seemed like the perfect chance. I think I'm even getting the hang of it. This particular dish, I mean.

There have been a few things on my mind lately. I'd like to share one, and feel free to give advice.  The issue is how much I've been slacking as a practicing Muslim. My regularity of prayer has gone down. That is the most disappointing thing. I was never the strongest at praying on time, but I was doing my best and working to do better, and now I have to start from square one. I'm frustrated with myself that I let this slip, you know?

I got to see Slanders, Sabah and Nikita last night.  AND I finally met Nikita's fiancee Laura!  A quiet night with great women (and Char) and lots of laughs.  It's been a while since I've gotten to see them in that kind of setting.  Tonight should be more of the same.  I'm headed back to Wellesley in a hour to see Anne!  Maybe Maliha and Laila will show up, too.  I'll call them when I get there, to see if they're still on campus. 

xoxo

Huh.

Guess that first post was published. Oops.

Back home

Salaam!

Well, this blog was supposed to start the day I left for Bangladesh, but instead its first post of today, month later. C'est la vie.

I've been wide awake since six am. Yay jetlag. I'm glad to be home, though. With heat. I did bring back something nice - a cold. d:

Let's start with Dhaka.  It was dirty and crowded and smelly. But I had the family and friends to make all the difference. Most of the extended family on both sides are there, and I had a great time seeing them all. I got a lot of new clothes and brought back a few knick knacks, too!

The most remarkable part of Bangladesh, though, was outside Dhaka. We went to a great picnic resort in Bhaluka, played at the beautiful Enani beach in Cox Bazaar, admired the national monument in Savar, saw the high tide on St. Martin island, walked in the bustle of evening-time Chittagong, rode the train to Brahmanbaria,  and learned national history at the museum in Sonargaon. It was an amazing trip, Alhamdulillah.

Other highlights: It is wedding season there now, and I attended four. Yup. Four, in fewer than as many weeks. I met the President of Bangladesh because he's my dad's cousin. I got my nose pierced, finally, and it looks so good. I ran into Rimona on the way there, AND on the way back!

More later, I promise.

Salaam.