One last time

“Abbu, current chole giyeche?”

So here I am – five days in Dhaka already and it seems like I have never left! Things are the same and things have changed totally. It seems like traffic has become worse and then on the other hand, it wasn’t that good two years ago. So, bad traffic remains bad traffic.

The flight to Dhaka via Istanbul was quite exciting. My fist time in business class and my first time enjoying the lounge at Istanbul airport. Sarah, my colleague from Germany, and I thought we were late getting our connecting flight to Dhaka. After an enjoyable lounge time, we figured that we had to hurry to the gate. A quick walk turned into a quick run, until we finally reached the gate. Apparently we weren’t that late, since there was a crowd of people waiting for a bus to take us to the airplane. So when it was our turn, it was the third and last bus and we were last to board.
We had an overnight flight but I could hardly sleep. And I couldn’t keep track about the remaining flight duration and the distance to Dhaka, as the main screens were all shut off. So I spent my time, watching outside the window and inside the plane and outside the window and… until I saw something amazing. Lightning in the clouds in the pitch black night illuminating the sky for a second. Beauty!

As we finally reached Dhaka at 5am, Sarah, who is staying 1,5 months in Dhaka, had no trouble whatsoever getting through immigration. When it was my turn to get my immigration stamp, things weren’t so smoothly anymore. I am staying in a shared apartment this time, with a guy from Germany and a guy from America. So the address of my apartment all of a sudden didn’t exist, according to the immigration officer. After some back and forth, we found a compromise and I was able to join Sarah, who in the mean time picked up all of our luggage (which was mostly mine by the way).

I live in this huge 220 sqm apartment. And to keep it organized, we have a maid. Us three, we are chilled people – so I think is the maid. A little too chilled for my taste :).

On my first day I didn’t want to sleep during the day after arriving. So I decided to visit my grandmother in the area where I stayed the last time. My old barber shop was also there. I took advantage of it and got a haircut and shave. Sitting in the air-conditioned room with cable TV, the power all of a sudden went out. This little kid, that was waiting to get her hair cut (but only in the front, not in the back) asked her father “Abbu, current chole giyeche?” She basically asked her father, if the power went out. And it did, and it will do a whole lot more.

My fist days of work were great. We had such a nice welcome. And commuting from home to work is really easy. All dressed up on my way to work, I was inside the elevator with our maid. So to make conversation from the 15th floor to ground floor I looked in the mirror inside the elevator and asked her how I looked like. She said “hamsum”. And I just thought “welcome to Bangladesh…”.

Rickshaw fare from Banani to Gulshan-2: 30 Taka, 25 Taka if you are down to bargain.

At Istanbul Airport business class lounge

Getting a propper shave...

Where the work is at.

Apartment view 1

Apartment view 2

If I feel like getting my hair cut, I get my hair cut. 30 Cents only.

Haircut: 30 Cents.
Shave: 30 Cents.
Head & neck massage: 30 Cents.
Cable TV and airconditioning: free.

I don't know why, but they shave twice. And if you wish, they will apply whitening cream. I think I am white enough and don't need that.

When Kraut goes East

I’ve been here for two weeks now and there are lots of things that are surprising to anyone, who has never been to Bangladesh before. Let me give you four examples:

One:

After arriving, I had to open a bank account. So we went to the bank and had to fill out some forms. If you KNOW somebody, you ARE somebody. There are no structures in Bangladesh, that’s why I have no problem at all to go along with the non-existing system.

We KNOW somebody at the bank, so we didn’t have to wait in line and were treated first (kinda good and bad at the same time).

Plus we were introduced to the vice president. After chatting about where I am from and other irrelevant stuff, he told me all about the facilities of the bank. He was really proud to explain to me their internet banking system. If I apply for i-banking, I can watch my statement online. [WOW!] And the highlight of this year is that I will be able to transfer money from my account to another online. [WOOHOOW!] “What great news I thought” and just nodded my head to show fake excitement.

Rickshaw fare from Mirpur-11 ½ to Mirpur-10: 30 Taka.

Two:

My little cousin Jarrar had to go see the doctor for a regular check-up, so I went along. We had to go to the hospital in Moghbazar. Have you ever seen anyone take off their shoes at the hospital? I did. At the Ad-Din Hospital everyone has to take off their shoes at the entrance, even the nurses. The floor is really smooth and the place looks nothing like a hospital. With all the wood work and lighting, it looks more like a fancy hotel than a place for sick people. Maybe this is the right way for people to become better than all the “white” I know from German hospitals.

Rickshaw fare from Moghbazar to Chowdhury Para: 40 Taka.

Three:

Did you ever think that getting your hair cut in Germany is overpriced? It definitely is not in Bangladesh. I went to the saloon to get my hair cut, a fresh shave and a head massage. The saloon was air-conditioned and sometimes they turn on Bollywood movies for entertainment. Even surprising to me was that most of the guys weren’t even Bangladeshi. They are Bihari people originally from India and Pakisan and speak their own languages as well as Hindi and Urdu. So while you are getting your hair-cut in Bangladesh, you can watch Bollywood movies from India and listen to gossip in Urdu.

All in all the haircut, twice a shave, peeling and head massage cost me 120 Taka (I really didn’t ask for the peeling). To give you an idea, 100 Taka are about 1 Euro.

Four:

Last but not least, when you think everything is going smoothly while writing your blog, there is a power blackout. I can hardly imagine a power outage in Germany, except after severe storms or similar.

From what I remember, I think Bangladesh has electricity to cover only 65 - 70 % of the national needs. That means when I have electricity to use my laptop, somebody else in the country doesn’t. It is not that big a deal yet, but can become annoying, when you are planning to stay for 199 days.


Outdoor services: How about a shave?





At the bank





Jarrar
Age: 1 year and 3 months
Occupation: Cousin; touching things; working on becoming a genius