My First Post! Finally.

Hello everyone! i can't believe it took me about 1 year to finally post, hah! thanks to Heidi for introducing this site to me.

First off, yes, i am still alive out here! i am really sorry if i've been MIA and haven't responded to your email in forever. i am super behind on life. bare with me, as this blogger is suppose to help with updating all of you on what's going on in my side of the world.  =)

i don't even know where to start. okay, let's start off with the basics...

Do you know where Bangladesh is? like did you know it's a country? Because to be honest, i thought it was a city in India when i APPLIED for the job. ha! nope, it is a country just west of India. It use to be 'West Pakistan' until when it won it's independence.

This is a third world country and it is very, very poor :( i mean, it's really sad when you see people bare foot on the street cuz they can't afford shoes and people beg for money everywhere. However, it does makes you appreciate your life more and not worry about the shallow things.

On the flip side, everything is dirt cheap here. i mean like, going back to the states, i will feel ripped off. you can get 25lbs of veggies for $4-5 bucks here, which would be $35 bucks back at Kroger. Manicures and pedicures are $5 each, at a nice salon too! you give a picture of a nice table from Crate and Barrel and the carpenter will charge you less than 50 bucks to imitate the same darn thing. china dishes is made in bdesh and 1 full dinner set (6 piece) is 60 bucks. i dont need china, but i'm gonna get it cuz how can you not? ;)

Next, this country is 95% Muslim. So, they don't sell alcohol or pork here. yup, it's a dry country. But, that doesn't stop the expats here, as my coworkers are stocked with tons of liquor from their sea shipment! but, i do miss pork. i was never a bacon fan, but when you don't have it available anymore, i suddenly am a huge fan.

i live in Dhaka, which is the capital, a city! so, dont worry, i am not living in rice paddies where the local villages are. However, that's why my gas facility is, in a town called Sylhet. just think of beautiful green fields and then ... boom... right in the middle of beauty is our darn gas plant & wellpads. oh chevron!

now, you're probably wondering what the heck i am doing out here. :) well, why not? hah. if you got a chance to take a break from your routine life, wouldn't you?? i am learning so much out here about asia and loving it! ok, i am asian, yes. but i didn't realize how american i was until i lived out here and find myself craving a cheeseburger! anyway...

ok, i supposedly got 1 more year left in this assignment so i will try to post as much as possible, about bangladesh, the people, culture, my travels, everything! so, hope it's entertaining!

miss everyone back in the states!

lil.