I am Bujy

2nd Durga Pooja
Akter and his daughter – took us back to the small temple and the craziness unfolded. Dye and water and incense are everywhere. Dancing. Then they take the idols to the lake and take them around 7 times then sink them. But before that they dance like mad before the idols. Karina volunteered/got dragged into the circle to dance. She boogied down and when she had sweated off 5 pounds she was finished… APPARENTLY it became my turn… yeah right. I am sorry.. but 95% of white Canadians are bad bad bad dancers and I am one of them. ANYWHOOOO I get my groove on with these painted ladies with a couple hundred people gawking at my awkward attempt at dancing! It was a blast.. sweat, dye, dirt, incense and all. Then the two of us have to do a dual dance thingy.


Fighting the Indian embassy- Anyone who has been through developing countries visa processes will understand how you wait and wait and wait and very little gets done. Yeah well I learned that it is all about WHO you know and if you have to flirt it out with this old man to get what you want… you do it. Thank you British High Commission man for feeling sorry for a loser who needed a copy of her passport.

Cox’s Bazar
Alright so after the CNG ride of death – we end up at the Bus pick-up place… Yeah took an overnight bus from 9:30 pm to 6:15am to Cox’s Bazar. Now the thing that gets me is that the actually Km’s from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar is only like 500… but the road condition, traffic situation, rickshaw, CNG, and animal traffic that you may encounter on the way is, to be kind, F- RIDICULOUS. Anywhoooo to say the least I made it there with only the help of 2 Gravol. Which is pretty good for me. FYI --- anytime in Bangladesh you are given the choice for Business class on a bus… TAKE IT. TAKE IT.

The resort we stayed at is owned by my boss and this is where the advocacy seminar we were holding took place. (The actual reason for the seminar… was to impress the donor (Centre for International Private Enterprise) who had a Program representative come from Washington and check on progress).

Having most of the day free we hit up the beach first thing. Now anyone who has been to DR, Cuba, Mexico… Cox’s Bazar is the same thing. But WAAAAAAAY crazier waves and less skin showing as women don’t wear bathing suits… and for that matter.. neither do men. Pants and T-shirts are the norm… and for women.. they go in in their everyday clothes… I have a “SINKING” feeling that this aids in the number of drowning that take place here. ( alright that was a bad pun). Seriously next time try swimming in pants and a t-shirt and see how far you get with a current that is dead set on taking you out to the Bay of Bengal.

We hit up the town next to try the Burmese market – As Cox’s Bazar is so close to Burma/Myanmar (for you older folks) there are many refuges and immigrants here.

Later that day we had an general meeting with the Board members and then more beach time with all the women and then a BBQ.



The 2nd day was the Advocacy seminar and was quite entertaining. Around 150 people attended – many women entrepreneurs from the community and many local bankers as well. The point of the meeting was to open dialogue between women entrepreneurs who need financing for their businesses and the banks. Karina and I did registration… and the token foreigner flower delivery to the Chief Guest.



After we hit the beach. Swimming with the men from BWCCI was the HIGHLIGHT of the trip. These men were hilarious! I was afraid we had lost some of them to the ocean a time or two. Swimming I don’t think is a sport practiced much here at all… BUT WAVE jumping… now there is something the Bengali’s would win an Olympic gold if it ever becomes an Olympic sport. These grown men turned into 5 year old boys as soon as they entered the water. The giggles and shrieks that came from them were KILLER!!!

Sunset watching and moonlight gazing on the beach are also events that the Bengali’s would win if they were Olympic sports.

Watching the sunset was the main event for some ladies. Almost like the New Year’s ball dropping ceremony.

The bus ride back to Dhaka was the WORST trip I have ever had. The first hour on the bus was wretched. I don't think I have ever had motion sickness that bad before in my life... and then... For those of you who have ever experienced a squatter toilet... this is directed at you. (LYNETTE… AUNT CHRIS… I am THINKING OF YOU 2)
Let’s just say…Ashley needs more practice and more baby wipes to clean her left foot when she is finished.

After arriving back in Dhaka we spent the day with CIPE donor. Took her shopping, and for icecream and lunch and then she treated us to the Westin-.. UM HELLO. Ashley is moving to the Westin permanently. This place was amazing. Although there was some SERIOUS OVERFLOW of American Marines in the pool… Seriously these guys are everywhere. I don’t think I have seen that many tattoos since … yeah don’t know when.