hello friends -
it's back to Bangladesh and back to blogging after 3 beautiful weeks in Virginia. there is some big news - Dave and I have decided to get married, and I am so happy about it. for me being engaged is a good place to be, it feels calm and right and exciting. we spent Christmas with both our families and had a wonderful time, and also started a little wedding planning. here's the date to save: December 19th, 2009. soon I'll have a great picture of my engagement ring to share with everyone here. we have loved getting the good wishes of everyone; we are so lucky.
except that saying goodbye was just tragic. and thank goodness it's the last time that Dave and I have to do that. for the first 36 hours alone i wandered through airports in a grumpy daze, not even cheered up by a big fat Bride's magazine purchased in Dulles. but on arriving to the apartment in Dhaka, i'm beginning to feel some life in me again. tomorrow i've got a big teaching day - the French Revolution! and so the fun routine begins: school, tutoring, yoga classes, running dates.
the journey here, from Cville to Dhaka, is treacherously long. my whole body has been cramped in one position or another and every body part has fallen asleep a couple of times over, each time with screaming slow pins-and-needle awakenings. how many laps did i walk around the little Qatar airport I wonder? 50? man did I miss my mom yesterday, she is the best airport roaming partner.
in Bangladesh itself I'm looking forward to watching the seasons change, to shopping for fabrics to decorate our 808 house, to watching more Bollywood films and learning more local music, to dahl and rice dinners, to funny outings with Mrs. Sinha, to meeting our cook Anna's new baby, to photography, to boat rides. I wonder how it will be to have Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League as the country's new president...? in march i get to chaperone a 7th grade trip to Rishakesh, India and then in april there could be a chance to meet up with mom and dad in thailand.
pray that the time will pass quickly, that the efforts I make will generate some good for the school and for Bangladesh, that all the homesick feelings won't get in the way of having fun, and that all will be healthy and safe - except the cockroach colony that has moved in with us
