I'm alive, don't worry...

Hello Blog Fans! I meant to post something before I left about how I'd probably not be able to update this for a while, but you know me. As my mother in law says, I've got a "patla mata" (watery head).

I spent the last week celebrating the end of Ramadan with Masud's family in Narayanganj. My oldest brother in law (who passed away two years ago) built a house there, and we went to visit my boro bhabi. I took along my "bandhubi" Tanya (fellow Fulbrighter), who didn't mind roughing it for a few days without western toilets and hot water. (Or maybe she did, I don't know). It sure was nice to have her there. We shared some funny moments, most memorably ridiculing a "huzur" who mangled the morning azan so badly that we couldn't sleep. Nobody else seemed to think it was funny. She's also got a blog that you might be interested in....http://www.cybertanya.blogspot.com. A cool dude, indeed.

In other news, I must confess that Psychic Susanna may have been correct all those years ago when she said "Let's face it Katie, you're an airhead." I had given my dead laptop to my Bhabi so that she could have her brother send it to the US through his shipping company. He happens to know a thing or two about computers, and he took a look at it. When I arrived in Dhaka, he said "Well, the only thing I could find wrong with it was that the battery was dead." Apparently, computers don't work when they don't have a power source. DUH! I felt so dumb. But I'm happy at the same time because I have my dear little POS computer back. Sigh.

Tomorrow I'm going to a parlor to get a pedicure (1st in my life) and a manicure (2nd in my life) and a facial (1st). I feel like such a memshahib! I deserve some pampering, man. All this third world roughing it has taken a toll. (What am I saying? I haven't cooked or cleaned in 2 1/2 months. Roughing it?)

After taking the GRE on the 22nd, I'm going to start my Bangla script lessons. I'm hoping to get good enough to write a steamy love letter to my husband in his native language. He'll probably wonder who the heck wrote it. I might have to put some scathing sarcasm in it, or he might not recognize me.

Mosquitoes are starting to gang up on me, so I'm signing off for now. More updates and pictures to come.