megangaventa.blogspot.com
From Banglatown to Bangladesh: November 2009
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Saturday, 7 November 2009. I recently found this excellent resource. A website giving details of the numerous blogs by various VSO volunteers across the world. It gives links to some fantastic stories, by many people who manage to write much more regularly, and much more concisely, than I seem to be able to. If you are thinking of becoming a volunteer, or are just interested in volunteers' experiences, it is well worth exploring. Despite the ge...
megangaventa.blogspot.com
From Banglatown to Bangladesh: May 2010
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Wednesday, 19 May 2010. The Irony, The Deshi Special, and The Training. After spending a morning talking about the messages photos give and the stories they can tell, with a few basic photo-taking techniques thrown in, groups were sent out into the sunshine. Their task was to capture a ‘day in the life’ of some of Khagrachari’s people, and here, for your viewing pleasure, are their self-chosen 'best' photographs. And the Pictures Speak. A few y...
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh: A Return to the Positives
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Thursday, 12 August 2010. A Return to the Positives. I realise that the gaps and delays in my posts mean I am not exactly following blogging etiquette. Yet again. But to be honest, if the carefully-made plans of regular updates were actually followed, this blog would be even less representative of my time in Bangladesh than it is at present. Anyway, a selection of those positives, chosen all those weeks ago, are on their way. Postcards from the...
megangaventa.blogspot.com
From Banglatown to Bangladesh: August 2010
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Thursday, 19 August 2010. Day Twenty-Four: Davina (6 July). As in McCall. Seriously. Her exercise DVDs, with their jumps and kicks and punches, are an ideal way of relieving Bangladesh-induced frustrations, getting rid of excess energy, and ensuring a minimum amount of exercise in a country in which rickshaw-rides, in towns and cities at least, are the norm even for short distances. Posted by Megan Gaventa. Posted by Megan Gaventa. Here, howeve...
megangaventa.blogspot.com
From Banglatown to Bangladesh: Day Six: The Marma Tailors (18 June)
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Saturday, 19 June 2010. Day Six: The Marma Tailors (18 June). There is a long street in Khagrachari, one of those between my house and the market, which is lined – like so many of the other streets here – with bamboo buildings, open at the front. This street is a special one though, as inside a stretch of these buildings, are Marma tailors. And because I’m a regular, they know me too. I’m welcomed and chatted to, and have had cl...After less th...
megangaventa.blogspot.com
From Banglatown to Bangladesh: December 2009
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Wednesday, 2 December 2009. The Vegetables Here Tasted Different'. Today, again during my daily scan of The Guardian online, I found this video. It does at least help to make these images more real for audiences far removed from the realities of the effects of ever-increasing natural disasters and climate change. Note: I’m on a search for resources that look at the impacts of climate change on Bangladesh’s indigenous populations....Khagracha...
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh: Day Eleven: The Tea-Stall (23 June)
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Monday, 5 July 2010. Day Eleven: The Tea-Stall (23 June). I have written many times about the consistent inconsistencies of the Desh. There is, however, at least one constant amongst this continuous wave of never-quite-being-sure-about-what-is-coming-next. And that is my proximity to a tea-stall. Yet, despite my proximity to tea-stalls, I don’t visit them all that often. It’s the wrong time of year, you see. In my office at ...Winter-only cakes...
megangaventa.blogspot.com
From Banglatown to Bangladesh: November 2010
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Saturday, 13 November 2010. Sheep, Anchor butter, Lord of the Rings, stunning landscapes, low population density, high quality-of-life. These are things I associate with New Zealand, although not necessarily in that order. My limited knowledge is clearly not something to be proud of, but it’s a place that I’ve never been, and somewhere that feels very far away from where I am now. The 'New Zealand' in the Hills. And the Return to London? Khagra...
megangaventa.blogspot.com
From Banglatown to Bangladesh: Day Five: The Conversation (17 June)
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Saturday, 19 June 2010. Day Five: The Conversation (17 June). With a colleague, at the end of the day. One of those conversations which are so common here. Where you start one place, end up somewhere else, and cover a multitude of topics in between. Today’s included holidays, cooking, local and national politics, illness, and – a staple of a majority of my conversations here – marriage. All in less than a hour. Posted by Megan Gaventa. Day Two:...
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh: June 2010
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From Banglatown to Bangladesh. A Journey of a VSO Volunteer. Tuesday, 22 June 2010. Day Ten: A Recipe That Works (22 June). It’s no secret that I’m into my food. I’ve written previous posts. Almost exactly a year ago, about the central role it plays in my day-to-day here, and the time given to shopping, cooking, and talking with colleagues about if, and what, we've all eaten. Scanning The Guardian’s Food section. Normally the king of obscure ingredients. To be fair, some of the ingredients are non-ex...
