SMART Boards

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There are a few SMART Boards at the school and this year I've tried my best to expose the kids to them. Out of the three times I've taken the kids into the library room that's it's set up in, it's frozen up exactly 10-15 minutes into the use of it. Projector, board, and laptop all being issues and then I spend 10-15 minutes trying to get it working again. The kids have dubbed it the "DUMB board" and say "it's lost it's brain" and several other unfunny jokes and comments that didn't help while I was trying to get the stupid technology to work. I told the kids I'm giving it one more chance and then I'm waiting another 5 years. Ohh and that's Gwen the California valley girl in the picture ... the kids don't understand her too old for her age language and attitude.

4 Day Weekend!!!

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Normally our weekend is Friday and Saturday and this coming Thursday we had off for the Eid holiday. But there was a chance that Eid would fall on Wednesday depending on the sighting of the moon on Tuesday night. The buzz at school is that we might have a 4 day weekend but would have to wait to get that sms or email on Tuesday night. The overseas staff remained positive while the Muslims at the school told us it would never happen. Imagine working Christmas Eve and waiting until the evening to see if you are going to celebrate Christmas the next day. Walter Plotkin, our wise leader, has seen fit to preemptively give us Wednesday off. There was literally dancing and shouts of joy heard throughout the halls as the news filtered around. My kids screamed and spontaneously broke into song and dance. I was a good day! Especially for all the support staff that have to shop and travel long distances to celebrate Eid with their families in their villages.

GGGGGGGGGRRRRRILLLLL!!!!!!

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Next time I'll actually show you some grilling of FOOD!

More Woes

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The van CD player stopped working ... well actually it's just being picky. Out of the case of CD's in the car it will only play Paul Simon and Spin Doctors so far. That's OK because we just found that car tape player adapter that I thought we'd never need again and I'd almost thrown out.

Car Stereo Woes

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The stereo in the van was not playing cds and the FM dial did not go above 90.0 (BBC news is 100.0 FM) so the school was going to replace it. The brand new stereo still does not go above 90FM or play CDs. Kind of a waste of time huh? I did find out later that it will play some original cds. Well at least can listen to the Wallflowers and we have music for the long ride home.

Mosquitos Out

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The new bed and mosquito net are in place and so much larger and comfortable than the old version. The 'old' bed felt like you were being smothered under a gauze bandage but now we feel like we are laying in a gauze cube ... of sorts. It is a modified sled bed ... not that seld-y at all actaully but it was made from a two photos I printed off the internet and I told the woodman "Poban" that I wanted the front of this one and the back of the other. "No Problem! You will have maximun satisfaction!" he said and at the price it was a bargain. Mosquitos do have a harder time slipping in to the folds. The "best' Bengali mattress I purchased was like sleeping on coconut husks (which they actaully use to stuff mattresses) but with the foam pad and matress topper that came in the shipment all have been made comfy.

English Dave in Dhaka

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I can't believe it but someone we actually know came to Dhaka for a conference (He's in the British Foreign Service ... and i'm pretty sure he's a spook) . We were able to touch base with Dave for the week he was here. He was staying in the Westin which is right around the corner from us and was treated to the BHC (British High Commission Club .. I t) but Carrie and I also showed him the ARA. There was also the Thursday night premier of G3: The Wrath of Godzilla at our apartment (it was well received ... we even watched the deleted scenes and the 1st Godzilla). Then I went into old downtown Dhaka for the 1st time just to prove the reason I usually give of why I have not been down there before. It was an interested experience although I think Dave and Caroline thought "old Dhaka" would be charming like 'old Damascus' we were so wrong. The experience did confirm that it will be a long time before going back. Maybe the next time someone visits. In all it was an interesting (back stressful) experience. We mainly went to Bongo Bazaar to do a little shopping, be followed and stared at by the masses, and sweat copiously. Ohh and I got three t shirts that don't fit for a little over a dollar a piece.

This woman followed us around as a 'guide' to the bazaar and was quite helpful in making sense of the maze inside the market. She also 'helped' bargain and thankfully kept other 'guides' away. Dave and Caroline had there own 'guides' .... mine had a kickin' unibrow and I only had to pay her 100 taka.

Year of the Rat!

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There is a bit of a rat problem in school...mostly in my classroom. The bearers (bearers=janitors) at school first tried to catch the rats using carpenters glue that they spread out on a board around cookies and soap (the most recent snack of choice for these rats). The rats walked right through it, ate the bait, and continued walking across the glue. I think they are more like cats than rats. Most recently they've switched to snappy traps and have caught 4 (yes 4...in my room!!) so far with this method. This afternoon one of my students quietly came to me and said in a very soft voice "I saw a rat" Another student spoke up as well "I saw something very dangerous!". (We are talking about how our senses keep us safe...he must be picking it up!) We shuffled the kids out of the room as the bearers checked for the rat....by this time it was long gone. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I prefer cockroaches to rats skittering across the classroom floor. Yikes!
So it's more traps tonight.

A Ride to (Before Ramadan)

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Carrie fired up the camera and I commentated for the short ride to school. This was before Ramadan started.

Chopping Broccolli or Grinding Jewerly

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During the summer my gracious mother let me mess around with her diochromatic glass she uses to make jewelery and boy was it fun ... especially using the grinder in the Texas humidity.

Happy Ramadan!!

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Today is the first day of Ramadan and although traffic is bad on the mile it takes to commute home .... we never expected it to be this bad. after traveling approximately 100 yards from the school traffic was at a stand still. Carrie suggested walking and after another five minutes of going nowhere I agreed (got to get home for some baby time!). The walk was a pleasant mix of aromas, eyefuls of staring, beautiful lakeside scenery, and more strong aromas. Carrie and I had never walked before and it took about 15 minutes .... the driver showed up an hour later. Carrie is pointing to the traffic on the bridge we'd have to wrassle (texan) with.

The Club

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Breakfast by the pool on a weekend morning? The three-story building is the back has a restaurant on the 1st floor, a pub on the second and the "banana cabana" on the top.

Lush and green all year round!

The pool restaurant and tennis courts.

Warm chicken and bacon salad and Carrie and a BBQ bacon chicken burger!

Shopping for Uncle Sam

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Here's an idea what shopping in the commissary looks like and taken with a hidden camera. There are a five aisles like this and recently they have been stocked with all that is Americana. Magic Shell? Cheese Puffs? Apple Jacks? All possible!