February 21st - Mother Language Day

Feb 21st is a national holiday called Mother Language Day. In 1952 when Pakistan wanted to make Urdu their official language some people protested and were killed, thus also called 'Language Martyrs Day'. Bengali language is highly esteemed here and these people are recognized each year for dying for their language. This started the Bangladesh independence movement that came to be in 1971 (formerly known as East Pakistan).

Since it was a day off at the college, I was able to attend a celebration at the high school. This included all the kids ~ 750 from the primary and secondary schools run by AOB (Association of Baptists, known as ABWE in Canada).

Organizing 750 kids

The kids paraded barefoot (sign of respect) around the Bazaar (town), and mainroad, around the schoolgrounds of primary school back to the highschool. Traffic was stopped for this.

Staff members from the hospital remembering - notice the flag at half mass. The flag is green with a red dot in the middle to signify the bloodshed of these individuals.

Kids parading back to the highschool.

All the kids picked flowers laying them at this memorial at the hospital.

National anthem

Kids with the alphabet and flags painted on their faces.

Primary school on the compound - Grades 1-5

The first day after I arrived I got a tour around the compound and these little Grade 1 students sang a song for me...so cute!

MK - Missionary kids school on the compound for the families here.

Memorial Christian Hospital

Here are some pics of the hospital. This is the entrance to the compound with the hospital pictured on the left. The hospital has 2 OR theaters, 2 delivery rooms, male ward, female ward, postpartum ward, labor ward, outpatient department, lab, xray, pharmacy, physio, limb making area, etc. To the right is a link to the hospitals website.

This is the waiting room from the outpatient department

Bookstore across from the hospital for people waiting for treatment/test results/family.

Pots for boiling laundry...no joke!

Laundry area

Launderers...amazing the hard work they do!














There is one machine for scrubs and a few other things.














Laundry sheets hanging to dry














Ironing...














Workers at the 'mess', coffee area for the workers.














Grounding up spices




























Hearthouse -employment for disabled or abandoned women. They make amazing crafts, purses, clothing, etc. which is sold throughout the country.










































Workshop...many men employed here, fixing anything. Cars to medical equipment to household items.

Bangladesh??

Less then a year ago I was looking on the map where Bangladesh is and now what do you know…here I am sitting on the concrete floor of my bedroom in Bangladesh. I love that. Really great to be here! So much has happened since a week ago when I arrived, I’m trying to think of how to best articulate it but here goes:

Where? Malumghat District, Bangladesh
What? Here to work as a clinical instructor in the new nursing program started at the hospital here.
When? Now until….only God knows, depending on my visa situation (3-6 months).
Why? If you’re interested email me: wiebejolene@gmail.com I would be happy to send you updates beyond the physical aspect to the heart of things happening here.

Since I left home, until I arrived at my new home here = 48hrs. Jet lagged…yep! Travelling here...can fly either direction around the world, basically the same. Longest flight ever from Vancouver to Guangzhou China (yep, never heard of it till I flew through it). 13.5 hrs.

Here is my new home:

It's kinda hotel style, right now there's 4 other women living in the same house.

This is my view out of my house. The 'cal', basically an inlet of the Bay of Bengal. Rice fields for miles.

Our sitting area
My space...and a few cochroaches
'Living room'
Kitchen...haven't eaten here once yet. I head over to Susan and Ruthie our neighbors to eat. They have amazing cooks with amazing food!

I arrived here last Wed afternoon, Thurs had orientation to the compound, met with few different people as well as the nursing students for a picnic, and a hospital tour. Friday (is our Sundays), church in the village across the street in the morning, and expat church here in the evening. Saturday myself and 4 other girls/women from the compound went out Cox’s Bazaar for the day – lunch, and some shopping. Shopping once again proved to be a unique experience...I think shopping is universally fun, no matter where you are. Haven't forgotten how to bargain yet.

Since the start of this week I’ve been able to spend some time in the different areas of the hospital – physio, OR – observed a few surgeries, male and female wards. I’ve also been spending some time going through the curriculum - finding out where the students are at. Healthcare can be a whole other world in a different country – some similarities from other countries but so many differences. I’ve been trying to learn the different policies/procedures, how the hospital is run (flow of things, charting, meds, roles/responsibilities/scope of nurses, different diseases, how different diseases/injuries are treated here differently from at home, etc). Also trying to learn a new culture...cultural tact, respect, etc. So many differences…not that I wasn’t expecting it but many things you don’t know till you live it. Meeting multiple new people…expatriot staff as well as local staff. I’m thinking these names are impossible. Next week I will be starting Bengal lessons…that kinda scares me. So much more to say, but that'll have to suffice for now. Hopefully this internet will let me post :).