5/25/14 Day 02

Today was our first day of language training. The work week starts on Sunday here because Friday is a religious holiday. On our way there we passed street shops selling live chickens and pigeons and countless varieties of fruits. Near our apartment is a plant “shop” with rows of plants in hemp pots along the sidewalk. Jackfruit trees are everywhere. They have huge globular fruits that hang from the tree trunk. Our language class is held in a swanky university for the rich city kids. The rooms are frigid from AC but it’s got a lovely open courtyard. Today there was a rain storm and the students were whooping and yelling in the courtyard getting wet. Apparently it’s been blisteringly hot these past few months and the rain is a great relief. They were certainly rejoicing. I am so happy to be back in a language class again. It’s just the two of us (the other student and myself) in class with several professors that take turns. We learned so much today I can’t even believe it. After class (which is 10am to 3pm with a 1 hour break for lunch) we took a CNG to go grocery shopping. Unfortunately we found ourselves in a rather swishy semi-Western style grocery store. Grocery stores here are all more like Walmart. They have food, fresh produce and meat etc, but they also contain every other item you could possibly want. Clothes, electronics, household items, toiletries, stationery, candy and more, all crammed into a small multistory space. But this one was spread out and not cluttered, so not very normal here. They pack your groceries in muslin bags instead of plastic or paper anywhere you go. Milk comes in plastic bags instead of cartons. The bread is very square. Everything is just a tiny bit different and I revel in each difference.

The courtyard at the university where we have Bangla classes

My notebook