The River's A'Rising

We looked across the river last night from the deck of our ship and realized that the neighboring Char we had just recently visited (AKA Coney Island) was partially submerged.  The very place we had parked our boat and walked ashore was no longer.  We also noticed,while reading on the deck of our houseboat that, for the first time, it began to rock back and forth.  It seems that a combination of rain and melting glaciers from the North have caused the river to rise over 3 meters in the last month.  Soon the water will be high enough for the hospital to move on from the island where it has been docked for over a year.

There have been quite a few rain showers the last few days.  We managed to squeeze in a short run between storms this morning, after which, Courtney was approached by a couple of local boys outside the houseboat.  Much to their delight she pulled the headphones out of her IPOD and began to play them some music.  What do you play for Bengali 8 year olds who speak no English?  Billy Joel, of course.  'We Didn't Start the Fire' was, as always, a big hit.

US Healthcare, Maybe Not So Bad Afterall

Yesterday we took a trip to the nearest government hospital--about 30 minutes by boat and then 2 hours by car.  And, only one flat tire along the way, par for the course.  It was an eye-opening experience for us both.  When we arrived we were greeted by the chief of anesthesia who offered us some coffee and then ushered us to the pediatric ward.  We like to keep these blogs light, but there was nothing light about what we would see.  First a brief walking tour through the 'wards'.  The ward was a large communal room with high ceilings, dirty floors and foul odors.  It was divided into sections by 4 foot concrete walls.  There was the neonatal unit, a series of filthy cots each occupied by a tiny baby wrapped in dirty blankets, typically a mother and some other 'attendants' as well.  Some babies had feeding tubes in their noses which were manned by the mothers themselves.  Others with tiny IV's.  Most of these babies, we learned, were born at home and then brought to the hospital for problems that are all too common in this country-infection, low birth weight, prematurity.  The young children's ward was another series of dirty cots where kids with pneumonia, sepsis, TB, skin infections, even leukemia, received treatment.  The remainder of the wards for various age groups were more of the same.  On our rounds with the head of the pediatric division we learned just how dire the situation is.  As we walked he explained how the hospital is run.  Although this was a government hospital, almost nothing is provided spare the beds and some blankets.  Once a diagnosis is made the doctor informs the parents what is needed, antibiotics, chemotherapy agents.  And, the parents must go out and buy the medicines to bring back to the hospital... if they can afford them.  We felt terrible for the patients but also for the physician who seemed at his wits end.  Towards the end of rounds we were asked a poignant question, 'if pressed do you think you could work here?' 

We were relieved when rounds ended and it was time for us to leave.  We had been looking forward to our escape to the mainland as an opportunity to buy some bananas and perhaps some other goodies.  Jasim guided us to a local fruit stand where, we not only procured bananans, but a cluster of coconuts.  The shop keeper promptly pulled out a large blade and chopped the top off of one and popped in 2 straws for us to enjoy.  Jasim could not believe that in the US coconut water comes in a box for 4 dollars instead of 25 takas (roughly 40 cents).

We arrived back at our boat.  We were to have another interesting meal...goat.  A few donors to Friendship were visiting from Sweden so it was considered a special treat, no parts were spared.  We had joked about fish and chips the day before and to our surprise a few "french fries" accompanied our meal.  These days, that's enough to make us happy!

Happy Bangladeshi Independence Day

We woke up yesterday morning and wandered over to the main boat for breakfast where we learned that it was Independence Day.  "Celebration?" we asked.  Apparently, there would not be fireworks, but we did manage to convince the boss that this called for a night of  'improved diet'.  We would look forward to it all day.

After dinnner, as we were relaxing enjoying the breeze in the main room, the crew began to close all of the doors and windows, despite our protests.  Apparently we were about to be treated to our first "cyclone."  High speed winds whipped walls of sand around and the current managed to rock our little houseboat.   The whole storm lasted about 30 minutes then blew out just as quickly as it blew in. 

Who Doesn't Love a Bideshi?

Lets go for a walk.  Seemed like an innocent enough idea.  As we made our way across a field of tiny onions we were approached by a 12 year old girl and her two young siblings.  "I am Misthi" she proclaimed, followed by "I am Rufti" and "I am Mulani" as she pointed to her brother and sister.  They deftly began to guide our walk towards their village, prompting us to sing and dance with them along the way.  We entered a maze of chicken coups, cow troughs, and animal families (nursing goats, tiny puppies).  Our guide scurried away and returned with two plastic red chairs which she placed in a clearing between two houses.  She gestured for us to sit and promptly we were surrounded by a herd of children.  Some more dancing ensued as each child tried to be at the center of our picture/video taking.  We attempted to make an escape but the children had other ideas.  It was time for us to visit the adults who were working in the field.  We were less guided but more pushed/prodded by the hoarde of children now in charge of our fate.  We paid a quick visit to "Auntie, Uncle, and Abba" and then decided to return to the boat.  We had plenty of company for our walk back and finally parted ways when we reached the boat entrance.

Making foreigners sing is apparently a national tradition.  On our visit to "Coney Island" the requests came frequently and we ultimately relented.  We gave them a version of the "Star Spangled Banner" that would have made Roseanne Bar proud.  We don't think we will be getting a call from Bangladesh Idol.

7-Up Never Tasted So Good

On Tuesday we completed our training course for the paramedics of the area, teaching them about diarrhea and dehydration and how to manage it.  This was one of our major goals for the trip.  Our trip falls at the tail end of the dry season, when diarrheal illness is rare, however we have learned that during the rainy season it becomes a widespread and potentially life threatening problem.

We inadvertently caused a minor commotion over the last 2 days.  With the help of a microbiologist who is also visiting from Mt Sinai we have discovered 2 cases of malaria.  We at first did not recognize the significance of our diagnoses, however malaria is considered essentially nonexistent in this area and is associated with a major stigma, so everyone was very excited.  Needless to say we continue to take our malaria prophylaxis.  For Tom this is less important as he has discovered a fool-proof bug repellant--  Stand next to Courtney at all times, the bugs love her.

Yesterday the crew was very excited for lunch.  We were told before lunch that today would be a day of "improved diet."  We wondered...what could this possibly mean, red rice instead of white, spicier curry, extra tiny boned fish???  As it turns out it meant...fried rice, peanut sauce chicken, flavored hardboiled eggs and delicious eggplant.  Then, to our surprise, they brought us dessert...SODA!!!  After two weeks of room temperature water, we both agreed it was the best 7-Up we had ever had. 

Still full from our feast we decided to accept an invitation from the 'lab' crew to take a boat trip to a nearby char.  Boat was a generous term, maybe wooden raft with motor would be more appropriate.  A short trip across the river brought us to our closest neighboring char.  As we climbed off the boat our US compratriot proclaimed, 'It's like Coney Island!".  Sure, if coney island is a low lyling sand bar inhabited only by giant crickets and tiny frogs.  We checked, there was no Nathans.

Don't Drop the Soap...

As our fame continues to grow its becoming almost impossible to leave our yacht.  While reading on the sundeck of our lovely home away from home, a group of village children gathered 20 feet away from our boat and yelled "Asalum Walekum Bideshi!" over and over again until we waved.  They were soon after joined by an adult who insisted on some photos.  Later during our evening cricket game the paparazzi multiplied with several camera-phone wielding men documenting our every move. 

Courtney has finally found her demographic.  She has more friends now than ever before, who cares if they are in the 2-10 year old range.  If only they had facebook.

The joys of having a hole in your bathroom floor which doubles as your shower drain and urinal can come crashing to a halt in a mere second.  Courtney finally discovered the appeal of soap on a rope when her bar disappeared into the river after taking a bad bounce.  Luckily we had a spare. 

Finally topping our list of things we would love to bring back with us...the hospital boat's electric fly swatter.  Picture a tennis racket plus 20 volts.  In case you were wondering, flies make a lovely snapping sound while their tiny gnat friends simply disintegrate.

Anybody Got a Light???

With three runs into the village under our belts, we have become a little more daring.  Today, we decided to take a new route and were met by a little girl carrying her baby brother.  As we ran past her she shouted a greeting.  Tom astutely inquired, "did that girl just yell holla at us?"  No Tom, I believe that was hello, I doubt they teach ebonics as a second language here!

We may have underestimated Jasim.  This morning Tom met him in the hallway on the way to the shower.  Jasim explained he wasn't feeling well, he had a fever.  He stated the reason for his fever was the cold shower he took yesterday.  To which we only had one thought...where the hell is he taking hot showers???

After work we were beckoned by Manann to play cricket with the rest of the boat staff.  This quickly turned into a game of futball (soccer you crazy Americas).  The game ended when Courtney's new best friend, a precocious 2 year old deftly crept up to the game and stole the cigarettes out of our goalies shoe and ran off with them.  Fortunately he forgot to take the lighter...

Goodnight!