Bangladesh

Yesterday evening I returned from my first visit to Bangladesh. Bangladesh is part of the Indian sub-continent. It used to be part of India before splitting off as a muslim country after WWII. At that time it was part of Pakistan - called East Pakistan, which didn't work too well because the central government was located in West Pakistan, a land physically separated from East Pakistan by India. I think I'm not explaining myself well... just look at a map of the area, you'll see that Bangladesh and Pakistand are seperated by India. But post WWII these two terretories made up a single country. In 1972 or so the Bangladeshies revolted and formed their own country.

It is very poor... about 1500 USD per capita annual income. That's about 1/3 as much as Thailand. We were there to promote a swimming education program called "Swim for Life". Most children there learn how to swim naturally by the age of 9 or so (the country is covered in water), but we figure that if they learn to swim by age 5 alot of deaths will be prevented (drowning is the leading killer of Bangladesh children age 1 - 9).

My task in the project is to get a database system setup for the injury surveillance system, of which monitoring drowning rates is one part. I visited with the local IT folks; their knowledge and competence was less than comforting. First task is to get them a system, but then it'll be a whole new challenge to train them well enough that I won't have to (again) do telephone support for a living.

I did go out to rural Bangladesh to take part in the "Swim For Life" launch, and I've attempted to include some of those pictures here for your viewing pleasure. However Blogger seems to not want to accept my pictures today, so that will have to wait.

I feel overwhelmed today. I'm leaving for the US in less than 48 hours, I am recovering from food poisoning and have a fresh cold, Jah is coming in tonight and an old girlfriend that I never really got over has contacted me again. I've got to write a computer program in 3 weeks time in a language I've never programmed in, and all of that is just grey noise to the tragedy that is Katrina. Luckily it appears no one I know personally is lost or had significant damage, but I worry about my sister who is undoubtedly caught up in the whole relief maelstrom. Shannon, I know you are doing everything possible, and I love you. Mom, I'll be home soon, don't worry about me, I'm fine. Paige, even though I'll be home for 3 weeks, I don't see any practical way for me to make it to McAllen, which really stinks because I doubt I'll see you at Christmas either. Ron, for all the ragging we give you, if the worst came in Baton Rouge I know your place is where I'd feel safest.

Thupt.

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