I am a giant. And other random thoughts.

 

I know I have a problem with heights..in the sense that I think I'm taller than I actually am. As in, I think I'm at least 5 inches taller than I am. So much so, that when there's a somewhat low hanging branch that I'm walking under, I will actually stoop to avoid it…even though there's still a good 5 or 6 inches of space, even if I were standing on my tiptoes. I fully recognize it as a problem, and many of my friends have no problem pointing this out with mocking grins and evil laughter (you know who you are).

 

Now, imagine putting that syndrome in a country where the average height is probably about 5'2"…and well, you have a giant on your hands. A 5'5" giant. So, as you can imagine, when there are electrical wires hanging everywhere…yep…cut hanging wires, some dragging on the ground..often in pools of water from the rains (I'm sure there is no electricity running through them, right?), when I'm in a rickshaw, I'm dodging wires left and right. But the thing is…I really think I'm tall enough to hit these ones…I swear…I am tall enough to get hit by them.  I'm a giant.

 

Other (serious) challenges I'm facing here: knowing when to shake someone's hand when I've been introduced to them. Most guidebooks on Bangladesh seem to say it from a male perspective - don't shake hands with a woman unless she offers its. But, I wonder if I should be offering to shake hands when I'm introduced to a man. Since it's a mostly Muslim country, and depending on how religious people might be, a man should not touch a woman whom he is not related to. Maybe I'm going overboard. I tend to be oversensitive since I grew up in Saudi Arabia.

 

Miji and I have set "goals" for each other - not constructive-this-will-make-you -a-better-person kind of goal. More like, a ridiculous set of goals for our own amusement. Such goals include: make friends with someone who has an AC car. Scream back "hoooonk" the next time a car/CNG/rickshaw needlessly honks just to say 'holla!' . And…play at an open mic in Dhaka. I thought that this last one would be easy…but upon inquiring at a venue that advertised open mic night and live music, I was surprised to hear that the Open Mic was not, in fact open. I have to contact the owner to see if he'll let me play. Wha?

 

And then there's water bottles. Let me rephrase that - filtered water at cafeterias that are served in liquor bottles. In a country where alcohol is not really allowed (mainly just high-end hotels and US/Canadian/British type clubs) it's great to see water served in bottles of Smirnoff and Jack Daniels. I'm pretty sure any self-respecting Jack drinker would cringe at the sight of water in a bottle of Jack.

 

Finally…a sad random challenge I face…it's been, what, 2.5 weeks…and I just started craving Starbucks? This is ridiculous. It's not like I even have Starbuck's that often…maybe once every couple of weeks. Oh wait. Then that makes sense.