a cucumber farm in Cox's Bazaar
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Damn, that girl screams 'glamour'!
Yes, glamour glamour glamour is what this job is all about. I got to play out one of my favourite Beatles songs recently (have a guess) by taking Sally with me out 'into the field' to research stories. In three days we covered: a women's group in a slum:
A community project to rebuild a road and overcome waterlogging so kiddies could attend school even during monsoon
An income generating project combining environmental protection in a forest-protecting cucumber farm
And met with a local government chairman to discuss strengthening local governance through grass-roots participation.
Not being one to waste an opportunity, I appointed Sally as photographer on the trip, which is where these pics all come from. Seeing my job through her eyes was invaluable. I once again was able to recall how I felt the first time I walked through a slum, felt the excitement of women eager to tell me all about their small business selling spices, of men proud to be sending their children to school on the back of increased family incomes, and of children showing off through their singing and dancing.
Just as invaluable was experiencing her reaction to the not-so-fun stuff. The long days, the travel, the dodgy accommodation and poor facilities, the exposure to people teetering on the edges of the poverty line, barely able to scrape together enough food and resources for their everyday lives.
While I might be nervous about how I'm going to find the transition back into life back home (what, you mean I can't wear Birkenstocks and bright green pyjamas to work?!), it has also made me appreciate, once again, just how much I've loved my job here.
Cool, huh?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment