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Welcome to Bangladesh,
welcome to Hands On Rayenda.
Don’t think we love you any less,
’cause you got here so late in the calender.
We’ve all travelled very far,
now we’re screaming ‘buji na’.
‘Buji naaaa’
(Courtesy of Alan)
My time with Hands On at Project Rayenda is up and I’m sad to be leaving but really happy to have discovered this organisation and to have met so many amazing people during my stay here. I’ve loved everything about this experience (except for the occastional dubious dinner) and I’m almost certain I’m going to become a groupie, following Hands On around the world to help out as disaster strikes.
Favourite things about Hands On Rayenda:
- Getting involved and helping out on a level that I would never have been able to achieve on my own.
- Meeting so many amazing people in the volunteer house and laughing constantly.
- Being trusted to majobble my way through construction projects, learning loads in the process.
- Seeing first hand the impact of the projects on the individuals they helped.
- Being adopted into the community and experiencing generosity and warmth from the locals on a level I never could have imagined.
This experience with Hands On has had a huge impact on me. They do great work and they do it in a fun and engaging way and I’m hooked!
I've been living abroad since leaving Canada in 2001 and the only plan I have at the moment is to keep wandering. I've got a 
Hi Kirsty,
Only recently I’ve come across stories of your trip to Bangladesh. It was a great read and very glad that you had a great time there. I also admire your spirit of adventure and taking things as they come. However, it is sad to see a lot of cynicism in your views.
I noted your tendency to point out just how bad your experience leading up to an event was. For example, while I understand your trip to Bangladesh was an exciting adventure, you readily made the assumption that there “… won’t have a net connection for my entire time there, … and being in the boonies in Bangladesh will help…” I am glad to hear that your experience turned out well with the availability of wireless internet across the country.
When you described the food you came across, I am still curious about why you would remain fixated on something that is certainly not a delicacy in the area rather than seek out what is actually really good. Hence, it seems unnecessary to “… dub this abomination the ‘Tri-Flavoured Chocolate Covered Poop Log,” You also seemed reluctant to simply enjoy the sweet stuff or other delicacies since you could “… can feel my arteries clogging just looking at that photo.” I certainly hope you are able to enjoy deep-fried fish-and-chips once in a while without descriptions of excrement or death coming to mind. Interestingly, you should note that nearly all Indian restaurants in London are of Bangladeshi origin. Even if you may not approve of all Indian restaurants there, it is a testament to the popularity of Bangladesh’s culinary offerings.
My intention is not to refute your claims or even prove how good/bad anything in Bangladesh is. It is simply a request that you focus on what is positive and emphasize the good in the end result rather than dwell on the negative bumps along the road. We have found strong links between our attitude going in and the actual result of any undertaking. If you hang on to any negativity, no matter how open-minded you believe you are, you will be robbing yourself (and others around you) of the best experience possible.
Again, I (and my colleagues at Experience Bangladesh) are glad you are able to keep an open mind and are enjoying your journey - your views will be an important eye-opener to all those who will look to you for your stories.
Best regards and Bon Voyage!
- Hamid
Hey, thanks for stopping by.
If the fish and chips were gross, I’m sure I would come up with some sort of ridiculous description for them. I’m not a negative person at all, it’s just that for me, it’s the little observations, positive or negative, that I find interesting, whether I’m writing something myself or reading someone else’s stuff. I would bore myself writing nothing but glowing commentary about everywhere I go so I would assume that there are plenty of people out there who would feel the same. I loved my experiences in Bangladesh and wrote plenty about the great things the country has to offer.
I think you’re reading a bit too much into what I’m writing but thanks again for the thoughtful comment!