The other side of Dhaka

There's like an underground Dubai here. The other day, I went to dinner with one of Prathama's teachers (who reminds me a lot of my own mom) and her daughter. They live a hop and a skip away from DCH, in the airy, rambling house in Moghbazar that is forever old. It was a wonderful evening. Piya, the daughter, is in a band, loves U2, lived in the US for a few years, has My Architect (amazing movie!), and is just so warm and fun. She and I will go shopping for fabrics for salwar kamiz and she will take me to her tailor who makes beautiful clothes!

We started talking about our social lives, and she told me about this whole other side of the city: the young, hip crowd that goes to clubs and chic coffeeshops and throws parties. Parties just like we have, where people dance, drink the same drinks, girls wear the same tight tops and jeans. For some of these young adults, when they go home they are completely different people: they are conservative, obedient children who wouldn't think of dancing close with a boy much less dating one. The way that teens and young adults here run around living a “double life” as she calls it, is no different from the way some of my Chinese friends or Indian friends or Muslim friends at home hide boyfriends from their parents. Some things are the same no matter where you are.

I am really excited to see this other side of Dhaka! I feel very lucky that I've been given the opportunity to experience these different lifestyles that most expat volunteers don't get to see so easily.