The car key substitute in our taxi
Rice threshing floor
The schoolchildren at a very rural village school doing a program for us
Cleaning off after the soccer game. We thought we were going to play against some school kids. Instead, we–who have played soccer 20-30 times in our lives–played the regional champion soccer team of young adult men. They had uniforms and cleats while we had barefeet. Needless to say our shins and toes suffered. 5-7 villages came to watch. There were at the very minimum 300 people watching. To make it worse, a major rainstorm had just gone through and the field was covered with huge mud puddles 2-3 inches deep. Also, we had to walk 2-3 km on slippery clay paths through several villages to get to the field. I slipped on the way and fell into a mixture of mud and cow dung. We had to cross a creek a bamboo “bridge” (that was very slippery and wet) that consisted of a single bamboo stalk for our feet and a single bamboo stalk for our hands! So there it was, us against them. One of the village elders made a nice speech about how this was a friendly game not a competitive one and how that the reputation of Bangladesh was at stake as these foreigners would take their experiences back to America. Unfortunately, since it was still raining as we walked back, I was unable to take my camera because I was already thoroughly soaked. Arlan was the crowd’s hero. He was out there giving all he had. Multiple times he ran full speed through a mud puddle and slipped hilariously and ended up full out on his back in the water and mud. He was also by far the best player on our team. Whenever he would make a good move or fall spectacularly, the crowd would roar. After the opposing team scored 3 points, they tried to let us score. However, as hard as both they and us were trying to make us score, the ball always went far wide of the goal. Finally at half time, they mixed the teams up, putting some of their best players on our team. However, that only made us look foolisher because they were all wearing the same uniforms and we had no clue who was on who’s team. We had no clue who to defend against and who to assist. Anyway, it ended in us being covered profusely in mud and soaked to the skin. However, everyone was laughing and having a great time. The whole village walked with us back to the road and along the way the elder/chief that was over the surrounding 10-15 villages asked me if there were any girls I liked. I answered very tactfully because I didn’t want to insult his very beautiful female populace, but neither did I want to express interest. One of the elders told Darrell that a certain girl is “a very good musician, she’s going to university, she is an honorable Bangla and you are an honorable American. She doesn’t know English, but she can learn very soon if you teach her and she is very diligent.” Anyway, that whole thing was a rather landmark event in my life!
More pictures below the fold.
One of the young ladies that the village elders were quite eager to hook us guys up with.
Too many bus, boat, and van rides, too much soccer, and too many marriage proposals
2 Responses
July 21st, 2007 at 11:29 am
Oh, Hans man, it would have been worth the round trip ticket just to see that that soccor game… to see you fall…. see you fall for that girl in blue(?)… you said it was a landmark event in your life!! There is more that you’re not telling. Seriously, it sounds like you kept a cool head. Hey, keep your focus on God, use “horse blinders” if you need to.
Hans, I’m getting the best exposure to Bangladesh I’ve ever had in my life with your neat photography and notes. I’m so blessed in what I’m seeing and hearing re IGo and all. Better able to pray for you and the team.
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:25 am
Sure, Urie.
Thanks for your prayers!
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