Deceit

It is has been a very long time between blog posts.  Eighteen months in fact.

And a lot has moved on in that time.

In the last 18 months I have been able to live a very enjoyable life in Dhaka amid what at times is considerable turmoil.  The terrorist attack in Dhaka a year back changed life in Dhaka but I have still managed to walk everywhere and ride my bike all over this crazy town.  I have really got to enjoy this place.  I have visited amazingly wonderful areas where very few people go.  I will post some last thoughts soon.

But it has become time to move on, to China.  The reason for that move is very simple - but the results are huge.

So the story.

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As I have travelled through SE Asia many times over the last two years, I have made many friends with local people.  My passport has needed to be renewed because of all the Cambodian, Vietnam, Thai, and Lao visas and entry stamps.

In these travels I have met a wonderful Cambodian woman.  As our relationship has developed we made a decision to take a step further and she decided to come and live with me in Dhaka.  The school agreed and we made decisions regarding our future.  Her to pack up her life and me to develop further a relationship with her family.  We spent a lot of money and time doing this.

But then early April a bombshell.  We were told we could not get a visa.  Even though we were told earlier (on multiple occasions) the school would be able to get us a visa, suddenly without any discussion it just became - no visa.

I realise that visas are challenging to get in many countries and while upset that my partner could not come I was really angry at the process.  To me the process of the decision is more important than the decision.

Hence the title of this post.

My decision to leave was not only that my partner could not come to Dhaka but the fact I was told yes it would be ok for four months and then it was NO!  Nothing changed in those four months just that it was now NO!  No attempt was made to get a visa - just that it was NO!  Being told yes for four months and then NO without apparent reason makes one less likely to trust an organisation and certainly it is a place where I don't wish to work.  The school is falling into a pit of mistrust.  So even though it is sad to leave friends it is time to go!

So it is now off to China!