Contract

Well my contract has finally arrived.  3 months after being appointed to the position!  And guess what it has a mistake!
I hope it will not take another three months to negotiate a change!

Interestingly the mail system is so bad in Bangladesh that we have to send mail back via London.  So our letters go from Sydney to London and then to Bangladesh by courier.  As well we have to send 12 passport photos each, photocopies of everything (including marriage licence) and a whole lot of other documents.

With only three months till we leave it is now looking like things are all go.  Started selling stuff on eBay and garage sales but it is a bit unknown about what do we take, what do we sell and what do we leave in storage.

Heading back to New Zealand for a week.  We think it will be the last time we are there for many years so need to see family and friends.  Not looking forward to it really except for meeting people again as I have so moved on from the past.  The future is where my energies and thoughts lie as I am so excited about the challenge of Bangladesh.

It is difficult to survive the frustration of my present role with the great excitement ahead and I would like the next three months to disappear.  Bring on Bangladesh!!

Reaction

Reaction

After a few weeks and people have heard we are moving to Bangladesh it is interesting to consider the variety of reactions that I have experienced.  

A group of people see our decision as exciting.  In fact one person immediately rushed out and started applying for jobs in schools in Africa and the poorer regions of the Middle East.  Other peoples genuine excitement for us is great and adds to our own excitement of adventure.

A second group's reaction is surprise and wonderment.  (My children!)  This appears to be based mainly around ignorance of Bangladesh.  They seem surprised to know that there is the twelfth biggest shopping mall in the world in Dhaka.  Bigger than anything in Australia, Europe or the United States.  Economic growth is higher than Australia and New Zealand combined.  There is electricity (though not all day), mobile phones (though not 3G), the internet and cable TV.  Once these people become informed they move into the first group.

But there is a third concerning group.  Their comments are "That's interesting!" or more honestly "Why would you go there?"  Their comments seem to indicate the divide between the developed and developing countries.  You can go and holiday in the Third world as long as it is in the oil states of the Gulf, Thailand or the cities of China.  But going to Africa or elsewhere in Asia is not acceptable to holiday let alone live.  

I have been surprised that some many people have reacted in this third way.

The Decision

Dhaka

Well we decided on Dhaka.

It was a very difficult decision between Dhaka and Bangalore.

Our reasons (in no particular order)

• The school is very good and has a lot of local (Bengali) students rather than expats.  That is a small positive to me.
• There is lots that Stella can be involved in.  Volunteers are needed everywhere. 
• There will be adventures every day,  In fact probably every 30 minutes.
• It is very easy to get to so many places.  Direct flights to London!
• The culture is a HUUUUUGE jump from where we are.
• Money can be saved because the cost of living is so small.

so Dhaka it is!

The worries. 

• The poverty! Will it grind us down.
• Getting a drink!  It is a Moslem country so we need to work within their constraints around alcohol.
• The amount of people.  150 million in an area 60% of the size of New Zealand is beyond comprehension.  the impact of that amount of humanity is slightly scary.

But the decision a week or so later still feels good so I am happy with that.

Now we have so many things to decide and work on.

bring on August and Dhaka!

Jobs

Jobs

Well the fair has gone well.  Three job offers.  Dubai, Bangladesh and India.  Now I have to decide.  

Still more interviews to go so I hope I don't get any more to decide from

The Fair

A journey starts!

Just two weeks back my wife Stella and I decided to start the next part of our life together.  We both enjoy travelling and while our time in Sydney, Australia has been great we are looking at further adventure.

Camping in Murray River.

So two weeks ago I enrolled with Search Associates to attend their job fair in Melbourne, Australia at the start of January. Overall extremely impressed with this organisation and their support and professionalism.  

Not used to staying at the Langham hotel however.  It is a bit too smart for us. Especially as we had just spent a week camping in the Murray river basin in 30 degree temperatures.  So we arrived with a very dusty car and looking a bit bedraggled.

After a day of listening to presentations about schools and how to get a job the 'meat market' began.  The candidates around 230 had to rush to 60 odd schools and get signed up for interviews.  You had 5 minutes or so to impress people with why they should interview you then it was off to the next school.  Bit of pressure.

I got 5 interviews and another school wanted to see me so went rushing off to the first interview, then a half hour break then off to the next interview.  And so on.  Finished about 7pm so needed a real cold beer after that.

Sunday the same more interviews, second interviews and hopefully job offers!

And guess what the same on Monday!  

Then its load up the car and off camping.