What I learned from this trip....Part 1

The trip is still in progress. Few more days to go but I learned few key lessons that I hope to carry over in my normal life. Lesson Learned:

1) It is nice & benefitting to turn one long trip into multi-city trip. You get to see more & stop along the way. However, the journey does feel very long toward the end. This trip we went from MI->NY (1.5 hour flight but spent 7 hours layover when we went to visit my SIL) -> then 12 hour flight to Dubai, UAE (spent the night/day in Abu Dhabi touring, drinking camel milk) --> final after another 5 hour flight to Bangladesh capital & then another 5 hour drive to my (in-laws) city. It was a long trip but we got lot covered.

2) I kinda like wearing hijab. I truly understand the meaning of "when in Rome dress like Roman". is that the saying?

3) It is so surreal being the NORM instead of the outcast/EXCEPTION that it made me cry. Everywhere i turn in Bangladesh and see people who look like me, dress like me & eat like me..I am amazed every time. I need to revisit this country just to remind myself "I am normal". I love living in USA but I constantly live with the though of "i am different & so i need to adjust". But many parts of the world, I don't need to adjust. I am the norm, amazing

4) I want to cherish forever the feeling I had in Sheikhe Zayed Masjid it was beautiful

5) I tried camel milk cappuccino in Abu Dhabi, UAE & to my surprise it filled me up. Future lunch plan is to have afternoon tea/cappuccino

6) I want to be brunch expert, followed by afternoon tea expert

7) I love love how people in village of Bangladesh visit each others house. They don't visit too much but young (unemployed) or elderly (retire) take a stroll by neighbors house for tea. The employed people not so much but they too make effort. It is just a nice culture they have to check up on each other. Unlike us in USA where Thanksgiving & Holidays are few times we might see our relatives. I like how most relatives are close distance to each other (neighbors) & so everyone sees each other always. But the down side is, when relatives get in fight you are fighting with neighbor's too & you don't meet anyone new & there is lot of gossip going on. I want to avoid the last 2 but definitely will make plan to visit people & sit down and talk with them for while. Just to catch up

8) Love how people here wear simple 2,000 tk dress/saree instead of $100 (8000 tk) outfits we are used to in USA. Something beautiful about the simplicity in this world. I think I can survive

I want to implement: having tea during lunch as weight loss method & visit relatives/friends to sit down and catch up often.

9) It is so strange that man attend most social events while women stay home & to my surprise most women willingly stay home. A typical wedding has 100 female but 400 male where as a typical Bangladeshi wedding in USA has 300 female and 150 male. I always thought man hated social events & these type of gathering were for women to get dressed up & chit chat. Guess people of my origin don't feel that way

10) Cake is an appetizer here. The birthday, mehindi & engagement party I been in... the cake was cut first at start of party instead of at the end. Then the cake is served with samosa with sweets or any other appetizer they have. Then photo session takes place & food is eventually served. I think i like this, maybe not sure

11) People sit outside to catch sun/heat during afternoon. It is very common to see elder men/women sitting outside just re-heating themselves. It is suppose to be a form of massage, makes them feel good. I even saw 10 year old studying outside to get some heat. I don't know how the direct sunlight doesn't give them headache. I can't stand it.

Forgot to add few more things, I had awesome time today. Had 6 people in CNG plus driver. Had tea in Tong first. followed by visit to mela. Followed by fushka & finally chinese food.