Dhaka

The first thing you notice about Dhaka is the sheer volume of people. We stepped off the plane at about 6:00am and, after a lengthy baggage claim process, ventured outside the airport walls, where we met up with Father Frank and Father Leonard, who would take us to Moreau House in the city. Hundreds of people - rickshaw drivers, beggars, onlookers, families - lined the fences around the entrance, even at this early hour. Multiple people, some of them young children and some of them cripples, instantly came up to us and asked us for money or food, and would not leave until we had loaded up all our gear and sat down in the van.

The drive to Moreau House was...enlightening. Imagine streets with no road signs or traffic lights, where people walk in the middle of the road alongside bikes, rickshaws, and buses. The buses are scraped along the sides - all of them - because of the tightly packed quarters on the road. And every bus is full. Always. Despite this, Father Frank assured us that very few real accidents happen in Dhaka, perhaps due to how slowly one must drive to get around. A 5-mile drive took us about half an hour. Marketplaces line the roads and curbsides. The number of people boggles the mind. Half-finished buildings already house families thanks to poorly built tin roofs and bamboo walls. And the buildings lie on top of other buildings, with only inches between each lot. A room with a view amounts to a view of another wall across the street.

Upon arriving at Moreau House, we were instantly greeted by several seminarians who offered flowers to the group and sang a hymn for us. The boxers, in turn, sang the Notre Dame victory march, to laughter and applause from all. The rule and culture here is to entertain and to be entertained. It is surprising how upbeat everyone seems, given the circumstances.

Now, everyone is resting. The days ahead will give us a tour of the city proper and will send us to the northern tribal parishes of Mariamnagar and Jalchatra. Mark hopes to see a few elephants and scores of birds; the wildlife here is impressive to say the least. Wish us luck. Welcome to Bangladesh. Here we are.