Welcome to my blog!

Now, I am sure the first question all of you are asking yourselves is "what the is up with this name?" Well, I have decided to spend the month of January in Bangladesh. Now, this is the conversation that I would imagine use having, much of it is based upon the conversations I had at a recent champagne and dessert holiday party at a family friend's home:


You: So Jenna, how long are you in town for?
Me: I am here until the 31st.
You: And then you head back to Boston?
Me: No, I am going to India and Bangladesh.
You: Bangladesh? (with a raised eyebrow)
Me: Well, my school offers Wintersession field experiences and I got into the Bangladesh program. So I decided to go.
You: What are you studying?
Me: Epidemiology with a focus in reproductive health...
You: (Look incredibly confused like I was speaking Bengali and not just going there)
Me: I'm getting a masters in public health.
You: Oh, (desperately look for an excuse out of this conversation). So what are you doing in um, Bangladesh?
Me: I am working with their school of public health and an ngo.
You: NGO?
Me: Non-governmental organization.
You: What is that?
Me: Blah blah blah blah
You: So then, what do you plan on doing once you graduate?
Me: Blah blah blah
You: (look like you are talking to the crazy man that begs for quarters and compliments your toes outside the Armenian Church in Evanston, finish your glass of champagne, then slowly back away pretending that you need to refill it yourself)

Yes, as you may have guessed from any 80s teen flick set in the Chicago area, Lake Forest is not exactly a hot bed of public health activity. Unless you include reconstructive surgery stemming from poor genes. But my um, passion(?) and foolishness have persevered and I am now headed to Bangladesh.

Now, back to the original question. Tigers. Well, my friends, I was not well informed about the country of Bangladesh prior to signing up for this adventure. But knowing what I know now, I am not sure I would have been so eager to enroll. Unfortunately, it is too late to cancel now. Here are some interesting facts regarding the country of Bangladesh:

1. They have spent the last two years under emergency military rule. They have recently decided to restore democracy and have gone to great lengths to prepare for the elections, which were held today. Unfortunately, Zia has rejected the results and claims the polls were rigged. In the next two days we will learn whether democracy is peacefully restored or whether the country will erupt in political riots. Yay!

2. When traveling in most developing countries, people suggest buying bottled water and checking to make sure that it is sealed. Well, in Bangladesh not only does the water need to be bottle but you need to make sure that it is arsenic free. See, in the 1970s, people were drinking water that had been contaminated by flooding and famine. Solution? Dig wells! Excellent, right? Nope, Bangldesh is full of arsenic-absorbing mud.

3. Finally my favorite: the Sundarbans. The name translates into 'beautiful forest'. I think lonely planet explains this bests. "A misnomer if ever there were one. For most people, the Sundarbans is a horrifying matrix where, on average, a person is eaten every third day. " EATEN! BY TIGERS!

I don't quite understand why so many people died over this territory. Anyway, if anything happens to me over there, we are going to tell everyone that I was eaten by a tiger. I do not want to be remembered as your friend that got cholera and crapped herself to death.