Today's site visit was definitely rural. We were in the area of Sylhet and drove out to visit various women and health workers. At one home, we had to park and walk into the village for about 5 minutes through winding paths lined with bamboo and foot bridges over the area's many, many pools of water. In this area 2 Western women were a spectacle to say the least. I took several pictures of people taking pictures of me and generally caused a stir wherever I went. After we left one home, I told the driver I needed to use the restroom. Although it is rural, a downside of being a westerner and a woman in a rural area is that it's impossible to just take a discreet pee on the side of the road. After much discussion with our local guide, the driver pulled over to the side of the road, got out, went into a home and came back out, motioning for me to come inside. I was led into a dark room and then shown a bathroom which was actually better than expected - cement floor and fairly new standing platform. I was a bit horrified when I came out and asked our guide how the driver knew to stop there. Apparently, he saw a house that looked like newer construction and figured they'd have a decent toilet. He arranged with the family to let me use it and much to their surprise and mine, there I was, a random Westerner peeing in their bathroom!
After a very full morning of visiting moms and adorable babies, we flew back to Dhaka and were met by the onslaught of horns, gridlocked traffic and pollution. I am exhausted in that "wow, what an amazing trip it's been" and "I can't believe this is my job" kind of way but am very ready to get on the plane at 3 tomorrow morning and start the long trek home, kiss my kids and my dog and go to sleep for days.......
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