Existentialism on a work day

I had a great day today. I woke up around 6 am for work at 8:30 (I can thank my father for my impeccable, yet sometimes irrational need to be on time). Every day I am getting better and better at navigating the busy streets to find a ride to work. When I arrived at 8 (see my previous aside), the office was just coming to life. Yesterday Mr. Mehedi had told me that I needed to familiarize myself with the various enterprises and begin looking for ways to better the information on the Brac website. After a few hours of reading up, Mr. Mehedi beckoned me to follow him. We were heading across the street to another large building that houses a second enterprise office. I met with the managers of many of the programs. We headed back and I continued looking into improvements to be made. Around 1:30, hunger pangs wrestled me from my desk to search out sustenance. I learned that I had missed the boat on buying the subsidized cafeteria meal tickets (sold in the early morning for 30 taka or about 40 cents). I was informed that there was an alternative, but much more expensive, restaurant at Brac that I could visit. Upon heading to the 4^th floor, I found the cafeteria bustling with Brac employees grabbing a bite before heading back to work. Across from the cafeteria, a well-dressed man stood opening a door for guests to enter. I correctly surmised that this must be the restaurant in question. I was seated at a table, set for formal dining.

Restaurant at Brac

 As I was handed a menu I braced myself for the hit my wallet would be taking. After scanning the options, I was elated to find that while much more expensive than the cafeteria, I would only be set back about $6 USD. I ordered the steak with French fires and steamed vegetables. While steak and potatoes are hardly outside of regular to me, there was a Bengali flare of spices added to the mix. An interesting cultural note here is that meat is far less common here than in the states. For religious as well as economic reasons, many meals may contain no meat at all (accidental alliteration, huh there I go again); so the hunk of beef before me was a welcome sight.

After lunch I headed back up to the 6^th floor to continue my work. Mr. Mehedi came looking for me shortly thereafter. I had a meeting to attend. It was a presentation from a media advertising group located in Dhaka and focused on local Bangladeshi businesses (supposedly the only one of its kind, the validity of which I cannot speak to). The meeting was a presentation for the advertising services the group has to offer. After a 10-15 min slide show (accompanied by tea, of course) we said our thank yous and ushered the two gentlemen out. 

Tea Time

Mr. Mehedi and I had a brief discussion afterwards and came to the same conclusion that the options available, while explained as excellent solutions by the two presenters, offered little that Brac could not accomplish on its own (I have learned that nothing is a pressing as the one who’s pressing would like you to believe). It made me very happy that my opinion on the matter was considered at all. I’m starting to realize that I did, in fact, learn quite a lot at Indiana University that I have taken for granted as knowledge I expect everyone knows (proven not true by my brother who was utterly confused by the topics).

A slum I pass everyday

Around 4:50 I was approached again my Mr. Mehedi to outline the tasks on the agenda for tomorrow. I found our discussion of branding and operations gently transforming into a rather existential discussion of family, friends and what it means to be “home”. He related to me his experiences abroad; his denial of an offer to work in the U.K. at a position that would leave him quite alone, traveling from place to place and never really establishing himself. Instead he chose to go a different route and travel to Pakistan, a country not highly advertised for its creature comforts. He explained his choice as one of learning and self-growth, not unlike the adventure I find myself currently on. While there, he found that while we may come from different places and experience different things, there are certain truths that come along with being human. As he spoke the familiar words of our forefathers echoed in my head mixed with those of my new boss and developing mentor: We hold these truths to be self-evident that, while not all men are given equal opportunity, we most certainly are all created as equals, to share in the global community of humanity, that stretches from East to West and spans throughout time. And while many experience more of the negative side of this humanity, from the plight poverty and hunger to the despair of depression and oppression, we all are born, grow up and strive for something better before returning from whence we came, a little taste of that most elusive and sometimes fleeting emotion: happiness. Until tomorrow, good night my friends.