Day 4 in Dhaka City!

Hi Everyone!

Ok so there is a free wireless signal in the apartment right now so I am taking advantage! I have taken a few photos of Bangladesh, so I will post a few, but will have to do more tomorrow. Just a quick update:

- Life here is very different. I woke up this morning to a small colony of cockroaches scurrying their way across my floor! I much prefer the lizards on the wall or the small black bugs that are everywhere...the roaches I will have to get used to.

- I picked up my timetable from the school yesterday and met some of the other teachers, it is going to be a challenge as I will be teaching upper level sciences and ICT.

- I visited the Bengali Christian church today and that was a different experience as well, although I managed to get myself on the schedule to play piano and help with the music so that made me feel more at home.

- We have had a chance to go to the markets and that has been a different experience as well, the beggars are hard to say no to when so many of them are children... I am hoping to spend some time in the Word of God tonight reading about how Jesus treated them and asking God for wisdom here (James 1:5).

- I was able to purchase some clothing from here and I think that will help me feel more integrated, pictures to come! I am hoping to catch a rickshaw down to a local bookshop tomorrow to see if I can get some literature written in Bengali, since I am frustrated that I have only learnt a few words. How can I witness without knowing the language? I too ask God for wisdom.

View on the street not far from where we are staying. You can see the local clothing.

I don't know how long this internet connection will last, but I hope that a few of you are reading and checking up on this. I hope that you are encouraged knowing that I am here following God and relying ENTIRELY on His strength in this (Phil 4:13), because many of you know that I am not able to do this on my own! Especially with cockroaches!

Please continue to pray for me, there have been several moments of tears knowing how far I am from home, yet God has found little ways to restore my strength (Psalm 62: 5-8), whether it be reading a card from one of you, or today, finding internet, and seeing that a few of you had written emails. THEY HELP!! Please do :).

Ok I better go, but I do miss each of you quite dearly. I am praying for many of you, and hope to hear from you soon! I will need your prayers, letters, and emails to stay encouraged when there are so VERY VERY few lights in this dark place.

In Christ,

Cori

Glushan ave in main Dhaka city. You can see the amount of rickshaws! They are a bit scary... but are a way of life here... and are far cheaper than the CNG's which are those little green cabs you see. Streets are packed usually, and the smell....well. That's something else.

In Dhaka!

Hello Everyone!

I am safely in Dhaka and have been for about a day now. My luggage made it and I am feeling much better today than yesterday. We managed to head to the market and I bought some bananas and bread which was a blessing. I can't talk much, as I am borrowing internet, there is no power or internet in the appartment. This may change at some point, but not likely. Therefore my postings will be limited and most likely won't have pictures! I will do my best over the next few weeks to figure out how I can aid this so I can share more...but until then, I will do my best to send a few of you some letters (post offices are scarce here as well!), but most of my time will be spent in prayer for each of you.

Just a quick update, I am at the school now and have recieved my Timetable. I will be teaching about 6 hours each day, and am focused on Sciences (upper level, which is the same as our Grades 10-12 and 1st year University), and ICT (Computer studies), and also a bit of music after school.

I need to go as we are on our way to the market! Will post again when I can. Know that I am safe and healthy. Thanks to each of you for your prayers.

In Christ,
Corinne

Traveling....wow.

Hi All!

Ok so I left last night on time from Edmonton just past midnight. The flight to Toronto was great as I was blessed to be sitting next to a Christian couple from Newfoundland who prayed with me for my journey. What a blessing! I was able to meet my parents in the Toronto airport for an hour before boarding the flight to London. The plane was mostly empty (AMEN!) and I was able to spread out and get some sleep which is helping me stay awake now since I am officially one day ahead now finally in Bahrain. I am pleased to say that I will hopefully only experience a flight like that from Heathrow to Bahrain once more in my life as it was not overly pleasant. I have to say that the culture started to hit as soon as I was in line to board the plane (if you can call it a line, it was more like mass chaos). I quickly realized how much of a minority I was, and how much personal space was no longer something that was regarded as necessary. Even as I sit here right now and I have my violin on the seat next to me, I have been getting several people staring at me with the "how dare you not have your head covered and take up an extra seat for your violin" - look. (if that is even a look you can depict). Generally speaking though people keep to themselves, and no one has approached me. Although I am constantly stared at, especially by the men, since 99% of the women here are completely and totally covered, head to toe, not even the eyes showing. They are draped in black, and it is hard to believe that the culture is so present here when this is an International airport. I think I have seen about 1 or 2 other women "like me" so that is a shocker. I have a few pictures but nothing grand. I feel awkward taking pictures since I already stand out so much as someone who doesn't "belong."

I received an email from my contact at the school and it looks like she will be there to meet me. Her exact words were a bit funny too "I will be the only other short white girl." It's not meant in a racist way at all, but more of a reality over here.

I am looking forward to getting some more cultural dresses, since I find the more colorful ones to be quite pretty. I have been told that in Dhaka the women do not wear the head dresses but are rather dressed mainly in sari's (not sure how to spell).

I will update again when I get there, Lord willing there will be some free internet signals around my apartment. I am looking forward to unpacking, and possibly boiling some water to drink.

I miss you all, it is very lonely traveling by yourself. Many times you want to lean over and say "hey did you see that?" to someone, only to realize that you are left quietly to your thoughts, hoping to jot them down at some point, and hoping even further that someone back in Canada will care to read them. I figure if I am noticing this now that it will only become more evident as time goes on. Perhaps the busy-ness of a new job will kick in.

Talk to you all soon, please feel free to email or comment, I can read them and hopefully respond when I have a chance. Of course, letters are welcome.

Last Night in Canada!

So it's officially my last night in Canada. All my bags are packed, and I am sending out my last emails for quite a while.

If you are interested in contacting me during my stay, please feel free to still email me, although I may not be able to email back, I can download them once a week and read your notes, or even better, please feel free to send me letters or notes via:

Corinne Olson

c/o Grace International School

House 78(B), Road 23,

Gulshan 1, Dhaka 12 12

Bangladesh

I figured that I would be more nervous, yet I suppose when it comes down to it, I really am going to have to trust in God, knowing that He is in control of all things.

I think I'll keep this post brief...yet will leave on this note:

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" (Joshua 1:9)

Bangladesh Sunset

Pictures of Friends in Canada!

These are a few pictures of friends from my last 10 years in Edmonton....only a few, so if you don't see yourself here it's because I don't have a picture of you, and therefore you should send me some, since these pictures help!

Grace International School!

Well if you have been invited to this Blog it is because you showed an interest in my journey to Dhaka, Bangladesh to teach in the Grace International School for one year starting this August.

It has been a hard year, and many of you who know me best can understand fully the weight of that statement. Many times I questioned God's leading in my life, and many times I gave up on faithfully following Him. I am so thankful that His thoughts and ways are far above mine (Isaiah 55:7-9) and that He had a plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11).

So here I am!

Life has changed drastically and I have accepted a position to teach for a year in Dhaka, Bangladesh! See the map below:

I am excited to see what God is going to do with my willingness to follow Him in a completely different life direction! I have always had the desire to teach and to travel, so when this opportunity prayerfully presented itself after many weeks of interviewing, studying, and praying, I was filled with tears of thankfulness.

The school I am going to be serving at has asked me to teach Science and Computer Studies, which is GREAT, and it is called Grace International. The link is: www.grace-international.tv

Dhaka is a busy city with thousands of rickshaws and markets and is rich in culture and art. I am looking forward to experiencing all that I can while understanding fully what it is like to be a "minority" in a foreign place. I am excited that I will be given Bengali language classes, which will help me learn the following alphabet:

There are many pictures I could post from Dhaka, and I thought about it, but figured it would be best to do that once I get there! I am hoping to create a photo journal of my time there, and most likely will use Picasa to do that, so please feel free to check out the pictures as they come :)

I think this is enough for today, as it is only the 8th of June, I still have many days left in preparation here in Edmonton, I just figured it would be good to get this up and running since it is on my list of things to do before I go!

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Day 4 in Dhaka City!

Posted by: Corinne

Hi Everyone!

- I picked up my timetable from the school yesterday and met some of the other teachers, it is going to be a challenge as I will be teaching upper level sciences and ICT.

View on the street not far from where we are staying. You can see the local clothing.

In Christ,

Cori

11 comments

In Dhaka!

Posted by: Corinne

2 comments

Traveling....wow.

Posted by: Corinne

Hi All!

I will update again when I get there, Lord willing there will be some free internet signals around my apartment. I am looking forward to unpacking, and possibly boiling some water to drink.

Talk to you all soon, please feel free to email or comment, I can read them and hopefully respond when I have a chance. Of course, letters are welcome.

4 comments

Last Night in Canada!

Posted by: Corinne

So it's officially my last night in Canada. All my bags are packed, and I am sending out my last emails for quite a while.

Corinne Olson

c/o Grace International School

House 78(B), Road 23,

Gulshan 1, Dhaka 12 12

Bangladesh

I figured that I would be more nervous, yet I suppose when it comes down to it, I really am going to have to trust in God, knowing that He is in control of all things.

I think I'll keep this post brief...yet will leave on this note:

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" (Joshua 1:9)

Bangladesh Sunset

6 comments