Being Mrs.Jahan...

Since being back in dhaka - every evening we have had a dinner invitation from some family member of Cal's. Then my cousin Rupom got married so more dinners and my aunts and nani (mom's mom) send over food. I have cooked dinner maybe 2x so far. At every event i have to wear a sari - where it used to take me 1/2hr to get dressed and out now takes abt 1 1/2hrs! but i am slowly becoming an expert and wrapping a sari quickly and well =)

i have been sick since last week. it started with sore throat then escalated to full blown fever of 103 and up for 2 days. Poor Cal didn't sleep much - stayed up all night taking care of me and went into work half days wile i slept in the afternoon. went to see the doctor - luckily he dislikes prescribing meds as much as i dislike taking them. he gave me something for the nausea so i could eat and nasal spray so i could breathe. i know have a hacking cough that sounds like my lungs are gonna pop out! and today was 1st day i could stomach any food... i had to make a plain chicken salad w no signs of masala!

Cal retained his dad's servant for a while. so he does the cleaning and laundry and the cooking - i just supervise it all.i have to hire a cook that can just create the days food w/o asking me! Everyday, 3x a day = "Apu, what do i cook for lunch/dinner/evening snack?" and grocery isn't just going to the grocery store and picking up what u had in mind - i send him to the bazaar! and they only sell seasonal produce - which is great but i have yet to figure out what that is!! i can go to the grocery store but, its not worth i for everyday shopping.

life of a housewife is pretty damn boring! most exciting thing i have done is handmade a wedding gift card/envelope for my cuz - it came out pretty damn cool - and learn how to make aloo kababs. Cal wants me to rest and rest till i am all rested out and learn to take a decent pace in life b4 allowing me to jump on projects. we have to work on the new apt so that'll keep me busy for some time too. putting dance and stuff on hold cause its just too damn hot to dance and with rainy season, i can't go out much anyway.

btw- where we live is not flooded. when news show footage - they show the outskirts and the worst rural parts of the country. monsoon season is always an issue and this time isn't any different. flooding = lack of clean drinking water = diseases = lots of people ill. where we are, rarely flooding occurs, we have our own source of water that isn't polluted. so - most people in the middle to upper class are perfectly fine and not affected by flooding. as always, its the poorest thats the worst stricken.

The Development Set by Ross Coggins

My fiance passed this to me..its amusing!

http://www.geocities.com/shores_system/development_set.html

The Development Set
by Ross Coggins

"Adult Education and Development" September 1976

Excuse me, friends, I must catch my jet
I'm off to join the Development Set;
My bags are packed, and I've had all my shots
I have traveller's checks and pills for the trots!

The Development Set is bright and noble
Our thoughts are deep and our vision global;
Although we move with the better classes
Our thoughts are always with the masses.

In Sheraton Hotels in scattered nations
We damn multi-national corporations;
injustice seems easy to protest
In such seething hotbeds of social rest.

We discuss malnutrition over steaks
And plan hunger talks during coffee breaks.
Whether Asian floods or African drought,
We face each issue with open mouth.

We bring in consultants whose circumlocution
Raises difficulties for every solution --
Thus guaranteeing continued good eating
By showing the need for another meeting.

The language of the Development Set
Stretches the English alphabet;
We use swell words like "epigenetic"
"Micro", "macro", and "logarithmetic"

It pleasures us to be esoteric --
It's so intellectually atmospheric!
And although establishments may be unmoved,
Our vocabularies are much improved.

When the talk gets deep and you're feeling numb,
You can keep your shame to a minimum:
To show that you, too, are intelligent
Smugly ask, "Is it really development?"

Or say, "That's fine in practice, but don't you see:
It doesn't work out in theory!"
A few may find this incomprehensible,
But most will admire you as deep and sensible.

Development set homes are extremely chic,
Full of carvings, curios, and draped with batik.
Eye-level photographs subtly assure
That your host is at home with the great and the poor.

Enough of these verses - on with the mission!
Our task is as broad as the human condition!
Just pray god the biblical promise is true:
The poor ye shall always have with you.

Prince Charming...and a whole lot more ...

I have neglected my blog since my return But i have good reason. Too much has happened and it became too difficult to keep blogging and i didn't want people finding out through a blog rather than from me...

so, February 11, 2007, i met my Prince charming! I had quite come to conclusion before i embarked on my trip that I would never get married and would just enjoy life with one lover after another periodically. That is not to say that I didn't have a picture of my perfect partner in my mind and heart, just concluded that I was asking for too much and being a jaded New Yorker of sorts, it wouldn't happen to me. Well, I ate my words!

February 11, my friend -A- had invited me to join him on a day trip on a boat (launch) outside of Dhaka. After much deliberation, I agreed to go. It was an interesting mix of 9 people. Most were ex-pats, all were fascinating in their own right. We all hit it off and had a great time. One of the people on trip was A's cousin...Cal – or, he was introduced to me in his Bengali name – Shumon. It wasn't love at first sight by any means. But as the day went on, I was more and more drawn to conversation with him. Long story short, by February 14 – a few short days later, Cal and i had concluded that we were done and we were each others perfect counterparts! (for the longer story of our whirlwind romance, we are creating a site..will have it up soon :)

It felt as if the spirits had been looking over my shoulder carefully noting all my desires for a perfect mate for myself and when i was good and ready, presented him – Cal – right in front of me. All that was missing was a big red bow!!

On March 11, few days before my return to the US, Cal had proposed to me..and I, of course, accepted. And then I proposed to him!! - Yes, he accepted... :)

So, that is the latest and greatest news of my life right now...but it's also only the beginning...

i am an amazing cook! :P

last night, i came home at 10p and Ryan wanted dinner but american/european meal. so the chicken was defrosting and i had picked up some mushrooms on the way home as well as this green eggplant shaped squash...just wanted to try it. anyway..i had no clue what to make! i ransacked my mother's cabinets and came across soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, maggie seasonings and chicken abode marinade. Had fresh limes, tomatoes and broccoli. and put some potatoes to boil.

i marinaded the chicken in a mixture of all the liquids w dash of lime. cut up 1 and half purple onions. I sauteed half the onions in some oil and put the chicken in. let it cook a little bit then poured in all the marinade into the pan and covered to let it simmer. next i had to fig out what to do w mushrooms. ryan wanted a gravy. meanwhile i boiled broccoli and the squash and Ryan made the mashed potatoes with too much salt!

to make mushroom gravy i boiled a half cup of water and mixed in 1 heaping table spoon of all purpose flour and made a thick concoction. the chicken was done on 1 side and flipped to brown the other. Pulled it out and put in serving plate. the pan had oil, marinade and the remainder onions cooked in. i poured in the flour concoction and stirred w a whisk to get a nice consistency then put in the mushrooms and cooked for a bit. added a bit of lime juice to give a bit of tangy flavor. once that was thoroughly mixed and cooked, poured over the chicken. served the broccoli, squash and tomatoes suateed in olive oil and garlic -and mashed potatoes on the side.

my goodness. the chicken and mushrooms came out fantastic! i should just open a restaurant!!! seriously make my best meals unplanned n from bare fridge and cabinets!