adhunika blog

This is a continuation from my two previous posts on my Sudan trip:
Sudan Tales
Life in Khartoum 

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One of my group mates likes to count cats and dogs. So far she has seen 28 dogs and 2 black cats on this trip. Fortunately none of the black cats have crossed her path so at least bad luck has been averted. We have been trying to convince her that maybe it’s the same black cat that she saw twice but she is quite adamant that they are two separate ones.

I would think counting goats makes more sense here in Khartoum considering how many there are around. Or even donkeys, donkeys are used all over to carry water especially to remote localities… or to pull a cart. The carts go jingling by, the donkey bells sparkling in the sun, a half asleep driver at the helm and a long row of cars following behind honking impatiently and eventually just giving up.

Yesterday was a day of sand. We had declared Friday as our day of freedom from work. In fact work was a dirty word that no one was allowed to mention and if possible even think about. We went to see the pyramids which are a couple of hours away from Khartoum, these immense structures which even predate the pyramids in Egypt. We were inches away from centuries old hieroglyphics. The intricacy of the carvings in the pyramids, in the temples that we saw was stunning. The remains of a great enclosure lies close to one of the temples, half broken walls, with hieroglyphics of lions, tigers, elephants, pictures of hunting to other words that tourists and locals have scratched on them over the years. (more…)

“Working woman” is no longer a new term in Bangladeshi Culture. In addition to those special feature pages in the mainstream newspapers these days we are seeing TV shows highlighting women’s careers, success stories, and issues concerning working women. The focus is really to encourage women to join the workforce and feel them welcome in this arena. In all these TV shows, newspaper columns women guests are asked how they manage the balance between their work and other household responsibilities like cooking, parenting etc -   traditionally known as “women’s responsibilities”.

It sometimes makes me curious, are we really making the room for women to work outside home when we are keeping the same expectation that they will take care of their all other traditional responsibilities even though they work outside? Managing household duties and children alone is a 24/7 job, and it is literally impossible for a woman to fulfill those when she is also working fulltime outside home. Naturally other grown up people in the household has to take more responsibility to keep the house running and in most of the cases the other significant people in the household are the husband and sometimes the in-law family. (more…)

In our school district for last couple of weeks we have been discussing about violence and how is affecting our students. One of the major concerns is how TV, music and specially video games are very influential and if there is too much violence available for children to watch and play, or listen to, this can sway their attitudes in a negative direction. 

Children today are surrounded by technology and entertainment that is full of violence. Playing video games teach children about violence and how to use it in their daily lives.  The violence in these video games can desensitize children and alter their perception of reality. It can give them the idea that violence is an acceptable way to deal with problems and conflict. 

(more…)

Inspiration for Bangladeshi Women.

2006 Sydney Peace Prize awarded to Irene Z. Khan:

Learn more: http://www.sydneypeacefoundation.org.au/news.shtml