Bangladesh

Hey friends. I am back on this side of the globe. I spent last week in Bangladesh in preparation to build a hospital in Chittagong. I had originally been planning to move to Bangladesh at the beginning of the year, but the trip has been postponed until mid-year. There is a lot of work to be done between now and then!

I spent most of my trip in meetings, but here are some photos of my adventures:











Arrived 36 hours, no sleep.

Showered. 48 hours no sleep for any of us...go team

Dinner after our presentation to the board. Totally rocked it!

Listening and taking notes at a government hospital

The maternity ward

The delivery room

Rickshaws were EVERYWHERE

The market

Visiting the site of the nursing school.

Locals watching the crazy whities

One of these things is not like the other.

The locals brought Grace and I coconuts. I think I am going to like it here.

Grace and I are on the way to present at a conference

Speaking at the conference

I learned where clothing comes from

Cute boys from the community

Dinner at the Khan's home

I finally found a dog I liked

A BRAC community worker

Gerry reading to one of the children

BRAC educating women about hand washing

Home delivery kits

Visiting some of the communities BRAC works in...Amazing!

A BRAC community health worker

It is a crazy country, but I can't wait!!

4:29:17

Today I ran 26.2 miles in 4:29:17. My PR. I ran the Hartford Marathon with my dad and two of my brothers, Mik and Sep. While Timo, Leena, and Tiff ran the half marathon. Everyone did amazing:

Sep: 3:13
Mik: 3:36
Papa: 3:56

Tif: 1:49
Timo: 1:56
Leena: 1:58

Even though I can't walk right now, it was an amazing day!
















Right at the end

Finishing the Marathon

I attribute being able to finish to these hills, these runs and these views on St Thomas and St John.

Jared!

This is Jared and me. Jared is one of those really good friends, who is always there. He is a favorite of mine. As you can imagine, I was so excited when he told me that he was coming to visit. Here are some of the things that were so fun about his trip...


1. Talking late into the night, just about life.

2. Reading aloud the book Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa puffs, and doubling over laughing.


"Your best friend is taking a nap on the floor of your living room. Suddenly, you are faced with a bizarre existential problem: This friend is going to die unless you kick them (as hard as you can) in the rib cage. If you don’t kick them while they slumber, they will never wake up. However, you can never explain this to your friend; if you later inform them that you did this to save their life, they will also die from that. So you have to kick a sleeping friend in the ribs, and you can’t tell them why. Since you cannot tell your friend the truth, what excuse will you fabricate to explain this (seemingly inexplicable) attack?"

3. The adventure. Going paddle boarding. Laying in the sun on Peterborg, while Jared found small pools to hang out in, hiking on St. John, and fishing for tarantulas.

4. Feeding the wild donkeys on St. John












5. Quoting Arrested Development, Wait, wait, don't tell me and awesome movies.





Seriously, so fun. Thanks Jared!

Time with Patrick

Although too much time has past, I need to update you on my time here with Patrick. Patrick was kind enough to send my photos of his trip here. Although, I still feel like we failed in providing photographic proof of the awesomeness of our time. Tragically, I did work many of the days Patrick was here. Even so, I am going to try to attempt to visually recreate the adventure.

Snorkeling:















Beach time and tropical storm time:












St John:




Kirsti making car noises while driving:




Next up...Jared!

IOU Photos

I love living in the Virgin Islands. I wake up everyday feeling like I should pinch myself (although generally I don't). I live in paradise; the water is turquoise blue, the sun shines nearly everyday, and the islands are stunning. But for me, it is more the friends I have, and the life I've made here that makes it paradise.

It is difficult to believe that my 3 months have past and it is now time to leave. Even though I am excited to see my family, I am torn up about leaving a place that I have just made my home. So I have decided that in the next week I am going to take all the photos that I should have been taking all along. I am going to attempt to show you what is so amazing about my life here...as if you couldn't guess.

Visitors!!

The invitation was sent out and the call was answered.

I've had the craziest few weeks. I've been busy with work, preparing for my new job, and visitors!

I've loved having friends come and see me.

On August 11th, my friend Patrick Nelson came out to visit me. Unfortunately, I worked most of the days that he was here, so he was forced to fend for himself. When I wasn't working, we snorkeled, went to St John, hung out on the beach, and relaxed. We were horrible at taking photos while he was here, but we had a good time nonetheless.

Patrick on the beach

On August 27th, my brother Seppo and my friend Cyrus came out to visit me. I was a little worried because Cyrus and Seppo did't know each other. Fortunately, it was nothing but late night chats and pillow fights.


Here is a summary of our weekend:

Thursday:

We relaxed, snorkeled, made pizza, and night snorkeled. Fun but pictureless

Friday:

We spend the morning with my friend Brad at Magen's bay. We paddle boarded, jousted, played "knock each other into the water", and spend an hour paddling into the wind and current, to get back to shore. The adventure at Magens was followed by shakes at "Udder Delight," and a tour of Peterborg.












Magen's Bay

Getting ready to leave Magen's

Udder delight

Udder joy

Brad teaching us how to fish for tarantulas

Seppo and Cyrus listening intently

Exploring Peterborg

From the end of Peterborg

Dead crab

Brad, me, and Cyrus at the end of Peterborg

Feeding the iguanas behind my house

Cyrus being an iguana behind my house

Saturday:

Seppo and I went for a 14 mile run. It was exhausting, but overall a pretty good run. The hills, heat, and humidity were a killer, but I felt tough. The afternoon was filled with napping and tennis.

We decided that evening to go camping. My friend Brad had suggested kayaking out to Mango island, an uninhabited island about an hour of kayaking away. We were only able to commandeer 2 kayaks. One 2-man, and one 1-man. No problem...except Seppo had a friend fly in from St Martin.

Against good advice, with 2 hours of day light we piled into the kayaks and made our way to mango island. We made it safely, but only after one of the kayaks capsized 3 times, soaking all of our stuff. Including the matches. (we failed to compeletly seal our "dry bags.")

We made it across as the sun set, and set up camp on the beach. With no matches, and most of our things soaking wet, Seppo and Cyrus set out to make a fire...with sticks. They failed. We had cold veggie dogs, snacks, and water for dinner and turned in for an early night. We had no tent and no sleeping bags. No big deal...until it started to rain. Cyrus and I stayed out in the rain, hoping it would end soon, while Seppo and Celine crouched underneath a small ratted tarp that had been set up there. Wet, I finally ran for cover. Soaked, Cyrus waited it out. The 20 min burst of rain, meant the remainder of the night was freezing, but we all slept a little...except Cyrus.












Sunset (attack of the islands)

Lunch before leaving. Celine was laughing the whole trip...it was awesome

Cyrus set up his hammock, but ended up sleeping on the beach...in the rain

Camp

The attempt at a fire

Cyrus and me on Mango Island, at sunset.

Sunrise on Mango

Sunday:

We kayaked back in the morning. Celine and Seppo left for St John and Cyrus and I went to church. After church, we met up with Seppo and Celine for a drive around St John and a walk around the old plantations.

On the car ferry to St John

The plantation graveyard, Cyrus and I are deciding whose is whose.

Work it

Seppo and me at an old plantation

The trip was a success!
Next week...Jared Mooney :)