Shubho Novo Borsho!

Apologies for not updating for a long time. Here are some pictures from Bengali New Year...way back on April 14th. After ringing in the new year at midnight with the students (it was the New Year in some other cultures as well-- Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and parts of India). I was exhausted. We had the next day off from school. I was planning on sleeping in but my students didn't let me! We went to Chittagong University (about 45 outside of town, by CNG) where they had a huge festival. It was a really fun day. One of my most memorable in Chittagong, for sure.

New Years has, hrmm, its main celebratory traditions both at home (party! champagne!) and here... businesses open a new accounts book! Halkhata, I think it's called. And they offer sweets to their customers, especially the indebted ones who come to pay up.

Some snapshots:

We watched a puppet show:

Me with the students:
The cafeteria at Chittagong University:

There were CROWDS of people there. And yes, I stood out a bit, as you might guess.

Man-powered wooden ferris wheel! I rode it-- a definite highlight!! Men push it around and you have to hold on tight to the bar in the middle of each bench or you'll tip out!

Getting my face painted with 'happy new year!' I think it sweated off my face soon thereafter (it was in the high 90's all day, not a cloud in the sky...).


Stopping for a snack:

Apparently wrestling matches are some sort of new years tradition. It was an interesting match. So interesting that people climbed the trees to get a good view!
CNGs lined up at the gas station. An excellent example of photos I take that the students think are hilarious-- imagine someone getting excited and taking a picture of a gas pump in the U.S.