We made it!!

So we finally made it to Dhaka, and it's great to have the move-out and the flights behind us.  Now that we're here, we have a whole new and exciting to-do list!

First thing on our list was to get internet which I did today.  I couldn't believe how quickly it was done.  I called the guy's cell phone and an hour later he was here - 20 minutes later and we had our internet!  This would never happen back home.  So now we are up and running and can skype whenever we are home.  If you don't have skype yet, it is time to download it :)

My husband has a work issued cell phone, but I need to get one soon.  The US Embassy has this service called Motor Pool, and all you have to do is call and tell them where you are and where you want to go, and they will take you.  It's free for the first month while you are getting settled and figuring out your own transportation.  We've decided we will get a car, and we will DEFINITELY get a driver.  There is no way I am driving here - there are people running in the street everywhere along with tons of rickshaws and cars, and there are no lines between lanes.  So basically everyone drives where there is space.  It's quite frightening.

As far as our apartment, it is really, really nice.  It is fully furnished, and the furniture is incredibly nice.  It's a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom apartment with a living room, dining room, family room, and kitchen.  We also have a water distiller in the back where the 'servant's quarters' are (which we will be using as a closet).  We must use that water for drinking and for brushing our teeth.  The tap water is the local water, and you do NOT want that water anywhere near your mouth.  We back up to a mosque, so we hear the call to prayer every morning at 4:30, along with 4 more times throughout the day.  It's a fascinating and extremely exotic sound.  It's woken my husband up every morning - thankfully I can sleep through it most mornings :)

The people here are very friendly, and they always seem to have a smile on their face.  Most people on the street are fascinated by you and follow you with their eyes wherever you go.  The children come running towards you saying 'taka, taka', and they will put their faces on your car window until the car pulls away.  I've only been out around the wealthy neighborhoods so far (Gulshan and Baridhara), so we'll see what happens when we go to Old Dhaka!

Don't worry - I'll be posting pictures soon so you can see what life is like here :)