ok

So, some despair at the end of the weekend, that seems to be the pattern here. Ready to be back to the daily schedules since the weekends have been pretty quiet.

Some help from my friends via email and Skype to sort out what's swine-flu panic and what's just plain overwhelming newness. As long as the other Americans are not leaving, it's probably ok to be here. (Of course, I do have a sense that we are living a little closer to the regular population in our getting around on our own, a lot less isolated than those who are driven everywhere). Two middle schools closed in Dhaka today, but the health department condemned the move saying it was unnecessary.

I worked out a two-day a week schedule with Nilofa. Both of my contacts from the U and the American center said, it's true, maids do not have keys here. It seems ok to plan to work from home after class. We'll see how the first month goes. There really isn't enough work to do here anyway for so many hours.

Getting the syllabi going. I'm always inclined to be looking for yet another text that would be just right, but Amazon-used is a little less accessible (at least in a timely manner) than it used to be.

Not able to help Shaked sort out financial issues with her school. She'll just have to go in on Monday and figure out why payments haven't been credited and why the Stafford loan isn't showing.

Finally, or really the beginning of this day, I walked through the screen out to the balconey and pretty much did it in. I duct-taped the corners, but there is no wheel now, and the screws which kept the corners squared are lost in the inside, so it doesn't roll easily. dang it. I think even feeling clutzy is part of an ongoing culture shock.