Editorial
30th of March
To be in a foreign country can be an eye-opening experience.
To be in a country where you are the only white man the locals
have ever seen, can be even a shocking one. But I try take it much
more as an educative experience.
I was told before I arrived that people will stare at me
a lot. I was told it in a way that this is something annoying
and disturbing, but something that you can expect from people
who are somewhat left behind and simple. Even
the backpackers bible, Lonely Planet, gives you this kind
of discriminating image.
Well, they were right in one issue. I am being stared at a lot. Wherever
I go. But is it annoying or disturbing? I dont think so. Because
I am also very curious person and I dare to say that I stare
back at least as much. I understand perfectly well why I am
being monitored by every set of eyes that go past me..
We Finns should be the last ones to critisize this. If you
take a black guy outside Helsinki, people will stare at him
as they stare at me here. Many foreigners have told me that
they were/are being stared at in Finland.
I never quite understood what it feels like to be or look
different than others in the surrounding society. I mean different
from the outside. Now I know. Inside, I dare to say, we are
all the same. Very curious by nature.
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Interesting
facts
Did you know that Bengali language is 6th most spoken language
in the world? A staggering amount of 220 million people speak
it in India and Bangladesh.
Bengali aka Bangla is very close to Hindi and Urdu which
also descent from Sanskrit. History of its literature goes
back long way. A Bengal writer won the Nobel prize in literature
in 1913.
There are 49 different symbols that represent every possible
sound used in Bangla language. As in Finnish. We just dont
need that many sounds :) Therefore, the pronounciation for
Finnish speaking person is simple. English speakers have it
a bit more difficult. The symbols, in my opinion, are really
beautiful. Almost like ornamental decorations.
Luckily there is no need to learn all the symbols to be able
to speak the language. Tutorial books have been made in western
style letters.
My name is Mikko = Amar nam Mikko
How are you? = Tumi khamon acho?
I have a food poisoning and my ass hurts because of this terrible
diarrhea = Nnnnnnggghhhh!
Bangladesh News Flash (Week 2)
Business man and his son shredded into ninety pieces and spread
on the field. Read all about it!
http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/03/30/d4033001033.htm
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