First Impressions

If I had to describe Dhaka in two words they would be 'colorful' and 'chaotic'.  Colorful in women's dress, the flashy billboards, and the bright if decrepit buses.  Chaotic in lack of rules governing the movement of vehicles and people in the street, the vendors of clothes, food, and trinkets who crowd the sidewalks, the creativity of people in finding a means of supporting themselves financially. The strong smells of sweat, spices, open sewage, and roasting meat, all set in the hazy smog that sits over the city, add to the atmosphere of life lived in the public sphere. 

Although overwhelming and exhausting at times, the mayhem reflects a simple fact: Bangladesh is a vibrant and dynamic society.  In another light, the ever-present turmoil is evidence that the country seems to be experiencing severe growing pains, with a massive population fighting for too few resources, fueled by a deep desire to improve its quality of life, yet lacking the leadership and expertise to effect true reform and growth.