A Long Way To Go: A Travelling Story (2015)

A Long Way To Go

I Remember

People are conservative. People are transformative. Who knows? I remember something enjoyable and some of them are terrible. The journey that I am suffering, it may have a beginning, middle and the end. I remember that there were supporters who saved me from the risks of my life. I am a visitor and tourist to the land that I have looked for a long time- Bangladesh.

It was an emotional journey that was supported by some people in my life. I will also thank someone who started it. I remember the trees which were blocked with leaves from the top. I remember the villages which were open on the outside and shattered in the inside. I remember the city full of traffic and people crossing the street while the cars cross without a signal. But in New York, there are traffic rules, large city, central park and lots of things to expect.  The actual beauties of Bangladesh are in Bandarban Mountains, Coxes Bazaar and Tea Gardens. I remember touching them.

I do cry while I remember people who helped me a lot.  There is something I could say, ‘learn if necessary, love if necessary and tackle if necessary’. I was a young hippy who used to take pictures from the DSLR Camera.  I am almost 23.  Anyways, my name is Debra Hassan, as many people call me a half Bengali.  Yet, I am born Bengali but an American. As I am curious to know the country’s literacy, their way of life and their nature that I never did saw. I hope I would find a new essence in that new place. This experience shows the tale of love, friendship and social awareness. Therefore, I may represent some social issues that I have been faced. I have learnt so many things that I could not express to say. Four friends of mine: Saiful, Iliyas, Ali and Sameen are the ones who supported me on this trip. Yes, there is a bigger thank you is my whisperer. I will not tell you his name until the end. The whisperer was a wise person to be respected.

We females are bounded so much that if you go to the village, you have to act conservative. Otherwise, they could not accept you. Some people confuse me as a foreigner but I am a Bangladeshi. Yes, I used to call myself a brown Asian-American. Now I realized that I have hundred reasons to live in this country. I may change them but first I need to win their hearts.  I especially love their food: Fish with curry sauce, steamed rice, potato smash, khichdi (porridge rice) and hilsha fish with mustard curry. Uff! I am hungry! These are my tourist accounts but yet much more to say. There are also crazy stories in this country. The whisperer always used to say:-

There are three kinds of literacy in the world

·        Literate- experience both internal and external

·        Illiterate- experience from the outside but inexperience from the in

·        Half-Literate-   Certified literacy with no outer literacy

                            Outer literacy with no certified literacy

 

 

I always maintain those words. I always get clicked by the whisperer.  Well, people say ‘A Long Way To Go’ because our life is short but there is a long way around time.