Day 18 - Meetings day

crazy eh! Anarchy is taking over, and human race is in serious danger! Breakfasts do not take place at the usual time scheduled by western civilization culture. A bottle of Red Label is waiting on our table for desperation to conquer our souls and for us to give up and give in. Yesterday night the Islamic conference went on till 1.30 am, leavin us not very much time to sleep. A lot of excitement deriving from the fact that an important meeting was planned for us the day after has accompanied us throughout the whole night. (Not true!)
Then morning came and we woke up. Anarchy started playing its devastating role. People kept the bathroom occupied for more then 45 minutes. So guess what!? I had to wait, and in the mean time I had been forced to keep on sleeping. Such a destroying effort!
We went to the Bank where we were told that God, namely Prof. Yunus, would “receive” us sometime after four in the afternoon.
We had to find something to do in the 6 hours of waiting, so… we called the Italian Embassy and arranged straight away a meeting with Mr. Noia who, despite of his last name, has proven himself to be one of the kindest persons we’ve met so far here in Dhaka. Yak, Tino and I had a very pleasant talk with him for approximately one and a half hour, discussing about almost every subject of our interest and concern.


We then had lunch, and time for the Meeting came. We arrived at 3.52 at the International Office, 8th floor, Grameen Tower, having already received a call at 3.50 from our dear coordinator Mr. Shamim who was all worried about our probable delay. We gathered with the other interns and headed down to the 4th floor. We were all put in a big room where we were instructed on how the meeting, which in a few seconds will turn out to be one of the most ridiculous things ever done, had to be. First we, the approximately 20 people in the room, would have to clap our hands when he walks in, second we take some pics, third he signs our books, fourth there’s no fourth cos by the time step number four comes Yunus would be gone already.


So yeah, basically we took some cool pics, smiled a lot and didn’t even geta chance to say “Hi, hows it going? To the Prof.”… whatever!
Think that a couple of guys from Canada had been here for 6 months waiting to see him while writing a film about him and his life and works and he honored them with only 5 minutes of his time, moreover he informed them that the movie can’t be made cos he had already signed a contract with another film producer therefore he’s legally bound to that project.


But anyways, even if, to me he looked more like a popstar or a Hollywood shiny actor, its been a cool moment, plus you don’t get to ““““meet”””” a Nobel prize winner every day.
Afterwards we went back to the hotel, chilled, watched a movie and then Yak and I decided to go for dinner at the only Italian pizzeria in Dhaka, which is called Bella Italia.
It took us about one hour to get there and a ride in a blue taxi cutting through the thick blanket of smokes and smog that covers the entire city.
We had a good pizza though. At ten we were back in our executive room, watched another movie, “I am legend”, with Will Smith, by the way, if you have some time to watch a movie… choose another one! And now… we going to bed!
Night night you all!
Baci
N.