The mystery country is Bangladesh! It is located in the Northern Hemisphere and is 12 hours ahead of us. It has one of the most famous cities in the world, Dhaka. The country has a distinct dry season and a rainy season; the summer is very humid and "jungle-like," while the winter is very short, lasting only about three weeks to a month.
Getting around Bangladesh sounds like quite an adventure. There are trains and buses that are always packed—people even ride on top of them! There are a lot of accidents because there are so many people. Unlike here in Texas, people don’t have the "right of way." The roads are very loud with constant honking, and the traffic is so thick that an ambulance sometimes couldn't even reach you in time.
Bangladesh is a Muslim country, and Ramadan is the most popular holiday. It lasts for 30 days, usually through April, and schools get let out for three days of parades and celebrations. People also use henna on their arms and hands a lot. We learned that the traditional instrument there is called the Ektara. Because of their native language, Bengali, many people have a specific accent when speaking English.
The food sounds delicious but intense! People in Bangladesh love spicy food, and most dishes are served with rice. They have a special treat called Pitha (or "Pitca"), which is only available during the winter. If you like nature, there is a very, very long beach you can visit (Cox's Bazar), and there are beautiful rivers where you can stay overnight on a boat and even spot tigers!
On a more serious note, the average person struggles with poverty. It's important to realize that 3,000 Taka is actually a very small amount (around $25–$30 USD), which highlights how difficult things can be. Many kids don’t even pass the 2nd grade because they have to leave school to work. Also, there are many stray dogs and cats, but they are often considered "unclean," which we found very sad.
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