Another day. Had a crazy day yesterday. I had to fire one of the house maids, but she refused to go. What a total nightmare. In a country like Bangladesh there are no contracts, no provisos or outlines on how to deal with these things. Everybody is their own lawmaker for such things as domestic staff employment. To be fair I gave her a months notice. I asked her to change her behaviour, other wise I would end my contract with her. However the young girl was just too mouthy, hormonal or what I have no idea really. I can discipline my children for their behaviour but she is somebody else's daughter. I don't feel I have any right. So what is the Prophets advice?

No point mistreating your domestic staff. Let them go. Easy as that. Or so I thought. She refused to go. In a country where domestic staff are abused, mistreated and underpaid I guess she found me an easy ride. But everything has it's limits - so does my patience.

In the end I had to call in the local law enforcement - a few nice cops who were extremely helpful and gave excellent advice. The young girl quickly changed her tone and left soon after with our guard to chaperone her home.

Well, thereafter I was advised not to ever call the police on such matters as they could have turned the whole thing against me to recieve bribe payments! Wow. Am I so naive.

The whole thing makes me wonder if I am suitable to live in Bangladesh. I wonder how real foreigners deal with things. "White" people that is. Sorry if I offend anybody but hero worship of any western foreigners still exists in our inner colonialist minds.

How can I teach my children about equality amongst humans? This country has a strong class culture, more than I have faced living in Australia or England.

It's really a worry.

Well it is summer holidays, school is out. But not for baba, he still has to work for two more weeks. Actually this will be the first summer holidays that baba's holidays will be the same as the kids. I guess working as a school teacher has it ups?

At the moment the boys and Fatima have found plenty to keep themselves busy without my contribution but its only a matter of time. I will have to get prepared with some summer course prepared specially for them...

Last summer we were just settling in Dhaka, the summer before we had a great time with art appreciation classes in Damascus as well as swimming.

I really miss London during summer...

Mothers out there...