Last summer, I worked with Distressed Children & Infants International in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Working with DCI was one of the best experiences I have had. Although my trip was relatively short, I was able to connect with very sweet people from the slums of Dhaka. I will never forget the sweet young smiles of Koli and Jhumur, who lovingly called me ‘apu’ and were surprised that an American born Bangladeshi would even be able to speak a word of Bangla. As I asked about their lives and visited their homes, they asked me about my home and what the ‘bidesh’ America was like. I was greeted by their cheery faces and warm hugs whenever I visited and by the end of two weeks, I truly felt that I had been accepted into their community. I cannot wait until next summer when I go back to Bangladesh, hopefully with a solid project dealing with health problems in mind. I anticipate visiting my two little ‘apus’ in Bangladesh and hope to see that DCI is thriving well. Noha Ahmed