My Travel History

Over the last three days (4/3-7/3/2025), I spent time with farmers growing tomatoes, cauliflower, and potatoes at Shovna village, Dumuria Upazila, Khulna. What I saw was heartbreaking. Farmers are refusing to harvest their crops, even though they are ready. The reason? Prices are too low to cover their costs. Potato farmers are in a tough spot. They spent a lot on seeds, fertilizers, labor, and fuel. Now, the market price is so low that harvesting feels like a loss. They wonder how long they should wait. But waiting is risky—rainfall could ruin their crops. Though potatoes last longer than tomatoes, they are not immune to natural disasters. For tomato farmers, the situation is even worse. Tomatoes spoil quickly. The cost of harvesting and transportation is sometimes more than the selling price. Many farmers have left their fields, letting tomatoes rot. One farmer told me, “Picking tomatoes is a waste of time. I’d rather sleep than work for free.” Another farmer said, “Our job is to gro...

 There was a strict rule in our household—no matter what I did, I had to be home by 6 PM and study until at least 10 PM. However, *exhaustion* often made me break the rules, which led to both physical and mental punishment from my mother. One evening, I returned from the playground, completely *drained* and feeling sleepy. With hesitation, I *stepped into* our home, which was surrounded by the houses of other family members. Our family was not just joint; it was enormous, consisting of 22 members. My grandparents, in particular, had often intervened whenever my mother started punishing me. That evening, I silently entered the house, carefully placing my playing tools to avoid making any noise. Wanting to *freshen up*, I *headed to* the nearby pond, where I saw my mother engaged in something. At first, I couldn't *figure out* what she was doing, but I *sensed* someone was there. Regardless, I had to clean myself, as I was covered in dirt. Despite noticing the presence of another per...

 Problems, tension, and depression reducing work productivity are not new phenomena; however, their severity nowadays has become more long-lasting. This has made daily life problematic, reducing social and family cohesion, good friendships, trustworthiness, and so forth. Additionally, in our pursuit of comparative happiness and to fulfill increasing demands, we are forced to struggle with time, which often results in family conflicts. Children, who seek their mother’s support, are becoming addicted to smartphones instead of engaging in social activities. There is no shortage of problems in one’s life. My curious mind asks numerous questions, such as: Where is the end of these problems? What are the permanent solutions to these issues? What are the future consequences of this situation? Scholars say that problems never come to destroy us; instead, they help build resilience, enabling us to survive and thrive in this world. Problems will come and go by their very nature. What you nee...