Feature

Satchari Picnic

BEING one of the very few to be accepted by UNYSAB after a rigorous assessment and an interview, made me feel a sense of triumph like none I have felt before. I finally reached the platform where I would actually be practicing what I only aspired to do after my graduation. My career aspiration of helping develop my beloved country Bangladesh had me looking for organizations through which I could already start making a change. The United Nations Youth And Students Association Of Bangladesh (UNYSAB) is a voluntary youth and student movement for United Nations which is dedicated to convey the voice of young generation regarding current global issues such as MDG, CoP, human rights and development, environment, disarmament, social justice etc. This organization provides an excellent environment for development of organizational and leadership skills, intellectual abilities and research orientation. When I first heard this I could not wait for them to recruit and when the time finally came you could only imagine my delight.

When an escape from the hustle bustle of the city is just a fantasy to many, UNYSAB makes it a reality for the people who volunteer for them. Every year they take their volunteers on a trip and a picnic. As a fresher of UNYSAB 2010 I was waiting for them to assign me to a job regarding the organization's action plan but instead they surprised me with a picnic before we started working, where the senior UNYSAB volunteers got to bond with the freshers. Volunteers are solely here to help develop Bangladesh and we work united regardless of which institution or language-medium we are from. This fresh outlook itself motivates UNYSAB volunteers to work together and bond as one with the same inspiration.

This year UNYSAB took its volunteers to “Satchari National Park” which is an animal reserve area for animals in their natural habitat. This sanctuary is located at Paikpara Union, Chunarughat Upazila, Hobigong District, Sylhet division. On 17 March 2010 we were to set off at 7 in the morning but as most people overslept we set off at 9 am. It took approximately four hours for us to reach Satchari and even though during the journey we slept or listened to music, gossiped and then slept, we all woke up as we were passing by the tea gardens eagerly taking in our stunning surroundings and taking pictures.

We entered the sanctuary and everyone ran inside the rented cottage by UNYSAB to avoid the scorching sun, but to our disappointment we soon learned we were going hiking through the sanctuary which was actually a jungle with dust tracks. As we entered and went tracking through the trees, we soon became excited as we saw beautifully aligned bamboo trees and butterflies welcoming us. During the three whole hours of tracking through the animal reserve we got to see monkeys, chimpanzees, deers, different kinds or insects, butterflies and mesmerizing old trees. Even though every step I took I was terrified with the thought of coming to face a snake, however I was lucky enough not to. The guide and the senior members tried their best to keep the UNYSAB team close to each other, so that no one goes astray in the enormous woodland. We all took pictures in every opportunity we got and created memories where none who went there are going to forget. The whole trip was full of laughter and screams; screams were especially more because of me as either I was just trying to scare people around me, insects would fly toward my face or my feet would get stuck in the roots.

We came across two incredibly mysterious looking old bridges which seemed hundred and fifty years old so we all took pictures, however we did not feel mystified anymore when we walked on it to get across. Exhausted and parched we reached the end of our track, and ended up on a street that was almost a kilometer away from our cottage. There on the street, we all collapsed, worn out but still managed to smile when we heard the 'click'.

When everyone reached the street we headed back to our cottage, some still laughing and getting to know each other. On the way to the cottage which seemed miles away we saw men selling coconuts and everyone of us ran towards the stall to rehydrate. The food was almost immediately served when we entered the cottage famished and drained. After lunch UNYSAB let everyone know that we were not done yet and that everyone was to play a game. The game consisted of picking up cards by the chosen individual and doing whatever was written on the card. The cards suggested dancing, singing, reciting, poetry, mimicking etc. Later on, whoever performed the best, second best and third best, were chosen by the authoritative members of UNYSAB and awarded with little gifts. Later we started off for Dhaka, taking a last glimpse of our enchanting environment and of course clicking away our cameras. The journey back took more than five hours and everyone then was sound asleep.