evainpakistan

Arrival in Pakistan
Everything is so completely different here than everything else I saw before in my life. So – where should I start. Maybe at the beginning.
Quite nervous I got out of the plane – it´s so very too hot here! And that in the middle of the night!
I was just hoping that somebody will be there to pick me up. But when I came out of the airport hall – everything I could see were hundreds of people –mostly men - standing there in their Shalwar Kameez and all look alike. I don´t really see any person! But there.. a sweet girl in a red shirt! This must be Asma! She is waving at me – and I was so happy to see her! She was there togehter with her dad to pick me up!
We drove home to their place. I was supposed to stay with them fort he first couple of days! After having a nice breakfast, a good conversation, we all went to sleep – Asma was so exited that she didn´t sleep the night before I was coming!

Living with Asma and her Dad!
I have to say: The homestay at Asma´s place was a real great experience, they did show me a lot of things and made me feeling great being in a new world! We had a lot of conversations on different topics like the culture of Pakistan, the religion, traditions. They explained me so many things, that I felt good and prepared after nearly a week for a quite different world! And it was just amazing to feel the hospitality of Asma and her dad! So – Thank you very much!!!
They just took me around and introduced me to family and friends... Every place we went, we were offered a drink – and You can not go before having a drink! This is Pakistanian culture!
We did go for shopping, experienced the traffic system ☺ , visited the tyre shop to get a wheel check, bought fresh chicken directly from the place where those chickens get slaughtered (this was really bloody!). I saw some markets... and learned to bargain in Urdu! Well, I still need some more practice.

Shopping
In a supermarket of Asma´s cousin I was shown every place – the offices, the stor rooms... I´ve never seen that before. And all the time I was thinking - here are so many people working, everything is so small and tiny... The meeting room was a liitle place under the roof – about 2*2m, maybe 1,50m high...
We also went to some places to buy kurtas (long traditional shirts) and Shalwar Kameez (the traditional dress) – There were much more Colors and variety than we have at home! So – you see the result in the pictures!

My first Shalwar Kameez
After getting measured at the stitcher and a couple of days of waiting, my first Shalwar Kameez was ready! Many clothes are getting done here by the stitcher. It´s cheaper than buying the clothes ready! And the stitchers are really quick – it takes about 2-3 days only!
The Shalwar Kameez is a traditional clothes that people wear here. Women have a dupatta with it – a very long scarf that is –at least for me- difficult to handle. This is to cover your breast – and if you have a belly.. you can also cover that!!

Kite Flying
Asma´s dad also taught me everything I need to know about Kite Flying (Drachenfliegen). This is a tradtional hobby in Pakistan, in Afghanistan and also India. So, people are standing on the roof of their house or somewhere where is enough space flying their kite. This looks really good and quite funny. In February there is a kite festival going on – this must be a real interesting thing, since the Kites are fighting with each other. The lane is made of some glassy stuff, which means that when two lanes meet each other, one will get cut and the kite falls down.

My way to work
Yousaf is my driver. He brings me to work and drops me back home every day. He is a multitalent – making also breakfast for me every morning. He is taking care of me and my daily portion of food ☺!
I told him already that I can make my breakfast really on my own. I guess he doesn´t believe me!
Well, my way to work is quite interesting. I see new things every day. Some things are funny, some strange, some quite shocking.
Shocking are all the beggars that are running through the chaos of cars, motorbikes and bicycles. There is this one really old man, who has lost his leg. He stands on a stock at the edge of the street – waiting for people that maybe provide him with some food?
Driving through the streets you see many children or adolescents that have to work.. maybe you see them on a little wagon with a goat or an „Esel“ carrying around all different kind of things.
Funny are those „Car lifters“. In Germany we use those vehicles to transport certain things like palets. Here they just take them for cars. So if you have just parked your car in the wrong space, they take it somewhere.. and you don´t know where it is. But I heard that the people will tell you once you are back looking for your car!
The other day I saw three men sitting on one motorbike, in their back they had a horse on a lane. Too bad that I didn´t have my camera with me.
To sum up the traffic: It´s just a big chaos!

At work
The people at work are really nice and friendly. They drink a lot of tea and have many breaks through the day to socialize. There is a lot time to discuss many things – eg. Culture, religion, food and so on.
I guess that their plan is to make me fat – every morning they get me a bag of chips! My colleagues are also very concerned about my marriage. So they will look for someone I can marry... but I said thank you!
One day, I was asked how my husband is doing ?!? He was shaking his head, when he heard that I don`t have one! I told them – well at home I am responsible for myself, I live togehter with my friends, not with my parents for the last five years. Even if I´m going to marry I am responsible for myself. They were really upset and concerned about me... and thought I might feel bad about this situation because I have no one who is taking care of me. Religiously, here the father is responsible for the women and after marriage the husband.
I am working for an organisation that is called CARE. There vision is to provide every person with quality education. They build up schools and try to improve the teaching quality. Every child should have a chance to get educated. The government does not really take care of the education – thats why many children in poorer families don´t have this chance.
CARE now offers 100.000 children the chance to go to school, they have about 200 schools running. I guess that much more children would go the school if there would just be the possibility.

I´m located in the Teacher Training Center as a trainer for the teachers. This is really challenging, because the system just works completely different... at the moment I´m learning to be very patient dealing with all these differences.

posted by evainpakistan @ 10:07 AM