Blogs from Punjab, Pakistan, Asia - page 3

School blog 2 As I write this I think you are all looking forward to half term, what ever the weather!! The holidays here do not seem to be so well defined---some depend on the phases of the moon and others on the decision of the government or who ever runs the school. Any how it means that sometimes Geoff and I are surprised to realise that there is no school today! The weather also plays a part in if school happens or not---rain is a problem, even just a little, as the ‘roads’ turn to mud very quickly, the class rooms are dark and the outdoor option not possible so few teachers turn up and even less students. Infact today is a wet day so we are home early and I am writing this sitting ... read more

Work Blog Been looking at the blog entries and realised that I haven’t really said much about why we are actually here i.e. WORK! I will try and describe a typical day but they are always different which is a good thing really!! Our ‘office’ is a few moments walk away situated on the roof of the Girls High School. The High School is in the largest building in the village and it used to be a very grand house belonging to a Sikh family. It is built around a court yard and could be beautiful with some good painting and loving care. I often stay for their assembly which the girls always organise themselves as quite often there are no teachers as the transport from Kot Rahda Kishen is not ever so reliable! They recite ... read more

Wow, it’s nearly Christmas and I can’t believe that on Christmas day we will have been away for 2 months! We had an official review meeting today with VSO, AIE and the people we work with and the result seems that we are doing OK!! I am pleased and surprised as things get so frustrating and seem to move so slowly but according to the boss-man we have done well to make the relationships we have with 4 out of the 6 schools we are working with and in the New Year we will actually be able to get them some real resources!! White boards/pens/tables/chairs/paper/pencils!!!! Then perhaps they can start some better teaching. Things are changing here in our accommodation as well. A lady doctor has been appointed to run the new maternity and child care ... read more

This tense was written on the board of the Regale internett Inn Hotel in Lahore two months ago. I'll come back in Pakistan for sure one day, especially in Rumbur valley.... read more

From the border until mid afternoon in downtown Lahore, I had not grabbed much to eat. By two o’clock I sought anywhere in the downtown area with a functioning generator and preferably with a chilled dining area to offset temperatures over one hundred degrees. Within the first three minutes of scanning for an eatery on Regal Chowk I confirmed (by my own standards) that Lahore was truly the cultural capital of Pakistan. I saw the sign behind a row of trees across the median-divided boulevard. The letters were on the standard yellow background inside a brown oval. I followed each one left to right to make sure there could be no trickery at work: S-U-B-W-A-Y. I made a bee line for the front door, disregarding the deadly vehicles that simply drove around me like any other ... read more