It's been a fun old week...

First up, let clear one thing up! It would appear that from some of the comments left on my blog I have something of a reputation! It has been implied by my good 'friends' Catherine and Angela, that I some way am enjoying being 'waited on' hand and foot. Let me say here definitely, and catergorically that I am!

Anyway back to this week. It started on Sunday when I preached at Holy Trinity Cathedral for the first time. I preached at both the 8am Communion and The 9.15 Family Service and as only myself and the Rector were at both I used the same sermon, though slightly shortened for the early birds. This went really well and from the comments I received after was enjoyed by the congregation.

The passage was 2 Timothy 2vv1-7, where we are exalted to pray for everyone, especially our leaders. this is very apt for us in Pakistan at teh moment as President Mussharef seek re-election and there are many political movers. Much prayer for the situation would be appreciated.

Monday dawned and I decided that the toothache had now reached a point at which I needed to do something about it. So after obtaining a recommendation from Lubna, I was whisked away to seen Prof Ambreen no less. Who turns out, not only Professor of Ordodontics at Karachi Medical school, but also a teaching Fellow at New York University! Only the best for my mush! After X-ray and a little gentle probing, an infection and the need for a root canal filling was diagnosed and then the fun began.

I was prescribed anti biotics and an appointment made for the Wednesday to start the procedure. The nerve was so badly infected that copious amounts of anesthetic was needed before I couldn't feel the water from the drill, and then 2 and half hours of drilling and filing followed. The nerve was removed, and Prof Ambreen was kind enough to show it to be before she disposed of it!! I thankfully had taken my glasses off so could only see a blur.

I then had to return today for stage two, which involved another two and a half hours in the chair and more X rays and drilling and filing. Just a note on X rays, is it just me that gets a little worried when everyone, apart from me gets to leave the room before the X ray happens!!

All that is left now is a return on Tuesday for the permanant filling and then another trip in a couple of weeks to have the crown fitted. Oh what joy.

Add to all of this I am now teaching Y11 GCSE Geography! I have never done this before and have some what been thrown in at the deep end. Thankfully, my old headteacher from Trinity is a Geographer and I have been in contact with him and he is feeding me with some very helpful things. And I have to say that so far so good I have had 4 lessons this week and they have all gone very well.

The Fish and Chip Supper went well last week and although my team only came second, it has to be pointed out that the first two rounds happened whilst I was getting lost looking for the venue!

We have a neat trick here were a road can carry on even if there is a large house and a mosque built in the middle of it. Therefore finding the end of Khayaban-e-Badban, doesn't necessarily mean that you can drive all the way to the other end uninterupted by buildings! I did eventually find the venue and a pleasant evening was passed.

For those reading this and worrying about the effect that fish and chips might be having on my waist line, I can report to the food police that I have lost at least half a stone since arriving here 5 weeks ago and that the downward trend appears to be an established one.

The next job is to get my wig trimmed, the warm climate means that it is growing a little more quickly than normal and so is now starting to look unruly. Unfortunately, the warm weather is not causing hair to return to those parts of my scalp wherein it has already abandoned, which is a shame really!

It's the little things

I know I have already posted today but I just wanted to ad a postscript.

I have a cleaner here called Naseem, who comes six days a week, and restores order to the chaos I generate each day. She has here own way of doing things and in 3 years Andrew never was able to persuade her that a tea towel is for wiping pots, not cleaning the floor!!

When I first arrived I part unpacked my suitcase on the first day and put someof my clothes away. When I came home from work on the Monday I found that she had finished the unpacking. I went the wardrobe to look at everything and wondered where my underpants were!?!?!? I had obvious put them in the wrong place, they had been moved to the 'correct' drawer!

Today I came home to find not only the apartment clean and tidy, but when I opened the fridge Naseem had taken the two pomegranates that were in there and taken all the seeds out for me ready to eat. It was such a nice surprise to find and I will be enjoying them in a few minutes, once I have allowed my Cauliflower Cheese to settle!!

It is really nice to be looked after so well by Naseem and Farouk ( I never have to carry anything up the stairs to the apartment). I could get to this lifestyle very easily!

Lots of things to do...

I really am getting into the swing of life here. In the abscence of a decent road map, you just have to learnt where everything is, and if you don't live on that side of the city it all gets a bit vague. There are some road signs and so far I haven't got to badly lost, and I have always found my way home, which is good.

I am starting to acquire other extra curricular activities. I went to House group on Monday, at which Dan informed me I was on the preaching rota, and I was down to preach this Sunday... So this week I have a sermon to write.

Dan then went on to ask me if I would be willing to lead the Ex- Serviceman Act of Remembrance on Remembrance Sunday out at the Pakistan War Cemetry. This has always been a difficult day for me, as I have always felt uncomfortable with the services in the UK. Somehow I have felt conscious of a lack of forgiveness, whilst remembering. It may well be a problem in me rather than anyone else, but that is where I have been. This is also something I have kept to myself, because I am aware that the Day can be an emotive one for people, and I have never really had to live through anything like the Second World War. Somehow I would like to Remember whilst looking forward and not looking back. Maybe I am being naive, but that's how I felt. My feelings over the last few years have changed and I have looked at the service sheet here and I feel comfortable leading the service.

I have also been asked today if I would be willing to join the Board of the YMCA Technical School. I have said I will consider it, but I want to know more, as to what it will involve.

I have also joined UKAP this week, UKAP is THe United Kingdom Association of Pakistan, and is made up of British Ex-Pats. They provide social events and the first one is this Saturday, A FIsh and Chip Supper and Quiz!! I have been asked to join the Bavingtons team, and I have warned them that I do get a 'little' competitive!! There will be those of you that remember the Big Quiz 2003 and my ecstacy when Mike and the Mechanics finally won!! I proudly displayed the shield in my lounge all year!!! There is also a rumour that they organise Scottish Country Dancing!!! I can hear the music for the Highland Fling already!!

A Tour round my new home

I have finally bought some batteries for my new digital camera, which was a birthday present from my grandad.

So here is vitual tour of my new home...

There we have the sitting room with the wicker furniture and book shelves left by Andrew. Below the other side of the sitting room, here you find another set of furniture. I don't tend to use this end of the room.

Then we move out on to the balcony. I have some furniture out here and it is very pleasant out there in an evening. And there is plenty of space for people to get together and eat.

On we go to the Dining room. Another good sized room with a dining table. This is where I work at home as I don't have desk yet. I am going to look into getting one soon.

Now we get to the kitchen. This will be much better when my boxes arrive from the UK. They contain a lot of my kitchen goods which will make the place feel a lot more like mine.

And finally the bedrooms, mine is the one with the large wooden bed. All the bedroom furniture was made to order for Andrew and he kindly left it all for me when he left.

Both bedrooms are ensuite and the guest room bathroom is also home to the washing machine!!

As I have said to many of you before you are all more than welcome to come and visit some time.

I hope you have enjoyed looking round my new home, as much as I enjoy living here.

Technology is wonderful

I am sat typing this sitting on my bed, thanks to my laptop and newly installed wireless network! I would like to take credit for its installation, but as anyone who knows me will tell you, I'm useless when it comes to computers. We are able to do this thanks to the 'magic' hands of Ahmed the school computer technician, he is incredible. His hand really is quicker than the eye.

The AC's also seem to behaving themselves once more. The living room one has stopped its impression of the Niagra falls, thanks to the healing hands of Ali electrician and the bedroom one has started working again all of its own accord!! In fact Year 9 explained it to me today, it is to do with the phases of the electricity and when one drops out it will effect some of the sockets in the house. They finished their explanation with 'Welcome to Karachi'.

I really am enjoying school, seeing parents teaching , organising and even covering Y11 Geography was good.

Thomas is very settled in Alex and they have along weekend this weekend so they are travelling 7 hours on a bus to an Oasis in the Western Desert. All I can say is rather him than me, not my idea of fun at all. My next trip is to Lahore on an airplane, to stay in a 5* Hotel and me driven around the sights in an AC car!! That will be at half term, which is only three and half weeks away for us.

Assuming the new moon is sighted tonight, Ramadan will start tomorrow. This means that the practicing Muslims will not eat or drink anything during daylight hours. They will rise before dawn for early prayer and a good breakfast and then fast until after evening prayer, this continues until the next new moon, 28 0r 29 days later.

It's been one of those days...

The honeymoon of the first week is over and now the fun starts!!

Mrs Ahktar and I had to have 'words' with our new Year 7. By all accounts they were something of a handful last year and they are sizing up for more fun this year by the looks of it!! Unfortunately for them, I don't like 'fun'! So between us Lubna and I marked their card good and proper. It's still nothing like teaching back in Rotherham, the kids there wouldn't even let you get word in edgeways, never mind marking their card.

I was feeling tired this morning though as I had had a late night at Bible Study!! (I know, don't I know how to live it up) Though there can't be many groups that have Elvis in them. The group was made up of 8 people though a couple weren't able to join us. We are studying the Beatitudes and I really enjoyed it. The time together opens with some choruses, and before you ask, yes I have been invited back!!

There has also been one of those little annoyances I have been mentioning, and today its air conditioning units. AC is vital here as it is hot most of the year and when its not hot, its very hot! There are 3 AC units in the flat, one in the siting room and one each in each of the bedrooms. Up until today the one in the spare room has not be working, but the other two have been fine. Now I arranged to have the spare room one repaired as I have friend coming to stay in just over three weeks and I wanted him to be cool. So today Ali Electrican (Yes they do really call him that) came and did the necessary and the AC unit works perfectly. The other two have now gone on strike! The one in my room has stop working completely, and the one in the sitting room is pouring water down the inside wall. I suspect its just their way of getting some attention. Ali Electrician will come and lay hands on them tomorrow, InSh'Allah, of course...

A Lazy sunday

Well today has been a lovely one so far. I went off to the Family Service at Holy Trinity this morning, which was an interesting one as the children still went out to Sunday School during the sermon!! Family Services need some work I fear.

At church this morning, I met Dan and Ruth Bavington who have been in Karachi since 1965, although Dan was born here to Missionary parents and then educated in the UK from the age of 11. Dan is a civil engineer whose company built the Junior department of the school where I work. They are looking to retire at the moment and will be moving to the UK when they do. They have five children all married and living in the UK. There eldest son has just taken up post as Chaplain to Gigglesworth School in North Yorkshire. (it amazing what you can pick up over coffee!!)

The Bavingtons also run the church bible study group which meets on a Monday. So I shall be going for dinner at their house and then on to Bible Study with them after that, tomorrow evening.

After coffee at the Bavingtons I went off to Brunch at Marriott, which is a buffett of it seemed like hundreds of different thing to eat, which you can visit as much as you like. I had a starter of mixed salads, followed by a selection of bits and pieces, including sweet and sour king prawns, tandoori fish, and steamed vegetables, followed some chocolate mousse (not as good as Katey G's it has to be said) and two small pieces of cake type things, add to this a Pepsi and a pot of coffee for the princely sum of 970rupees, about 7.95. Not bad for a meal at a 5* Hotel.

From their home via French Bakery to buy some more fizzy pop and a bottle of Vimto!!!(Yummy).

I have reached the end of my second week and how am I feeling? Brilliant is the answer, yes there hassles living here, but as long as you roll with them, they are liveable with. School is great and I am really enjoying that. I am getting to know the city and am slowly finding my way round. All in all I think that I am going to enjoy living here.

Starting to feel at home here...

I know I have only been here 10 days but I am really starting to feel at home. It will be even better when my boxes arrive from the UK, some time in the next week, Ins'allah (if God will's it!). Then I will be able to really make the flat feel like its mine rather than a student flat.

Ins'allah, is a very important concept in this part of the world. Forget appointment times and arrangements, they just don't happen here. For instance my internet connection was definitely going to be sorted by 9pm on Saturday evening, the man finally arrived at half ten on Tuesday!!! and you have two choice you either get worked up about ti and start shouting and change absolutely nothing! or you just accept it and get on with life allowing things to happen as and when they do.

Managed to make it to church on Sunday morning, got slightly lost on the way, which included goingthe wrong way up a one way street, which had five lanes of traffic!! No one seem to mind and although I arrived 15 minutes after the published start time, and I still arrived before the clergy!! Different and yet reassuring similar, the songs were all ones I knew and the liturgy very similar to what I am used to in the UK. The difference are that the congregation congregate around the ceiling fans, instead of the heaters and the 'wardens' carry guns rather than wands!! A solution for some churches in the UK that I know!!!

Monday was the first day the children were in school and went very well. There are still some small glitches in the timetable, but we are ironing those out, hopefully by Monday all will be sorted.

After school I drove to the Cathedral again and meet John Hayward , who introduced me to Bishop Sadiq Daniel, the BIshop of Karachi. we had tea together and a very pleasant chat about many different things. At the end he inited me to help out at the Cathedral, preaching about once a month. That will probably start in October which will give me time to get to know the some of the people in the congreagation, which number about 100 and is a mixture of locals and some expats.

Tuesday saw some explosions in Rawlpindi which is several hundred miles north of here and the home of the Pakistani military. Polictically things are very much up in the air at the moment, with the Presidents future very uncertain, and what that will mean for Benizir Bhutto and Anwar Sharif who are both former prime minister that have been exiled from Pakistan. They are both talking about coming back and what that will mean no one is really sure. Some top official was heard to say 'this is the most important time in Pakistani history since Partition' This should make the next few months rather interesting!!

All that said, I really do feel that coming here was a good decision. I feel really upbeat and on top for the first time in along while. There are many many frustations living here but I seem to be able to rise above them (at the moment!). I am sure a time will come when the power cuts (we are an hour into one at the moment) and the other little niggles start to annoy me, but at the moment I am a very content little bunny.

Well i would go and make something to eat at this point, but the kitchen is pitch black so that will have to wait, so what with that and the 'free flowing' bowel movements, I should be losing weight at a reasonable rate!!!

So much to do and so little time...

So much has happened in the last week.

I finally arrived in Karachi last Saturday afternoon, after a very pleasant flight with Emirates. The aircraft are comfortable and modern and the crew very helpful and chatty.

Saturday allowed me to catch my breath and then on Sunday, Lubna who is head of Student Welfare, had arranged a trip out for the new staff who were around. We went to the Sunday Market where normally we would have been able to buy household items and food etc. Unfortunately due to the flooding, it was off!!!

There has been no rain since I arrived but there is still a lot of standing water left over from the last couple of weeks rain. When I arrived the school field was under a foot of water, that has subsided but it will stilll take a couple of weeks for it to dry out. Then it will need reseeding!

Sunday also saw my first go at driving in the city, and its wan't as scary as I thought it would be. Traffic is much slower here than in the UK, but also far less disciplined. You have to remember a few basic rules:

1. Don't assume anything - just because he is indicating right doesn't mean he won't turn left, go straight on, stop suddenly or turn right!

2. If it's bigger than you then it has right of way!

3. Possession is ten tenths of the law - ie if you have the road then you keep the road!

All in all I am enjoying driving and it means that I have the freedom to come and go as I please rather than having to rely on school drivers which is great. I am also slowly working out where everything is, no easy feat, as the only road map available, only has some of the street names on!

The rest of the week has been taken up with meetings and timetabling. When I arrived I had a timetable that worked, but it has ungone several revision as people have given me more accurate information than I had from the head.

I am getting on very well with the Head, Andrew and the other two members of the Senior Management Team(SMT), which are Lubna, Head of Student Welfare and Maria, Deputy Head(Primary). I think we will have a very good and sometimes silly working relationship.

Thomas has arrived safely in Cairo and heads off to Alexandria today. It has been good to hear his voice and know that his travels are going well. I will definitely be seeing him at New Year but we might get together before that.

Last week also saw my 37th birthday, and I know I don't look a day over 45 but I am only 37! For the first time in my life I was actually in school on my birthday which was a bit weird but I managed a quiet birthday tea for one, which was lovely!

Also the flat is being painted this week! It has been empty for two months but the landlady has chosen this week to start painting all rooms!!! I have been told, this is just part of life in Pakistan.

My thoughts and feelings as I come to the end of week one are all positive ones, I am really looking forward to life here, there will be challenges, including the roads, the slow pace at which somethings move, the constant power cuts, but all in all, I like my new home.

So let the adventure begin and lets pray that all the timetables are tyoed up in time for MOnday morning, or else chaos will ensue...