char, paanch, chae, saat, aath, no, dus, or 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.
Urdu lessons are going well and I am starting to learn some of the grammar and vocabulary necessary to gain a understanding of the language. I am practicing on the staff at school and they are impressed with the efforts that I am making.
I have also been dinner with the Bavingtons, to celebrate the fact that for the first time in 22 years, Dan, and his brother and sister were together in Pakistan. They were all born here and did part of their growing up here and then in the UK. dan returned here on Boxing Day 1960 and his brother remained in the Uk and his sister finally moved to New Zealand. They were together for the rededication of the renovated chapel at their old school up in Murree. The college is now a Muslim college, but the Principal wanted the chapel renovated and dedicated as a Christian place of worship. Dan is a structural engineer and his company was responsible for the work and he was then involved in the service of dedication.
Rehearsals for 'An Inspector Calls' continue a pace and the first Act is coming together. We have set the performance dates for the first weekend in March which seems ages away at the moment, but will be here before you know it.
The situation here continues to be calm and lets hope that Mr Sharif's return doesn't make this worse. There have been some terrorist attacks up in the north on military targets. The elections are set for 8th January and so far all is on course, it remains to be seen what the President will do about the state of emergency.
Last night the Warden and Deputy Wardens were invited to the British Deputy High Commission, for a State of the Nation talk from the Deputy High Commissioner. He didn't tell us anything that we didn't know before and just reassured that if the worst happens and we have to be got out of here in an emergency then there is a plan and tickets will be on sale (and I do mean that literally, the dear old British Government will charge us for getting us out) and they will get us out of Pakistan and then its our responsiblity to get ourselves back to the UK. I doubt very very much that it will every get to that, as I will have left the country long before that. I am not in the slightest bit worried that the situation will get that bad, its just nice to know the British Government have our backs, even if there is a price tag attached!
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5 comments:
Would Dan Bavington's brother be a GP in Bradford? If so, Hazel's met him, and we've both met his wife.
What do you call a Punjabi with 1 hair?
Answer: Iqbal
So right, only our government would expect you to buy your ticket home in an emergency, just hope it never comes to that and you can continue to really enjoy your time there as you so obviously have to date.
Very impressed with your linguistic skills, perhaps we should ask you to make a speech at the wedding, mind you you could say anything you wanted then and none of us would have the foggiest idea of what it meant.
Dan's brother is retired, but I think their son Alistair is either a GP or a Vicar?!?!
Ah yes, Alistair it is .....
Really enjoying you blog posts. Very very perceptive comments.
Another friend tells me that inflation has been rampant in Pakistan, and that people are struggling as a result. Is that true?
There is some inflation in food and fuel prices but I won't say that it was rampant. BUt to be fair I probably wouldn't notice unless it was running at a very high rate, as I am being paid in sterling and extremely well compared to locals
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