The first time that I heard somebody talk about his trip to Pakistan has been quite a while ago. Since that time much has happened and Pakistan has experienced a whole lot of political and social challenges and is actually still doing so.
At that time a friend from school had just come back from a trip to India. Instead of staying a couple of months in India he ended up spending a whole year there. When his visa finally expired he switched to neighbouring Pakistan for a renewal. He had planned only on a short term trip of two weeks or so. He didn’t quite expect a country of such beauty: The mountains of the Karakorum Range, lush green valleys and riverbeds and after all he experienced hospitality that can only astonish a Central European. The people that offered chai (tea) and food expressed the desire that this foreigner may only take the best impressions back to his home country and to share them with everybody. And that was exactly what Benny did.
The first two weeks have passed and I cannot quite connect them to earlier travellings. That might be because I am not travelling. I am working here. I have to point out that this is none of the usual travel diaries i was sharing with you over the last years. My posting is Islamabad. My employer is Malteser International, the relief organisation of the Order of Malta. I could say that it was the monsoon floods that brought me here. This traineeship I am doing is supposed to be split in two sections of six months. The first half I was based at headquarters in Cologne, Germany. The second half I got send to a project country, in this case Pakistan. The apprenticeship I once made was in a hotel. Later I studied political science. Working with an INGO that runs relief and early recovery projects I can so far only contribute in the administration. If I was a medical doctor, an engineer or an architect I could be engaged in the work in the field and that way contribute directly to the well-being of the so called beneficiaries. If I want to do so, I have to specialize in one of the different parts that compose a project or a country programme. Specializing is a process that has just begun.
In spite of all security concerns I am hoping that during the next six months I will be able to have the same experiences that my friend Benny made.
Till next time and Merry Christmas for all of you!
