Rawal Pindi, Pakistan

[Mindy]

Originally Posted by Beestie

I have a couple.
Did you just show up or were your hosts expecting you?
What weapon(s) did you travel with?
What's the food like?
Were you able to converse in English with some or most?
They weren't suspicious of you?
What misimpressions did they have about America?
What "message" (if any) did they want you to carry back to America from their culture?
Safe from who?
What didn't you bring that you wished you had?
Was it business or pleasure?

Hi Beestie,

Until Slang responds to your questions I thought I would respond to your questions.

The food in Pakistan is very spicy .. much of the cooking is done with curry sauce but I aquired a taste for it after my stay in Islamabad. I find myself missing some of the spices (not all, but some) lol I love their rice and beans.

You asked about weapons? Why would you think that anyone would travel to PK with weapons?

The majority of the people that I became aquainted with during my stay who spoke english were professional people. English is mandatory for the school children now in PK. I found that many of the Pakistani's do speak english, but they are very meek and humble people and are too shy to speak english.

You would be amazed at the difference of the news on the media stations in PK compared to what we hear in the US.

I was treated very kindly while I was in PK and I was told by many of the women there that they wished they could have the confident attitude that I had.

If you have money you can live quite comfortably in PK.

I can tell you this much the poverty in PK I found to be overwhelming. Since my return this past Christmas Day 2004, there isn't a night that goes by when I fall asleep that I don't see the sad little eye's of the children begging me for money, not only the children but the Mother's also.

The culture shock was very hard on me to begin with but as time passed I became more relaxed. Not once during my nine month stay in Islamabad and also Rawlapindi did I ever feel threatned or in any type of fear for my life.

The majority of the Pakistani people are very kind.

If you have any other questions I would be happy to answer them.

Best always,

Mindy