Still fine

There was a suicide bombing in Rawalpindi today that killed, I think, 5 people. Really sad. I do, however, want to assure you that I'm fine.

I don't want to minimize what has been happening with these bombings, but for the sake of my worried friends and loved ones, I hope this blog gives a somewhat different "slice of life" here. The stories that make it into the U.S. news tend to fall into a very narrow range of topics, and are often not the most accurate (or at least not the full story). Take, for example, the shining descriptions of Benazir Bhutto in Time, and on CNN & the BBC. She certainly has a large base of popularity and a reputation for having more concern for the poor than some of her peers, but this "glowing and uncorrupted champion of democracy in the face of the evil general" gloss . . . not so much. (The reason she's been in exile all this time is because of corruption charges levied against her--in fairness I don't know if they're true--that were dropped as part of a deal she made with the current president prior to her return.)

And was it Newsweek that proclaimed PK "the most dangerous country in the world" recently? I tend to agree in a geopolitical sense (though what ranking countries that way accomplishes besides selling magazines I'm not sure). BTW, my boss, an American, called the article "less than factual in spots." To be honest I haven't actually read the article, but it's probably fair to say that the geopolitical situation, the nuclear bomb, and the instability here do indeed pose a serious potential threat. I want to emphasize, however, that they don't really pose a threat to me and my personal safety.

Day-to-day life for me here is really very . . . quotidian. I'm enjoying the city and my work, my colleagues are incredibly nice, and pretty much everyone I've met has been unfailingly polite and hospitable. I cannot tell you how many friends, relatives of Roomie's, and total strangers have tried to feed us. It's so kind, and I'm so grateful, but really I feel bad sometimes. Roomie's khala drove all the way across town last night to bring us fried fish and steamed veggies, just to be nice. I commented to the guy who manages our bank accounts about all this hospitality and he said, "Yes, foreigners often notice that and it surprises them. But people here take the view that if you're in our country, you are our guest."

I mention this because quite a few friends from home have mentioned their nervousness, especially when they turn on the news. I can sympathise, and I don't deny that there is certainly plenty to be concerned about in PK, but please be reassured that that's not the whole story by any stretch. People do often ask where I'm from, but it's out of curiosity--usually they follow my response with a story about their cousin in Virginia.

So anyway, that's the update. Hope it provides a little bit of peace of mind.