Treats for sale in the market 

A Review of my Blog

As the end of my mission approaches so does my blog site’s planned retirement. However, in trying to spread the gospel I have recently recruited a new expat into the world of blogging. Unable to view my blog because of government censorship, I have sent her a few of my stories in order to provide her with an indication of how low the bar can be set. This resulted in the following exchange:

The Review:

I presume this is your first review of your literary contribution to the world, so enjoy.

Ian's Blog: A Review

The much anticipated review of permitted snippets of Ian's Blog revealed a surprisingly entertaining work of literary genius from a chartered accountant. Adair's writing skillfully transports the reader to vivid perceptions of his exotic travels to the fascinating harshness of wild Pakistan, the deep spirituality of India, and the highly progressive civilizations of Oyama.

If Pakistani readers could actually access the blog without the web restrictions in this country, Adair would certainly have this reviewer as a regular reader, further expanding his established international blog cult status.

The literary world looks forward to these small glimpses of his remarkable though slightly odd thoughts.

- Project Doctor

My Rebuttal:

Dear Project Doctor,

I am both amazed and humbled by your kind review of my blog. It was with some trepidation that I sent you my stories as I feared that the focal point of your comments would be my need of an immediate mental health assessment. Therefore, your glowing words were much appreciated and have left me in a state of slightly embarrassed glee.

It should be noted that your writing was literature in its own right and I feel that it too should be shared with the world. Therefore, your review will be featured in my next blog story. Don't worry, there will be no identity disclosure and sadly (for my audience) I don't have a digital photo of you to post. I think my readers (i.e. Mom and Dad) will get a kick out of it and it saves me the challenge this week of writing something original.

- The Blogger

Cholera intervention in Kashmir coming to a close

The following update was reported this week by MSF as part of its regular email update, Over and Out:

The MSF-Holland response to the cholera outbreak in Kashmir, Pakistan that started at the end of July is about to come to an end. The cholera treatment centre (CTC), set up on the Muzafarrabad hospital grounds, has been handed over to Merlin, a British relief agency that is also active in Pakistani administered Kashmir. The cholera treatment unit (CTU) of the Hattian hospital will now be integrated in the regular hospital activities.

On July 28th patients started arriving at the MSF hospital in Hattian and mid August, the first patients with similar symptoms were admitted in the MSF hospital in Muzafarrabad. In all locations, an isolation ward was quickly established within the hospital structure, before being moved to a specialized treatment unit or centre on the hospital grounds. In total, 731 people were treated. One person died.

Current (MSF) activities in the earthquake region are now limited to water and sanitation activities in two displacement camps around Muzafarrabad, that are to be connected to the public water system. In Hattian, an MSF-Holland team is running a paediatric ward; this ward will be handed over to the Ministry of Health by November.

Looking for a new car? 

Things I'm thinking about

With a bit more than 3 weeks remaining in my stay in Pakistan my work “To-Do” list is becoming shorter, but more pressing. Besides the regular day-to-day activities the major items remaining on my radar include:

· Completing the government pension registration process,
· Finalizing the employee death and disability insurance agreement,
· Preparing the BC Hydro hockey pool selection list (top priority!),
· Concluding the September month-end accounting,
· Preparing first draft budget for 2007,
· Preparing the hand-over documentation for my replacement,
· Trying not to further piss-off my staff.

In addition to worrying about ensuring a clean transition, my thoughts are starting to turn more towards what my life will be like after Pakistan. As my return to Canada approaches, there are many questions floating around in my head:

· Where will I live?
· Who should I select in my hockey pool?
· When will I return to work and what will my job be?
· Will I remember how to cook and clean after having my needs attended to while working with MSF? [Of course, there are those who would suggest that I didn’t know these activities before]
· How long will it take for me to return to a reasonable level of fitness?
· Who will play wing with the Sedin twins on the Canucks?
· What sort of car should I purchase? Or will Colin give me back my 1988 Fox when he’s ready to buy a real car?
· What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow (African or European)?
[Monty Python fans will understand].
· What will be my next mid-life crisis? Or have I used them all up? I sure hope not!

MSF expats Yvon from Holland and Sue from Scotland 

Female Dress Code

PAKISTAN: United Nations mindful of local customs in quake-affected region

MUZAFFARABAD, 18 Sep 2006 (IRIN) - The United Nations (UN) in northern Pakistan remains mindful of local customs and traditions following criticism by some religious clerics in the quake-affected region that some members of the humanitarian community had not been observing appropriate behaviour and dress codes in their employment of women.

Earlier last month, Muslim clerics reportedly told aid agencies to fire all local female employees or face violent reprisals, following what they described as “obscene” activities on the part of NGOs working in the area.

“We have told the administration [district officials] that we won’t allow NGOs to exploit our women and asked them to give a date suitable for the removal of all female workers,” Syed Atta Ullah Shah of the Bagh central mosque in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, reportedly said at the time. “They hire beautiful girls and take them to Islamabad for enjoyment,” Shah claimed, adding that women were being kept in the offices as decoration pieces as they knew that women had no work and that there was no such work that a man could not do.

We have constituted a coordination committee that will issue guidelines to the NGOs about dress codes, the local culture and values,” Sardar Yousuf, the district mayor of Mansehra, told Reuters at the time. The coordination committee was comprised of clerics, army officers, local officials and NGO representatives, the report said.

Female aid workers in the area told IRIN that like many Islamic countries, women in Pakistan were expected to cover their arms and legs with loose clothing, as well as cover their hair.

Nurse Paddy from England with 2 visitors at the the Cholera Treatment Centre 

Zohaib and Shahid Khattak from our Logistics team. 

Begench, our temporary Logistics Coordinator from Turkmenistan, at Faisal Mosque in Islamabad 

Farewell My Kashmir

At the peak of the emergency response in Kashmir MSF Holland had operations out of four locations (Muzaffarabad, Hattian, Lamnian and Leepa), employing over 50 expats and three hundred national staff. Since the end of winter MSF has been gradually winding-down its operations. We said farewell to Lamnian in June and Leepa in July and by early October anticipate that there will be only five expats and less than a hundred national staff remaining. The plan is that by the end of the year we will have exited the region entirely.

There is still a lot of work to do in Kashmir, both in terms of rebuilding the homes destroyed by the earthquake and in providing support to the approximately 30,000 people still living in tents. Fortunately, there are other NGOs and agencies that specialize in this type of work, allowing MSF to hand-over its responsibilities. Such is the project lifecycle for MSF.

Leaving these locations is a bittersweet process. It’s most difficult for the national staff, as they have worked hard, learned a lot from being part of an international team, and become accustomed to earning above average local salaries. Finding comparable employment elsewhere is unlikely, although some do land positions with other NGOs, thanks in part to their recent work experience. For the rest, although they knew from the beginning that the job wouldn’t last forever, its understandable the sadness they feel as our planned departure approaches. The expats have the challenge of trying to ensure an efficient transition, while dealing with the disappointment of both the national staff and the people we have been providing services to.

Last week I spent three days in Muzaffarabad, which was likely my last time in Kashmir. The office, once crowded and alive with frantic activity is now oddly quiet. The place is filled with the memories of those who have long since departed. Some of their photographs are still tacked to the wall, but their faces and names are known only to the few national staff remaining from the emergency phase and to me.

On my return journey to Islamabad I stretched-out in the back of the ambulance and listened to some tunes on my IPod. I gazed out the rear window at the passing scenery - the Jhelum River and the green mountains towering above - and soaked in my last memories of Kashmir.

With Haroon, our Muzaffarabad Finance Administrator, who returned to work this week with both his right arm and leg in a cast, following an August motorcycle accident. While still in the hospital he was asking for work to be brought to him. 

A Day in the Newspapers

Changes to Pakistan Rape Reform

Pakistan's government says it will present a bill in parliament on Wednesday to reform laws on rape. Under the current law, rape victims face prosecution for adultery, unless they produce four male witnesses.

BBC News, September 12, 2006


Father kills daughter, her paramour

Gujranwala: A man along with his son shot dead his daughter and her paramour… According to details, Asif, father of two children, had developed illicit relations with his 20-year-old cousin who also eloped with him sometime back and began to live with him… Elders intervened into the matter and sent the girl to her parents, but she again left her house and went to Asif. Her mother also reached there and gave her a good thrashing. In the meantime, her father and brother also reached there and opened fire on them. Both died on the spot. Police have sent the bodies to the mortuary for an autopsy and are investigating.

The News International, September 12, 2006

A Pakistani mode of commercial transport 

Quissa Khwani Bazaar in Peshawar 

Pit Stop in Peshawar

I have just returned to Islamabad from a three-day visit to our office in Peshawar. I didn’t actually see any MSF activities, patients or anything like that as the project that they run is located in Alizai, a 5-hour drive away. National staff located at the hospital takes care of the day-to-day operations and the expats manage remotely from Peshawar, making extended visits when government officials permit. So instead of going to Alizai I got to stay in the office and work on the financial forecasts, amongst other things. Such is my fun and exciting world in humanitarian aid.

The expats I visited with were Justin, the Canadian project coordinator, and two young doctors, Dorit from Germany and Jackie from Australia. Dorit had previously been based in Peshawar but was relocated to Kashmir when the cholera outbreak hit. She loves to laugh and as a result people can’t believe she’s really a German. Jackie is also quite entertaining and is a Lucy Lui look-alike, although I acknowledge that this perception may be influenced by my having lived in Pakistan for close to a year.

Peshawar is a pretty interesting place. It is the capital of the North West Frontier Province and for centuries has been a centre for trade, being close to the Khyber Pass leading into Afghanistan. We wandered through the Qissa Khwani Bazaar in the old city centre, trying not to get lost in the narrow, winding lanes and trying not to get trampled by horse-drawn carriages in the wider lanes. People were quite friendly towards us, although we were clearly a bit of a freak show.

Tomorrow morning Dorit and I leave Islamabad for Muzaffarabad in Kashmir. A few more days of financial forecasting and I will be able to meet my last major MSF reporting deadline. It’s great to develop future cost estimates when you know you won’t actually be around if they prove to be wrong. Such is my fun and exciting world in humanitarian aid.

The Taj Mahal at Agra, India 

A Hindu temple at Rishikesh 

View from the hill station town of Mussoorie 

The Red Fort in Delhi 

An Introduction to India

I returned to Islamabad a few days ago and I’m already thinking about my next holiday. The following are an assortment of experiences and observations from my one-week visit to India:

· The small portion of India that I saw was a frantic array of people, colours, sounds, smells, animals, wealth, poverty, tradition and western influence. Compared to Pakistan this place seemed down-right normal.

· Although the total flying time from Islamabad to Delhi is only two-hours, a lengthy layover at Lahore made for a long travel day. While hanging-out at the Allama Iqbal International Airport I noted that international departures were leaving that day for Delhi (India), Dubai (UAE), the Kingdom of Bahrain, Tehran (Iran), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Singapore and Glasgow.

· I was very impressed with both the Red Fort in Delhi and the Agra Fort. However, having now seem these two in addition to the Lahore Fort I think its safe to say that I don’t need to see any more forts for a while.

· After a hot day of touring around Delhi, Parveen, my first driver, thought I should visit at least one gift shop. We debated this for quite some time as I explained that I am a total non-shopper. Finally I agreed to take a look, but told him not to venture too far from the car as I might only stay for five minutes. I lasted for three.

· I sought refuge at a McDonald’s in Old Delhi for lunch. I was dumfounded to discover that they did not serve Big Macs or any other beef burgers. I contemplated this mystery while munching on a Filet-o-Fish and watched a cow outside meander through traffic.

· At an altitude of 2,000 metres, the hill station town of Mussoorie was literally cool. For the first time in months I was able to sleep without an air-conditioner, fan, or great discomfort. Most of my time there was spent in the clouds, which was fine with me.

· Parveen advised me that by washing myself in the Ganges River at Haridwar I would rinse away memories of past mistakes. I contemplated spending an extra day there.

· Rishikesh is apparently a major centre for yoga and meditation and is picturesquely located in the mountains on the Ganges River. I saw a lot of young western hippie types riding on motorbikes or looking bored at restaurants. I didn’t actually see anyone meditating.

· The Taj Mahal was very nice, but to me it wasn’t as awe inspiring as the Pyramids in Egypt, the Vatican in Rome, the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, or the Forum in Montreal.

Pilgrims at the Ganges River at Haridwar 

Leaf-made flower baskets set alight and placed in the Ganges River 

Offerings for sale to pilgrims 

The Haridwar Pilgrimage versus The Oyama Beerfest

Since 1980, most of my Labour Day weekends have been spent in the Okanagan at Craig and Julie’s place in Oyama. The event quickly became known as the Oyama Beer Festival for reasons I fail to recall. During its hey-day there would be up to 40-people in attendance. In recent years it has been simply a good excuse for me to make another visit. Over the years I have missed only five Beerfests, all due to the fact I have been out of the country.

This year’s Labour Day weekend coincided with my trip to India. I spent part of my time in Uttarakhand, the Land of the North, including the pilgrimage centre of Haridwar. You would be hard-pressed to find a place more different than Oyama, but in my warped little way I was still able to develop some comparisons.

Location:
1) Haridwar – Is situated where the Ganges River emerges from the Himalayas and enters the Indian plains.
2) Oyama – Craig tells me that it is situated in the Centre of the Universe.

Meaning of Name:
1) Haridwar – Means “Gateway to the Gods.”
2) Oyama – To me, means “Gateway to the Fridge.”

Festivals:
1) Haridwar – Each evening at sunset Hindu priests perform the Ganga Aarti, or river worship ceremony.
2) Oyama – Activities include beer tasting, picking hockey pool teams and telling the same old stories year after year after year. Also known for Craig’s worship of centre Peter Nedved.

Cleansing Benefit:
1) Haridwar – Pilgrims bathe in the river, as it is believed that the powerful currents can effectively wash away sins. A footprint of Vishnu left in a stone endorses this.
2) Oyama – Beerfest excels at washing away one’s memory of pretty much anything that happened the night before, sins included. This is confirmed by the feeling of a footprint on your brain.

Lightshow:
1) Haridwar – Small leaf baskets filled with flowers are set alight and sent drifting down the Ganges.
2) Oyama – During my friends’ reckless youth anything involving lighter fluid would have undoubtedly resulted in much larger flames.

People:
1) Haridwar – Hindu pilgrims travel from across the land, some dressed in a manner that is beyond description.
2) Oyama – Have you ever seen Murray in a speedo? Honourable mention goes to Craig’s tragic collection of shirts.

Eating and Drinking:
1) Haridwar – As a holy place, alcohol and meat are strictly prohibited and their consumption is a prosecutable offence.
2) Oyama – Will never be a Hindu holy place.

I had a memorable time in Haridwar and it was interesting to visit the religious sites and observe the river worship ceremony. However, I figure if you’ve seen one river worship ceremony you’ve seen them all. Therefore, hopefully next year my pilgrimage will once again be to the Centre of the Universe.