So here I sit 8 Feb 06…4 months to the day since the earthquake hit Pakistan. there have been countless aftershocks—they said we had a 5.7 a couple nights ago..I didn’t feel a thing. the mountains here are AMAZING….surreal..ridge line after ridgeline floating in the distance with snow-covered peaks looking like castles in the clouds. I think to myself now I have something for which to give me meaning to the word majestic. The Himalayans are what I gaze at and they are breathtaking and awe inspiring….I cherish the breaks of my daily cycle between my house and my office (they sit across the street from each other) and the other team house where meals are served) that take me along the roads of mansehra where the mountainous view is everywhere.

The look and feel is actually much like Sudan was-same low level of education, technology and skills. Same challenge to sort what the truth really is. The people of this land, however, are much friendlier and harder working. Like Sudan, the people are strong in their Islamic customs, except that there were many educated and business owning women in Sudan. Here, I have yet to see or meet a single woman shop owner or business woman. They remain covered up and quite shy. They wear scarves on their heads and cover their mouth and nose with the scarf…they also have this thing about covering your midsection-even the men where these long shirts that come down to the knee almost. I’ve taken to calling these clearly very important extra layers my butt clothes. the cool thing is there are sooo many amazing fabrics and wraps—the garments are really gorgeous!! It costs me a whole 5 to 10 bucks for any of hundreds of gorgeous wraps and another 2 dollars to have someone custom make it into a butt-shirt for me. Pretty fabulous huh?