Home schooling and playing cricket
I spent my weekdays home schooling the kids of a wonderful American family. The kids were well-behaved (usually!) but the hardest part was teaching people of such different ages. I can completely sympathise with any teachers out there… and they have about 30 kids!!!
In the evening I often spent time with the staff kids – we lived by a boys hostel so there are 3-4 staff families and the hostel kids. So I played cricket with them or some other game of something which was good fun. You have to remember that, although there are only 3-4 staff families, it’s Pakistan so that does not mean 2.4 kids in each house. It means 5-6 kids in each house, with maybe a grandmother! 
Learning the Language
I learnt Urdu (the national language). There are loads of languages but most will understand Urdu. I spent many hours every week with the staff and hostel kids speaking Urdu, although some liked to practice their English with me! I also had 2 hours of lessons a week.
Clothing
I love the clothing they wear particularly the village people. The village girls wear these cool skirts ankle length, flowing and big, bright colours. They have a subari (shawl-type thing) which is
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always covering their heads. When they dance it looks amazing! The men all wear the same old shilwar-kamice clothing varying in colour. I wore these, very comfortable, I love them! I bought one suit and four tailored ones, which cost around £7 for the material and to be made, so quite cheap!!
Starving to death
A young girl Sonia (16), who had been ill with cancer of the stomach for over a year, died in front of me. I had been going to visit her regularly. She was certainly very ill. She pretty much starved to death – she looked like a skeleton. When we were told she had gone unconscious, we quickly walked round to her house. She died 5-10 minutes later.
The women instantly began weeping and wailing and most of us men were hugging each other and crying. It was a sad time, she was buried later that day, yet it was also a time of joy… she is out of the incredible pain she had been in for so long and is with her Saviour now!
I wish it could have been for longer... I hope to go again sometime in the not too distant future, at very least for a visit.
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