With the average daily high in June at 103 degrees Fahrenheit, staying cool during frequent power outages takes some creativity. Living in Lahore, Pakistan from January 2006 to June 2009 has allowed me to experience and learn to cope with the country’s dramatically increasing energy crisis firsthand. First Year in Pakistan: 2006 In the, Read More
In addition to plucking up radishes from the ground. I have to say that three years in Lahore has taught me a great deal that I wouldn’t have learned staying in America. Most of these things have caused a fair deal of frustration in my life, but I believe that learning them has prepared, Read More
Pakistan, the “10th most failed state” of 2010 according to Foreign Policy. Doesn’t look like hell to me. This week a photo essay based on the ‘Failed States Index’ really got me riled up. Basically, Foreign Policy took one terrible/chaotic/scary photo from each of the 60 countries to make a photo essay called “Postcards, Read More
My landlady Nasreen’s Sindhi Biryani Recipe went over well, so here’s the next one in the series: a simple vinegar roast. In Pakistan and North India this dish may be called “roast” or “broast.” It is commonly found at local fast food restaurants. English speakers may be surprised, but the dish is actually fried, Read More
The following are some of my favorite books about Pakistan. 1. The Dancing Girls of Lahore by Louise Brown An excellent first-hand account of life in Lahore’s red light district. British author and professor Louise Brown tells the story of Maha, the dancing girl, and her family. Since dancing girls are scorned by the, Read More
With temperatures hitting 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49 C) and at least eight hours of power cuts daily, it can be difficult to deal with the heat in Lahore. Here are some practical suggestions to stay cool when it’s scorching hot and there’s no electricity. Go Window Shopping Who says you need to buy anything, Read More
The traditional Pakistani outfit is made up of two parts. The shirts, ‘kameez’, are long and loose fitting with two slits on the sides. The slits should be even with the waist or hips, and should not allow any skin to be shown. The pants are called ‘shalwar’ and look like what many of, Read More
Within minutes I’m surrounded by local women from the village. Usually I can hold my own in Urdu conversation, but many of these women speak Burushaski, a language that is unrelated to any other language in Pakistan. Linguists class it as a ‘language isolate,’ and there are estimated to be some 87,000 speakers living, Read More
(Feature Photo by D Sharon Pruitt) Several travelers have asked me about the availability of over the counter and prescription drugs in Pakistan. Pharmacies are easy to find in urban areas, and both over the counter and prescription medications are available without a doctor’s prescription. A visit to the pharmacy is quick; there is, Read More