Sunday 13 September 2009

The Phone Call

After deciding this summer to work for MSF and having successfully passed the training, I spent August waiting for them to call me back and tell me which mission I was to be assigned to.

Then it came. Pakistan. 12 months. The role of Financial Coordinator. "That is great", I replied upon learning the news.

I thought about what I genuinely know about Pakistan...Not very much apparently:
1) They have a strong cricket team.
2) There are small pockets of London surburbs that are considered as detached states of Pakistan.
3) It lies next to India - a country I know and love, thanks to frontiers carved out in 1947 after the wrath of the British. The country also borders Afghanistan for that matter.
4) Oh yes, did I forget to mention? There is a long history of Taliban and sectarian conflict in Pakistan, especially since the 'war on terror', plus it is thought that Osama is hiding there.

"Actually it is not so great" she said. "Are you familar with the security context over there?". I gulped as she proceeded to tell me the risks. Later on, once I had made up my mind to go, I comforted myself with one other thing I knew about Pakistan. At least the food would be good even if it isn't that safe.

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