The first part of the week, I was stuck at home and John was stuck at the Embassy. A huge protest was supposed to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday to protest the corruption in Pakistani politics. John took enough clothes for a few days and went to the Embassy so he could be on compound in case there was something his section needed to do.
The protesters ended up being late and not arriving until Monday. They camped out on a main thoroughfare in town and didn’t leave until Thursday. I stayed in the house and worked remotely, with the Australia Open tennis tournament on in the background. On Wednesday, I was allowed to go the Embassy to print some visas – it was nice to finally get out of the house! John and I came home together that evening, and on Thursday we were back to business as usual.
Friday night, John and I hosted a going away party for one of the local staff in our section. The staff arranged for a caterer, so all I had to do was open the door. We used the occasion to inauguate the fire pit, which was a big hit. The house was full and everyone seemed to have a good time. I didn’t take any pictures, but hope to get some to post next week. I stayed up late, sitting around the fire with a couple of guys from my section, just talking. What is is about a fire that’s so inviting and cozy?
Saturday I worked all day, just to get caught up and get some pending items off my desk. After that, we met Howie and Petit at the Serena for Thai food – fun evening!