'I vant to be alone'

For the longest time I thought that one of the most difficult things about being here was the loneliness, but recently I've realised that it's actually the fact that one can never be alone. Short of closing myself in my bedroom with the curtains drawn shut, which leaves me feeling like a morose teenager, I'm always surrounded by people. At work I share my office with 2 Afghan men and often a smelly aray of day labourers who have to come in and put their fingerprints on forms. They are so aghast at my naked face that they simply stand and STARE. All efforts at friendly salaams are met with the same stony looks. At home there are always 2 guards who are paid to watch, though I often hate them for it. Also a cleaning lady who spends more time gaping at me than cleaning, this after nine months. Male Cooks who find it odd that I'm a woman yet not cooking, so lots of wry smiles. Plus the male expats who live there too of course. And when I leave the compound hordes of passersby open mouthed, sometimes yelling, waving, always staring.
So for the first time in my life I actually do feel sorry for those famous people who whinge about being in the public eye 24/7, but only a little bit sorry. Because after all they can afford to buy a deserted island.
The picture is of the odd persimmon shaped peaches we eat here. Delicious.