Three Cups of Tea

Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan), we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first cup you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything - even die. - from the cover of "Three Cups of Tea".

I have just finished reading the most amazing book I have seen for a long time. It tells the story of Greg Mortensen, a retired mountaineer who in 1993 got lost on the way down the glacier from a failed attempt to climb K2. He finds a remote village and his calling - to build schools in the remote mountain areas of Pakistan and later Afghanistan. This book gives you a very unusual perspective on the cultures and customs over there and is really, truly, inspiring. If you have not already read it, you should do so ASAP. It can be found on the internet, for example here. If you prefer reading in German, this is the book you might want to consider buying. Once you are done reading, please pass it on to somebody in order to spread the story.