It's been three weeks now, and I'm still loving Pakistan, warts and all. It's 2am, and I'm not in the right frame of mind to write a long, rambling post, but I thought I'd jot down some observations from the past few weeks.
- There are people who are outraged by what is happening in this country. There are those who are not happy, but accept the situation. Then there are those who are numb, who are indifferent to what is happening around them. I find this array of attitudes difficult to deal with.
- Many people shy away from talking about the state of emergency and politics. Yet, some of the most amazing conversations I have had here have revolved around the emergency and the political situation. I crave to understand how Pakistan arrived at this situation, and why people feel the way they do.
- It's incredibly easy to label actions as black and white, but the reality is closer to grey…
- I have had incredible conversations about the role of women in Islam, which has opened my eyes.
- I miss the hugs of my friends back home. Personal contact is not common here, and I miss the warmth a simple hug conveys.
- The more I travel, the more I find myself acting like a chameleon. I tend to integrate quite easily, losing myself in the culture and forgetting about those back home. I'm not sure if this is good or bad.
- We eat. A lot. Most activities revolve around food, which keeps me happy!
- We lose power in the apartment ("MC mansion") every few days, and the water has run out a few times, but you get used to it.
- I feel quite sheltered. I live in a posh area of Karachi (Zamzama) and can afford to buy nice food. I am surrounded by people from all corners of the globe, who are open and welcoming. I also live with locals who can speak Urdu. The summation of this is that I haven't had to push myself to meet new people, to speak to locals and learn the language, which is different to my previous experiences in travelling. I'm looking forward to my trip to India for that reason - pushing my own boundaries.
Some snapshots of the past week:
hey bro, hope all is well and life is still kicking, I am enjoying reading your posts and photos. cheers, W
Hi Jermy,
Its wonderful to hear your thoughts about Pakistan. I am a Pakistani but i joined AIESEC during my undergraduate in National University of Singapore. And i know Zafirah very well (her picture over here is wonderful).
During your stay in Pakistan, try to creat as many “positive agents” as possible (Using the AIESEC terminology). You will not be staying in Karachi for a long time period, but the difference you make in local AIESECers would have a very great impact, because they will change the people with whom they interact with daily (family, friend, relatives).
I hope you enjoy your time there, do travel to himalayas, the place is beautiful and stop over at Lahore for the best of the best food in whole of subcontinent.
Hi Fatima,
Thanks for your kind words! Insha’Allah I will have a chance to come back to Karachi in the near future. I’ve had a chance to do LC visits now in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, and it has been amazing. There is so much potential and passion in the people here, and I sincerely hope I can contribute to their development (and in turn, my development), in some small way.
I’m actually in Lahore at the moment, soaking up the atmosphere. It’s a great place, with lots of yummy food!
Hi Jeremy,
I am surprise to see a westerner like yourself living in Pakistan. I am very interested in knowing more about your experience in terms of daily life etc. I am a Canadian of Pakistani origin currently doing an MBA from the University of Liverpool. I am planning to move to Pakistan by the end of the year but my intention to move is always dented with poor security situation and lack of running electricity. I have been getting a good response from different institutions in Pakistan but I am most certainly interested in hearing back from you.
Kindly use my e-mail to respond,
Regards, Sheeraz