Never too late

Ok so Chintan, it has taken me quite a long time to come up with my next blogpost; partly to be blamed on my laziness.

But the major reason, as you’re already aware, was the death of a very close uncle (my phuppa) just last week. I fall short of words while expressing what he meant to all of us. Such a gentle, kind, quiet, soft-spoken soul. He barely talked to anyone, but when he did, it was always meaningful. He was an economist and was part of the famous Lahore School of Economics. He had taught the late Benazir Bhutto at Oxford University, as well as many other major political personalities at the Forman Christian College here in Lahore. Anyway, the entire family was shocked at his sudden death even though he had aged but was healthy and well.

Moving on, before this tragedy, I had planned to watch almost all the good movies playing in cinemas: Queen, Gulaab Gang, Shaadi ke Side Effects etc. And guess what, I couldn’t watch any of them and now they’re almost off the cinemas. Too too sad. I really didn’t want to miss Gulaab Gang and after I hear such raving reviews about Queen from everyone, even people who didn’t really watch Bollywood movies, I had made up my mind not to miss it. But who would have known what was in store. Khair, I think ill have to download them all, just like I have eight others that I haven’t been able to watch yet.

I used to watch Comedy Nights with Kapil regularly and couldn’t follow that either; it’s been a month now. But I sure am successfully following Koffee with Karan regularly for some strange reason.

So anyway, in your previous blog you mentioned all the beautiful places you had travelled to in India and some interesting people you met during your travels. It was quite fascinating to know at least someone had seen a lot of his country. Whereas look at me, I have barely seen any city in Pakistan but Lahore just because I live here. I’ve seen Pindi and some of Islamabad but don’t remember the last time I went to its landmarks like Shakarparian, Daman-e-Koh, Pir Sohawa etc. And Karachi it’s been a lifetime; I think I last visited it in the mid 90s. It’s a shame, I know! I’ve also been to some places in the up north but that was also when I was in my teens (and that is quite a long time ago). So you see, I’m such a loser; haven’t even seen my own country properly aur chala hoon doosray mulk ghoomnay. But yes, I do have been to the US, last year, on a month-long journalists exchange programme and I can share that with you briefly.

Daman-e-Koh, Islamabad

The programme was by the InternationalCenter for Journalists in America. I was part of a 13-member group of print journalists from different parts of Pakistan to travel to the US (and I was the youngest among them). As part of the programme, we were all then sent to different cities and states and attached with newspaper organisations there. We were supposed to shadow journalists and just learn and observe how their working was different from ours here, and the difference was massive of course. I wrote an opinion piece during my stay there because coincidently our historic general elections were held while I was there, so I monitored them and shared my opinion with the local Americans because while there I realised a lot of them barely knew about Pakistan. So I found that as an opportunity to tell them about our elections and why they were so significant for Pakistan. I also did a local story about bats for the paper. It was an adventure and an experience of a lifetime, for I was there in an alien country, around alien people, all by myself.

You can read about my experience in detail in this piece I wrote for the newspaper I was attached with there in the US after my return, and they were kind enough to publish it. I also wrote for them about Malala Yousafzai’s historic speech she delivered at the UN General Assembly. So this is my little travel history, nothing compared to your extensive trips across India.

Oh, by the way I didn’t get to watch that video Kirthi shared; you know YouTube issues, even proxies don’t seem to work now. Though I am trying to figure out a way. Did you watch it?

Now that another one of my features got recently published, which you were kind enough to share with the rest of the group, I’m thinking of ideas for the next piece. Want to do an interview now. Oh and hey, I started interacting with some cool people from across the border all thanks to that Facebook group Miss Greatness Kirthi created for us. It’s been a nice couple of conversations so far. Learning about them, the cities they live in, culture practiced there, what they’re doing. The more you know, the more you want to meet them in person. And it was lovely learning about Xavier’s from you the other day. Until now I had only seen it and heard about it in Hindi films. Gosh it sounds exciting and fascinating and from the looks of it, resembles a castle.

Khair chalo, I’ve run out of stuff to talk about. You know me and the time I get to write all of this at. Is time par toh kuch dimagh mein aa jaye yehi bari baat hai. I’m sure you already have your next blog ready considering how efficient you are with words. I shall wait to see what you have in mind now and also what Kirthi Jii has in that ‘curriculum’.

Until next time, Khuda Hafiz!