Saturday, September 12, 2009
Studio 051 - recorded a song!
I recorded a song with Farhan Khan and Adil Omar in Studio 051 - Music producer Asad Kamal. Twas a wonderful experience. Will post the song when it's finished and I get my hands on it.
Change In Plans
Hello readers!
I know I didn't post on this blog as often as I said I would...but alas, that's just how things worked out. I recently found out that my trip will be cut short because my father may be leaving the states for work so I wanted to come back and spend time and especially EID with my family. Also, I finished my internship with Rah-E-Amal (YES!) and instead of taking on a job in Pakistan...I figured I'd come back to Virginia and find a job that pays in US dollars! :)
The funny thing is that just when I started getting used to Pakistan and the lifestyle here, it's time for me to come back and readjust myself again. The first month or so here was very difficult as I was a) not used to living with family and b) not having my own car and c) I didn't have my parents, siblings, or friends with me and so on and so forth... But, truth be told - I have learned a lot from this almost four month experience and I really do think it has broadened my mentality and allowed me to appreciate the little things in life because I have seen the disparity between the social groups in this country and it is really mind boggling.
I'll put up more pictures to show you some of the people I met and some of the things I've seen. I guess it's easier to show things via pictures then me just writing about it. Oh! I also had my picture in the news paper. I was invited to dinner at the Argentinian Ambassadors house and there was a write-up about it in The International News so I'll post up that also :)
Well, I'm leaving on Tuesday for Dubai... so I should be back in Va on either Wednesday or Thursday - Just in time for all the Eid and Chaand Raat (night before Eid) functions :)
Take care! And I look forward to seeing you guys soon!
Lots of love!
I know I didn't post on this blog as often as I said I would...but alas, that's just how things worked out. I recently found out that my trip will be cut short because my father may be leaving the states for work so I wanted to come back and spend time and especially EID with my family. Also, I finished my internship with Rah-E-Amal (YES!) and instead of taking on a job in Pakistan...I figured I'd come back to Virginia and find a job that pays in US dollars! :)
The funny thing is that just when I started getting used to Pakistan and the lifestyle here, it's time for me to come back and readjust myself again. The first month or so here was very difficult as I was a) not used to living with family and b) not having my own car and c) I didn't have my parents, siblings, or friends with me and so on and so forth... But, truth be told - I have learned a lot from this almost four month experience and I really do think it has broadened my mentality and allowed me to appreciate the little things in life because I have seen the disparity between the social groups in this country and it is really mind boggling.
I'll put up more pictures to show you some of the people I met and some of the things I've seen. I guess it's easier to show things via pictures then me just writing about it. Oh! I also had my picture in the news paper. I was invited to dinner at the Argentinian Ambassadors house and there was a write-up about it in The International News so I'll post up that also :)
Well, I'm leaving on Tuesday for Dubai... so I should be back in Va on either Wednesday or Thursday - Just in time for all the Eid and Chaand Raat (night before Eid) functions :)
Take care! And I look forward to seeing you guys soon!
Lots of love!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Rah-E-Amal
Rah-E-Amal school is a project of Rah-E-Amal Welfare Trust founded in 1998. It is providing education with major emphasis on character building. The school exclusively carers to the needs of severely deprived children. It provides totally free education including text book, note books, school supplies and consumables and also provides food ration to the needy students. This encourages the parents to let the kids get an education and not employ them at menial jobs to make their ends meets. The school is funded through continued community donations and Rotary Club of Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
I went to the Rah-E-Amal school to spend time with the children and donated juice boxes to all of the kids. Rah-E-Amal currently is home to almost 200 children.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Harry Potter and the magical tunes of Pakistani pop!
Scroll down and read the whole thing, I promise it's quite interesting :)
http://jang.com.pk/thenews/aug2009-weekly/nos-02-08-2009/instep/mainissue.htm
http://jang.com.pk/thenews/aug2009-weekly/nos-02-08-2009/instep/mainissue.htm
People Are Talking About
People are talking about —
Sunday, August 02, 2009
— the fact that the younger son of the Punjab chief minister has been permitted to import Siberian tigers in violation of a law that forbids their import and how it has caused resentment in others who want to do the same, but are not allowed. People say it appears that the PML-N is ruling the roost in the province without bothering about what others think, the recent misdemeanours by its legislators and now this breach of law being proof of their attitude.
— the beating up of a member of the police force and journalists by some lawyers and how it shows a lack of discipline and patience from a community that should be setting a good example instead of a bad one. People say the call by the chief justice that the judiciary must set its own house in order should apply to the lawyer’s community as well and all bar associations should strictly enforce a code of behaviour for their members.
— the rumour that another deal is being brokered between the government and someone who is known to have challenged its writ and is described, as a terrorist both inside and out of the country. People say this rumour has agitated many of those who have suffered at the hands of this so called keeper of our conscience and his band of like-minded followers, so if there is no substance in it the concerned persons should refute it strongly.
— the shocking disclosure that the ‘khatib’ of the mosque that was the centre of international attention a few years ago was the brain behind the killing of a foreign geologist and how he motivated a former legislator to carry out his warped plan. People say it is men of this prehistoric mindset who have brought a bad name to the country and our faith and they should be punished in the same manner in which they treated their victims.
— the curious case of a charity organisation ‘ameer’ and how his release surprised many while the withdrawal of a petition against his release by the provincial government is even more of a surprise, causing the rumour mill to churn out hair raising speculations about al-Qaeda connections. People say the fact that the government has not declared it a terrorist organisation despite its being termed one by most of the international community, speaks volumes for the mindset of our political entities.
— the fact that the ruling party is not paying attention to public complaints about why the party flag is still flying on the electricity poles throughout the capital and the manner in which party spokespersons defend their stance. People say the flags were put up on BB’s birth anniversary, but they are now being viewed almost, as an act of defiance and they wonder if any other political party would be allowed to do the same on their leader’s special day.
— the many kinds of flags that are now available in the market as independence day draws near and how the national flag is disfigured with verses; drawings and other strange additions. People say all countries celebrate their national day, but nowhere is the national flag disfigured in this manner and the authorities should take notice of the fact and not allow what can be termed, as desecration of the green and white banner and the public should be educated on this score.
— By: Ishrat Hyatt
Sunday, August 02, 2009
— the fact that the younger son of the Punjab chief minister has been permitted to import Siberian tigers in violation of a law that forbids their import and how it has caused resentment in others who want to do the same, but are not allowed. People say it appears that the PML-N is ruling the roost in the province without bothering about what others think, the recent misdemeanours by its legislators and now this breach of law being proof of their attitude.
— the beating up of a member of the police force and journalists by some lawyers and how it shows a lack of discipline and patience from a community that should be setting a good example instead of a bad one. People say the call by the chief justice that the judiciary must set its own house in order should apply to the lawyer’s community as well and all bar associations should strictly enforce a code of behaviour for their members.
— the rumour that another deal is being brokered between the government and someone who is known to have challenged its writ and is described, as a terrorist both inside and out of the country. People say this rumour has agitated many of those who have suffered at the hands of this so called keeper of our conscience and his band of like-minded followers, so if there is no substance in it the concerned persons should refute it strongly.
— the shocking disclosure that the ‘khatib’ of the mosque that was the centre of international attention a few years ago was the brain behind the killing of a foreign geologist and how he motivated a former legislator to carry out his warped plan. People say it is men of this prehistoric mindset who have brought a bad name to the country and our faith and they should be punished in the same manner in which they treated their victims.
— the curious case of a charity organisation ‘ameer’ and how his release surprised many while the withdrawal of a petition against his release by the provincial government is even more of a surprise, causing the rumour mill to churn out hair raising speculations about al-Qaeda connections. People say the fact that the government has not declared it a terrorist organisation despite its being termed one by most of the international community, speaks volumes for the mindset of our political entities.
— the fact that the ruling party is not paying attention to public complaints about why the party flag is still flying on the electricity poles throughout the capital and the manner in which party spokespersons defend their stance. People say the flags were put up on BB’s birth anniversary, but they are now being viewed almost, as an act of defiance and they wonder if any other political party would be allowed to do the same on their leader’s special day.
— the many kinds of flags that are now available in the market as independence day draws near and how the national flag is disfigured with verses; drawings and other strange additions. People say all countries celebrate their national day, but nowhere is the national flag disfigured in this manner and the authorities should take notice of the fact and not allow what can be termed, as desecration of the green and white banner and the public should be educated on this score.
— By: Ishrat Hyatt
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
For all the Vital Signs and Rohail Hyatt fans :)
http://65.175.69.168:91/dawnanimation/rohail_hyatt/
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Sorry!
I'd post a nice juicy blog but unfortunately I've been here for almost 2 months and nothing really interesting has happened other than me spending time with family and then the riots.
My bad! =(
But, for some more news... the riots are continuing now... I don't know why because we have water and electricity but they are continuing and becoming more violent. The maids came to the house thing morning very disgruntled because their bus was attacked with metal sticks and rocks. Hmph. Someone need to take the PPP out of power.
My bad! =(
But, for some more news... the riots are continuing now... I don't know why because we have water and electricity but they are continuing and becoming more violent. The maids came to the house thing morning very disgruntled because their bus was attacked with metal sticks and rocks. Hmph. Someone need to take the PPP out of power.
Yay!
Sweet! I get to dress and go to my first Desi/Brown/Pakistani wedding :) I'll let you know how it goes!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Riots
So, there was rain. Lots of it. First rain of the season and it came in full force. Oh, did I mention that Karachi isn't a place fit for rain? There were floods...both inside and outside, and if I remember correctly the news was 26 dead in Karachi, the majority due to electrocution and drowning. Long story short, there was a lot of damage due to high winds and many people lost their homes and are still dealing with the damages. The part that we're still dealing with is that with all the rain, a lot of KSC offices (Karachi Electric Supply Company) were "damaged" and "shut down" and so we didn't have power for 3 days and it's still coming in and out. But the majority of the problem is with all the people who don't really have generators and so they had 0 electricity and eventually it gets really annoying because with no electricity there isn't any water that can be generated and also all the food and everything goes bad. So there have been a lot of riots on the streets lately and just the other day I got caught in one. We were driving back from my grandmother's house and got stuck in a traffic jam. When we got a little further we realized that it was about 250-300 women in burkas standing in the street demanding electricity and water. The scary part wasn't the women but the police officers that came with tear gas..and although it was broken up with out any casualties it can still be very scary. Later that night we heard news of people burning tyres outside of the KSC office and just trying to find ways to get electricity and water back. There was rock throwing and many other smaller riots but it takes a fraction of a second for a small riot to turn really dangerous so we've been keeping it really low key all week.
That being said, we're all safe :) Ali and Aliza are leaving for Va on Friday night and I'm leaving for Islamabad on Tuesday to go stay with my grandmother.
Till next time... :)
That being said, we're all safe :) Ali and Aliza are leaving for Va on Friday night and I'm leaving for Islamabad on Tuesday to go stay with my grandmother.
Till next time... :)
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Recently...
(This blog is going to be very gramically incorrect and all over the place because I'm tired -- Sorry :) )
I've been doing a lot of stuff all while feeling like I've accomplished nothing. Haha, Oops. Anyways, last night all the ladies (Aliza, myself, my aunt and her friends) went to Kama Meshi again for the Karaoke night and it ended up being a blast. We sang the night away with lots of old songs and have contests and whatnot and then around 1 30 we decided to go to Espresso which is a coffee spot with a really chill atmosphere. Anyways so Aliza, Huma Apa (apa is a word used to show respect it's used towards someone giving the status of an older sister), Sanam Phupps and I went there and hung out and gossiped and oh! I totally had cold coffee and okay fine for all those people who had to listen to be go on about how disgusting coffee is... fine, you win. It's not THAT bad. Happy? Anyways, we got home at like 3 ish... ate some really good fruit.. (for anyone that's a fruit fanatic...the best fruit in the world grows in Pakistan... I promise!) and then it started raining. I know that for all you Virginians rain doesn't sound like a big deal but it rarely rains in Karachi and so it was quite nice. Around 9 am we all decided to get out of bed and go play in the rain and oh god was it cold! I'll post pictures of later but twas loads of fun :) Since Pakistan isn't really used to rain and whatnot...every time it does rain, the lights tend to go out and then we can't even turn on the generator because it's wet...and so that was the only down side. Oh well. All is back and working again.
Oh! And I caught my first baby lizard. They're everywhere here..little sand colored lizards which are fast as hell but I caught it because Aliza refused to go to the bathroom with it in there and so I wrapped it in a tissue, threw it off the balcony and then chased all the girls with an empty tissue, reducing them to nothing but tears and wet pants. Yes, yes, I am very proud of my self and have kept my steak of scaring them almost every night, successfully!
Well that's all for now...I'll write more later.
Song - Close to Me - The Cure
Till next time.
I've been doing a lot of stuff all while feeling like I've accomplished nothing. Haha, Oops. Anyways, last night all the ladies (Aliza, myself, my aunt and her friends) went to Kama Meshi again for the Karaoke night and it ended up being a blast. We sang the night away with lots of old songs and have contests and whatnot and then around 1 30 we decided to go to Espresso which is a coffee spot with a really chill atmosphere. Anyways so Aliza, Huma Apa (apa is a word used to show respect it's used towards someone giving the status of an older sister), Sanam Phupps and I went there and hung out and gossiped and oh! I totally had cold coffee and okay fine for all those people who had to listen to be go on about how disgusting coffee is... fine, you win. It's not THAT bad. Happy? Anyways, we got home at like 3 ish... ate some really good fruit.. (for anyone that's a fruit fanatic...the best fruit in the world grows in Pakistan... I promise!) and then it started raining. I know that for all you Virginians rain doesn't sound like a big deal but it rarely rains in Karachi and so it was quite nice. Around 9 am we all decided to get out of bed and go play in the rain and oh god was it cold! I'll post pictures of later but twas loads of fun :) Since Pakistan isn't really used to rain and whatnot...every time it does rain, the lights tend to go out and then we can't even turn on the generator because it's wet...and so that was the only down side. Oh well. All is back and working again.
Oh! And I caught my first baby lizard. They're everywhere here..little sand colored lizards which are fast as hell but I caught it because Aliza refused to go to the bathroom with it in there and so I wrapped it in a tissue, threw it off the balcony and then chased all the girls with an empty tissue, reducing them to nothing but tears and wet pants. Yes, yes, I am very proud of my self and have kept my steak of scaring them almost every night, successfully!
Well that's all for now...I'll write more later.
Song - Close to Me - The Cure
Till next time.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Politics ... Sigh
Things up north are heating up and it doesn't look too good. Don't know much past that other than the amount of "Victim Food and Clothing" donation stations have increased.
I went to Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Monday and saw real politics at work. Outside of the glory of Karachi, I saw a lot of the real Pakistan. But the funny thing is that for all the people who think that Pakistan is nothing more than mud houses and dung patties on walls, there are more people who know of the class system and how the upper class live life. The disparity between the classes is so mind boggling that even the toughest of people are brought to tears.
While in Islamabad I saw flags of the PPP (People's Party of Pakistan- Bhutto's Party) on almost every lamp post on every Highway and the sad part is that it's a sick green red and black flag made of silk. Now think - all those flags used time and money and even more, material which easily could have clothed many many many people. My cousin Sidra and I were discussing the Feudal System and it's corrupt way of treating it's people and I really saw it come to life while in Islamabad. The amount of monetary aid coming to this country is beyond me but all I know is that there wouldn't be one hungry person on the streets if the money went to the right place. Unfortunately, the money goes to power hungry politicians and their family and friends and barely a quarter of the aid will ever reach the small villages who still do not have proper electricity and drinking water.
On my second day in Islamabad we decided to go to Sargoda (Also known as one of the hottest places in Pakistan) where my uncle (Father's elder brother (a lieutenant general in the Pakistani Army)) is the GOC (General of Commanding). Simply put, if there was a land within an empire, he would be the king of that specific area (in regards to the army). Make sense? Anyways, on the way there I did actually see people living in mud huts and dung patties on walls and I saw people in very bad conditions but the one thing that I can say about the Pakistani people is that they are very optimistic about it's future. In the last 60 years Pakistan has seen a number of wars and turbulent times but it's hope has never broken. For a country so young, Pakistan has seen a lot. ..............But I'm not taking sides. I love my country and will defend it but I also think that it won't go any where until we fix the corruption within the government and find a balance between the money and power within the country.
I'm going to go stuff my face with some Mangoes and some ice cold Coke now :) Will type more later.
(Please - don't start fighting on my blog in regards to politics - this is my blog and I have the right to post my opinions as to how I see things )
x0x0x0 =)
"Us and Them" by Pink Floyd
I went to Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Monday and saw real politics at work. Outside of the glory of Karachi, I saw a lot of the real Pakistan. But the funny thing is that for all the people who think that Pakistan is nothing more than mud houses and dung patties on walls, there are more people who know of the class system and how the upper class live life. The disparity between the classes is so mind boggling that even the toughest of people are brought to tears.
While in Islamabad I saw flags of the PPP (People's Party of Pakistan- Bhutto's Party) on almost every lamp post on every Highway and the sad part is that it's a sick green red and black flag made of silk. Now think - all those flags used time and money and even more, material which easily could have clothed many many many people. My cousin Sidra and I were discussing the Feudal System and it's corrupt way of treating it's people and I really saw it come to life while in Islamabad. The amount of monetary aid coming to this country is beyond me but all I know is that there wouldn't be one hungry person on the streets if the money went to the right place. Unfortunately, the money goes to power hungry politicians and their family and friends and barely a quarter of the aid will ever reach the small villages who still do not have proper electricity and drinking water.
On my second day in Islamabad we decided to go to Sargoda (Also known as one of the hottest places in Pakistan) where my uncle (Father's elder brother (a lieutenant general in the Pakistani Army)) is the GOC (General of Commanding). Simply put, if there was a land within an empire, he would be the king of that specific area (in regards to the army). Make sense? Anyways, on the way there I did actually see people living in mud huts and dung patties on walls and I saw people in very bad conditions but the one thing that I can say about the Pakistani people is that they are very optimistic about it's future. In the last 60 years Pakistan has seen a number of wars and turbulent times but it's hope has never broken. For a country so young, Pakistan has seen a lot. ..............But I'm not taking sides. I love my country and will defend it but I also think that it won't go any where until we fix the corruption within the government and find a balance between the money and power within the country.
I'm going to go stuff my face with some Mangoes and some ice cold Coke now :) Will type more later.
(Please - don't start fighting on my blog in regards to politics - this is my blog and I have the right to post my opinions as to how I see things )
x0x0x0 =)
"Us and Them" by Pink Floyd
Saturday, July 11, 2009
My bad!
Crap! Okay sorry! Since Blogspot is being whack in regards to uploading videos, I'll upload them to Facebook. Sorry!
Karachi
Hello Everyone! Here's a small video clip of us in the car in Karachi on the way to Kids and Co. In the car you'll see Sasha and Maya and My Aunt, Sanam. :) We also see lots of shops in Karachi and you can see how the terrain is very dry but it's nice as well. The disparity between the rich and poor is quite extreme and don't worry..you'll see both ends of the spectrum.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
It's Really Hot!
Sorry I didn't post in a few days... but I'll fill you in.
First and Foremost - I'm a bit sad because as much as I'd like for things up north to calm down...things are only getting worse and as per the majority of the news stations their not going to improve any time soon. Sad part is, other than "We HATE America" signs and posters I've seen on the street and "SWAT FUND" Stations...down south one isn't exposed much to what's going on.
Secondly, I hope you all have been watching Coke Studio. I've got my signed copy of Coke Studio season 1 so when I come back I'm throwing a Coke Studio marathon party... :) Maybe.
After that... Aliza Ali and Ma are here. It's been quite hectic the last few days because we've all been running around and what not but it's always nice to have more fam bam. I'm planning on going to Islamabad Mid-July because my great grandfather is turning 90 on the 21st of July and I wouldn't miss that for the world :)
I FINALLY HAVE PICTURES UPLOADED ON MY LAPTOP.
I FINALLY GOT MY LAPTOP TO WORK...ALONG WITH MY DSLR! =)
I'm going to Kids and Co now to help set up the new school... will write more later.
Which song shall I pick now?? Go listen to any coke studio season 2 song from their website :) Cokestudio.com.pk
x0x0x
First and Foremost - I'm a bit sad because as much as I'd like for things up north to calm down...things are only getting worse and as per the majority of the news stations their not going to improve any time soon. Sad part is, other than "We HATE America" signs and posters I've seen on the street and "SWAT FUND" Stations...down south one isn't exposed much to what's going on.
Secondly, I hope you all have been watching Coke Studio. I've got my signed copy of Coke Studio season 1 so when I come back I'm throwing a Coke Studio marathon party... :) Maybe.
After that... Aliza Ali and Ma are here. It's been quite hectic the last few days because we've all been running around and what not but it's always nice to have more fam bam. I'm planning on going to Islamabad Mid-July because my great grandfather is turning 90 on the 21st of July and I wouldn't miss that for the world :)
I FINALLY HAVE PICTURES UPLOADED ON MY LAPTOP.
I FINALLY GOT MY LAPTOP TO WORK...ALONG WITH MY DSLR! =)
I'm going to Kids and Co now to help set up the new school... will write more later.
Which song shall I pick now?? Go listen to any coke studio season 2 song from their website :) Cokestudio.com.pk
x0x0x
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Darkness
I want to turn the music on and the world off. Yeah...that sounds nice. That and a really cold coke.. yes.... Heaven.
Changes
So lets see...Quite a few things have happened in the last week. I celebrated my 20th birthday which was nice. Twas a bit stressful because Maya burned her hand right before we left so everyone was a bit on edge but anyways, we went to a restaurant called NANDOS. The food was AMAZING! After we ate the restaurant staff came and sang happy bday to me - which was really embarrassing since they knew my name and what not but it was all in good fun! :)
I've been working at my aunt's preschool Kids and Co and that's going well too. Who would have thought..Alisha a teacher. I mean, I like kids... sometimes. But its MWF from 10 to 1 so it's not bad at all. That, and I get paid =)
I've been watching a movie every night which is quite nice. My aunt is on a TV show where she discusses and critics movies and so we get to watch all kinds of movies and just last night I watched Transformers again and before that, the all time classic, Rebel Without A Cause.
I LOST WEIGHT! Ha! I knew the heat would have at least one good outcome! :) My hairs getting longer and I wanted to get a trim and so I went to my great aunt's salon (Clippers) and she says it looks like a fresh cut and it TOTAAAAAALLLLY in and so I guess I'm putting it off a little longer.
Oh wanna hear some good news?! My iPod broke... and so did my DSLR...and I lost my laptop charger. I don't remember if I mentioned it in my other blog but yeah it sucks! That's why I haven't uploaded any pictures yet but as soon as Aliza comes here with my new charger I'll do that!
There was a bomb threat in the city a few nights ago but nothing happened. Oh and then there was a city wide strike also last week so most of the "working class" didn't come in the work. The majority of buses didn't run and a lot of the shops were closed so it sucked but whatever...
Can't think of what else to write...
Heres a song -- Crazy - by Seal.
x0x0x
I've been working at my aunt's preschool Kids and Co and that's going well too. Who would have thought..Alisha a teacher. I mean, I like kids... sometimes. But its MWF from 10 to 1 so it's not bad at all. That, and I get paid =)
I've been watching a movie every night which is quite nice. My aunt is on a TV show where she discusses and critics movies and so we get to watch all kinds of movies and just last night I watched Transformers again and before that, the all time classic, Rebel Without A Cause.
I LOST WEIGHT! Ha! I knew the heat would have at least one good outcome! :) My hairs getting longer and I wanted to get a trim and so I went to my great aunt's salon (Clippers) and she says it looks like a fresh cut and it TOTAAAAAALLLLY in and so I guess I'm putting it off a little longer.
Oh wanna hear some good news?! My iPod broke... and so did my DSLR...and I lost my laptop charger. I don't remember if I mentioned it in my other blog but yeah it sucks! That's why I haven't uploaded any pictures yet but as soon as Aliza comes here with my new charger I'll do that!
There was a bomb threat in the city a few nights ago but nothing happened. Oh and then there was a city wide strike also last week so most of the "working class" didn't come in the work. The majority of buses didn't run and a lot of the shops were closed so it sucked but whatever...
Can't think of what else to write...
Heres a song -- Crazy - by Seal.
x0x0x
Monday, June 15, 2009
Monday
Oh my god! It's hot. Try 110 hot. And whoever said Pakistan was DRY heat...well, they lied. When the AC isn't on... I'm living in a sauna. Anyways, the city was supposed to be on strike on Saturday...which happened to some extent. It didn't happen in the "Defense" area (which is filled with the rich and elite) but a lot of the shops in the other areas were shut down and a lot of buses didn't run their routes. The people who did open, closed up shop early but so far...the city has been pretty quiet. Yeah, there are problems in other cities but so far...things are going well.
ANYWAYS! Lets see..what have I been up to lately? Oh! I went to the mall yesterday and was asked to be on TV. I wasn't really paying attention to the guy to I told him to buzz of and then felt quite embarrassed. OOPS. =) I've been teaching at my aunts school all weeks. It's called Kids and Co. Can you believe it..Alisha Hyatt..a kinder-garden teacher! HAHA! I PROMISE I'll put up pictures soon...I lost my laptop charger and so I'm waiting for an other one to come in the mail. That and I don't want to upload all the pics on my aunt's computer.
Ugh! I'm trying to think of what else I've done that's a week bit interesting... I went to the mall...went to the SPA on both Friday and Saturday and had THE MOST AMAZING manicure which lasted well over 75 minutes and the funny thing is it was 800 rupees which is like what... 15$. Guh! I think I'm going to spend a year working in the states, make money and then go to Pakistan for the year after and just enjoy the currency =)
I'm home sick. I think its the first day i'm actually feeling a bit down. I miss my family and friends. Aliza and Ali will be here in a week and a half so it's not too bad... lets see how things work out.
Till next time..
x0x0
For this weeks song... go watch a clip of Coke Studio. It's produced by my uncle Rohail Hyatt. www.Cokestudio.com.pk
ANYWAYS! Lets see..what have I been up to lately? Oh! I went to the mall yesterday and was asked to be on TV. I wasn't really paying attention to the guy to I told him to buzz of and then felt quite embarrassed. OOPS. =) I've been teaching at my aunts school all weeks. It's called Kids and Co. Can you believe it..Alisha Hyatt..a kinder-garden teacher! HAHA! I PROMISE I'll put up pictures soon...I lost my laptop charger and so I'm waiting for an other one to come in the mail. That and I don't want to upload all the pics on my aunt's computer.
Ugh! I'm trying to think of what else I've done that's a week bit interesting... I went to the mall...went to the SPA on both Friday and Saturday and had THE MOST AMAZING manicure which lasted well over 75 minutes and the funny thing is it was 800 rupees which is like what... 15$. Guh! I think I'm going to spend a year working in the states, make money and then go to Pakistan for the year after and just enjoy the currency =)
I'm home sick. I think its the first day i'm actually feeling a bit down. I miss my family and friends. Aliza and Ali will be here in a week and a half so it's not too bad... lets see how things work out.
Till next time..
x0x0
For this weeks song... go watch a clip of Coke Studio. It's produced by my uncle Rohail Hyatt. www.Cokestudio.com.pk
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
McDonalds
So I went to Park Towers today, which is the mall over here. It's quite nice actually and has stores that could possible tempt a person to sell their house just so they could buy nice things. I wish I had a house to sell ;)
Anyways, my 12 year old Cousin Sasha and I were at the mall and we decided to go get some McDonalds. I was then told to walk through a metal detector in order to go inside and had a guard check my purse. Ha, think the US could ever put safety up like that? Anyways, it was quite interesting. Inside the McDonalds were 2 types of Menus - the original American type and then a full-on "brown" menu with things like Kabobs and a new thing called the crispy spicy chicken sandwich. Plus, all the food was halal which made it even nicer! Next to the ketchup was a spicy sauce which tasted like a piece of hhhhheaven! I took a video and some pics so I'll post them up from my laptop later.
Thats all for now. It's 108 outside and the power went out for a bit but its back now and I'm sitting in the living room drinking Mango Tang and gossiping with Sasha.
On a side note- the Boeing 777 international first class is a realllllly sweet deal. Don't travel any other way!
-xoxox
Song of the day: (Pakistan song) - Sajni by Jal
Anyways, my 12 year old Cousin Sasha and I were at the mall and we decided to go get some McDonalds. I was then told to walk through a metal detector in order to go inside and had a guard check my purse. Ha, think the US could ever put safety up like that? Anyways, it was quite interesting. Inside the McDonalds were 2 types of Menus - the original American type and then a full-on "brown" menu with things like Kabobs and a new thing called the crispy spicy chicken sandwich. Plus, all the food was halal which made it even nicer! Next to the ketchup was a spicy sauce which tasted like a piece of hhhhheaven! I took a video and some pics so I'll post them up from my laptop later.
Thats all for now. It's 108 outside and the power went out for a bit but its back now and I'm sitting in the living room drinking Mango Tang and gossiping with Sasha.
On a side note- the Boeing 777 international first class is a realllllly sweet deal. Don't travel any other way!
-xoxox
Song of the day: (Pakistan song) - Sajni by Jal
Sunday, June 7, 2009
It's Hot...
So I arrived in Dubai yesterday and took the 2 hr flight to Karachi...Landed at 3 am and got home at like 5 am :) Twas warm... like 80 degrees at night and it's 10 am and 108 outside :) Anyways... I haven't seen any terrorists or bombings or guns or anything bad at all, for those of you wondering about my safety. :) I'll post a longer blog later as I'm being stormed by cousins asking for their gifts and a cute little puppy named Ming!
Lots of love,
xoxo
Song of the day: Pictures of You - by The Cure!
Lots of love,
xoxo
Song of the day: Pictures of You - by The Cure!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Venting...
Okay, it's my last night in Va. and I just got done reading a post from the Department of State informing US Citizens "against non-essential travel to Pakistan in light of the threat of terrorist activity." Ha! Oops. Anyways, I just wanted to vent a little about Pakistan. I am tired of people saying, "We shit in cement holes" and asking if "I'm going to live in a cave." C’mon, people... I am going to Pakistan. We may be a "Third-World Country" but we do have a proper sewage system, and more so, we have homes...with roofs.
I suppose that is the main point of this blog. To educate people of things they may never see because the media portrays Pakistan in a very ugly light. Recently, BBC tired to start a program, "Don't Tell My Mother I'm In Pakistan" which tried to show viewers about things in the country such as the party/hang out spots, nightclubs, and the life of the elite. Unfortunately, it did not last long. Either way, I see Pakistan as two different countries: One, as the country of the extremists and the other, as the country of the Pakistani citizen. This includes both the elite and the middle class. It includes Pakistanis overseas, which still hold their country close to their heart, regardless of all the negative media.
Speaking of negative media, here is my view of Pakistani politics. To fend off the Taleban, it must stop playing the blame game and face its flaws. We need to wake up and start taking blame for the problems in our country. Pakistan has many times pointed the finger at India and Afghanistan. Fine, everyone knows the "injustice" dawned upon Pakistan over the years, but instead of complaining, we need to come together as a people and do something about it. A few weeks ago, Obama said that Pakistan failed to provide its citizens with basic rights such as education, law, and health care and Pakistan was furious. Funny thing is, he was right. Kind of. Pakistan has a very good education system and health care...but it is available to the upper class and the upper middle class only. Pakistan is a young country and it has a lot of growing up to do. The "bedrock of modernity and stability" is education, economic stability, development and a justice system. Pakistan, although having failed in the eyes of many people, still holds its head up high because it has come a long way from 1947. After having faced a number of wars and hatred for its modern interpretation of Islam, Pakistan still is a beacon of hope for its citizens both at home and abroad. I know that it will always be home for me and I will continue to root for the home team!
XoXo
Song of the moment: My Best Friend - Weezer
I suppose that is the main point of this blog. To educate people of things they may never see because the media portrays Pakistan in a very ugly light. Recently, BBC tired to start a program, "Don't Tell My Mother I'm In Pakistan" which tried to show viewers about things in the country such as the party/hang out spots, nightclubs, and the life of the elite. Unfortunately, it did not last long. Either way, I see Pakistan as two different countries: One, as the country of the extremists and the other, as the country of the Pakistani citizen. This includes both the elite and the middle class. It includes Pakistanis overseas, which still hold their country close to their heart, regardless of all the negative media.
Speaking of negative media, here is my view of Pakistani politics. To fend off the Taleban, it must stop playing the blame game and face its flaws. We need to wake up and start taking blame for the problems in our country. Pakistan has many times pointed the finger at India and Afghanistan. Fine, everyone knows the "injustice" dawned upon Pakistan over the years, but instead of complaining, we need to come together as a people and do something about it. A few weeks ago, Obama said that Pakistan failed to provide its citizens with basic rights such as education, law, and health care and Pakistan was furious. Funny thing is, he was right. Kind of. Pakistan has a very good education system and health care...but it is available to the upper class and the upper middle class only. Pakistan is a young country and it has a lot of growing up to do. The "bedrock of modernity and stability" is education, economic stability, development and a justice system. Pakistan, although having failed in the eyes of many people, still holds its head up high because it has come a long way from 1947. After having faced a number of wars and hatred for its modern interpretation of Islam, Pakistan still is a beacon of hope for its citizens both at home and abroad. I know that it will always be home for me and I will continue to root for the home team!
XoXo
Song of the moment: My Best Friend - Weezer
Friday, May 29, 2009
Oh, I forgot to mention something. Since my life revolves around music and I can never turn it off... I'm going to post a song and the artist every time I update. I may like it because of the lyrics, the music, or it may have some significance but it'll be music from around the world and it'll be good!
For today, it's a song I was told to listen to:
Song: Maps
Artist: Yeah,Yeah,Yeahs
Enjoy! Xox0
For today, it's a song I was told to listen to:
Song: Maps
Artist: Yeah,Yeah,Yeahs
Enjoy! Xox0
I'm Thinking...
I just bought a camcorder! I'm going to post videos!
PS >> I'm leaving in a week!! Dubai, here I come... well, at least for 5 hours!
Read this. Thought it was an interesting update...
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSISL408603
PS >> I'm leaving in a week!! Dubai, here I come... well, at least for 5 hours!
Read this. Thought it was an interesting update...
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSISL408603
Sunday, May 10, 2009
T-minus 26 days...
So I was thinking about all the things I'm going to miss and the number one thing outside of friends and family was Taco Bell. Holy crap, there isn't a Taco Bell in Pakistan. No more bean burritos at 2 am and Taco Salads on Sunday afternoons.
Anyways, so I know everyone is freaking out because "PAKISTAN IS AT WAR!!" and "THOUSANDS ARE FLEEING THE COUNTRY" but c'mon guys...Pakistan is at war with the Taleban! That's a good thing! (No I didn't spell Taleban wrong... That's how the rest of the world spells it) The Pakistani Army is blowing the Taleban to pieces and well, that's a damn good thing. Yeah, people are fleeing...but their fleeing the North-western part of the mother-land and that's not where I'll be. So, worry not. I'll be okay. Well, knowing my luck, maybe not.
Anyways, so I know everyone is freaking out because "PAKISTAN IS AT WAR!!" and "THOUSANDS ARE FLEEING THE COUNTRY" but c'mon guys...Pakistan is at war with the Taleban! That's a good thing! (No I didn't spell Taleban wrong... That's how the rest of the world spells it) The Pakistani Army is blowing the Taleban to pieces and well, that's a damn good thing. Yeah, people are fleeing...but their fleeing the North-western part of the mother-land and that's not where I'll be. So, worry not. I'll be okay. Well, knowing my luck, maybe not.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Going Away in June
Hey guys,
So as many of you may know...I'm going to Pakistan for 6 months. With the present state of dismay the country is in, I have been asked to keep you posted on how things are politically and what I do while I am there. As of right now, the plan is to leave sometime in the first two weeks of June and return right after the New Year. I will post pictures frequently as well as articles, along with my own view on things. This will be a raw blog. No bias. No Bull. I’ll tell things as I see them and as they really are.
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