Nov 2004. Back from Hong Kong. Lounging around. Tori emails. Kartik calls. ''Would you like to go to Pakistan, to help the AIESEC extension initiative?" India helping extend into Pakistan, that simply cannot be passed up! Hardly a moment of hesitation. "Of course I'll go"!
Bit disappointed that 'the system' crushed my hopes for a two week visa. But hey, one week visa is better than no visa, right? How many Indians get the chance to go to Pakistan afterall?
Dec 10, 2004. 50 minutes on the flight from Delhi to Lahore. Bit funny when I think I spent 3 hours just flying from Chennai to Delhi : ) Arriving at Lahore International Airport is quite an event. You can tell the immigration officials are a tad more excited when the flight from India lands. They're full of curiosity, and of course, they're wearing their best smiles. Obviously the novelty of the Indian visitor in Pakistan has far from worn off.
As I walk out the exit, I see hoards of people. Camera flashes, hysteric screaming. Takes me a moment to figure out that I've just walked out behind Bollywood homeboy Aamir Khan who's being received by Imran Khan, and in the middle of all this subcontinent-style-Khan-mania, I spot them... Nida, Adeel, Ammar, Hasan (?) with their little AIESEC board. My heart sings. Yet another magic AIESEC moment. What was that - "There are no strangers in the world, only friends you haven't met"? ; )
In the car, there's much excitement. Nida and I can't shut up about how we saw Aamir Khan, and "GOSH WHAT HAS HE DONE TO HIS HAIR???" The short car ride goes by in a flurry of loud yak-yak-yak. I like these people already!
The week floats by in surreal fashion. On one hand, I can't believe I'm in Pakistan (Wow, I'm in Pakistan. Wow, I'm in Pakistan. Wow, I'm in Pakistan) - it's more than the usual heightened sense of awareness that goes with the experience of a new country. And on the other hand, it feels just like home - it's so easy, as an Indian - to relate to these people, to strike up conversation, to get the jokes. Sometimes I have to remind myself I'm in a different country!
Highlights of the week in Pakistan:
-Meetings to sell AIESEC exchange to companies & NGOs - an encouraging response!
- Being part of the AIESEC delegation at the Pakistan-India IT Summit at Islamabad
- The most delicious biryani I have eaten (no kidding) made by Amber's wonderful mom!
- A crazy party full of crazy LUMS people (sorry, LUM-inities?) and margaritas even!!! : )
- The view of the city from the majestic Lahore Fort and the beautiful Badshahi mosque
- Bhatti Tikka Shop and the greatest meat extravaganza (thanks Adeel!)
- Post-dinner strolls, fantastic desserts and great conversation with really cool people at Hotspot, Hobnob & Jammin' Java!
- Discovering dirt cheap pirated music. Can you believe: Sasha GU San Francisco double CD for $ 1.50????? Wooooohooooo!!!!
- Card games at R'pindi bus station with Emad : )
- Watching the Mekaal Hasan Band live with ex-Junoon guest drummer 'Gumby', what a dude!
- Ahsan Saeed Kirmani and his non-stop questions ; ) (sahi aadmi hai!!)
I have great memories of Lahore - the people, the warmth and hospitality, the food (just the best!), the language... so much that I've vowed to work on my Urdu...
The idea of AIESEC looks promising in Pakistan, and from my experience, it's been quite well received there. Almost all the 30 or so businessmen we spoke to at the IT summit were very encouraging of the initiative. With such a great set of people out there, it's only a matter of time! And Tori Anderson, m'gurl, POWER TO YA babe. You rock, and we're all watching on in eager anticipation - good luck with AIESEC in Pakistan!
Needless to say, the trip provided plenty of food for thought. On being Indian, on being Muslim even. On the past, present and the future. Yes, the future - there can and must be peace and co-operation between India and Pakistan. For all the misconceptions, alienation and suspicion that we've fostered on either side - I cannot help but question the Partition. Why did colonialism triumph in its 'divide and rule'. Why didn't our leaders the see the potential catastrophe, and if they did, why did they not try and avert it - surely they could have been a more stable and prosperous South Asia sans Partition. OK, enough rambling, or it'll never end.
Well, if there's one thing this trip gave me, it's plenty of hope.
So here's to the future. To Pakistan. To India. To AIESEC.
Thanks Nida, Ahsan, Ammar, Adeel, Amber, Ayesha, Batool, Manal, Emad, Ali, Saleha and all the cool people I met at LUMS! You folks are fantastic and I look forward to seeing you again... : )
:: naazita ::
Saturday, January 29, 2005 at 06:29
Seven Days in Pakistan
Thursday, January 27, 2005 at 01:29
Raga Bop
These jazz musicians, they are just so cool.
Last night at IIT, I saw Prasanna (the man himself) perform with some of his buddies - Jeff Coffin (yeah Fuzz, the B Fleck & the Flecktones genius!), Kai Eckhardt and Derico Watson. All you can do is sit there, paralysed in awe, and feel small in front of these magicians (no matter what I say, it's gonna be an understatement).
This Prasanna is pure genius, the way he fuses Indian carnatic music with jazz and the near-eerie ease with which his hands glide on those frets. There was a glimpse of his new album 'Be The Change', and a smattering of old favourites like 'Blues for Saraswati'. Mindblowing. I think Kai Eckhardt was my favourite - with his wicked smile and wild head bopping (gotta love these crazy bassists!).
Pop culture today is replete with a zillion imbeciles staking their claims to 'cool'. Watching these jazz masters, you realise it doesn't get much cooler.
(fuzz, perhaps its time I paid more attention to your ranting?) ; )
Last night at IIT, I saw Prasanna (the man himself) perform with some of his buddies - Jeff Coffin (yeah Fuzz, the B Fleck & the Flecktones genius!), Kai Eckhardt and Derico Watson. All you can do is sit there, paralysed in awe, and feel small in front of these magicians (no matter what I say, it's gonna be an understatement).
This Prasanna is pure genius, the way he fuses Indian carnatic music with jazz and the near-eerie ease with which his hands glide on those frets. There was a glimpse of his new album 'Be The Change', and a smattering of old favourites like 'Blues for Saraswati'. Mindblowing. I think Kai Eckhardt was my favourite - with his wicked smile and wild head bopping (gotta love these crazy bassists!).
Pop culture today is replete with a zillion imbeciles staking their claims to 'cool'. Watching these jazz masters, you realise it doesn't get much cooler.
(fuzz, perhaps its time I paid more attention to your ranting?) ; )
Wednesday, January 26, 2005 at 13:15
I Like
"Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature."
That Tom Robbins, he is just so fine.
That Tom Robbins, he is just so fine.
at 12:36
Nothin' fishy here
Today, as a by-product of an afternoon lunch, I did my bit for the tsunami affected fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu. I gorged myself silly on a seafood feast at good ol' Moonrakers in Mahabalipuram. Vacuous as this may sound, it's the kind of thing that is needed to re-build these peoples lives.
To hell with all these post-tsunami rumours about fish being contaminated and likely to spread disease as a result of feeding on human corpses and toxin levels in the sea, yada yada yada. I think Metroplus ran a great article this morning, dispelling these silly rumours and convincing people that's it OK to consume seafood. The WHO and a host of others proved it, for God's sake!!
It's bad enough that the fisherfolk have lost their homes and their livelihoods. Fat lot of good it's gonna do if we all act like paranoid morons and stop eating fish!!! (Apparently, sale of seafood has gone down by over 50%)
Anyhow. I'm glad to see the paranoia dying. Finally a revival of Sunday afternoons at Moonrakers - pigging out on masala calamari, prawns in butter garlic sauce, giant fried fish with seafood fried rice....ah, the good life.
To hell with all these post-tsunami rumours about fish being contaminated and likely to spread disease as a result of feeding on human corpses and toxin levels in the sea, yada yada yada. I think Metroplus ran a great article this morning, dispelling these silly rumours and convincing people that's it OK to consume seafood. The WHO and a host of others proved it, for God's sake!!
It's bad enough that the fisherfolk have lost their homes and their livelihoods. Fat lot of good it's gonna do if we all act like paranoid morons and stop eating fish!!! (Apparently, sale of seafood has gone down by over 50%)
Anyhow. I'm glad to see the paranoia dying. Finally a revival of Sunday afternoons at Moonrakers - pigging out on masala calamari, prawns in butter garlic sauce, giant fried fish with seafood fried rice....ah, the good life.
Sunday, January 23, 2005 at 05:12
Home Sweet Home
Even the hardiest of nomads can't deny the transient joy of home sweet home.
After six weeks of a romp around the sub-continent, it's good to be back in Chennai. Finally days spent meaningfully - getting pedicures, reading comic books, organizing my mp3s, experimenting with tropical smoothies, counting the coconut trees I can see from my window. Ahhh.
I think the key word is 'transient'. It's so much easier to just kick back and relax when you know it's finite... and when you know what's next. (Making January so much more bearable than the misery that was November - what with reverse culture shock, severe HKsickness, unemployment and all)
Decided to join up with fellow children of the revolution, them wonderful folks at 'Global Entrepreneurs.' Feb 18 - Easter in Norway for training, and then a 11 month stint based in Bogota, Colombia.
I'm excited as hell. Mostly. And then there are times when I think 'OHHMYGAWDD WHAT AM I DOING???'. But its never as much fun when everything quite adds up, is it? ; ) I love the look on people's faces when I tell them - most Indians simply cannot fathom why on Earth someone would chose of their own volition to go to Colombia. People here thought I was totally off my rocker when I chose Hong Kong over NYC as a traineeship destination!! So you can just imagine.
Well, I can't wait to get to Bogota. But the meantime, it's back to holidaying... sigh... : )
After six weeks of a romp around the sub-continent, it's good to be back in Chennai. Finally days spent meaningfully - getting pedicures, reading comic books, organizing my mp3s, experimenting with tropical smoothies, counting the coconut trees I can see from my window. Ahhh.
I think the key word is 'transient'. It's so much easier to just kick back and relax when you know it's finite... and when you know what's next. (Making January so much more bearable than the misery that was November - what with reverse culture shock, severe HKsickness, unemployment and all)
Decided to join up with fellow children of the revolution, them wonderful folks at 'Global Entrepreneurs.' Feb 18 - Easter in Norway for training, and then a 11 month stint based in Bogota, Colombia.
I'm excited as hell. Mostly. And then there are times when I think 'OHHMYGAWDD WHAT AM I DOING???'. But its never as much fun when everything quite adds up, is it? ; ) I love the look on people's faces when I tell them - most Indians simply cannot fathom why on Earth someone would chose of their own volition to go to Colombia. People here thought I was totally off my rocker when I chose Hong Kong over NYC as a traineeship destination!! So you can just imagine.
Well, I can't wait to get to Bogota. But the meantime, it's back to holidaying... sigh... : )
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