Eight whole years. It was eight years later that I was stepping into a bus again to go to the second largest graveyard in the world, the Makli Necropolis in Thatta, Sindh. I first went as a college student and now I was taking The Lyceum college students (the irony) as part of the module, 'The... Continue Reading →
What I realised on my visit to America after 18 years
My best friend in high school would constantly doodle the famous skyline of New York while trying to pass the time in class. Her dream, like so many others, was to go to NYC and eventually move there. One summer, she finally went and came back totally crushed because what she expected was something completely... Continue Reading →
How this retreat was the most spiritually uplifting days of my life
I recently signed up for the Afterglow Light the Soul three-day spiritual retreat (YES, AN ACTUAL RETREAT IN KARACHI!) that I had absolutely no idea what to expect from. For some reason, I kept having a good feeling and took a leap of faith and decided to go. It turns out that my gut feeling... Continue Reading →
10 Things Everyone Who Has Lived In The Middle East Misses In Ramadan
Ramadan is here and it feels so different for everyone who has moved back home from the Middle East. With so many families coming back to their home countries after years (it was never a permanent place to live, but we'll ALWAYS be in denial of that!) now that it's no longer the luxurious, tax... Continue Reading →
A walk to remember in Karachi
Moving to a new city can be quite daunting as you learn to navigate your way across different areas. But moving to a city you are already very familiar with is a completely different scenario. The main reason is that you begin to start taking things for granted. Here is why: It is the simple... Continue Reading →
I don’t need to write more, I want to
It has been a month and I haven't been following my so called New Years resolution. I don't really believe in them, but I tend to make small personal promises to myself. One of them was to write more about my experiences. I love to express myself through the written word and I feel that... Continue Reading →
Personal reflections of 2017
The morning I wore my older sister's shirt to school is still etched in my mind. At the time, it felt like the best decision I had made that day as I walked into school. I had a different air of confidence in my strides. As I came towards the assembly line where my classmates... Continue Reading →
The silence of mysterious Ranikot resonated with me
It was a typical, Monday morning as I forced myself to sip on the tasteless, instant coffee to stay awake. Suddenly, an email popped up on my screen that changed everything (dramatic, I know - but it really did). The college where I work was taking students on a trip as part of architect Zain Mustafa's... Continue Reading →
Why Verna was disappointingly good
It wasn't everyday that a movie on rape is released in Pakistan. Nor was it everyday that I would go to watch a Pakistani movie, which was probably only once before in my life. Growing up in Saudi Arabia, I wasn't exposed to the Pakistani film industry as much nor was I particularly interested in... Continue Reading →
My biggest surprise at Karachi Biennale
"I'm feeling kind of low and don't want to stay at home today. Do you want to check out Biennale?" My very old friend/sister from Riyadh asked. She was leaving for the US in a few days after living in Karachi for over six months. As a fellow TCK, it wasn't always easy to constantly... Continue Reading →