August 2003

Often people have had their cultures combined with that of others find themselves lost, confused.. of nowhere.. yet other people get up stronger and are a perfect combination of diversity..

#108 by aruna #108

[Re: # 105

Wow-....I didnt know there were Pakistani Hindus! ]

Yeah, they are on exhibit at the Lahore Zoo. And a few stuffed Sardars are in the Karachi Museum.

I can relate somewhat . I spent most of my childhood and adolescence in Bahrain in International type schools, during that time I developed a serious dislike for the local Paki community. I grew to despise local community functions (hi-lites of which, included exhilrating performances of patriotic songs by popular Punjabi folk singer Jawad Ahmed) where I couldn`t talk to the girls or do anything remotely entertaining. I was much happier getting hammered at the homes of gora friends.So you can imagine my horror when it turned out that we were to return to Pakistan and I was convinced I`d have to take a shotgun to the roof of my mouth within six months.
But surprisingly enough when I actually came here I found that Paki`s were`nt the joyless bastards I had encountered throughout my life thus far and that they liked to get wasted just as much as anyone else and some of them even listened to Nirvana. All in all its a good thing I came back and experienced life as a Pakistani in Pakisan. I`d probably appreciate it even more if I could just get the fuck outta here. ;)

Re: # 106

You kidding me? Pakistani rock rocks! It`s one of my fav types of music, and every Pakistani I know can wield a guitar like nothing else!- and yes. Nirvana was popular:)

so i`m not the only one feels like you! going to pakistan to complete my secondary education may have been in some cases the best and worst for me, and coming to england to live here is or has been the best or the worse for me, but somehow i feel i`m mote rounded then i am to my peers in pakistan. one of my best friends is in indian, another close friend is a pkistani hindu who is more than a sister that a friend. and a childhood mate from heaven who can be hell at times wose black! and have no qualms with my assortment of friends. though my parents do feel slightly uncomfortable when i meet my childhood friend!

Re: # 105

Wow- thats a good variety of friends. I didnt know there were Pakistani Hindus! - shows how much I know huh? Its great that we can leave those mental blocks behind. I feel like it`s an achievement to convince yourself that things are not what they seem or that people or parents seem to think they seem.

This is a nice write-up, clearly genuine. Most people here can identify with one or other part of it – as evidenced by the content of several interacts.

Exposure to a variety of cultures can open up opportunities for learning more about others – and expand one’s horizons. Not everybody takes advantage of such an opportunity – not everybody HAS the ability to do so – sometimes people can shrink back into their own – especially so when they are surrounded by what they perceive to be a hostile environment.

Parents try to do the best that they can for their children, given the circumstances and constraints that they live in and are subject to.

Neither the teaser line nor the title appeal to me too much – probably the reasons I got here late – Kraft cheese does not have the same value for every one – given the contents, you could probably come up with something more interesting. My choice for the title would have been something more attention-grabbing – like – “That Spit on the Bus Window…” or something along those titles – because that happens to be one of the few images that remains!

Re: # 102

aah- but wouldn`t that be like stressing on the dramaticism of that statement and hence weakening it for the reader?
The title was weak- I agree. I sort of wanted to stress that this was written 2 years ago. Things have changed again- like they always do.

Or may be it`s that curmudgeon in me....

Re: # 101

Details would have been great- but I don`t know how interesting a read it would have made to an average reader. I tried to strike a balance- and throw in some embellishments.
Maybe I`ll deal with individual aspects in the future. But you know, there are some things that people go through collectively, and can relate to better as a statement, than when it is broken up into the specifics. It becomes harder for people to relate to specifics, because specifics are individual experiences, and while it`s interesting to read about someone in detail, it does nothing to get your own thought process started.

re: Amrita # 98

That could be summarized as: ``I (think I) have grown up (because I am older than six).``

As a reader, I would have liked to see a greater focus on the actual, often difficult, inner work of growing up. Greater attention to the evolution of the author`s thoughts, desires, and conflicts - the differing contexts and processes, over time, of making life`s choices and arriving at fateful (often unbeknowth to oneself) decisions.

This inner aspect is what makes everyone unique and interesting. The only distinguishing feature of this write up appeared to be the names of places and people.

Aruna

Good enough. Done with intelligence, personal stories can shine light on the general human condition.

Aruna

Were one to simplify the plot here, this is what it would be: you spent your impressionable years in Arab countries, living with an Indian family that did not encourage you to cross the divide existing between Arabs and Indians. You were uncomfortable with that. So when you got a chance of moving away from your family, you became part of an Arab circle. You also exchanged some Arab/American practices for the ones your family had followed upon during the time you were with them.

Nicely written it surely is, but I am tempted to ask: so what? Why should the reader be interested?

Thanks.

Re: # 92

Don`t know why someone should be interested... maybe because it might make them recount their own experiences and compare them and think about it- as happens with any form of media relating a story.

It didnt have a purpose. There was no point to drive really. Just speculations, thought processes, and putting things in a form that I could understand too. All the interaction and questions to and from makes me think, and I form new neural connections, and that helps me think some more. Hopefully it got someone else thinking about why their life turned out the way it did.

A

#89, No, and No.

I might be confused, but am learning to accept that too. ``

i liked this specially as a finish. it could be something like a woody allen`s character verbalizing and going on about... :) good writeup and best wishes.

cheers.