PAKISTAN

PAKISTAN CALLING

I've been to Pakistan three times in my life: as an infant in 1980; as a
cantankerous pre-teen in 1992; and, finally, 2 years ago as a hip (ahem) 24-
year-old working woman. I could've continued the dozen year trend and waited until my 36th year to visit Pakistan for a fourth time but I decided to shake things up. So, instead, Pakistan will see me in 2006. I will pay her a wuzzup from January 1st thru
the 18th (well, taking travel time into consideration it's more like the 2nd-17th...or something).

My trip to Pakistan two years ago was a very special one for me, since it was my first time in the motherland as an adult. I was determined to absorb everything about it, to appreciate the differences
between Pakistan and home without letting them freak me out. My visit to the country back when I was 12 had been one long freak out and I didn't want a repeat of that craziness (just for the record though, readers must keep in mind that I was 12 at the time and, seriously, what doesn't a 12-year-old hate? Also, in all fairness, the trip had been a pretty miserable one for me as I battled not only one stomach ailment after another, but also the social politics of pre-teens/teens (in this case, my cousins) who were wondering the exact same thing that I was at the time: Who in the bloody hell ARE you (let's throw in a "you nerd!" here for the cousins, because you know that's what they were thinking!)).

But Pakistan proved to be grand in 2004 and I learned quite a few things about the country, about my family and about myself during my stay there.

So, I've decided to share those lessons with my readers in a series of posts called "Pakistandards." The experience changed my life and, I hope, that by reading about it, it'll be life-altering for you folks as well.
Or maybe it won't.
In which case, whatever: just freakin' lie to me.