Going to Pakistan with American Wife: Ongoing Updates

[Meengla]

My American wife and kids go to Pakistan every year, either for a month in winters or 3 months in summer. They live in Islamabad and go around with my family. They love Pakistan and its culture.

Three months!! I truly envy you.
Here, taking even 16 days was a huge issue and we don't even have any kids.
But we are still very proud to have accumulated so many experiences in such a short time. As my OP said, we had to balance family time with our need time/travels but, thanks to your brother here, we pushed on.

 

[Meengla]

 

[Meengla]

For whatever it's worth, her blog has almost certainly convinced two Americans to make a trip to Pakistan and the perception about Pakistan in our American family and friends' circle has improved.
BTW, many more videos and pics to come. We still haven't reconciled footage from our phones.

 

[Meengla]

 

[Meengla]

December 2019. The Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi was, by far, the best hotel to stay in Pakistan for us. And one day, around lunch time, the Chief Minister of Sindh Mr. Murad Ali Shah made a sudden appearance with a sizable entourage of guests and security vehicles. As we sat in the lobby, he and his company walked right past us, going to an upstairs restaurant/place, with some looking at us in puzzlement.

This Pakistani shirt was bought, I think, for about Rs. 900.. roughly $6.

Here is his vehicle parked inside the walls of BLH...

 

[Meengla]

 

[Meengla]

I have forgotten most of Karachi--the city of my birth and upbringing. In fact, after the initial couple of nights at a hotel (The Beach Luxury Hotel), we Ubered to the family home in North Nazimabad. For the 35-45 minute trip, it was only about $3-4!! How to find the house though. I could only remember a major mosque around the family home to guide the Uber driver. We made it to the home, asking locals nearby the home. It was embarrassing. But Karachi has changed so much!

I had even forgotten the art of crossing roads in areas like Saddar--fearing the heavy traffic. Needless to say, we needed guides in Karachi! Some You Tubers kindly helped us. This nice couple in the pic below helped us a lot. The following picture was taken at the Karachi Press Club in December 2019. We had given a gift of an American fragrant candle to the couple. But we were treated so well at the KPC, that we had to return the favor. With nothing at hand, we requested the couple to allow the candle to be given to KPC and we would (and did) give the couple something else upon return to the hotel. Fond memories!

PS. The image in the background is supposed to be loaded with meaning--so we were told.

 

[Imran Khan]

I have forgotten most of Karachi--the city of my birth and upbringing. In fact, after the initial couple of nights at a hotel (The Beach Luxury Hotel), we Ubered to the family home in North Nazimabad. For the 35-45 minute trip, it was only about $3-4!! How to find the house though. I could only remember a major mosque around the family home to guide the Uber driver. We made it to the home, asking locals nearby the home. It was embarrassing. But Karachi has changed so much!

I had even forgotten the art of crossing roads in areas like Saddar--fearing the heavy traffic. Needless to say, we needed guides in Karachi! Some You Tubers kindly helped us. This nice couple in the pic below helped us a lot. The following picture was taken at the Karachi Press Club in December 2019. We had given a gift of an American fragrant candle to the couple. But we were treated so well at the KPC, that we had to return the favor. With nothing at hand, we requested the couple to allow the candle to be given to KPC and we would (and did) give the couple something else upon return to the hotel. Fond memories!

PS. The image in the background is supposed to be loaded with meaning--so we were told.


View attachment 650364

when i see first i think ye kya achaar gift ho raha hai

 

[maverick1977]

I have forgotten most of Karachi--the city of my birth and upbringing. In fact, after the initial couple of nights at a hotel (The Beach Luxury Hotel), we Ubered to the family home in North Nazimabad. For the 35-45 minute trip, it was only about $3-4!! How to find the house though. I could only remember a major mosque around the family home to guide the Uber driver. We made it to the home, asking locals nearby the home. It was embarrassing. But Karachi has changed so much!

I had even forgotten the art of crossing roads in areas like Saddar--fearing the heavy traffic. Needless to say, we needed guides in Karachi! Some You Tubers kindly helped us. This nice couple in the pic below helped us a lot. The following picture was taken at the Karachi Press Club in December 2019. We had given a gift of an American fragrant candle to the couple. But we were treated so well at the KPC, that we had to return the favor. With nothing at hand, we requested the couple to allow the candle to be given to KPC and we would (and did) give the couple something else upon return to the hotel. Fond memories!

PS. The image in the background is supposed to be loaded with meaning--so we were told.


View attachment 650364

is that Ajrak ??

Good, stay blessed..

 

[Meengla]

Some more from inside the KPC. This was on Sindh Culture Day and so lots of Ajraks and the Sindhi caps. Beautiful. Oh, man, Somosas, Pakoras, and Chaats in Pakistan are so good everywhere! And of course the Chai!!

is that Ajrak ??

Good, stay blessed..

Thank you. Yes, Ajraks. An Ajrak and a Sindhi cap was given as gift to wife who brought it back to America. In return, we gave 'Achaar' (Pakistani very spiced pickle). Haha!

Oh, speaking of Achaars... we are so deprived of Desi food in rural America that often we spice up our food by putting in loads of National or Shaan Achaars... Deprived life! I think we are running low on the Achaar supplies at home. Wife has to be told that Achaar is very salty and is not the main-course! Somehow ladies, regardless of their background, just love to eat Desi Achaars!!

 

[airmarshal]

We know its our country and it has great things to offer and and at same time a lot of issues. But important thing is how did our dear guest (your wife ) like it?

I m not asking it as some validation from some white guest but as a host its always in the back of our mind to take care of our guests.

 

[Meengla]

We know its our country and it has great things to offer and and at same time a lot of issues. But important thing is how did our dear guest (your wife ) like it?

I m not asking it as some validation from some white guest but as a host its always in the back of our mind to take care of our guests.

She has loved the experience! Being from the Trumpland of rural South, the stereotypes about Pakistan are especially strong not only in this community but also in her family. That she managed to go, was unescorted by any 'security', mingled with common people and welcomed, never scammed or threatened, and experienced the Pakistani hospitality--all those are endorsements for Pakistan. That is precisely the purpose of this thread.

 

[Meengla]

Being interviewed by a major tv channel at Karachi Press Club on Sindh Culture Day. Can't find the video. Also, the main stage of the event in the second picture. All are from December 2019.

So this was a Sindh Culture Day. Celebrating Sindh's culture. In a non-political way. But there were a few--not many-- Jiye Sindh flags. I asked some people as to why. They said that Jiye Sindh people have 'hijacked' the event ('piggybacking', in American jargon) for their own political gains. The Urdu Speakers shrugged them off: Okay, let them have their little separatist fun.
But I felt sad: Been through the worst part of the ethnic divides in Pakistan in the 1980s, I had thought these things would be past. Not so.
We were invited by a senior journalist from the Karachi Press Club to his home in Clifton a couple days later. We set aside time for that. We went to a very nice dinner along with our You Tube friends/guides. No pictures to be shared here for their privacy. He was Sindhi speaking. A gentleman. But that evening revealed more about the ethnic fault-lines of Pakistan. It was too short of an experience to make an opinion on that. But I had expected better.
PS. Sindh and Sindhi culture and people are beautiful. They are not extremists or some foreign agents. I don't know what to add to this at this point...

 

[PakFactor]

Three months!! I truly envy you.
Here, taking even 16 days was a huge issue and we don't even have any kids.
But we are still very proud to have accumulated so many experiences in such a short time. As my OP said, we had to balance family time with our need time/travels but, thanks to your brother here, we pushed on.

Your kids refuse to go?

 

[Meengla]

Your kids refuse to go?

We don't have any kids. Never wanted any.