Review: Kufic Calligraphy by Fasih Qureshi

Yesterday I shared a little home decor update on my stories where we put up this beautiful calligraphic painting on one of the walls and I gave all the tips and tricks of how to hang paintings efficiently etc etc but the painting stole the show and my inbox got flooded with questions about it!

Pakistan's Independence Day 2020

Happy Independence day to the country that will always be my identity no matter where I live 

Heart Talk: I was a Part of a Book!

My first job right after completing my master's degree was this 6 months project where I worked as a project coordinator on a coffee table book, The Craft Traditions of Pakistan by the Export Promotion Bureau. 

Quick Review: Coasters and Table Mats by Pith

I am a die-hard truck art fan. I am sure most of you know this already! When I went to Pakistan earlier this year, I was on a mission to find truck-art inspired table mats and coasters (Although all the coasters I have at home are traditional Pakistani - yet the heart desires more!) 

Travel Diary: Kallar Kahar

Travelling does not have to be an expensive and elaborate experience. It does not have to have a train or a plane ride and visas and passports. You do not need to save all year to go on one vacation. I have learned to appreciate and take joy in visiting and exploring little towns and have realized that sometimes you underestimate the beauty of something just because it is easy to reach and sometimes you spend a big amount only to be disappointed. After our first international move, it took us five years to go on our first 'international' vacation together. We were struggling financially and managing our lives in a new country and a vacation seemed like an expense that we could not afford. That, however, did not stop us from taking numerous little trips to places that we could at least drive to. Every other long weekend, we would select a small town or village and go exploring. It got me wondering why I never thought of doing this in my own country. 

So, now on all my trips to Pakistan, even though, I am always struggling with the shortage of time versus the tasks at hand, if I manage to squeeze in a small adventure to a new destination, the mission is accomplished. 

Celebrating 10 Years of Expat Life

Time is a fascinating concept. I am the kind of person who loves to measure passing time in days, months and years. I am a walking calendar in that way. I have to put my mind at ease by adding a proper number to vague measures of times like a few years ago, a couple of months ago. But, what makes me happier is reaching a milestone and to be able to replace that number with a fancy word. 

Like... March of 2019 marks a ‘decade’ of living an expat life - a reminder that it has been a ‘decade’ to that leap of faith we took... you see what I meant by a fancy word? 

I will be doing a tiny series of posts about the journey so far by answering some of the commonly asked questions 

Let's get a cup of tea first... 

Short Travel Story: TDF Ghar, Karachi

One of the new places that I went to in Karachi was The Dawood Foundation (TDF) Ghar. A place from where I finally managed to get a photograph with Karachi’s iconic landmark; mausoleum of Quaid e Azam, the founder of Pakistan. Built in the 1930s, this home was fighting legal issues since 1991 when it was occupied by land grabbing mafia. Finally, in 2016 the case ended and it is now turned into a public space. It has been kept in its original condition with some restoration work. You will be fascinated by the handcrafted tiles, lamps, grills and rooms decked with antiques and collectables that are almost 90 years old. 

Review: Children's Books by Ayesha Marfani

I have always been a BIG fan of stories with moral lessons. Books that aim to bring to light a social issue and ways to address them. I am sure we all remember those short stories about ‘Greed is Curse’, ’As you sow, so shall you reap’, ‘Honesty is the best policy’... morals that impacted our young impressionable minds! I am so grateful that we were repeatedly taught these basic things in school and at home. 

Ayesha Marfani, a Pakistani Children’s book author, shared with me two of her books a few days ago. Beautifully written, with a clear moral message, carefully chosen words, illustrations and even after-reading activities, these books are really a treasure. 

Immigration Diary: Wardrobe Blues

In Pakistan, it is a norm to get custom-made clothes for yourself. People find it fascinating when I tell them that I used to design make my own clothes. Buy material, get some embroidery done on it, get a scarf dyed with it, get some embellishments for the scarf and then get a tailor to stitch it with the style and fitting of my choice and also within my budget 💁‍♀️. Sounds tedious but, this was like the ONLY way of buying clothes that I knew of. (Leaving tailor blues for another day…. 😜)

Review: Songs of Pinky Memsaab

A few days ago I saw a friend post about upcoming independent movie Pinky Memsaab, releasing on the 7th of December 2018. The trailer looks very promising. With Dubai as the backdrop, the story revolves around a socialite and her maid who develop an unconventional bond while they go through life and the lemons it gives them! I found this a very unique and interesting topic. The movie seems much more real and being an expatriate myself for the last 10 years, I am sure it will hit a few right notes somewhere. It was time that a movie with such a theme was made.

Immigration Diary: Recruitment Cycle In Australia

Heart Talk: I AM PAKISTAN

I AM PAKISTAN!