An Introvert’s Story

maya indigenous woman

“You don’t have anyone in your family?” the indigenous woman asked me. There was a long pause between us. She stared at me for a while and then moved on. In Guatemala, I was strolling in Antigua city when a Maya woman selling handicrafts approached me. “Would you like to buy this?” she showed me … Read more

Thoughts in the Monument Valley

In the Monument Valley, sandstone buttes and mesas towered above the Colorado Plateau. A long road stretched out into the distance like a bold line on the sandpaper. It was here when Forrest Gump decided to stop after running for three years, two months, 14 days and 16 hours. He quit much to the bewilderment … Read more

Imtiyaz And The Secret Of Shimshal

“Imtiyaz was one class ahead of me in school. We liked each other a lot. We were distant relatives, so we convinced our families and got married in 1998. We were so happy together. He was such a soft-spoken man. Everyone in Shimshal loved him. He always helped others.” Imtiyaz’s wife, Zeenat, couldn’t speak further. … Read more

Circle Of Relationship

We humans have limited cognitive capacity when it comes to social relationships. At any given time, we can maintain meaningful relationships to a maximum of 150 people. They are the ones we can easily cooperate with and care about. We consider the rest of the people as strangers, and by nature, it is not easy … Read more

Marriage Proposal In Tajikistan

In Tajikistan, I almost tied knots with the lady in the background.   While cycling the Pamir Highway, I made a short stop in a lush valley to pick black mulberries from the trees. Nearby, a family was sitting on the ground having a meal. As I was tasting fresh mulberries, two women from the … Read more

A Dream In Peru

Somewhere in Peru, after a long descent, I reached a narrow valley where it was hot like an oven. I had not experienced this kind of heat in the entire trip before. I crossed a tiny village Balsas after which the world started to blur in front of my eyes. I had been out in … Read more

Ali Asghar — The Boy With Hemophilia

In Layyah, the doorbell rings at our house. Outside, a child clings to his mother’s finger and stares at me with big eyes. His mom Shamim Akhtar is here with her daughter and a little son. My sister had given free ration and money to this family a while ago and also told me about … Read more

A Journey of Laawaris

(اُردو میں پڑھنے کیلئے نیچے سکرول کریں) There was a time when a tyre puncture was 5 Rupees and air refill used to cost 1 Rupee. I was in school. During the school holidays, dad used to bring me to our shop “Quetta Tyres” where I would work together with other employees—washing old tyres in … Read more

A Taste Of Afghan Hospitality in LA

On a crisp Saturday morning, the sky was painted in pure blue—not even a sign of a cloud across the sky. The wind was as gentle as the smile on her face. People were out on the streets in sleeveless shirts. My legs pedalled like a machine but the odometer ticked ever so slow—the main … Read more

An Incomplete Story of Aunt Gul

To read in Urdu, scroll down. (اُردو میں پڑھنے کیلئیے نیچے سکرول کریں) Last night, I was about to sleep when I received a call from home with a tragic news that aunt Gul had died. She had fever and flu for the past few days, but her condition wasn’t so bad. When she last … Read more

Black and White in Belize

It is my second day in Belize. The sun is relentless, beating down on my head all day long. The month of September is supposed to be the peak of the rainy season but there is no rain at all. It feels unusually hot because of high humidity and lack of wind. The locals say … Read more

You Don’t Have Anyone in Your Family?

The Mayas are indigenous people of ancient Mesoamerica, which now comprises of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Maya people make up 40% population of Guatemala. The traditional clothing of Maya people exhibits colourful patterned designs on women’s blouses and skirts. The blouse, called huipil in Maya language, is generally hand woven with heavily … Read more

Marriage Proposal In Ecuador

Standing at the edge of a road in the Southern highlands of Ecuador today, a sweeping valley was in front of me. The view was so big that my eyes couldn’t contain it, similar to holding a bowl under a large waterfall. The bottom of the valley was covered with thick clouds. It appeared like … Read more