alive...so very alive...
it has been a very rare instance when I have wanted to write on this blog and words have failed me.
very very rare. today, at half past midnight on the 9th of november; about 3 days since my return from one of the most amazing experiences of my life; about a day and a half since being 'given' the best birthday a guy could have; and about 30 seconds since I closed my eyes and said a silent thank you; I make a feeble effort at putting it all down. for many of you this shall make little sense and will be nothing more than a bunch of pictures of people you don't know and places you will probably never see.
so be it.
It has been my life for this past one week and it rocked in about a gazillion different ways.
I promised an update of epic proportions. I didn't know putting it down would be quite this epic...
From the 30th of October to the 6th of november, I had the pleasure of chairing the National Youth Development Seminar for AIESEC in Pakistan. The conference, based in Lahore and studded with about 80 students from karachi, lahore and islamabad (the latter being of tremendous pride to an ever growing and thriving @ entity) marked my return to the environment, my return to what was pretty much life for the past 5 and a half years...
it was everything and more.
everything and more.
The LUMS experience.
From the time I set foot (on Monday the 30th of October evening) in this unbelievable institution I knew there was something special about it. The long winding roads, impeccably spotless to the buzzing area around the canteen and the banners of inter-university competitions spread across red brick building entrances....It had an air about it. An air unknown by someone like me that never really got the hostel experience but knew its pros and cons. What can I say? The people, the atmosphere, the 'electric' was all around. As i was escorted to the historical M5 building (one of the main hostels for the males) I was slightly apprehensive. sharing a room with 2 other guys I didn't know ? In a dorm sharing the experience of Pakistan in an alien environment?...I've pretty much been there and done that (pardon my cockyness but u know i am like that only) in most spheres for a 22 (now 23:) year old; but nothing, and i mean nothing could prepare me for what was coming up ahead.
the hospitality, the smiles, the brotherhood, the late night conversations spreading into wee hours of the morning, the games of pool, the sheesha, the disco song :), the shattering of prejudices and exhuming of truths. For our small and minute lives that are carried out day by day in a sometimes humdrum existence, the exposure to an atmosphere like this is the real oxygen we need.
it is the life force that makes us re-realize that deep down inside we are humans, and not the barbaric killing machines on the idiot box or in the shit-filled newspapers that await like sin at our doors.
thank u M5, if you are reading this, i miss you guys and I shall return soon!
NYDS
for those of you that have chaired any conference before, u are well aware of the exhaustion that goes with it. its kind of like being everywhere and nowhere all at the same time....my personal chair count has gone upto 6 conferences now and once again, nothing had really prepared me for the energy, the intelligence and the feeling of 'response'. What a bunch of aiesecers.
to have achieved what they have, in the 2 years of their existence, with the belief, leadership and passion to go further; what can i say except best of luck!:)
i spoke a few weeks back of the power of ambition in a couple of my friends; this time in a room of 80 odd future leaders, with the ambition of changing the perception of their country to the outside world, to their neighbours and most importantly - to the nay sayers amongst themselves. I repeat - the time is now. i was reminded of this so very powerfully. some more brilliant snapshots at my new buddies' blog - aiesec karachi..
Lahore
admittedly and unfortunately, i didnt get to see to much of this beautiful city. sunday night was the first real chilled out evening when the conference was over and about 25 of us decided to visit the notoriously famous cuckoos (sp?) the owner, a famous painter converted his house (once a brothel that housed his mother- a prostitute) into an old-school restaurant with the best view you could possibly imagine. the badshai mosque - eminating a luminosity so vibrant, it took my breath away way too many times that night.
later that night, we visited the populous food bazaar and knocked off like true kings helping after helping of kheer and lassi (skulling them btw:))....it was sinful. A perfect cap off to the day and I'm still wondering how emad was up and about after not having slept 41 straight hours. one key learning though was that i no longer possess the inhuman strength of the @er from yesteryears.... :) older and wiser;)
The people
Like i said, it would be like writing a book...for the time when I look back and think of memorable moments in my life; I'll let the pictures do the talking:)
These pictures are a very small percentage that I randomly selected from across evenings, lots more in the flickr counter on the right, and from what I have been promised - a lot more in my mail box soon :)
The emails, the MSN chats, the phone calls wishing me a belated happy birthday still continue. thanks guys....
And so I returned on the 6th, tired but satisfied from a week of late night dhol parties, intense conversations, interactions with courageous people and with a glimpse of an inspiring future. as always, it was a whirlwind roller coaster, the voices still echo in my head....
DC- over and out.
very very rare. today, at half past midnight on the 9th of november; about 3 days since my return from one of the most amazing experiences of my life; about a day and a half since being 'given' the best birthday a guy could have; and about 30 seconds since I closed my eyes and said a silent thank you; I make a feeble effort at putting it all down. for many of you this shall make little sense and will be nothing more than a bunch of pictures of people you don't know and places you will probably never see.
so be it.
It has been my life for this past one week and it rocked in about a gazillion different ways.
I promised an update of epic proportions. I didn't know putting it down would be quite this epic...
From the 30th of October to the 6th of november, I had the pleasure of chairing the National Youth Development Seminar for AIESEC in Pakistan. The conference, based in Lahore and studded with about 80 students from karachi, lahore and islamabad (the latter being of tremendous pride to an ever growing and thriving @ entity) marked my return to the environment, my return to what was pretty much life for the past 5 and a half years...
it was everything and more.
everything and more.
The LUMS experience.
From the time I set foot (on Monday the 30th of October evening) in this unbelievable institution I knew there was something special about it. The long winding roads, impeccably spotless to the buzzing area around the canteen and the banners of inter-university competitions spread across red brick building entrances....It had an air about it. An air unknown by someone like me that never really got the hostel experience but knew its pros and cons. What can I say? The people, the atmosphere, the 'electric' was all around. As i was escorted to the historical M5 building (one of the main hostels for the males) I was slightly apprehensive. sharing a room with 2 other guys I didn't know ? In a dorm sharing the experience of Pakistan in an alien environment?...I've pretty much been there and done that (pardon my cockyness but u know i am like that only) in most spheres for a 22 (now 23:) year old; but nothing, and i mean nothing could prepare me for what was coming up ahead.
the hospitality, the smiles, the brotherhood, the late night conversations spreading into wee hours of the morning, the games of pool, the sheesha, the disco song :), the shattering of prejudices and exhuming of truths. For our small and minute lives that are carried out day by day in a sometimes humdrum existence, the exposure to an atmosphere like this is the real oxygen we need.
it is the life force that makes us re-realize that deep down inside we are humans, and not the barbaric killing machines on the idiot box or in the shit-filled newspapers that await like sin at our doors.
thank u M5, if you are reading this, i miss you guys and I shall return soon!
NYDS
for those of you that have chaired any conference before, u are well aware of the exhaustion that goes with it. its kind of like being everywhere and nowhere all at the same time....my personal chair count has gone upto 6 conferences now and once again, nothing had really prepared me for the energy, the intelligence and the feeling of 'response'. What a bunch of aiesecers.
to have achieved what they have, in the 2 years of their existence, with the belief, leadership and passion to go further; what can i say except best of luck!:)
i spoke a few weeks back of the power of ambition in a couple of my friends; this time in a room of 80 odd future leaders, with the ambition of changing the perception of their country to the outside world, to their neighbours and most importantly - to the nay sayers amongst themselves. I repeat - the time is now. i was reminded of this so very powerfully. some more brilliant snapshots at my new buddies' blog - aiesec karachi..
Lahore
admittedly and unfortunately, i didnt get to see to much of this beautiful city. sunday night was the first real chilled out evening when the conference was over and about 25 of us decided to visit the notoriously famous cuckoos (sp?) the owner, a famous painter converted his house (once a brothel that housed his mother- a prostitute) into an old-school restaurant with the best view you could possibly imagine. the badshai mosque - eminating a luminosity so vibrant, it took my breath away way too many times that night.
later that night, we visited the populous food bazaar and knocked off like true kings helping after helping of kheer and lassi (skulling them btw:))....it was sinful. A perfect cap off to the day and I'm still wondering how emad was up and about after not having slept 41 straight hours. one key learning though was that i no longer possess the inhuman strength of the @er from yesteryears.... :) older and wiser;)
The people
Like i said, it would be like writing a book...for the time when I look back and think of memorable moments in my life; I'll let the pictures do the talking:)
These pictures are a very small percentage that I randomly selected from across evenings, lots more in the flickr counter on the right, and from what I have been promised - a lot more in my mail box soon :)
The emails, the MSN chats, the phone calls wishing me a belated happy birthday still continue. thanks guys....
And so I returned on the 6th, tired but satisfied from a week of late night dhol parties, intense conversations, interactions with courageous people and with a glimpse of an inspiring future. as always, it was a whirlwind roller coaster, the voices still echo in my head....
DC- over and out.
I had no idea you were in Pak chairing a conference dude! This is so cool. Congrats dude - you are surely living it up. Cheers!
Posted by
Prabs |
8:36 PM, November 09, 2006
Bosss !
we miss you!
you gotta come back before we're out of M5!
we were jiving in the corridor last night haha..kurt has some clips /pictures..
Posted by
Ad |
1:45 AM, November 11, 2006
And it was nice to have you over as well :p
Oh and btw, you should correct the links on the right...Saba and Sharmeen are from Karachi, not Lahore. If they see this, they will kill you. :D
Posted by
Sohaib |
12:31 AM, November 15, 2006
mistake amended! - thanks sohaib)
Posted by
chitgo |
8:04 AM, November 15, 2006