I left Pakistan on June 13th, 2011 to pursue my Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program in the US. I still remember the day, I was packing on June 12th, when it was extremely hot and, we used to have power outages of 12 hours. It was bearable for me, as I was used to this routine for years. I already mentioned in my previous blogs that I belong to a lower-middle class family, and I never lived a luxurious life. So, it was not a big deal to live without electricity, and also majority of the population in Pakistan is facing the similar problem, so I am not aloof from them.
I still remember the time, when my sister would go with me for two days to buy me clothes for the US carrying her 8-month infant child Elijah. I never felt the heat as I was used to it for years. Hence, I embarked my new journey in the States, which lasted for a year. The accounts of my journey to the States, and my one year there is all documented in my previous blogs. I was reading them today, and thinking myself blessed to live with all the facilities and luxuries for a year. What a country the US is. I learned a lot during my one year, made wonderful friends whom I love and miss a lot. I cherish their friendship for the rest of my life. My mentor Brian Snyder called me when I was leaving the States and said: Lubna, please Skype when you reach Pakistan. I wrote him the mail after my two days in Pakistan that its not possible due to long power outages. He was feeling very sorry for me. I was feeling sorry nor for my self but also for the Pakistani nation that why is our nation facing the wrath of the rulers. When I landed at Islamabad airport after 16-hours of lay over in Manchester, UL, I was very excited to see my parents and siblings after a year, also to resume my job after this big achievement. But, as I reached home, in 43 celcius /110 f temperature, I didn’t know how to cope up with that.
I started arguing my family that when i left Pakistan it was just 12 hours, but on my first day, it was 16 hours of power break down. I was mostly quiet that day. I didn’t know how to react to my family’s curiosity who were so proud at my achievement, while I was struggling to live in scorching heat without electricity.
I went to church this Sunday, where they gave me a warm welcome and asked me to speak and share my experience, I spoke but couldn’t stay there for long,due to intensity of heat inside church and again no electricity.
Its been exactly a week that i am in Pakistan, little bit settled. Went to office today, and resume my job on July 2nd. I am very happy that I can serve and can implement if possible in my job what i have learned during one year.
I still remember that when I would tell my other Fellows in Cronkite School about electricity problem in Pakistan they would ask me over and over again that why do we have this problem. I used to tell them Pakistan is blessed with many natural resources, but we don’t have a ruler who has the mind to use them. Hence the whole nation is facing this inhuman problem every summer. They were all astonished to hear my arguments about my country but some of their questions about problems of the country remained unanswered.
I am happy to be back and reunited with my family and also to resume my job. But, when will we tell the world that we are at least free of these problems which make us desperate and pessimist every day. I believe in the strength of prayer as I have seen its manifestation many times in my life, but all that was possible with handwork.
I really miss the facilities and the luxuries of the US, its cleanliness and honesty of the people. I can just pray for having some of this in Pakistan.
Lubna Thomas Benjamin 