Where in the world is....Meliha?

As I've mentioned in my last couple of blog posts, we just returned from a trip to south Asia. Before I get into too much about our trip, let me back up a little bit (and also entertain you with a short anecdote).

When I was younger, I used to play a game called Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego. (It later became a popular game show for kids of the same name.) The concept for the game focused on geographic questions as the player tracked clues about a fictional villainous character named Carmen Sandiego. Thankfully, I'm neither a villain nor do I need to be tracked around the world, but after all the blogging I've done about south Asia, some of you (especially those who don't know me personally or well) might be left wondering WHERE in the world south Asia is Meliha??


Well...a lot of what I write about on this blog holds true of several countries in south Asia. But more specifically, this was my 7th trip to visit my in-laws in Pakistan.

Seven trips later, Pakistan (and more generally, south Asia) still has its charms that hold my interest. Depending upon how long you've been reading my blog, I may have already impressed upon you the value and esteem I hold for both places where I lay my head (United States and Pakistan). There are aspects that I love about the United States (people, organization, structure, food, shopping, and environmental factors -- to name a few), and there are aspects that I love about Pakistan (personalization, food, clothes, weather, shopping, and people -- to name a few more). (Some of you may have noticed there are overlaps in those lists.)

As you can see from my TripAdvisor travel map (on left), I've been ALL over. And I can safely say that of the everyday Pakistani people with whom I've come in contact there...well, they're generally the most caring and loving people I've ever met. (Oh sure, I've also met some dishonest people there too, but they're definitely in the minority.) Suffice to say, it's a place that is dear to my heart.

Karachi, Pakistan is my usual destination city when I travel there. The U.S. Department of State has had one travel warning or another in effect since my first visit to Pakistan in 2003. Clearly, according to the Department of State, Pakistan is not the safest country for Americans to visit. In my case, my husband and I have always traveled together, and we stay with family. (I do NOT recommend traveling there yourself without having contacts/knowing someone there!)

Unfortunately, it seems like the majority of the news about Pakistan that reaches the outside world is not good, and I'm no longer surprised when I see news like this. Because of how much I love the country and the people that inhabit it, it saddens me to read or hear this kind of news -- regardless of whether I'm sitting in Pakistan or the United States at the time. As you can imagine to be the case when you hear news about something that happened in Karachi -- a city with over 18 million people and more than 50 distinct neighborhood areas -- it may not be anywhere near the locations I frequent or travel. (To be clear, Karachi is over 1,200 kilometers/~750 miles from where most of the news like this takes place. To put that in perspective, that's nearly the distance from San Francisco to the border of Canada.) To make a comparison, it's a lot like asking people from Los Angeles whether they were close to the Los Angeles riots in 1992...just because they're from LA.

The typical reaction I get when I tell people I'm leaving for or have just returned from a trip to south Asia, their number one question Is: "Is it safe?" followed by their next question: "But what about all the recent news?"

Then I try explain to them the very things I'm explaining now. I say "try" because sometimes those people give little to no importance to the information shared by someone like me who's been there and has seen things with her own eyes.

Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts. ~Albert Einstein

Anyway I know lots of well-meaning people (even some south Asian expats!) who used to or still do worry about my safety when I'm over there. While I do appreciate their concern and interest, many of those people have come to understand the very thing I'm describing to you now. And some other people...well, they still just don't get it.

I guess what I'm saying is, I have my reasons for travelling to south Asia (and Pakistan). I hope you've enjoyed the stories and information that I've shared through my writings on this blog so far. There's definitely more to come!

...And now back to our regularly scheduled program!