I fell in
love with Lahore at first sight. Well, as soon as I saw the paved roads and clean streets. Compared to chaos of Karachi, I felt like I was in a different
country.
I flew in from Karachi at 7:00 pm, and due to a bit of stomach sickness, I didn't leave the house much expect for the evenings. On my
second night in Lahore I was given a midnight tour of the LUMS college campus, which
culminated in a small house gathering, dancing to Honey Singh music videos in
the living room, ordering McDonalds to be delivered to the house, and making a
5:00 am drive to the juice cart for paan and orange juice.
Lahore is a historic city, and one which has been frequented by tourists for decades. But I didn’t see any of the
sights. I skipped the mosque and went to the mall. I passed by the museums, and
instead spent my days meeting the most interesting and vibrant people.
I heard
the stories of their love lives, their career ambitions, their foreign
experiences, their dreams, and their memories.
A young
woman falls in love with a British man.
A young
man dreams of living in America.
An
airforce students loses his roommate after his plane crashes into a field. When
the engine failed, the plane dived toward a college cafeteria, but the
pilot steered it away from the school and sacrificed his life to save the
students inside.
They told
me their stories over meals, while driving through the streets, while laying
awake in bed at night.
Their stories were
my souvenirs.
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