While spending time in Pakistan, I was able to attend five days of wedding ceremonies, had my hands painted with henna, ate the most unusual foods, danced and chatted with many interesting people. Was it an arranged wedding or not? What happened to all the money that was given? Here’s the story of that fairy tale wedding.
If reading printed matter is not a tradition in your culture, how can you address literacy and promote reading among children? Alif Laila runs after school programs, offers girls a chance to learn computer skills, runs Hobby Clubs and is now expanding to include mobile libraries. Ricksaws, busses and even camels bring books to children across Pakistan, children who love to learn about other cultures and much as I loved meeting them.
"You are not really going to Pakistan alone? As a woman?" that was the reaction of many when I decided to visit Pakistan. I am writer. And a lovely fellow writer invited me to her country, her home, to be part of her family for a while. We “met” while doing research for a book. She was kind and helpful. And she, too, was a booklover, a teacher. What an opportunity to see a new part of the world.
