THREE CUPS OF TEA

Greg Mortenson is a real American hero. I should say that after reading "Three Cups of Tea", a story or biography of Greg, co-authored by David Olive Relin.

When i came to the United States my friend Kristen told me about a book which i hadn't heard of. The title of the book grabed my attention at first because in our villages Chai, Tea, is the most favorite beverage due to a variety of reasons such as, convenience to make, availability of milk, quick remedy for triteness, and may be  we can't afford coffee. I googled and the  information from wikipedia fueled my interest because it was a book about the mountainous and unapproacable areas of Northern Pakistan where i come from. I texted Kristen. " Though i will buy it later and read, and comment on the book some time, but i do agree with some info as explained by wikipedia." Kristen had the book in her house and one day she brought me the book to read. I read it, and found out that it is more than a story. It is a philosophy of humanism, strategy of counter terrorism and biography of a legendary.

I am writting about this because i am very passionate about education in remote areas, and also, some of my friends in the US were confused. Some people had criticized Greg and some didn't believe in what has been written in the book.

There can be two possible reasons why some people think of it as an exaggeration or not very factual. 

1- The abject poverty and hardships of life in the Hindukush and Karakorum ranges of the Himalayas is too hard to believe. Unless someone has visited the places and lived in the society like Greg Mortenson did.

2- The book has been written in a novelestic narration. It is not just a dry description of facts and figures. It is thrilling, interesting and seems like one is watching a movie. So, some people might think of it- a movie from Hollywood. 

But, i think it is a composition of real life experiences of a mountain climber who fails his attempt to reach the summit of  K2 in 1993, and stranded, reaches a valley called Korphe. Surviving death, and being loved, respected and protected by the poor people of the remote area, Greg promises to build a school there. The story starts and Greg finds a purpose for his life. A purpose more valuable then reaching the top of K2. A purpose to educate the people of Korphe. This vision leads to a life long struggle, hard sufferings, deep understanding and splendid success. Greg, in 2002-03, fully convinced that  a balanced education is the key to fight terrorism, poverty and hatred, laments over the civilian causalities in Afghanistan and plunges into the war-stricken zone of Afghanistan to builds schools there. Having a sound cultural understanding, or cultural intelligence i would rather say, which he develops during his mission to build schools in the northern Pakistan, he is the most loved person there (northern Pakistan).

Greg also point outs the root causes of terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan and provides the best guidelines or long term strategies to pursue, in order to win hearts and minds of the people.

The two things in the book which need clearification is, Greg or Relin, has used the term "Muslim Bomb" when he refers to the atomic bomb Pakistan detonated in 1998 to become a nuclear state. The only reason Pakistan went for atomic bomb was, to balance the supermacy of India in the South Asia as a Nuclear State. The nuclear test was not an attempt to frighten the non muslim world like Russia or the US, millions of miles away. Secondly, Greg has met different people from different sects of Islam. So when one is reading the book he might find some different point of views regarding Islam because we have so many sects, unfortunately.

I am inspired by Greg's work. He has done a great job. I should visit the places and schools he has described in the book. Skardu, where he used to conduct jirga, meetings, with his friends from the villages to carry out his projects, is 840 Kilometers ( 522 miles) from my district Chitral. However, Chitral and Baltistan share the same topography and climate.

I higly recommend Three cups of Tea  for reading. It will broaden one's understanding of terrorism, education, and most importantly, it is a testimony of how one person can make a difference. Greg is co-founder of Central Asia Institute ( CAI), a non profit organisation built to keep his mission alive. Recently, Greg and some of his close friends like Ghulam Parvi have been accused of some financial scandals, however i would say that the great job he has done is unquestionable. Greg has been awarded with Pakistan's highest civil award "Sitara e Pakistan" ( Star of Pakistan).

The importance of learning a second language !

           Any language other than someone’s native language or mother tongue is a second language. Every one of us can speak his native language easily because of being born and brought up in a family and neighborhood where all speak and understand it. It is quite difficult to understand some other language and master it. However, this has certain benefits and one must try to learn at least one language other than the native language.

 Learning a second language enhances your cognitive abilities. The mind is a complex mass. Some people say that we are normally using only ten percent of our brain. With this ten percent, humans have created wonders and achieved so much. What if we use some more of it for learning a second language?

            Learning a second language means interacting with a new group, and new people with different cultures and different ethnicities. This interaction might lead to new friendships and opportunities to learn and engage in a business. Globalization of businesses would help create consumer demand for different products across borders.

            Career opportunities are also enhanced by learning a second language. If someone learns Spanish in the United States, the chances of getting a job increase as Hispanics are the largest minority in the US. This is also the case with countries where there are two or more languages widely spoken. For example, in Pakistan, Urdu is the national language but English is widely spoken and taught in the universities, besides being a secondary national language. If you know how to read, write, and speak English well, the chances finding a good job increase.

            By learning a second language one can have access to a different set of knowledge and information which might strengthen the knowledge base. A scholar looking for some information, data or evidence might find something in a language different from his native language. Although translations are available, like Google Translator, the understanding of something on your own keeps the originality.  Take it the other way, by learning any other language you might be able to translate something into your own native language, which would help people understand things they wouldn’t have understood before.

                                    Some people might argue that learning a second language will lead to losing your culture. I don’t think so. You don’t lose your culture. You learn about a new culture but keep your own traditional culture. I believe that someone’s cultural values would not be that much shaky that just learning a different language would make them lose their culture which is inherited in their genes. Besides culture, it doesn't mean you are not valuing your own language. To learn a second language we don't need to disrespect our own languge.

            I would suggest learning at least one other language in your lifetime. It will improve your mental capabilities, groom your personality and provide access to more information. 

American Culture versus Pakistani Culture

                                     It is quite interesting to learn about cultures. I wanted to share something about US culture and compare it to the culture of Pakistan. Pakistan is a developing country of South Asia while the United States of America is a developed country in the other corner of the World. They have two different cultures and very few similarities.

First of all, In the United States of America people are more individualistic and independent whereas in Pakistan, society is more collectivistic and interdependent. In Pakistan when you are making a decision you take into consideration your family, friends and community.  You might have a best decision in your self-interest, but if your family or close friends are not happy with the decision, you might give up. However, in United States you can go for what you think is best for you.

Furthermore, meal etiquette, or table manners, is different. In America people use forks, knives and spoon during meals. People use dining tables. In Pakistan using fingers is common and usually all family members or friends sit together on the floor for meal. Although this trend is changing in the major cities but laying a table cloth, Dastar’Khawn, on the floor for meal is famous in towns and villages.

Third, time is highly valued in America. One is supposed to meet the deadlines and schedule routine matters. In Pakistan people take life easy in general. It is OK if you are 15-20 minutes late for a meeting, ceremony or party. People are more direct and timely when it comes to communication in the United States, while in Pakistan people are context oriented and search for clues.

The other thing I learned was something about dating. Dating is a part of US culture. If a man likes a lady they usually start dating and may get into a relationship. This relationship usually leads to romance and marriage. However, in Pakistan dating is considered taboo due to social disapproval as well as religious restrictions. The decision to marry is taken after consulting parents. The approval of family and close relatives is a major step for a couple to get married.

There are few similarities between US culture and Pakistani culture. The people of both nations love music. People listen to music and dance to it in both countries. Same is the case with sports. In America young people are very enthusiastic about sports like baseball, basketball and rugby. In Pakistan people get really excited about cricket and hockey.

Both in America and Pakistan, people respect their elders. It is considered rude to interrupt while they are talking to each other. Hugging each other is common among friends in both countries. In Pakistan men hug each other and handshake while ladies kiss each other on cheeks as well.

The cultures of America and Pakistan are quite different and there are a few similarities. The information I shared is not based on some extensive research or for any academic purpose. It is a general observation of everyday life in United States. I am trying to learn more about US culture during my stay here.

Is Urdu the best option for socio-economic development of Pakistan as a nation?

Last week I read an article in the Daily Express by Orya Maqbool Jan, a famous columnist of Pakistan, in which he emphasized the belief that in the past five thousand years no nation has ever achieved the pinnacle of success and development unless it has adopted its own language as a source of education. Resting his case he further mentioned that we need to translate all the existing knowledge base into Urdu if we want to stand as a developed nation.

My first response to this belief was a mix of respect for his love towards Urdu and disagreement with his point of view that we can’t be creative in any other language except our own, as he had once mentioned in a TV show (Azaan TV).  I thought, creativity has nothing to do with language. Language is a tool of communication of thoughts and creativity. You can transfer your creativity into Arabic, Urdu, English, digital codes and graphic animations. After a day or so, I revisited my thought and took interest in reading more. I tried to find answers to my own questions. Is transferring creativity into your own language quicker and into any foreign language  slow ? Does it take too much time because first you would have to master that language? Can development at the national level can be achieved by using a second language or not?

What is development? We can define development in different ways. GDP, per capita income, life standard and poverty eradication, are the most commonly used terms to define and explain development. The World Bank in its 1999 World Development Report  stated that it is a multidimensional process including major changes in social structures and economic stability. The most attractive and appealing  is the explanation of development in economic terms as emphasized by the West, “the path towards maximization of goods and services per head”. This may be easy to measure. However, some authors such as Wiseman Magwa and Davie E. Mustafa, are of the view that development is a multi-dimensional process involving changes in attitudes, structure and institutions in a given society. They hold the view that the needs of societies are different and not identical. I focused on this broad explanation because we are facing social problems, political problems and economic problems altogether. Based on this broad definition, can a second or third language (foreign) bring development to Pakistan? Is it Urdu that can trigger the multidimensional change process for development?

Let’s not consider all the languages and dialects spoken in Pakistan to keep it short and to the point. Urdu is our national language and lingua franca. We have five major languages; Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki and Balochi. It means Urdu is not the first language or mother tongue of most of the Pakistanis and native Urdu speakers are about 8% of the total population. But a fact about Urdu language is that almost every Pakistani uses it as a second language. If we start systematically, counting indigenous languages, then Urdu is our second language and English third. English is our secondary official language -- dominantly officail. If we talk about language of the masses in Pakistan, definitely it is Urdu. If we were to choose a language for any big national-level change it seems to be Urdu because of the simple fact that it is the most understood and spoken language of the population.

Language can be an aid to development as well as barrier to development. If I stick to the broader definition of development, aforementioned, then English is a barrier to development in Pakistan. It is not the language of the masses. The best way to reach the masses for any social, political and scientific purposes is through the use of the language they easily understand. Concepts and terminologies can be constructed in indigenous languages as well, although it would need a huge and exhaustive effort due to the fact that we haven’t done something like that yet. According to Wolff (1999), the development of a whole country in terms of its economy or political culture hinges on communicative efficiency based on language. Again, it seems Urdu would be efficient in such a case, at least in the case of domestic commerce, product and services, policy matters, administration and politics. If Ufone comes up with commercials in English language, would most of prospective & current customers, the target market, understand the packages they offer? If a school kid in a K.G. class was taught the word, "apple", wouldn’t we need to make him understand first in his native language? His mind would use the native language to identify apple, unless he was brought up with parents who always speak English. If Imran Khan or Nawaz Sharif comes to Chitral or Peshawar and addresses the public in English would that work for them to gain socail and political support?

Molvi Abdul Haq, Baba-e- Urdu, used to emphasize that Urdu is the thing that unites the whole nation. Sometimes, this thing seems to me to be Urdu and Cricket. We have been acting like an emotional nation throughout our history. Projecting English as a language of development doesn’t seem to fit the nation’s affective component of social structure. Joshua A. Fishman, in the World Handbook of Political and Social Indicators and A Cross-Polity Survey, states, “ Linguistically homogenous polities are usually, economically more developed, educationally more advanced, politically more modernized, and ideologically and politically more tranquil and stable."

Kishe (2003) holds the idea that there seems to be a correlation in Africa between underdevelopment and the use of a foreign language as the official language of a given country. Can we hold this theory for Pakistan, in Asia? After all, according to World Bank statistics, the nominal GDP of Pakistan in 2010 was 174,799 million USD,  not very different from South Africa’s 363,704 million USD--even worse. In this same continent called Asia, Japan and China have Japanese and Chinese respectively as their official and national languages and their economies are booming. Is Urdu the missing link to our socio-economic development? Do all the stake holders of development in Pakistan understand English fully? 

There are also benefits associated with learning a secondary language, in our case, English or any other. For example, increased cognitive abilities, higher job opportunities, greater access to research-based knowledge, cultural awareness and higher scores in standardized international tests. I would never say no to learning a second or third language whether it is English or Arabic. Usually it has been noticed that English in our country is associated with elites and bureaucracy. This is also one of the reasons we opt for English because, humans,  rational egoists, first think of themselves and their families. Every young man will go for English unless there is a change in the system, to bring linguistic homogeneity in education system in Pakistan.

On a national level scenario -- mass scale development, participation of masses and effective and quick flow of information throughout Pakistan, Urdu seems to be the best option. All alone, Urdu, too, can’t bring about miracle if we are not committed to be honest, moderate, tolerant and responsible citizens of Pakistan.
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References and useful links:

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/GDP.pdf

http://utilika.org/pubs/etc/ndld-asl.pdf

http://www.polytechnic.edu.na/academics/schools/comm_legal_secre/comm/nawa_journal/language-and-development-Magwa-Mutasa.pdf

A trip to Shawnee National forest: To explore the part of America famous for its natural and recreational sites.

January 27-29,2012.

Paul Starcher, International Student Counselor at University of Evansville, introduced me to the University of Evansville Venturing Crew 365 but I had to get registered with the Boys Scouts of America (BSA) and pass “Youth Protection Training” to join them in their events or community services. It took me a few days to do that and my first trip with the crew was to Shawnee National Forest in Illinois. It cost about $60 dollars (from registration to the whole trip) but the fun I had and things I learned are beyond the monetary value I just mentioned.

Shawnee National Forest is located at about a 2 hours’ drive from Evansville. We, a group of 28 students, set off on the evening of January 27 and reached “Garden of the Gods” at about 8 pm. It was my first formal camping trip and it was a great chance to learn things from setting up tents to working on a team. It was a lot of fun to make a fire with wood and I said, “I can smell my home now”, which made the friends laugh out loud (In Chitral we make fire by woods in our homes, may be a surprise to many of you). At night it got pretty cold but in the morning going to see the sunrise in the wilderness of the forest was a mesmerizing moment. After a  breakfast of scrambled eggs, we started hiking and I came across huge pine and oak trees, ponds and streams, small herbs (as I can’t name) and different scenes which were the manifestation of the greatness and beauty of nature. We took some memorable pictures together capturing nature in the background.

Descending was a little tough as we all were tired but we waited for each other, making sure everyone is in the queue and sang on the way back to keep ourselves encouraged and energetic. We went to Burden Falls and enjoyed our time near the 100 foot high water fall. I was the first to reach the bottom of the water fall and also the first to slip and get some cold water on my jeans. As soon as we arrived back to our camping site I changed my jeans and joined the team for cooking and collecting wood to make a fire. I loved the rice with hot sauce. After dinner, we had a game which was a mixture of dance and songs.

On the morning of  January 29, we went to the observation trail in the Garden of the Gods. There were giant and marvelous rocks which had been shaped into different images like hogbacks and camel. According to the printed information I read on one of the rocks, these images are the result of sedimentation.There used to be a sea in this area some 320 Million years ago. This also depicts the role of nature in shaping our history and geography. After an hour of rock climbing and photography we were on our way back, after a memorable 2 days trip.
Last but not least, I am lucky to have a visit to the “Camel Rock” and take a picture with it because in 2016 this rock is going to be featured on US coins, part of US Mint’s “ America the beautiful” quarters program. 

Things I learned!

I learned a high sense of responsibility. Back at home I used to go on tours and trips with friends and ,unfortunately, in open places like a camping site or playground we would not bother to pick up the trash, papers etc. left behind by us. But here I saw that our team had a trash box or drum with them and we used to put any useless thing into it, from fruit peelings to used plastic plates. On the last day when we were about to pull down our tents and pack back we stood in a line in such a way that the whole camping site was covered horizontally. Then we started walking till the end picking every small bit of anything left by us, if any. Eventually, we left the camping site as clean as we had received it.

The second thing I learned was conservation of nature. In our whole hiking trip, in which we covered about 60 miles on the average, I observed that the trees are not smote down anywhere. There are instructions printed not to carry any grass seed outside the forest or bring new ones. There were specific routes to be followed while hiking so that not every part is trodden down by the people.

Thirdly, here in the USA, I found out that the laws for preservation of nature, archeological artifacts and historical avenues are well defined and implemented. It is because preservation of such things would ultimately lead to more tourists, greater revenue and higher standards.

I feel more responsible about nature around the globe after this trip.

Defeat and Justification

Sometimes we fail to stand up to our values, principles and morals and so contend to irrationality and fantasy to justify our defeat. We may satisfy ourselves for the time being by such an approach but subconsciously we all know that we are unable to provide reasons.Your adherence to your values needs a lot of courage, sacrifice,commitment and perseverance. The value of principle centered life is very high, that is why it needs the same valuable inputs to maintain them. On the way to a principle centered life, you will be tested by circumstances,material benefits,greed, emotions,etc.How long and patiently you stand up to these things, determine the value you give to your values.Values are like compass.They guide you towards the "true north" if the based on principles; the principles of nature.

Honesty in conversation

I think if you want to be honest with someone in a general talk or conversation you don't need to think too much what to say.For example if two close friends are talking to each other and one asks how much your shoes cost ( which he or she bought an hour ago,let say) and to answer that simple inquiry if the friend takes 1 minute or so then he/she might be trying to hide something ,change something or preparing an answer. In simple and general talks you don't need to think that much and if you do, then there is something wrong at the bottom. On my part it is just a raw observation or thinking (and a rough example of course) but this may lead to a research in human psychology of conversation. The human behavior can be judged and put into research to explore more.After all, "truth" and "lie" are so important matters in terms of human relations and human psychology.Lie detectors, used in advanced court trials and by intelligence agencies show the importance of truthfulness and falsehood. But in simple cases, like general conversation, we don't need the costly detectors. They say, i can read your eyes.I say, i can read your mind.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

You learn in a number of ways from different sources like teachers, friends,enemies,books, mistakes,life etc. Learning is an ongoing process. We all learn something from some source. When i was in metric (2005) i came
across a book named "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Dr.Stephen Covey. This happened to be such a good book that I loved it. Covey has written a book worth reading based on his sound observations and experiences. The Seven Habits he has put forth as Habits of Effective People are as follows:

1-Be Proactive
2-Begin with the end in mind
3-Put first things first
4-Think win-win
5-Seek first to understand than to be understood
6-Synergy
7-Sharpen the saw

These habits will change your life if you stick to them with dedication.I have also tried my best to practice them and make them habit but sometimes due to laziness, procrastination and lack of commitment I have not been able to exploit them fully. However I believe in them and they have been a food for thought when ever a tough time has shown up.
As Aristotle said; "We are what we repeatedly do.Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

“A Dream Within A Dream”

My reflections on “Adhay Adhoray Khawb”;A novel-et worth reading

I was in search of “Adhay Adhoray Khawb” since I came to know about it. I tried to find it in Peshawar city but in vain. I contacted a teacher of mine who was in Lahore on a visit. He very kindly gifted me “Adhay Adhoray Khawb”. I am not a student of literature but I love reading books related to social issues, poetry, human relations etc. So being a student of Business Administration I may not be able to present my reflections in the manner the novel-et worth’s. But I can’t even stop myself writing whatever comes to my mind after  going through the novel.

I was engrossed in the novel because I was not only reading it but also feeling the lines because the flow of the sentences and central idea was fantastic. The moment I for the first time stopped while reading the novel was when I came to the page where the qualities of a “good teacher” were being discussed. I stopped because the conclusion of the discussion was, what I as a student felt very true about a good teacher; Knowledge, Methodology, Attitude and Creativity. Every good student would like to see these things in a teacher and if all teachers inherit these qualities they will be the examples for young minds to follow.

I belong to the District Chitral, in the very north of Pakistan, and the character “Imtisaal” took me to my valley. With the novel I visited my crystal like streams and felt the cool breeze of village.The story of “Imtisaal” also shows that staying away from homes in far-flung areas in hostels and with friends expose to a lot of experiences from building relations to developing human capacity. Teachers in cities can be a source of inspiration and example for students of remote areas specifically.I feel that education is the most productive way of bringing a social change. I would recommend this novel-et, written by Dr.Shahid Siddiqi( Lahore School of Economics), to every student and every teacher.

At the ending section of the novel-et the state of Professor Rai in jail reminded me Edgar Allen saying;

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream? 

Laughing at mistakes

Most of us tend to say "fu**", "oh no", "oh shit"  when they commit a minor mistake.But let's change our attitude.Let's laugh out loud on the small mistakes we make on daily basis. We all learn from mistakes i agree. But let's make a little change in our immediate response to our mistakes. Let's forgive ourselves for the moment and really laugh.