2nd July
It hasn’t sunk in yet. The fact that we’ve left Pakistan permanently. Of course we'll inevitably visit but we're no longer dependent on this country. At least that’s the aim. As I write this at 40,000 feet in the air I’m not sure how welcoming this new country will be. Will we be successful in getting what we’ve worked so hard for?
I’ve had mixed reviews and reactions from people. Let’s start with GM. He's supported my decisions throughout and even encouraged them. He says if he's not ready to let his sons practice in Pakistan then it absolutely doesn’t make sense for any of us. But then he goes on to say that the whole immigration process is the modern day equivalent of bringing in slaves from lesser countries for manual labour and rains on my parade.
I’m not sure what awaits us when we land. The first few months (couple of years?) are definitely going to be a struggle. It’s a fresh start but it’s also the trouble of starting all over again. At 32, it doesn’t really make much sense but it’s still the best (only?) option I have right now.
The trip so far has been uneventful. Check-in was a hassle with long queues. Passport control was slow and unorganized. Boarding was uneventful. A didn’t like the Airbus but I thought it was fine. My gluten free meal was always served earlier than the rest. The scenery over UAE was a surprise. It’s all desert and sand dunes but you can see the organization from the skies. Abu Dhabi was kind and we got to our next flight in time. The Dreamliner is more to A’s style but with four hours still left, she’s getting restless now. I watched M3GAN and read my book and puzzled over our flight path going over Turkey, Minsk, Norway and Greenland.
I hope we make it through the next stages without much trouble. Honestly feels more like figuring it out as we go along at this stage. We’re travelers in a strange port. It’s a whole new world. Let’s hope it treats us kindly.
11th July
Ten days after landing, I'm picking up this post again. It's been a rollercoaster of sorts. Kind of like having a new baby. You're overwhelmed by all the responsibility and there has to be a release, the sooner the better. The thing that probably helped me the most however was talking to people who'd landed here in the past year or so. My philosophies are being re-written and so are my hopes and dreams. I've had a day where I was ready to jump ship and swim to shore all by myself but now I'm back in the boat with my oar and rowing away quietly.
We're done with most of the basics but not without a few hiccups. We know what our plans are for the next couple of months. We're on track for settling into life here. I do still need to find a job however. There is much unpredictability about whether I'll be eligible for the February exam next year in time so I haven't started studying properly yet.
The toughest thing for me was accepting that we couldn't afford to be independent for the foreseeable future. Once that was done, the realization of how lucky we are to have supporting family here is sinking in. Lucky to not have to worry about food, utilities or having a roof above our heads. For now, my only responsibility is to sit down and study and find a day job to start saving money. Funny, I'm saying only job when that's exactly what I was doing back home but somehow, it's different here. Things are much clearer for the most part. The air quality too but that makes the sun so much stronger that I nearly had a heat stroke a few days back.
I can see glimpses of the life that I can hope to lead in a few years and it's helping me to stay strong. But even if that's not enough, I have gentle reminders from back home; To full bars, warm hearts and enjoying the little things in life.
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