Glasgow in 2 months !

I was tensed, the thoughts of being stigmatized, calling us terrorists and extremist were haunting me like anything while I was in aircraft. My tension was getting worst as my craft was approaching airport.

Our craft landed. I with my team and supervisor headed towards passport desk. I was waiting in the cue. To my astonishment the guy at counter smiled at me and asked for my passport. I was shocked, I thought to myself how come he smiled at me “I am Pakistani” does not he know that. After checking my passport he said thank you with a smile. It was unbelievable for me.

My myth about Scottish people was destroyed. I realized it is just a media that propagate negative image which is far away from reality. The Scottish people are really friendly.

Claire and Simon my host home members greeted me with a broad and warm smile. I remember I was cold first night they provided me the electric blanket which seems to be a blessing. They really made me feel at home. They cared me like my parents would do.

I worked at “FUSE”, it is a youth cafe. I was tensed if the children at “FUSE” would cooperate with me to understand their accent. Speaking and understanding English is not an issue for me but the Scottish accent is very broad to understand .I remember the first day at the cafe I was excited to meet children but was a bit anxious to communicate with them. One of the child came up to me and asked for McCoy crisps, and at first I did not understand what he said. I told him if he could say that again, he said again but still I did not understand I asked him politely if he could say it slowly and clearly to my surprise he did and finally I managed to give him McCoy. I was relieved. The children here have been really helpful making me understand what they say, actually it will be justified to say that they have been patient to tell me same thing again and again .I enjoyed teaching friendship bracelets and glass paintings to the children to raise money for “FUSE”. During my stay at FUSE I got the opportunity to destroy myths of children related to Pakistan and terrorism.I enjoyed my time here with every one, the staff members were friendly.

I could not find any similarity between Pakistan and Scottish culture. Everything is different. The community issues are different from the society from where I come from. I thought Scotland being a developed country will have no problems and issues, I thought the people here will be free from any problems but I was wrong. Alcoholism and drug addiction is ruining the lives of many people where unemployment is increasing day by day .I wish I could stay here for long time to do something profitable to sabotage these issues.

I learnt to value time. I can travel alone in buses in back home it would have never possible ,I learnt to be independent .I learnt how to find ways when lost, I use to spend big amount of money back home but now i realised how much money I was wasting .Because of Global xchange programme I learnt fund raising techniques. It was a great experience to work with the team, to involve and respect every one’s ideas while making decisions.

Global xchange has provided me the opportunity to think at a broader horizon, beyond the limited skies, accepting cultural differences. I am now friends with all my team members .I share my good and bad times with them

I was wrong in many ways that’s what I realised when I came here .I am very grateful to British Council and Volunteer services overseas for providing me the opportunity to experience cultural diversity and giving me the avenue / plat form to make new friends.

Kiran.s.Anwar (Kiki)
GX volunteer Team 85