Significant change story

Kiran Anwar- Significant Change Story

“Is this Osama Bin Laden’s home?” one of the children asked me when I was showing different styles of houses in Pakistan. I was mute for a while; I was not sure what to reply. Then I, with a smile on my face, replied politely that it’s not a house of Osama Bin Laden.
The realities are far more away from what media portrays. I couldn’t believe that a child from Glasgow could ever asked me this kind of question. When he asked me such a question there was one thing on my mind that I have to challenge his myth and I did it and I’m very happy about it.
Before joining the GX I always thought that “non-muslims” cannot be your good friends. But through GX I have made new friends who are very supportive, friendly and empathetic. I have grown very close to them. I share all my happy and sad moments with them. I am going to miss them a lot. But me and my friends from the UK have planned to visit each other’s homes in the future and will keep our friendship long lasting.
I thought people in Glasgow and Kenya will stigmatise us as being terrorists, I was tense about it before coming to Glasgow and Kenya. But to my astonishment the people turned out to be very helpful and friendly. I remember one day when a man on a bus started chatting with me. He was so glad to meet me and when he learnt that I am from Pakistan he sympathised with the current situation Pakistan is facing.
I took drawing classes at Nusra Technical Institute in Kenya. The drawings of children were amazing. One of the girls made textile designs but she was too shy to paint on the wall with me, she thought her drawing was not good. I couldn’t see any fault in it. I wanted to make her confident and motivated her to try drawing, I used to encourage her. She was reluctant to paint on the wall but now one can see a beautiful skirt painted on a wall of the clothing department by her. I am proud of her.
I have learned a lot from GX, more than I expected. I enjoyed the whole GX programme as being a volunteer. As the programme is coming to its end but for me it’s a beginning of a change within myself. I realised that my life was confined to myself and to my country alone. My thinking approach is broader now. I can elaborate it with an example like before GX I was unaware of global issues, if there was any issue I thought that “its an issue of X city in Pakistan” but now I compare with other countries as well. I consider myself to be globally aware. I want to learn more and more about different cultures, norms, traditions, issues, languages and histories of different countries. I am thankful to British Council and VSO for providing me this opportunity and I will continue to work voluntarily as I go back to Pakistan.