My Summer Break

This is my very first summer without my girls or going back to Karachi, Pakistan to visit my ill mother. It feels pretty strange not to take care of the family. I’m not sure I like this freedom, or am I missing responsibilities? I know one thing for sure; I am a people person. So I am differently missing human interaction on the daily basis. Plus I always have something or someone to take care of. So right now it’s a nice change and a challenge at the same time. I only have to take care of myself, which I’m learning now at this age.

I work in School, so during summer, school is off. Before summer break started, all the kids, parents and teachers were so excited and were looking forward  to a break. Many people made plans to travel, visiting families or work around the home. I don’t  have any of those plans. But I have to admit it has been almost a month since I am home on summer break and have  no plans it’s kind of nice.

Now slowly I am learning how to relax and I don’t always have to be on go. Now I call it, I am recharging my batteries, and it feels wonderful. I realized I had become one of those people who likes to be on schedule all the time. Which there is nothing wrong with, and when you have a lot to take care or if a lot going on, having a schedule helps.

Another thing I am dealing with or learning that is new to me is that my girls are older now and they don’t need me as much as they did before on a daily basis. They will always need their mother but now they can pretty much take care of everything without my help. I’m  really proud of them, but it’s a learning process for me. I am so used to it doing everything for them. I have to trust them and let them fly and trust them. Yes, they will make mistakes, but it’s part of being human, and this is the only way they will learn about life. And both of them know their mother will always be there for them.

Since I am home I also noticed I have time to do the things I have been waiting for such as working in the garden, meeting friends or publishing a book. I have been working on a book for the last two years and finally I’m almost done and I am proud to say my first book is published.

When we take a break that’s when we realize how busy we were and we enjoy break not being on the schedule but relaxing. As an adult we have lots of responsibilities and as a good citizen we try our best, but I feel like we forgot our own self and we focused on the destination instead of the journey. Why do we only enjoy summer time? Three month out of the 12 months. Why don’t we enjoy the other 9 months, too? Different people have different jobs and different responsibilities. There’s no arguing on that. But no matter what kind of life we have we should enjoy each day and instead of waiting for a summer break or a vacation that  is in the future we should feel today because that’s all we have. Tomorrow may never come but we have today. Many people, including myself, plan ahead and worry for tomorrow but we forgot what about today.

Enjoyment doesn’t mean spending money or changing routine. Whatever we are doing and wherever we are, take a deep breath and feel the moment and make memories. Today will become yesterday, and nobody knows what will happen tomorrow but the beautiful today NOW is here.

Dreams do come true if you never give up

Since I was young, my journaling has been my best friend, counselor and therapy. My writing helps me to understand whatever the situation I’m in and helps me to see what’s happening and where can I go from there. It has been almost 26 years since I started writing. I still remember the day right before I moved to the states. One of my cousins gave me a journal and said to me, “ This is a going-away gift for you from me. Make sure before you move, write down everyone’s mailing address in this journal, so we can all write letters to each other”. And he wrote his own address into the journal and gave it to me. Right a away, I loved his gift. This was a time when technology wasn’t available as it’s now.

The very first story I wrote into that journal was my entire travel experience while I was on my way from Karachi to the Chicago. It has been almost 26 years, and still to this day when I open my journal it takes me back to that brand new unknown experience. This was the time I couldn’t speak or write English so I wrote in Urdu, the Pakistani native language.

One thing led to another, and I got busy with family and the kids. But I never stopped writing. If not every day, whenever I got the chance even for few sentences. I always felt better once I put my thoughts onto the paper. Later on while I was still keeping a  journal, I made my writing blog and started writing for newspaper columns and am still  writing those. But that didn’t satisfy me. I always admire people who write books. And I was envied them and wondered if one day I could also write a book.

My writing-a-book project started two years ago, without knowing how people publish. It wasn’t an easy task, but once you make your mind about anything, you can achieve it. I am a true believer you just do your part,  then the universe does the rest. One thing leads to another, and before you know it, your complete dream is right in front of you and smiling at you. I ’m proud to say yesterday July 16, I ordered my first copy. Here is my link to my book http://www.amazon.com/Life-Beautiful-Zainab-Susi/dp/1514635046/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1437934235&sr=1-1

I must thank  those people you believed in me and helped me to make my dream come true. I thank you from bottom of my heart. People like you make this world more beautiful.

As many of you know, this year I didn’t make New Year's resolutions but am making monthly resolutions. And my month of July resolution was to publish my book. And I did it.

My whole point in writing this article is whatever you dream was or is never ever too late to achieve. The only time we can’t achieve is when we give up. Whoever said it was so true that,  “winners never quit,” and quitters never win”. Be happy doing it and believe in yourself; you can do it.  

Where is my Genie?

We all know Genie isn’t real and it’s a made up creature who can make any of your wishes come true. Of course even as a child I never believed in Genie. But now as an adult I really wish a Genie were real and I could ask him to bring the rest of my family from Pakistan to the United States and that they all could all live with me peacefully and don’t have to struggle daily for basic human rights.

Right now I am feeling pretty sad and frustrated at the same time. Here in the Illinois, the temperature is pretty, hot but we get get rain and many ways to cool ourselves down. Pretty much anywhere we go there is air conditioning running. And we don’t have to worry about losing electrical power.

We have struggles here, too, but at least not for basic human needs. Even for homeless people there are many shelters available for the entire family, but that’s not the case in Karachi, where my family is.

Before I start writing what’s happening there, I also want to point  out  that this is a holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam. This is the month you must fast from sunrise to sundown for the entire month. And the way is works you absolutely can’t eat or drink anything until the sundown. And since Ramadan came in the Summer this year, each day fast is almost 18 hours long. Can you imagine that. But Muslims who follows the religion  fast no matter what because that’s something you don’t have a choice but to do it. Here is a  link about Ramadan  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan_(calendar_month) Here in the States, Muslims are fasting,  too, but again there are many ways you can cool down and take it easy while you are fasting, but what choice do Karachi people have.

Here are  many reasons why I am frustrated. I had applied for my family immigration in 2004, and this is 2015. After 11 years, still so signs for them to come here. When I call U.S. Immigration, they tell me there is nothing you and I can go anymore. Your family files are in the national visa center. They are still working on 2003 files; when your sister’s turns come they will let you know. So just sit and wait. This could take three more years to eight more years or more.  Very very frustrating.

Now since this is month of Ramadan and Pakistan is a muslim country. The entire country is fasting. And each year Karachi’s temperature is getting higher and higher in the summer. Right now the average temperate of karachi is 105-113 degrees Fahrenheit. And Karachi is very dry they hardly even get good rain. And the humidity is also pretty high. It’s not a joke: Humidity high, no air conditioning running, no electric power to run fans or fridge. Yes you can have generators, but the way their generators work, you are limited to use. Plus they break down pretty quickly. When the temperature is 1113 above and you are fasting and top of that no electricity  for 10 hours a day, can you imagine how people must be feeling  there?

I pretty much FaceTime with my family on a daily base. And I see while they are sitting talking to me sweat running down their skin. They are feeling absolutely miserable. Here is one thing about hot temperature we humans have no control over. But when Karachi electric supply company turn electricity off for many hours while people are fasting, what do you say to them? I call it abuse, and sad to say the Pakistan government isn’t doing anything at all. I know since Pakistan isn’t a development country; we have to share electricity with others. But still don’t like it and they should come up with a different plan.  

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-bc-as--pakistan-20150627-

story.html  

http://tribune.com.pk/story/909513/heatwave-volunteerism-these-images-will-restore-your-faith-in-karachi

It makes me so sad and frustrated not just for my family for everyone else. I feel guilty even though it’s not my fault but to see my family and others are absolutely miserable and struggling each day for their basic needs. And I truly wish if I could have a genie; I would ask him to bring everyone here and live comfortably.

What’s the Pakistani Government waiting for?

It’s absolutely horrible, painful, heartbreaking and frustrating to listen and watch what’s happening right now in Karachi. Temperatures are at an extreme high and there is a massive heat wave over the city, we don’t have control over mother nature but we can adapt to it. That’s why it’s ridiculous that for 8-10 hours at a time the electricity and power will be off for many homes in Karachi. It’s the month of Ramadan so many people are fasting as well. At the very least people should be able to be comfortable in their own homes. Why do KESC (Karachi electric supply corporation ) have load shedding during Ramadan? Why can’t they come up with an alternative? More than 800 people have already died from the heat-stroke. Don’t they have the hearts to feel pain at all for other humans. More than 800 families have already lost their loved ones and who knows how many more innocent lives are about to be lost.

My mind doesn't get it. Right now, as a Pakistani I am ashamed of my birth county. I know there are lots of wonderful organizations in Karachi doing a marvelous job! And I salute them! They are the real heroes! But their resources are limited. Why the Pakistani government isn’t doing anything is a question that needs to be answered. This is an emergency and there are no shelters provided by government

I wonder what the limit is for how many lives can be lost before something is done. Normal humans feel sympathy towards other humans, they try to help.  

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33251100 

http://tribune.com.pk/story/908940/fast-can-be-broken-to-avoid-health-risks/

Mentally, physically and technically

When my girls and started living alone, at first it was pretty scary. I wanted my girls and I to feel comfortable living alone even thought that time they were only 7 and 8 years old. I  signed up for Taekwondo class so they could  learn self-defence and get exercise and also to keep them away from trouble. The tkd place was quite far from our home. When I took  them there, I always stayed there and watch them learning tkd. This class was for all ages. There was many time I thought, “ what am I doing bringing my girls here, waiting  and watching them;  why don’t I  join them”?

But there was something inside of me stopped me. Maybe it was my upbringing, Muslim religion or the culture I grew up in. There was this voice back of my mind telling me that, a  woman's job is to take care of her family and kitchen. I never minded taking care of my family or cooking but I also wanted to do the things what I wanted to do.  My girls’ tks instructor was also Muslim and was from Egypt, and he understood the religion and the culture part. One day I got the courage and I asked him if I could join.  Of Course he said ”yes”. Before I knew it, we three of us were learning tkd together, and it was so much fun for us.

I didn’t care about the belts, but to have confidence, exercise and doing something together with my girls. At some point my girls go busy with their school and after-school activities and they decided to quit tkd. I quite too. But I always missed it. Two years later,  when my oldest got driver's licence,  I decided to go back to tkd. I was happy again. Without my girls it wasn’t same, but I was getting my exercise. There was many times due to the busy lifestyle I had quit tkd, but I always missed it. But I always go back.

Every six months or so,  we have to take next belt exam. I didn’t care about the next belt, but with time I kept getting higher and higher belts. Last year when I got my red belt I was so in shock and was happy and excited because after red belt is black belt. I didn’t think I could even make it to the red belt. Here is something about my instructor he noticed: I lack confidence in myself. He always tells me  “don’t doubt yourself and have confidence in you”.

Before we get our next belt, there is a exam we have to pass. Before my exams I always e-mail him and ask  him, “Do I have to take exam”? and tell him, “I am not ready and I can’t do it”. He always replied back with positive and encouraging words. Every belt I received I deserved it I truly worked hard. Back in November, 2014  he told me and the other students, “ your black belt exam is coming up soon and here are the requirements”. Black belt exam requirements are higher than other requirements. Once again I was doubting  myself but couldn’t believe I’m this close to get my first degree belt belt. He told me he will fully support me as long as I put 100 percent and have confidence in yourself.

That was and still my problem. I thought I was doing my best,  but two weeks ago, he email to the students going for the exam,  “I would like to inform you that at this point, we are holding off for the black belt exam. I can tell very well that unfortunately this group of students are not ready yet mentally to fulfill the requirements of one of the most prestigious exam in the world. From now on, I will keep watching this group in an individual level ( no more group exam), and who ever is ready mentally, physically and technically, to earn the black belt, I will be more than happy to handle her this honorably and prestigious degree”.

Of Course I wasn’t happy about that,  but I had to be honest with myself. I was going to quit but at the sametime I know I am not a quitter, so that was not even as option for me. And quieting means I am choosing easy way out. And for sure no black belt for me.  And I thought I was doing my best and was putting 100 percent. But I know I wasn’t. My best wasn't enough. I wasn’t upset at him at all because he is right. I was upset at myself. Here is something about me. I get distracted pretty easily and I don’t like that side of me.  And when I am distracted it’s so easy for me to get off the wagon.  And I know this isn’t any belt; it’s a black belt. He tells us “ having a black belt is like having a weapon without a licence”. When and how I can be ready mentally, physically and technically, I don’t know.  I am trying but is trying or doing our best is enough?  I guess not.

          My whole point of writing this story is when I first started tkd I didn't’ care about the belts but now I do and I am proud to say I am a martial arts student. And it has been 11 years since my girls and I living alone with conference because of taekwondo. BIG THANK YOU TO MY INSTRUCTOR, HANY YOUSSEF! If something is really important for you, you will work hard to get it. And never think you can’t do it. Yes, you can. Right Now my goal is get my black belt and I don’t know when but I will get it.

...on May 11, 2015 I received my first degree black belt! :-)

What's going on?

This morning around 6:00 a.m. I woke up to go to work but I had no motivation at all and I was feeling very tired. I called in and went back to sleep. Today was not the first day I am feeling like this. It has been almost two weeks I have been feeling overwhelmed and have no motivation at all.

My friends and family  would described me as positive, a hard worker, strong, a thinker, energetic, a dreamer, happy, friendly, a supporter, a giver, likable, understanding, responsible, loyal, beautiful, a martial art student, a good writer, and living in the power of now. They aren’t wrong at all; I have all those great qualities  but sadly right now I’m not feeling many of those.  

My writing habit almost always helps me to understand how am I feeling and why.  But for some reason this time, I didn’t even want to sit down and write about it. Believe it or not, right now I rather be doing anything else then writing about how I am feeling. But I forced myself to sit down, and whatever thoughts I am having I want to put it on the paper, because it’s not a pretty place to be. And I know that’s NOT me. If I look around myself; I have a lot to be grateful for,   which is  I am. Such as I have a home to live in, a car to drive, food in my pantry, friends who will come on my one call and family members who are also always there  for me. I have a job and I don’t have kind of illness or any kind of chronic pain. So what’s going on with me? Why am I feeling down?

I am someone who lives by this rule and tells people: There is no tomorrow; what we have is today and I truly believe that. I also know no situation stays same. I’m hoping and wishing since I am feeling tired and overwhelmed, I will start feeling better soon and my weight would lift it up from my shoulders.

I wonder what caused me to feel the way I am feeling. And how did I get to me?  It’s my late mother? Today would be 10 months since my mother passed away. It still seemed unreal and painful to think about her strugglers. This would be my very first summer without going back to Pakistan to visit my mother. I work in a school, and in end of May my job would be over, so am I worrying  about summer break, may be? My girls are doing just fine, and they don’t need me as much as before,  so am I feeling lost without them? Or may be I got so used to with lots of responsibilities and now I have fewer  and that’s why I am feeling what I am feeling because I don’t know how to feel normal? The think about me is I have enough knowledge about many things and that’s why sometimes I feel overwhelmed because there is nothing anyone could do to change the way I am feeling. People say eating healthy food and exercise helps. I do that, too.

I am a people person.  I try my best to find something good in everyone. But at  the sametime I know it’s not possible to get along with everyone. Not too long ago, I did had have  some disagreements with my family and friends. And I tried to solved it as best as possible. Did I make it to my an ego issue? It’s possible but how that happened. I am very careful about anything I do or say to people where it’s an ego issue for me.

When I was young I prayed to God (Allah) all the time and I had blind faith in him. But later on in my life I started losing my faith, and when my mother got sick I completely lost it. Don’t get me wrong; I still believe in supernatural power,  but I became less religious. When I talked to my friends and family about my personal feeling not all, but many of them suggested that I  pray. I guess I’m still grieving or don’t believe in the power of prayers anymore. I don’t feel like to praying. My thing is if God knows what’s inside of our hearts, then why do we have to pray? I am not questioning anybody’s faith but being honest with myself and to others.

Another things I am struggling about what’s the purpose of life? In my case my biggest struggle is financial struggle. And I know money doesn't make us happy but it sure provides some securities. I have a four-year college degree and I am very intelligent, and my girls and I made it thought this far, but it seemed like what’s purpose of life to just make money and keep paying bills? I am not happy with that.

My school job  is about to be over and now I have to start looking for a summer job. Looking for a job isn't fun at all. Many of you know how it feel stressful and depressing. I am not an unhappy or a negative person but right now this is what it is. I know I am not the only person feeling the way I’m feeling. From time to time many of us do. I wish people would feel more comfortable sharing with others. Believe it or not, we would be helping eachother. I am not afraid to share, but it’s not an easy things to do but here I’m. It’s up to you; you can judge me, which I don’t care about, or you can see you aren't alone. Life is beautiful if you are connected with beautiful people!

Freedom is living

Since February is my birth month, I have decided this month I am going to focus on freedom. Freedom can be different for every individual. In this article I am going to write three different generations’ freedom. First I want to introduce you to someone; his name is Rati Dutta. Last summer my daughter and I went to cost cutters to get our hair cut. My daughter was getting hers done and while I was waiting I called a friend and we were talking in Urdu (Pakistani native language) . The door opened. and I looked up and I saw an older Indian man walking in. I kept talking to my friend. He sat next to me and said to me something to me in Urdu. I looked up and he was looking at me. I said goodbye to my friend and then I asked him, “Do you speak Urdu”? He replied, “I speak five languages”. I said “Wow that’s impressive”. He didn’t seem shy at all. We talked with each other for a very short time. And then it was my turn to get a haircut and I had to say goodbye to him. He gave me his card before I left. There was something different about Rati Dutta. He left a very nice, positive, and educational impression with me.

        A few weeks later I sent an email to him and asked him if he would like to meet with me for coffee. He was up for it. We met at the coffee shop. Since then we have been meeting and getting to know more about each other's lives. I call him Uncle Rati. From the cultural perspective it’s very impolite to call your elders by their name. And he calls me, daughter. I haven’t met anyone who could impress me that much before. Last week when we met, I was already thinking about freedom and so I decided to interview him for this column. I am writing about three generations of freedom. Uncle Rati’s , mine and my daughter  to see how different each generation looks at freedom and do we really know the real meaning of the freedom.

Name: Rati K. Dutta

Age: 79

Birth country: Kolkata, India

Profession: Medical Doctor

Name: Zainab Susi

Age: 43

Birth country: Karachi, Pakistan

Profession: Teaching assistant

Name: Herrah Hussain

Age:   19

Birth county: Illinois USA

Profession: Students

Rati Dutta was born in 1936 in Kolkatha, India. I asked him “How was your childhood”?  He said to me, he grew up under extreme poverty. He had 25 family members living with him in the small home. He has seven brothers, and three sisters. He didn’t have water and food growing up. When I asked him about electricity? He laughed and said, “You can live without electric but not without food and water”. When he was 8 years old, he met Gandhi. This was the first time Gandhi came to Kolkata. Something inside of him told him he didn’t want to live in poverty. After he finished high school he decided to go to medical school and become a Medical Doctor. He also wanted to learn English, so during his time at medical school in India he applied to go to London, and they gave him the visa to come to London to learn English. He told me during that time the plane ticket from India to London was only $70 dollars. When he said that, I couldn’t believe it. I looked at him with a surprised face and then him and I both laughed hard. He was 23 years old when he left his country for a better life. While he was learning English, he also got his M.B.B.S, M.D, F.R.C.S.:M.R.C.O.G: degrees. He speaks many languages and he is full of knowledge at the age of 79. He even remembers events with their dates and years.

At the hospital he was working at, he met a white British woman; she was working as a  secretary. In 1964 she became his wife and had two kids together. I asked him, the culture you and I both are from and especially during that time how did your family and friends react when you told them about your future wife, who was white and British?” He said, “Nobody was happy but I felt strongly about her and I picked love”. He also said that, “All of my colleagues who were Indian Doctors, they all went to India and got married to Indian brides”. He wanted to pick his own life partner. After 51 years later they are still married to each other. I asked him if he could start it all over again would he move to London and pick the same woman again? He said, “Yes”. January,1 1971 the entire family moved to the States. First they moved to New York and then later Uncle Rati and his wife moved to Champaign. His kids are older and are living their own lives. He also has grandkids.

He told me he also had met John F Kennedy and he has so much respect for President Lincoln. He added, “He is the man who spoke perfect English”. Uncle Rati is a well educated doctor and you can talk to him about any topic and he will talk back with you with full knowledge. I also noticed something about him so I asked him, “I noticed that you walk straight. How can you walk straight at the age of 79?” He answered me back, “I only eat natural food. I keep my mind active by reading and getting more knowledge.” At age of 79 he is still driving, he uses his cell phone and even emails. He still travels not just from state to state but to overseas. He dresses very business like and he respects other’s opinion and cares deeply about everyone else. After meeting with him and asking all those questions he made me think, he is a real testimony for all of us. He didn’t have anything when he started. He told me when he went to London he only had $20.00 with me. But he had a vision and hope for a better life and a better future for him and for his kids . Throughout his journey he wanted to live his life how he wanted to full of freedom and he did it. I feel blessed and lucky I got the chance to meet Uncle Rati Dutta.

Zainab Susi

My life is divided into three parts. The first part is from my birth to when I turned eighteen in Karachi. Those eighteen years of my life I had lots of dreams but I didn’t see any possible way to achieve them. There was so much struggle and worrying about tomorrow. I pretty much lived that part of my life day by day without knowing where I was heading or who I was. I did everything I was told to do, not what I wanted to do. I didn’t have a normal childhood or even adolescent. Due to the family situation I had to become an adult when I was just a child.  

My 2nd part of life started when I first moved to the States in 1999 to 2002. I never thought I would move from Karachi but you never know. I moved to a brand new country with brand new people. It took me a while to realize that this is my home now and there was no turning back. Was I happy? I don’t have an answer for that because my happiness was and still is with my family. But I remember many times when I called my mom and sisters as soon as I heard their voices tears started rolling down my cheeks and I so wanted to be with them. But I had to tell myself my life is where my husband lives. And he is my first family now. And that’s how I grew up.  

I was born in Pakistan and I will always will be recognized as a Pakistani. Even though I had to let go of my birth country nationality and become a U.S Citizen. Even today after 25 years later living in the states people still ask me, where are you from? Yes, my skin is brown and my hair is black I speak Urdu but I have no connection with Pakistan anymore besides having family living there. Every time I go back home I feel like a foreigner in my own birth country. The United States gave me citizenship but people don’t look at me as American. Many times I wonder, where do I belong? Whether I wanted to or not I accepted my new life as I have chosen it. I forgot about myself or my dreams but invested into my family because that’s what I was supposed to do. The two best things happened to me during this time and it is I became a mother of my beautiful girls. That time I was a stay at home wife and a Mom. And I was busy taking care of my family’s needs. This part of life ended when I got divorced. And then the new chapter started and this is the 3rd part of my life until now.

At this point I was all-alone. I never thought that someday I would get a divorce. During the early beginning stages of my divorce I had to chose if I wanted to stay there and feel pity for myself or start crawling without knowing where I was going and chose not to feel sorry for myself but use this hard time as my strength and I started looking at the glass like it was half full. And living in The United States made me realize people come to this country all over the world for freedom and I am already living here. Slowly but surely I started making my own life decisions. And each step I took led me to another and that’s how I made it this far as a single Pakistani born woman.

Two years ago, when my youngest daughter moved out for university she made my home empty. But soon after my Mother got sick my attention became devoted to her. Even though she was in Karachi and I was here, my mind was with her 24/7. Only 8 months ago when she passed away and I came back to the United States from Karachi I felt completely lost. I didn’t know where to start, I felt like a lost soul. I realized I got so used to taking care of others and now I didn’t have anyone to take care of and that was the part that was bothering me. I also realized I didn’t know what it felt like to be normal I went through intense therapy and knew I had to let go of my past completely and to stop worrying or looking forward to the future because what I have is just today. By doing that I felt so much lighter, I felt like I started living again but this time I am living with freedom and to me freedom is living. I never got the chance to take care myself while feeling full freedom. I am talking about freedom from physical freedom and mental freedom. Where you decide whatever and however you want to live your life. Where you are not controlled by anyone and I mean anyone. And you feel complete and whole within yourself. It’s a priceless feeling. Without having any kind of security I feel secure within myself.

My freedom is different than Uncle Rati’s freedom. I didn’t have a choice but to accept my past life. But I am excited and feel complete about my present time. It’s a great place to be and that is freedom to me and freedom is living!

Herrah Hussain

“My childhood was happy and full of laughter. Growing up my memories consist of my Mother and my Sister. I don’t have many memories with my Dad unfortunately. I grew up in an open-minded household. I had no issues asking my Mom anything. I most definitely grew up having full freedom. Freedom to me is expressing myself however I want, such as speaking my mind. I had full freedom about whatever and however I wanted to wear to how to eat and sit. Choosing to attend Loyola University in Chicago was not an easy choice, I had to pick between staying close to my home or moving to the city. But after reading more about the University I saw how many doors would open for me. I would have the freedom to do so much than I could ever imagine. I didn’t have to worry about my Mom saying no to my decision, she will support whatever decision I make. I most definitely believe I am living with full freedom. I have the freedom to choose my major, my friends, and to do what I want with my life. When I think about what my Mom was like when she was my age, I can’t imagine being in that position. I know I couldn’t marry at that young of an age to someone I don’t know very well. I am lucky to be born in The United States of America, where there are so many opportunities for me. I strongly believe freedom is living.”

Three different generations with three different lifestyles and different consequences but the same goal, FREEDOM! I believe every single human all over the world whether she or he is living in the village of Pakistan or living in an advanced country, it doesn’t matter. Everyone has the right to live free and to me freedom is living! Ask your self that, Are you living your life with freedom?