I got a very kind and talkative Afghani uncle for my cab ride to the airport yesterday.
Because he had lived in Delhi for an year and had visited Goa, Kashmir, Taj Mahal, he had a lot of travel tales to tell. I told him Afghanistan seems like a very beautiful country based on the few books that I have read. He then confessed about having not visited his country for the past 30 years and talks moved to the inevitable wars/unrest plaguing that region since the Russian invasion (when he had to leave Afghanistan leaving his school and father’s business and a lot of extended family behind). He talked about not being able to travel to Peshavar (earlier a part of Afghanistan) without an ID and the pain it caused him. He told me how lucky I was to be able to live where I was born and still be able to travel. According to him that is the best of both worlds, because I confessed I somehow am a ‘get-homesick-pretty-fast’ kind of person.
He said even though he missed not getting to raise his kids in Afghanistan, he is happy that their upbringing has been so peaceful. He said he feels happy when he listens them talk about all things fun and not war or unrest. Of course we agreed a large share of that goes to the surroundings they were brought up in. He said he believes in the younger generation and the internet to be able to achieve what most political moves cannot. i.e. a culture of peace and belonging.
The thought itself is so heartening.
Sometimes its so wonderful to be able to listen to sensible and wise people.
Because he had lived in Delhi for an year and had visited Goa, Kashmir, Taj Mahal, he had a lot of travel tales to tell. I told him Afghanistan seems like a very beautiful country based on the few books that I have read. He then confessed about having not visited his country for the past 30 years and talks moved to the inevitable wars/unrest plaguing that region since the Russian invasion (when he had to leave Afghanistan leaving his school and father’s business and a lot of extended family behind). He talked about not being able to travel to Peshavar (earlier a part of Afghanistan) without an ID and the pain it caused him. He told me how lucky I was to be able to live where I was born and still be able to travel. According to him that is the best of both worlds, because I confessed I somehow am a ‘get-homesick-pretty-fast’ kind of person.
He said even though he missed not getting to raise his kids in Afghanistan, he is happy that their upbringing has been so peaceful. He said he feels happy when he listens them talk about all things fun and not war or unrest. Of course we agreed a large share of that goes to the surroundings they were brought up in. He said he believes in the younger generation and the internet to be able to achieve what most political moves cannot. i.e. a culture of peace and belonging.
The thought itself is so heartening.
Sometimes its so wonderful to be able to listen to sensible and wise people.
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