Family Time in Karachi

After 6 years we finally made a trip back home! We were planning to go three years ago but remember that little things called Covid, yup we were in lockdown that year and had to cancel everything. By home I mean Karachi, Pakistan. While I didn't call Pakistan my home until I was 10 when my dad uprooted us from our life in Chicago and decided to move back. In fact I'm pretty sure I still didn't call it home for several years finding it difficult to fit in and adjust to such a drastic change. But I am so happy that my dad did what he did, I was able to get the best of both worlds. M on the other had was born and raised in Karachi, work took him outside the country for the first time and from London to Singapore he finally landed in America. 

While Pakistan is a beautiful country it is many other third world nations, plagued with corruption, stuck under the foot of first world nations like America who uses it as a pawn against Afghanistan, China and Russia and Britain who continues to provide safe haven to these corrupt politicians saving them from persecution. And unfortunately Karachi (the financial hub of Pakistan) gets the short end of the stick plagued with a long line of politicians wanting nothing more than to line their own pockets and continue to let the city crumble and it's citizens suffer.  

So it is always a little sad going back and seeing that not only has nothing changed but things may have even gotten worse for your beloved city.

Before I dive into the fun Karachi pictures I wanted to take the time to bring attention to the intense flooding that has devastated much of the country in these past weeks. It is not getting enough media coverage because well who cares about these third world countries full of brown people right.. on top of that muslims..!
But here are some facts 1400 dead, 3,641 injured, 636,940 displaced, 33 million people affected. You can read more about it here Global warming is real and it is affecting us now and we need to take it seriously.

Okay now to the fun stuff.. 

As I said above.. we hadn't been back in six years and this was then

and this is now

Before we left I was a little worried about getting a stomach bug while there.. the last time the boys were there they were both sick the whole time. So a week before we left I had the kids start taking vitamin c, elderberry and probiotic supplements just to give their tummies a little extra protection. And we bought these amazing Brita Filter Water Bottles. Tap water is not safe to drink in Pakistan and while everyone drinks filtered water we wanted to be a little extra careful.

While there we stayed at my parents home, my brother, sister in law and three children also live there.. can you imagine the energy in that apartment?

M also has a sister who lives there with her three children.

 and then we spent time with friends.. 

this above one is of friends, spouses and children.. many were missing living in different countries but the ones we were able to spend time with.. I will cherish these memories. Till we all meet again.

We also shopped..I bought a bunch of traditional outfits.. M got some clothes custom stitched.. thanks to the conversation $ rates things were very very affordable. 

And ate.. though I must say I really failed at the food pictures. Argh.

Oh and how can I forget... my mother has a parrot and H was such a natural with him. 

Six years ago

Now

It was a great trip.. busy but we had wanted it that way.. we had wanted our days filled with loved ones, food and shopping and it was just that. Thanks for the memories Karachi. 

       

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