When I was in Lahore, I was bombarded with several questions. How did I feel about Lahore? Did I enjoy the life there? Why did I come there? I always used to give them the same reply: I came here for a six-month internship and I chose Pakistan because of Pakistan’s cooperation and friendly relationship with my own country, China.
I would like to choose three words to describe my experience in Lahore: memorable, amazing, instructive. I have very fond memories of my time in Pakistan, but the most special ones are associated with my time in Lahore, Pakistan.
The first thing I found different was the azan from each mosque. When I first heard it, I was so confused about the unfamiliar sound. Eventually I came to realize that this was one of the few things you know you can count on in this otherwise very relaxed city in which very few people seem to care about routine. Come rain or shine, weekend or weekday, the azan is called out five times every single day without fail. One Muslim friend told me this was the thing he missed the most whenever he was abroad, and hearing the azan would automatically cure his homesickness. This is what the azan is: in Pakistan, it becomes such an integral part of your life, even if you do not pray, that when you leave it behind, its absence haunts you.Another thing I loved about Lahore was the slow pace of life.
Another thing I loved about Lahore was the slow pace of life.
The people love taking out time from their daily routine to enjoy a cup of tea or a late night meal, and encourage you to join them taking such grave offense when you excuse yourself that feel compelled to reconsider. This attitude can be seen in the workplace, where there is no expectation of staying back after hours, and deadlines seem to hold no meaning.
My favourite moments were the ones I spent in the Margalla Hills in Islamabad, a four hours’ drive from Lahore, and easily accessible by one of the several inter-city buses that run across the country. I spend three hours hiking and climbing these hills with a friend.
There are many reasons to like the city: the warm-hearted people, the stunning landscape, the tasty food, and the colorful costumes topping the list for me. I miss the time I spent making friends here. It was in Lahore that I met Olga Cegorean, a passionate girl from Moldova, who has traveled to more than 30 countries, even those for which it is extremely difficult to get a visa. She likes to use the term ‘social entrepreneur’ to define herself. I saw first-hand all the efforts she made for her ‘small but big’ career, and was highly impressed with how dedicated and hardworking she was, and her ability to organize different events with zero or no resources.
She has single-handedly launched an organization named WoWoman on March 11th, with a specially organized event for all those who are passionate about blogging, #SheBlogs, to introduce the audience to the worldwide concept of ‘Blogging’, enabling them to obtain valuable insights and inspiration from the empowered talks of the invited speakers.
Why did Olga want to open WoWoman in Pakistan? I think she wants to bring power, independence and inspiration to the local girls. The main motivation behind WoWoman is “how can a woman make the world more awesome?” What’s more, WoWoman was founded in 2014 by Zara Huseynova from Azerbaijan, as a women’s empowerment platform which creates space and tools for women to develop themselves personally and professionally. WoWoman stands for helping women to dare to follow their dreams, live up to their full potential and, most importantly, enjoy the entire journey.
From one foreigner to 10 amazing individuals, WoWoman Lahore is ready for their recruitment. Apply by 30th September and be one of WoWoman Lahore team. More information about it and others WoWoman’s Lahore opportunities can be found on the following social media links:
Facebook: @wowomanlahore
Instagram: wowoman_lahore
Snapchat: wowoman_lahore
Website: www.wowoman.org
