bradford and getting ready to go to pakistan

The first time I ever went to the country my dad came from was in 2001. I say my dad’s country because I knew nothing about it and I was born in Britain and think of my self as a British Muslim.

Pakistan? what did I know about Pakistan nothing really. All I knew about Pakistan was what I heard from my family and friends.

The day my dad told us we were going Pakistan I was about to go to school, I was in year 9 then about 14 years old and the summer holidays were about to come.

After school couple of my mates went to the park to smoke which we did mostly after school because that was the best time to have a smoke and whilst we were talking I told
them I was going Pakistan.

Mobeen or mob as we knew him said “what your going back home bruv, you know you have to shit in a hole and wash your ass with water”.

All of us started to laugh of our asses but inside I knew he was chatting sense and I knew I will have to make a excuse of not going “back home”.

After about a couple of cigs and chatting about who was going to win the premiership, the new Subaru car and who was the fittest bird in the school we decided to catch the bus and go home.

My brother and sister had come back from school and all we were talking about was how we could make excuses of not going to Pakistan. To this day I say my argument was the best which was:

“ how could we go to a country where they shit in a hole”.

After talking for ages my eldest sister who is a nerd to this day said we should just go after all it is a free holiday.

After about 2 weeks of playing football every day and buying separates cigs the time had come to go “back home”.

My mum started to pack all the bags about 200 suite cases literally. The way it works is that on a Pakistan plane each person is allowed to take 45 kg suite cases. I had a last night with the boys and they made a list of what I should bring back for them cheap asses gave a couple of pounds and said I should bring back the change.