Lessons Learnt

When I first arrived in the U.S. back in 1999 for studies, I learned some interesting differences between the two cultures. I wanted to list a few for somebody who is either getting ready to visit the U.S. or just for sake of learning.

Here in Pakistan, we speak and study using British English. The first one that I noticed came from using ‘Gas’ for ‘Petrol’ in Pakistan. Like, I would stop at a ‘Gas Station’ in the U.S. and ‘Petrol Station’ in Pakistan. It means the same thing. Next, I learnt to say ‘Skedule’ for ‘Schedule’ in the U.S. and ‘Shedule’ for ‘Schedule’ in Pakistan. It means the same thing but the pronunciation matters.

Next, if someone says ‘Flower’, it depends on what context they are using this word. But it could either mean ‘Flower’ or ‘Flour’, an important ingredient for nourishment. In Pakistan, we use ‘Flower’ for a plant and pronounce ‘Flour’ as ‘Floor’. We do pronounce ‘Floor’ as ‘Floor’ too. I was once asked by a good friend that if you call ‘Flour’ as ‘Floor’, then how do you differentiate if you are asking for ‘Flour’ or a ‘Floor’? Good question. 

And we do have ‘tea breaks’ in Pakistan but there are no ‘tea breaks’ in the U.S. There are only ‘coffee breaks’. They are one and the same thing but the difference is obvious. They prefer ‘coffee’ over ‘tea. So don’t be asking for any ‘tea breaks’ during a meeting. 

There is also a ‘wife beater’ in the U.S. No, it’s not what it sounds like. It is what we call a ‘vest’. This is worn under a man’s shirt in Pakistan. One of my friends in the U.S. once asked me if I was wearing a ‘wife beater’. Anyways, it is good to learn about different cultures.

On my very first morning in the university I ran into a dorm mate and he asked me ‘What’s Up’? I didn’t quite get it and asked someone later about it. He said ‘What’s Up’ is equivalent of saying ‘How is it going’ or ‘How do you do’. Don’t be saying ‘its sky’ if someone asks you ‘what’s up’. 

When someone is 'Fired' from work, it is terribly awful and a sad thing. 'Getting Fired' does not mean someone's on 'Fire' or 'Hot' or anything like that. It only means that someone has been 'laid off' from the job or 'Let Go' from work. 

 

I have a dream

The life is full complexities. But I have a dream that one day, all of us in general, and our country in particular will make these complexities very simple. 

To begin with, I have a dream that our milkman will not add any water to the milk. I know they need to make some living too but why can’t they go for honest earning rather than poison the masses?

 I have a dream that a poor individual, with a family of 5 or 6, who is earning only Rs. 6000 per month, who have an electricity bill worth of Rs. 5000, will be able to pay his bill without going through any more sufferings. 

I have a dream that a fresh graduate from a university, who is very ambitious and wants to make his own mark in this world, will be able to get a fine job of his choice on merit without any family connections and references. 

I have a dream that our society gets out of this protocol mania in this country. No wonder everybody wants to get to the top and they remain at the top whether they are performing or not. That is why nobody from the government resigns or leaves the post with so many accidents and mishaps happening around us. Nobody takes the responsibility of anything here. 

I have a dream that all of our citizens respect and obey the law. Well, this is a difficult one. But the fact is the law is not only for the poor. Everybody is accountable for their actions no matter who you are. 

I have a dream that we make education and learning one of our top priorities in this country. We have huge libraries and learning centers in every city of this country. The rewards are tremendous for the scholars. We make this country one of the learning hubs in the world. We build and develop our own Harvard, MIT, Yale etc right here. We get the best brains of the world right here to excel in their fields.

I have a dream that this is the ultimate peaceful country of the world. Anybody living in this country can feel safe and sound here. Their families, belongings, businesses are safe and protected. Nobody is scared or threatened to live, the way they want to live. 

I have a dream that our country is not always seen as an ‘irritant’ in the world. May be, the world needs to adjust their focus too. Our country is always blamed for things which we have no knowledge off. We are always the ‘scapegoat’. Maybe, they need to examine themselves too, before pointing fingers at us.

Finally, I have a dream that we can make this a world a better place to live for our generations to come. Why do we always have to make things difficult? Let’s just get on with living and spend our time peacefully. Is it too much to ask for? In the end, nothing will matter anyway.

Cricket - We Love You

In a country like Pakistan, cricket is not just a game, it is a passion. This game is not only men’s game, our women, children, young and old; everybody loves it, every breath of their lives, especially when the game is being played. 

This game was created by the English and it is played and popular in places where they ruled for well over two centuries. It is generally called a ‘Gentleman’s game’. The reasons could be traced back to its creation that it was originated by the English elite. The game's dress, rules, conduct and almost everything else, which is associated with the game, are quite sophisticated. 

Before the creation of Pakistan, there was a sub-continent cricket team. And after the creation of Pakistan, the young country entered into this arena and made its name early on with its talent and hard work and some early notable successes. Over the years, Pakistan cricket teams have seen many ups and downs in their cricketing history anywhere from beating the great teams like England and India on their own turfs to getting bowled on the lowest One Day International (ODI) scores, and not to mention the match fixing scandals. Our nation is quite glued with their TVs when any international cricket game is played and the fervor rises infinitely when cricket is being played against India. Initially, our Sharjah fixtures were quite popular with them. 

Many of our cricketers made their name in cricket while performing on many important occasions. Among the most remembered are Abdul Hafeez Kardar, our first captain, Hanif Mohammad, the great ‘little master’, Mushtaq Muhammad, Javed Miandad for his famous ‘Sharjah sixer’, our 1992 World Cup hero Wasim Akram and most importantly our legendary captain Imran Khan. 

Despite of lacking cricket facilities and infrastructure in our country, we have an enormous young talent in every aspect of the game. Our kids in this country are so passionate and lover of this game that they manage to find a bat and a ball, with something else used as wickets and a small pitch and start playing this game with any number of individuals available at the time. Interestingly, many of our players came from the streets to play for the national team. So there is talent available in the country and the selectors only have to look at the right places to spot them.

Pakistan has made its name in cricket on all levels including ODI, Test Matches and now in Twenty twenty format. Pakistan has also managed to win 1992 ODI World cup and most recently, the twenty twenty world cup. Our team is considered one of the most ‘Unpredictable’ cricket teams in the world. On its day, Pakistan’s team can beat the best team in the world and on some days, it could lose against the most minion team in the world too. The ‘unpredictable’ nature of our team keeps our opponents on edge. Either way, we love this game and for that reason, expect our team to win against any opponent they are playing. And our team understands our emotions and feelings of the nation and they do their best on the field.

Getting Out of the Debt (ii)

My first case of debt was credit card debt, and the interest rates are unbelievably high. The next type of debt which people take these are for buying vehicles. There is a car leasing as well as financing option. Car leasing is one in which you purchase a car and make monthly installments to the company. This leasing option is for certain number of years and there is a limit to the number of kilometers or miles one could drive per year. And once that time limit has expired, the car should be returned back to the car leasing company. This time limit ranges from, say, three years to five years. So, all in all, nothing gained except for the ‘guilty pleasures’ of the fresh fragrance of the leather of the new luxury car and driving ‘round town for a small period of time. However, the money lost in paying monthly installments for that car and after returning it to the lot, means nothing was gained in leasing for all that time. 

Another option is financing a car, which means after making monthly installments for 3 to 5 years, one could own the car once all the payments have been satisfied. This is a doable option but it is also a very expensive one. The interest rates are quite high. And what I have seen is after driving ‘that’ brand new car for a few years after financing, the driving gets old, and the ‘dream’ car also gets old. And the individual also would like to change the car, may be before the financing time period is over. 

So, one has to really think through taking any of these routes before going for any of these options. Paying for the car out-right still outweighs any of the above options. One should always strive to pay for the car right away. That way, things will be more realistic. If you can afford a small car, buy a small car. And if you can afford a bigger sedan, then pay for that car. But when you lease or finance, you are just trying to live in your dreams by paying huge interest payments. Interest payments are the cost of living in your dreams. So get out of your dreams and be realistic. That way, all your savings are not going to the leasing or financing company. 

Initially, it would seem like you have gone broke with paying right away with cash for the car, but you have really secured your future and will save so much more by not paying any monthly installments for the car. Not to mention, that one has to consider the high premiums for the car insurance because the leasing or financing companies would require the buyer to protect their ‘asset’. Second, the buyer will be responsible for normal wear and tear of the car. So there are huge financial implications in these deals.

So I think the moral of the story is that if you have the money to purchase a car, that is great and go ahead buy the car, which you can afford, sooner rather than later. But if you are thinking of getting yourself in one of these debts, take your time and think through it. Try to wait and save money for some time for a car and then buy it. A lot of money will be saved by not paying interest payments to the leasing or financing companies. Not to mention, you will have a lot of quality time to spend with your loved ones, not getting worried about paying the monthly payments and will be securing your future too.

Who Is Paying For the Meal?

It is great to hang out and eat out with your friends once in a while. It not only helps to relax by recalling many fond memories but also you could discuss many of the favorite topics with them. Once you get together in a nice restaurant and enjoy a lovely meal in one of these exotic settings, the question arises who is responsible for the check? I know it seems lowly and cheap to even discuss this issue. But I think someone should dare to break down this social taboo to make things simpler and understandable for everyone. 

There are instances in which it is quite obvious who should be responsible for the bill. Sometimes, who invites everybody for a specific reason, like a birthday or any other purpose, will take the lead. Also, in our culture the most senior person, either in a title or a position, will take the responsibility. However, when you are with friends and all of you are on equal social footing and all, doesn’t it seem odd that once everybody has eaten and savored their meal, some people are hoping that someone else will pay the bill? Yea, yea, yea, I know people would say, “What kind of a person would do that?” But deep inside ask yourself this question, “Did I or didn’t I?”

In some cases, someone becomes more responsible than others. This means, he would pay much more than others. This also means that if everybody else pays more, someone would also go scot free; means pay nothing for his meal. And in some instances, when the bill comes, some people would find an excuse to visit the rest room or get the most important phone call on their cell. Also, if nobody knows who would be footing the bill and how much, when the check arrives, someone would seem concerned for paying the bill and asking everybody else to chip in and some would even seem oblivious to who would be paying, after enjoying such a great meal. Also, in some cases, it seems that the same person is paying for everybody’s meal all the time. That is just not reasonable. 

So that is exactly that I would like to discuss, that there should be some ground rules for all these get togethers. Everybody should know who would be paying for the meal. I think for these general outings, it should be the Dutch system. That everybody pays for their orders. That way people should be responsible for what they eat. And do not order more than they would eat. The second option could be that everybody in the group should take turn. This could be a little unjust, but still better than not paying or paying for everyone’s food all the time. 

I know some people would say that who cares for these things among friends. That is a pretty valid question. But I know if these small things are not considered early on, they would result in bigger problems and people would become disillusioned and stay away from these friendly get together. Everybody should be made aware of the situation. That way, if they can afford to eat in that restaurant and be part of the group, they would come and if they can’t, they wouldn’t, without hurting anybody’s feelings.

Getting Out of the Debt (i)

In my previous articles, I have gone over explaining the benefits of living debt free. Here, I‘ll try to go over how to get out of the debt, if someone has any. As mentioned earlier, it is quite easy to get into the debt. However, it is awfully difficult to get out of one. 

These days, credit cards are being used quite frequently for purchases ranging from everyday use to the luxury items. Sometimes, people walk into the store and something catches their eye. They may not have the cash on hand but they want that item so bad that they can’t wait to have it. And then comes out the credit card. 

Now, the above situation could be taken in two instances. One, that the individual has the money but does not have access to it until a later time, but has the ability to pay back the credit card. And one, who does not have the money, but hopes that he, would get the money from somewhere to pay for the credit card at a later time. These are two extremely different situations. 

Credit cards should not be used for ‘instant gratification’. They should be used for extreme emergencies. Don’t use credit cards if you cannot pay for the purchases 100 percent. Extreme care should be taken while making purchases with the credit cards. The interest rates on credit cards are huge. Once you have made a purchase with a credit card, and tried to pay back in installments, you would have paid back many times over for that single purchase to the credit card company. 

Let’s say that someone has got into the ‘guilty pleasure’ of making a luxury item purchase with a credit card. Well, for once, stop every other purchase and make priority of paying back to the credit card company as fast as you can. It would seem like you have fallen behind in your life for paying but if you didn’t pay the credit card quickly, the suffering of paying in installments would continue. So be prudent and wise and think through in spending the credit card money. Believe me, it is not ‘free money’, as some would suggest. 

Once you have taken the debt out from a credit card company, make a plan of paying back the money. And stick to that plan. And once you have fulfilled the commitment of paying back, don’t make the mistake of getting in, just for the sake of it. Even in these modern times, cash is still the king. Try staying within your ‘means’. Life will be simpler and easy-going. There will no running around, getting worried regarding monthly credit card payments. 

If you do have the money, and are living large, that is great and enjoy your life. But if you don’t have the money but are trying to live large, don’t worry ‘bout it. Nobody has the right to judge you based on what you are wearing, driving and what not. So don’t over-burden yourself and spend the money which you don’t have. Just take your time; everything will come your way sooner or later, if it is meant to be.  Be thankful for what you have and always believe in yourself.

Agriculture in Pakistan

The time period from late November to late March in the farmlands of Pakistan is quite exhausting and fruitful at the same time. Being a son of one the most fertile lands of this beautiful country, I know and have experienced how anxious and enthusiastic are at this point and time of the year. In other words, this scenario could be similar to the National Geographic’s ‘The Deadliest Catch’. It’s just that it is being done on land rather than the sea.

Sugar cane is a crop which is cultivated and taken care off throughout the year with utmost precision. It gets ready to be shipped to the sugar mill after one year. This crop takes lots of effort, money and man-hours to be spend in the sugar cane fields to get this crop ready in making of sugar.

So after one year when this crop is finally ready to be shipped over the sugar mills, the ultimate objective of the farmer is to not delay the crop anymore. Sending the crop to sugar mill is an expanded exercise. A labor consisting of men and women is gathered. The cost of labor is ascertained beforehand. The crop is cut and shifted on the huge trolleys. And they are sent off the sugar mills.

These fertile farmlands of Pakistan are, without any doubt, have the highest amount of lease in the country. Normally, a lease per acre is ranging from 25,000-40,000 rupees in the rest of the country. However, our lands are being leased from 75,000-to over 100,000 rupees. Sometimes, it is quite hard to believe even for farmers from other areas of the country. Plus there is no shortage of water in this area. We are located around one of the best canal system in Asia, if not the world. Having plenty of water for agriculture, we can quite easily get three to four crops per acre, if the farmers want. Only sugar cane is an annual crop. Other crops, like cotton, wheat, maize etc last three to four months each year. 

However, due to high cost of farming in Pakistan, these farmers are trying to reduce the overheads in this business. The costs of fertilizers, diesel, electricity, and labor have increased several times. Even though the selling prices of crops and total yields have also gone up in the recent years, still, the overheads are far higher than the total produce sold. Calamities like last year’s flooding in Pakistan have also to be put in the picture to keep the perspective of agriculture in this country. Flooding, crop diseases, shortages of certain crops at the prime of their usage like wheat in the winter and sugar in the summer, load shedding, availability of diesel and other fuels needed for agriculture, the availability of the fertilizers at the time they are needed, and the water shortages in winters should also be kept in mind as weaknesses and threats in this business.   

70 percent of the Pakistan’s population lives in the rural areas. Agriculture is still the biggest industry and providing food and shelter to most families in the country. In my view, it is a very respectable way of making a living in this country.