1st Walmart Trip, Greensboro, North Carolina

Bennett College welcomed me with an opportunity of going to the Walmart with the other new students on campus. They were mostly freshmen who have come from different states of the United States. Everybody had been eager to visit the Walmart. And finally our big sisters (upperclassmen) took us on a ride to Walmart during the Orientation Week.

I was awestruck by the spacious mart with a diversity of the products. You just name it! Walmart had it all. What I learnt was to look for three or more brands of the same product and then decide what I need to purchase according to my budget.

On the other hand, the diversity of options for products you have is very appealing and can let you spend your dollars away!  

The upperclassmen helped me get some grocery and some utilities for my room. 

P.S. I bought some make-up and a hair-straightener on sale! :)

1st Community Service- Campus Clean Up

It was a great learning experience. Learnt a lot. It was campus clean up. We were arranged in groups of 3-4 students. It started on Saturday 15, 2012 from 9am to 11am on-campus. It was organized by the Junior Class of 2014. The main objective of this community service was to clean the campus. Every group was allotted different sections of the campus. Me and my group was allotted the Lee Street which is the western street along the campus and the Gorrell Street which is the southern street along the campus. We picked trash that included paper bits, cigarettes, some cards and posters etc. The important thing that I learnt from the other students who accompanied was when we pick up the trash as bottles plastic or glass make sure to drain the liquid inside because you may never know what the liquid. It can be some strong acid, alcohol, beer, juice or just water. Its better to be safe than sorry.

This project really inspired me. The reason being that the students made an individual as well as team-effort to work collectively to clean the campus where we study for the most of the time. They did it with a feeling that it was there own home. This made me responsible citizen to look up my campus as well and keep it clean. I wish to do this project on my campus in Pakistan. No funds, no license or paperwork required in this project, all what requires is a sense of responsibility to give back something to the motherland. :)

PIF International Students Pizza Party

During my first two weeks, PIF invited us to a pizza party at Greensboro from three universities here as this is a small town. Sadly, there were students from the Middle East, India, Nepal, Nigeria, Mexico, Rome, Istanbul, Phillipines and South Korea but no one from Pakistan :( 

It was organized by a group of American Families. I got a chance to meet new people and learn about the Greensboro. Most of the students were here for their graduate studies. The food was just phenomenal. They had pizzas and brownies which were the best ones I have ever had. 


Luckily, I discovered that the Indians and Nepal can understand and talk in Urdu as Hindi is very similar in speaking though the dialects and scripts are different. 

One of my friends Roxana from Rome shared about what she has heard from Pakistan. She was fascinated to know of a deep insight of Pakistan by meeting me while I shared my experience and how proud I am to be a Pakistani.

Hi, How you doing? Have a nice day! You look beautiful! Thank you dear. Oops, I'm sorry. *Sneeze*-God bless you.

You might have an idea what all these words are. Yes, you are right that is the way Americans respond to you no matter what color you come from, you matter what race you come from, no matter what religion you practice, and no matter what country you come from, these are buddies without borders. 

Whenever I am going to my class, to a mart, to airport, to bank, or anywhere these friendly souls have always greeted me with a big smile on their face saying "Hi, How are you doing?" I don't even know them and then they end saying "Have a nice day!" It definitely made my day when I was really upset about one of my assignment. Now I say that to whoever I meet :)

Then you get a comment "you look beautiful". It just put a smile on my face. I think appreciating others is really good which is totally not a normal thing in Pakistan.

Then you sneeze and people in the whole cafe reply "God bless you". Awww. :)

When you do something or just give them a way, they say "Thank-you dear". Thanking the other person can put a smile on their face.  It shows the other person that you appreciated and give them respect.

These are the small tokens of appreciation and love that I really admire in the Americans. It brings peace to your life. It made my day when I was down. I hope it makes yours as well.

Bowling Alley @ Brunswick Zone, Philadelphia

As I happened to go to visit family in Philadelphia over the Labor Day Weekend, I went for bowling the first time ever in my life. It was a totally different experience for me. At first I could not do well as I was carrying the heavier ball number 12. Then, I saw some kids using the number 8 ball which is comparatively lighter than number 12 ball. And I won the trick by winning the game in the end :). 

It was so surprising to see people from all ages playing the game. There were grandpa's and grandma's, they were uncles and aunts, there were friends and siblings, who were bowling with so much zeal. I loved the atmosphere.

It was a fun game. I plan to go bowling again!