Needless to say I always wanted to be a Kemcolian and the charm of being the best of the best pulled me away from the lush green Isloo to the noisy busy Lahore. I thought it wouldn't be too difficult to live there on my own but uh oh! wasn't I wrong?

The moment I saw KE you know what i noticed? How the dome over Patiala was so dusty that it looked as if a sand storm had just hit it! 

Moreover I found KE too broken and the city too ancient.Now as much as history impresses me, that didnt! It eeked me out.

It is funny how everything in Lahore is either made of red bricks or has a dome over it. 

I mean is washroom the only thing without a *gumbad*?

Now let's talk of the weather. When I went there first I was dressed in really warm clothes and people were wearing all lawn and such stuff. That was November but it's always hot in Lahore! The first month here at KE, it didn't rain even for a single day and I felt as if I were in a desert.

Anarkali with all its charms for the pupils and doctors alike , I must say I find too jumbled up and sometimes scary. The ways in and out are too messed up and there are streets where you don't even find a single lady so if you are crossing it and you are a lady its an *got my eyes on you* kinda situation. 

I don't get the concept of a market where you don;t know where to buy things from unless you REALLY TAKE OUT SOME TIME to explore. 

Then just let the over efficient *dukaan daar* in Bano bazaar talk then regret it for the rest of your life. 

Now lets talk about *the Lahoris*. Since first impression is the last impression; their first impression wasn't the *zinda dil lahori* to us. 

Oh you should have seen the hostelite-dayscholar barrier. It was even worse than the *muashray ki zalim deewar* scenario at least for some of us. A few glimpses: 

Me: HEY. 

Day scholar: no response

Me: Hey can you walk faster. I need to rush.

Day scholar: *stares* *ignores*

And that's that! There was no way to be in the "day scholar group" which is very different because over here my siblings have all these hostelite people as friends even best friends.

And then the girl-guy barrier: 

Me to guy: Excuse me what's your name?

Guy: ignores

Me: EXCUSE ME!

Guy: super ignores.

So I made a mental note to never ever talk to a guy again. Until they start acting more like humans.

Take my word on it you won't see this awkward girl guy barrier thing at Islamabad.

Now the security situation ; when they first started setting up those security measures I swear I couldn't understand what they meant by 2 police officers standing outside the main gate doing nothing or those barriers whom nobody respected or when they didn't check the cars.What kind of a check post is that? 

The police dressed up in that *kaali wardi* was intimidating too.So I thought they were going to just beat a few guys up with *danday*. What with their flaring eyes and the usual concept. 

Also I must mention i had never seen a patient lying on a foot path or a hospital as dirty as Mayo before. We do not have rickshaws either and the absence of a rather luxurious taxi was also annoying. 

Islamabad is tonga-free, carts-free city. 

In the red zone they don't even allow a taxi here or any unauthorized vehicle or person. The metro too is different. Although I have never really travelled in Islamabad's metro but it is so much prettier and people tell me that its really good compared to Lahore's in which I unfortunately had the opportunity to travel.For with every announcement that said:*jaib katron se hoshiaar rahein* i clutched my bag so tightly that my hands started sweating.

I kind of have a difficulty in understanding how the Lahoris fast? The fact the people here eat a lot and that I find too little vegetable shops compared to the *chikkar chanay and pathooray* stalls is also not in accord with me . My first Sunday here I saw all the bazaar was closed but food shops never seemed to shut.

Though the Lahoris call them *raat ko jaagnay wali awaam* but all I saw was that they just slept too long in the morning and then woke at night. And I got that idea from the market places which seem to be tidying up after noon.

The point is, as of yet, we haven't fit in. We hope to, we hope that when we leave we do make contributions to this ancient city and pay its dues before we take leave. But that day is not now. And speaking for all the rest of the hostelites, we need just a bit more of cooperation from everyone here at KE for we do not have any links to this city except for this institution. It is the reason why we are here and since you are a part of it, I could very well say that we are here because of you.

And summing up, even though people say that five years from now I am going to love it; I dont think I will for it is not my home.It is not where I was born or where I have family or child hood friends. Where I don't have to worry of anything or do any sort of home related work. Where I am pampered and I don't cross the roads alone. Where mom and dad are always there for me and so are my siblings and where I get to be a burger and sleep real early at night.

I do not mean to criticize but just show my perspective to others. For you see Lahore and Islamabad are too different to adjust that easily. We have a calm, peaceful and civilized life here. Even though you might call us *burger kids or bigri awaam*  you must realize that we had an awesome childhood and we really miss it but most of all we got to live in a city and stay away from the hustle and bustle that usually renders urbanization a curse. Life here at Islamabad  is satiating and when someone says :"oh so you are from Islamabad. you must be a burger kid" all i say is:"yes i am, and i am proud of it cause its only in Islamabad that you can afford to be a burger"