Saba Imtiaz: Everyday is a winding road..

I've suffered from recurrent insomnia for the past few years now. You would think I'd have gotten used to it by now..but oh well. I decided to check my e-mail as a respite from constantly tossing and turning, and wishing I didn't have to attend a Public Policy and Administration class five hours from now; anyhoo, my inbox is full of e-mails from my department members, with the assigned research, explanations for everything they've missed out, and promises from those who haven't completed it that they'll send it in tomorrow. Despite the raging headache and lack of sleep, I'm really happy right now - at seeing the new recs' enthusiasm and committment towards AIESEC and their department. When I became VP, I promised myself that I would ensure that all my members would retain their committment and passion for AIESEC, and just reading their emails is reason enough to smile. =)

AIESEC Karachi is hosting its first full-fledged conference - SDC - in December 2005 for the NLT :D We're all so very excited - we had our first planning session at the MC house a couple of nights ago, and even though I was surviving on 2 hours of sleep I hadn't felt this awake in ages! The theme for the conference is 'I Believe', and the corny jokes have already started..after weeks of everyone saying 'you can!' and 'i seeeeeeee...' (IC!) after every sentence. Its going to be one crazy ride till conference is over... :)

AIESEC Pakistan's version of 'You know you've been in AIESEC too long / You know its time to leave AIESEC when..'

Crazy things happen in the AIESEC office everyday. Take today, for example. Delia (MC member) was in one of the computer labs, and Zehra (VP OGX) was supposed to meet her.

Zehra: Where's Delia? She texted me saying she was in one of the good looking computer labs.
Me: She's not in our uni then. We don't have any good looking labs!
Zehra: I'm going to go look for her
Saira (LCP) walks in.
Saira: Where's Delia? She's supposed to be in the lab.
Zehra: I've looked in all four labs. She isn't here!!!!
Sharmeen (VP DT): She must be there! You probably didn't see her since she has dark hair like everyone else. Go look at every person now.
Zehra and Sharmeen walk out, and run back in after 5 minutes
Sharmeen: I'm really worried! She's nowhere to be found.
Me: Look in the loos.
Sharmeen: I've already done that.
Me: OMG! Someone's kidnapped Delia.
Tori (MCP): Don't worry - she's fine. She's here somewhere.
Sharmeen: No she ISN'T!!!!
Everyone starts frantically calling Delia
Me: Why am I getting a busy signal?!!
Sharmeen: Thats because we're all calling at once! Let ME call.
Delia walks in, and we all greet her like we're meeting her for the first time.

30 minutes later.
Sharmeen texts me while I'm sitting in the lab with Saira
Text: 'Who was calling on my cell when I was out?'
Reply: 'Rabia' (DT team member)
I walk back in to the office
Sharmeen: You're here?! I thought you left.
Delia starts laughing hysterically
Me: Saira's calling you downstairs.
Sharmeen goes out, and Saira walks in after 5 minutes
Saira: Where are Sharmeen and Zehra?
Me: DOWNSTAIRS!

You'd think that in a matchbox of a campus you'd be able to find everyone in a minute.

P.S: We still don't know where Delia was.
P.P.S: Apologies if this doesn't seem funny. It sure did when it was happening.

I ran my first department meeting today (FYI: Never do that if you're fasting. You will want to drink a gallon of water afterwards) and made all the new recruits do an anonymous expectation setting session. Some of their answers made me laugh during my very boring commute home, including 'meetings should be held in the smoking area' (I AGREE!, whoever you are) and 'fun loving' - I now have to rack my mind to make meetings more fun. Hmmm. A clown getup? A presentation on Incest XP?

It has been a miserable three days since the earthquake. I learnt about it early Saturday morning, when an AIESECer from Lahore messaged me on MSN at 9:30 AM to tell me about it. At that point, there were no reported casualties. One of my closest friends and fellow AIESECer in Karachi walked in to university a little while later, saying the footage had just started coming in and it didn't look too good.

Life hasn't been the same since. Karachi has a large number of workers who belong to the northern regions, which have been the worst-hit, and scores of people left the city over the weekend to try and find out what had happened to their villages and families. One of our domestic staff has no idea what has happened to his family - he is a shell of his former self.

Pakistanis have come together to contribute to the relief fund - a charity drive organized by the Army and a television channel in Karachi has received massive amounts of clothes, medicines, food, bedding and tents to send to earthquake victims.

I don't remember what my life was like before Saturday - since the earthquake we've alternated between blogging constantly about charity organizations and ways to donate, and watching the footage on TV, and donating as much as we can to aid agencies.

A stream of messages and e-mails started flooding in late Saturday night from AIESECers all over the world, asking if we were alright and what they could do to help.

The death toll is rising - routes to northern Pakistan were cleared today after landslides blocked most of the roads following the earthquake, and relief aid is now reaching those areas.

Please say a prayer for all those who have lost their lives, and pray that the country manages to pull through.

Ooh, I've always wanted to have a blog with this url. YAY for Nomadlife!