Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

Lifestyle Relationships
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*Thanks everyone for the advice. Some very valuable stuff indeed. *

**@djmi: I agree that we need to give it a try but six months isn't doesn't do it justice, I was looking at 2 yrs min. Also, I spent 6 months there last year and I found that yes voilence is there, but at the sametime, ppl are living their lives, enjoying their family time, going around the town. Its not exactly a pradise either but i think if my kids are to really feel as connected with Pakistan as I do, then they have to experience Pakistan first hand (whenever that happens)..

Your advice is spot-on though. Thanks :)
**

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It is great that you want to move back to Pakistan because you wish to give back to the country, but there are things that you should know and understand. Things in Pakistan have been messed up for a while now and to think they would change in a year good or bad is just being naive. The environment over hear fluctuates from time to time.

You have to make adjustment and when I say adjustment its loadshedding, crime waves and other issues. Last week there were about 30 people killed in Karachi, there was a strike...next day its normal.

So, think about it...hard and twice, but do come because in the end there is no place like Pakistan. :)

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

Man with a plan: Yes in the end there is no place like Pakistan. The crime wave, bombing etc does scare me a little but in the end I also know that I can't control when/how I die, so no point stressing over that. I can however control, how / where I live and what I contribute.

:)

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

dont listen to us. once u get there and start to actually LIVE there, then only u can decide. and the whole patriotism and kids being connected will go out the window, i can assure u

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

^ so i am assuming you have experienced it first hand?

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I don't remember this many holidays. I went to school there till class 10. If there was a strike, we had to make it up on Saturday. Was happening a lot in 93-94 in Karachi.

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

y don't u move there first. find a place to live,set up business and then call ur wife. this way it'll be easier on her. also make her move in cooler months.

the only think that upsets me abt living there is bribery every nook n corner of the country plus no rules, no discpline. If u go to bank whole day is spent there. If u go to passport office nothing is done in one visit. wohi kaam jo yahan aram se aik visit main ho jata hai wahan several visit n khawari k baad hota hai. .but ppl rehat hain aur survive kertay hain. bus strong will power chahiay.aur ager business kerna hai tu be ready to give bribery at every step just as we pay interest here n get tons of gunnah.

Timepass - July 2013
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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

while i can understand why people complain about living in Pakistan. at the same time I think its amazing place to live in Pakistan if you have money and some know-how how things work in there. I recently gone to Pak for about 2 months, enjoyed every bit of it. well it may be holidays but i love being live in Lahore, my family all the friends and very own people.

Though on the down side i have seen, most of the people are not fair any more. everyone there is to create money on every opportunity they get.

I was born in lahore and lived there 23 years. me and other half think of eventually moving back in near future inshallah. we already has house there , and sure we both can manage to get decent jobs or business there to get us going.

good luck to you, hope to follow you soon there.

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yes i have

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every place looks good when u go on vacation. living somewhere is completely different. and if u have money or not, u still have to deal with the same environment

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

I understand your reasons for wanting to move there, but I don't think they outweigh the danger that lurks in such a corrupt country. It is not worth it. You can still raise your kids in the west with good pakistani values.

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

We lived in Pakistan when my youngest was a baby, because my husband felt the need to "give back". Over the years we have learned that it is easier to give back from outside the country, simply due to all of the frustration when trying to accomplish anything. If you are going to live there, I would suggest that you let your wife work for a period of time - she should be able to teach English somewhere. The most maddening aspect of life there for me was the feeling of being so restricted after growing up with so much freedom of movement here in the US. It ended up being too difficult for either of us to adapt, and we left. Don't burn your bridges here - keep your property, some savings, etc. It can be really tough to have to start life 'from scratch' again.

I would really suggest you both go for an extended visit (5-6 months or so), before you decide to move.

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

Thanks for all the advice guys. We are planning to move there for 1 yr initially to get ourselves settled in (very loosely) and then going to keep on taking things as we go..

will keep all you posted inshaAllah.

thanks again for the advice and help

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You shud definitely move back to PAK. but not without properly planning it out. As i dont know if u happen to hav a settled family here to support in addition to any connections and channels in industry ( i also dont know da field u belong to). but just within a year with no grounds or capital to stand on is perhaps too early unless otherwise.
stretch it out and plan it well. dont need to rush it but moving back is a very valid option takes work but inshALLAH may actually work. Wat u need to concentrate on well-before hand is the source of income. do ur homework and set wheels in motion like house and car etc atleast a week before arrival. i can assure u of a comfortable living here but not without a solid well paying income generation. dont let it turn out as a trans melting ur savings. MAtters like girls going out freely, loadshedding and stuff resonate perhaps too loud when u r abroad but do resolve themselves out or are no longer hinderence in metropols here. plus u dont need to sever all ties. strings back up in US helps.
myself ws born and raised in dubai. and will be leaving for AUS soon.only to return home within five years or so with a degree. but the years in PAk were never a dull moment. things people call hardships came up to me as spices in life. never regret being here only coz: ' apna mulk aur apne log waqaye apne hote hain . i've felt the difference.
by the way congrats to the couple on tieing the knot in coming year. wish u a happy married life.

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

-> Judging from your financial situation, I would suggest that you must get a house in a upper middle neighborhood.

-> First you should come and get a home and basic needs like electricity, gas, telephone and/or internet facilities up and running, afterwards you can call her and settle.

-> Though it would be difficult, try to get a full house not a flat or any kind of condo or apartment that will spare you from any sarcasm or narrow mindedness of the local people around.

-> The initial trip, I suggest should be at least of a year so that you both can get yourself acquainted with short and long term issues and workings of living in Pakistan.

-> Bring a good amount of financial support so that you won't run out of money, if the employment process takes some time.

-> If possible try to get your wife, as already suggested, to work as a primary or middle school teacher of English or what so ever subject she is good at.

-> Try to get a job which is not time intensive and doesn't involve provision of being ready on call. This would give you more time to deal with your life and also to give that time to your partner to console her and be with her. Mostly women feel lonely at home in pakistan due to the lack of freedom.

I'll try to post more pointers, whenever i get time....

36

Thanks for the advice Stalker.

I actually don't care what ppl around me think. Their narrow mindedness should not cost me :)

She can do whatever she wants. I don't like dictating ppl their role in life. I know she is qualified to do a few different kind of jobs so I would rather her pick the career that she wants. She would be more productive in doing what she chooses.

I have already started working on the job aspect. Started to create those connections within the community. So inshaAllah job won't be a big issue.

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

Wow.. so much negativity in first few reply's to them my message is: if you lost and don't have courage to face it sure.. but don't distract others.

Now on the thread tarter, you should move back, you are young & can take risk. This possibility will gone.. lets say after 5-10 years.

1) Make a list of to-do, go alone for lets say 6 months at least, setup home with all the required facilities & steady stream on money (job/business)

2) Explore around the city/culture/community/businesses, you have 6 months to figure out - can you take all of this for rest of life and be adopted to whatever the local ways of living !

3) If everything goes according to plan, Call your wife - now spend another 6 months living with her. Lets see what her perspective is or will change after 6 months. Future planning, kids... saving for buying a home... figure it out in this time

4) Viola, you are happy & transition is better then your expect or its other way around - refer to no# 5

5) Never put all of your eggs in one basket, you know what i mean. This should be in your plan what & if this happened... hmm.. everything goes in the junk .. then what will you do?

I am going to move back too before marriage .. hmm probably 2/3 years and i am 24, and even though i don't have any home/money/business-setup problem. But i will still make sure i will continue to receive a financial life-line of lets say.... 4000-5000$ a month for a whole year !..

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I generally advise people not to move to Pakistan, but since you have no kids, and presumably you have a lot of money to afford a good lifestyle, it is worth a try. When you are 40 with 2 or 3 kids, you don't want to be thinking "i should have moved there when i had the chance." If things don't work, you can always come back but at least you will know you tried.

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

^exactly, you never know till you try. and this is definitely worth a very good try.

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Re: Moving to Pakistan - prespective needed

I have moved back to Pakistan end of March this year. Alhamdolilah I was lucky that I got a very good job within days of moving back and I am happy that I came back. At the time of accepting this offer I had others interested potential international employers who would have paid me more then what I was earning in Dubai I decided to take 75% cut in my salary. Crazy ?? Not at all. I am with family, my kids spend most of his time with grand parents, I dont have to worry about wife n kids that they r sick n bla bla. Thats the plus of it. I do miss Dubai at times but specially my car but I have adjusted myself accordingly. I use rikshaw if I dont have car. Like today I am going back home in Rikshaw !!

Its a risk worth taking however calculate it. Its still a nice place. There are some restrictions with respect to security but thats for everyone.

My approach is jitna riqz likha hai utna milnay zaror hai so better to stay with family.