Pakistani undergrads in the US

Rsaxena ... please leave me alone ... why are you so obsessed eh?

Rutgers was an Ivy League school up untill 1953 ... then the state took it over.

And US News Ranking dont always tell the story ..

In anyevent I am a Pakistani national and an international student ... I dont think I eligible for financial Aid at NYU whose standard of Education is not higer than Rutgers ...

sac #31

``Mummy, mummy, aaj Ramu nahi nahaaya hai``

``Tum us se khud bol do na, mere paas daudke aane ki kya zaroorat hai``

Re` `the author`s bio`, I was just making a general observation relevant to the article`s burden and content.

Re anonymity, I think its good not to tell every hick the road to your house, specially in worldwide forums on the web. WRT political stances, however, IMHO it carries more weight and meaning to put the tag of one`s name(and address) on ones opinion. Whether its the right thing to do on chowk, well I don`t know. Maybe chowk editors ought engineer the site so that only the author of an article would have access to the particulars of those posters who wish to identify themselves.

Sadhana

You wrote good caricitures of all but the ``ABCDs``. Come on now if you`re going to make fun of the ABCDs than do a better job than just passing them off as ``confused`` and not saying much more. You have no reference to what universities they go to, their study patterns, their dating patterns, what they wear or their opinions etc like you do for the other profiles you`ve listed above.

It seems to me like you haven`t been around enough ABCDs to write a detailed profile like you have of the other categories....

Fozia

Sac,

To temper your obsession with Indians smelling (were you ever tied to a pole with an Indian armpit in your face?) and sartorial inadequacies, truth be known that most Pakistanis are no different.

I`ve seen both Indians AND Pakistanis run around in translucent see-my-brown-skin-and-hairy-chest white shirts with yellow collars, horrendous ties reaching below the belt, and black hiking shoes on the streets of Manhattan.

You being cheeky about Indians` accomplishments vs. their clothes doesn`t change the facts.

There goes ylh lying again. Aren`t you afraid of Allah dumping you in the middle of the hot desert somewhere for all your sins?

Rutgers is NOT considered the Ivy League of state schools. The only one that even comes close is University of Virginia. Compare average SAT scores and acceptance rates and you`ll have your reaffirmation.

Rutgers at the UNDERGRAD level is now nothing more than a less than mediocre joint for the academically lacking sons and daughters of wealthy Indian and Pakistani parents of the tri-state area to go goof off. And a shame it is too since America`s one of the places on earth where pure hard work can get you the financial means to attend an Ivy League school regardless of your parents` tax bracket. And most undergrads are elligible for it.

re ferozk #19:

Sorry for the misunderstanding.When the mullahs get you they get you real bad.The younger brother of one of my friends was captured while at GIK. The poor kid is hardly 20. He has dropped out of school. Says 15 different kinds of prayers every day and starts trembling in the company of women.He is constantly worried about going to hell because he looked at his female cousin for too long!! To be honest though its usually the ones too far out in the other direction that suddenly discover salvation through the almighty beard.

re sadna #15:

``Very well-written, though and throughout whets curiosity wrt the author`s own bio :-).``

I know you feel otherwise but to me the anonymity Chowk offers is probably its biggest draw. Let me explain. For some of us the pressures to be always right in our chosen careers(doctors e.g.) may take away the ability to ask(and answer) dumb questions. In the ``expert`` ruled culture of today we have been programmed to trust the ``expert`` blindly. This takes away the power of the individual who may be right in his conclusions but lacks the proper ``credentials``.For example on another board it was suggested(in somewhat inappropriate language) that Indian hygiene habits leave a lot to be desired.Certain Indians reacted negatively simply because the charge came from a Pakistani. Lets imagine for a minute that Vinod Khosla or his ex-buddy Scott McNeely made the same observation.I can bet you my last penny that all stores in Fremont would be out of soap within 24 hours!! Nobody is discounting the fact that Indian achievements in technolgy are unparalleled. This despite their lack of attention to taking showers or dressing less than professionally. Imagine how much better off they`d be if they corected these minor irritants!!!

I admit that you can make some guesses about the individual`s makeup or value and belief systems by their contributions on this website.However the words on the screen can override those stereotypes. One can afford to make mistakes without the pressure to perform flawlessly. And that is why I hang out here. Now lets hear your side of the story :)

``BTW, I am honestly bewildered, (rich people in a poor country) if so many are doing well enough for themselves to pay for their childrens` UG study abroad, then whats all the fuss about then, back `there`?``

Good question. I think the chickens are finally coming home to roost.The rapidly dwindling supply of state largesse is causing a lot of pain to the elite. This bloodletting is good for the patient. The only problem is that it may die on the operating table.

later

-sac

sac,

[...``I am in there somewhere...``]

thats all?!

this is so, ummm... `not ayn rand`.

PAKISTANI UNDERGRADS IN TEXAS

Based on my graduate studies in Texas, I suggest Pakistanis to seriously consider Texas Schools for their undergraduate studies. The tution is low, standard of education is excellent, living is not very expensive, roughly 300 days per year of sunshine, seldom snowfalls and yes.....beutiful Texan girls...very few of the red-haired Germanic variety of the midwest or northeast (mardana husn ka zanana shahkar type).

The best schools are UT Austin, UT Houston, Texas A & M and Rice University. Graduate in IT from UT Austin and find job right away in Dell Computers, Applied Materials, National Instruments or any one of a host of high tech companies. If you have the resources and mainly want to have fun, choose any of the universities around Dallas-Fort Worth area, SMU, TCU, UNT or UT Dallas. These universities have roughly 60% girls and 40% boys. All you need is an interest in Football and regular visits to swimming pool during summer. However if you are tight with money, try UT El Paso. Learn few Hispanic words like Que Paso, Mucho Gracias and Adieus......visit Ciudad Juarez across the border often...even for a nice hearcut for $1.50 and Texas size tacos and burittoes for another dollar...Margaritta not included.

There are lot less Bhais and Uncles in Texas besides no one uncle can invite 200+ Pakistanis from UT Austin. As I said about El Paso, in Austin or nearby San Antonio, you can get lucky more easily with hispanics but be careful about fathering unwanted children. Among white Texans, do not waste your time on Southern Baptists or going to Baylor University. The best chances to get lucky are with the catholics because redemption is easy for them. Avoid getting spiritual with girls, no matter how hot your head gets in the summer sun.

I bet the percent of Pakistani student marrying non-Pakistanis is highest in Texas than any other state.

madad 110 !

I commend you on your effort. A highly reflective article.

sac!

I initially thought, you are beyond mediocre.

But your article only describes, what company you keep and a very superficial approach.

In old Greek, when trade was at its peak, people were divided into, naive and sharp.

See the life in its full extent and each individual is a world in him/herself.

It is a well-written and witty article. I think people asking the author about their categorical classification are in need of dire help.

:-))

MF

More than you can imagine ....

Jiye Love

ylh,

In order for sac to put you in any category, you forgot the most important criteria.

Do you get laid or not!?

JIYA SEX!

sac, that article is right on the dot.

Most of my friends at school were from Abu Dhabi and it was impossible to involve them into any intellectual debate. I mean, they had no stand on any issue be it Kashmir or Babri, or OJ Simpson. In fact anything that was NEWS was taboo for them.

Although they would insist that their fathers were too involved in news from India/Pakistan etc.

About forming groups of Bhais.... again you are correct. It seems that new Pakis (I mean FOBS : Fresh of The Boats) are dying to give their undying loyalty and respect to theier elders, and they just can`t wait to make ``bhais``, for themselves and grovel at their feet.

AD

Salaam Alaikum

It is truly a delightful experience to have the opportunity to read your article regarding Pakistani undergraduates esp. in the US of A.

Here are some not all of my observations and constructive criticisms

regarding your work.( excuse my english )

As a pakistani undergrad who has lived in the USA since 1990 and 2 yrs in Pakistan prior to that(Saudia Arabia prior to that), and never travelled abroad due to immigration problems, if u were to meet me in person u would think as many others have that I am a new arrival (or in other words a FOB). Nevertheless I am the type of diplomat that u mention who can or seems to be able to bridge the gap between american pakistanis and paki pakistanis(no sterotyping intended). Personally, speaking coming from a Pakistani karachi middle class if u will, our family stretches from the upperclass Clifton/Defence areas to the middleclass(whereas my middle class differs from ure middleclass because you are probably reflecting American standards of normal life whereas my definition illuminates the problems faced by the vast majority of Pakistani middleclassers) areas of PECHS, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Federal P Area, Nazimabad to the relatively low income areas of (Malir, Golimar and DigRoad). Therefore I have seen the slice of the cake in terms of social structure. In my years of study here in the US I have noticed that the majority of students definitely are from the upper class whether they think so or not. And on top of that I have noticed a degree of Arrogance mixed with Nationalism that openly seems comendable and yet underthetable is complete farce. To be nationalistic, one has to represent the complete picture, all facets of our society. One must realize the dire hardship faced by the poor in earning money for bread, for education, for work, so many hardships out there I could simply expound on any one of them. Simply harboring such attitudes does not amount to anything. For that matter every optimistic pakistani harbors similar ambitions and ideas. A lot of my acquantinces(misspelling perhaps) not friends I must add, argue with me that the picture of Pakistan that I portray is not really that way and they are not all that rich. Well my friends your arguement is not limited to you, certainly my cousins who are well off harbor similar thoughts. There is nothing wrong in being well off, the problem arises when you try to abuse that power. For example, My cousin, my own cousin, oftens bloats while driving his fathers car(with a government license plate) that no police can stop him or when he told them off one day. This is just an example. As for getting laid, who in his right mind going to an American or even a Pakistani institutions, where exposture between opposite genders will inevitably occur, can argue that such thoughts never appear. However the challenge is not how to get laid, but rather how not to. My friend I admit that our society has truly distorted social interaction by placing emphasis on wrong ideals and goals. Islam places emphasis on early, responsible marriages so that the human natural desire is satisfied. What has drugs, gambling, drinking and sex all have in common? They all provide cheap forms of entertainment and are truly addicting. Ask a scientist or an essay writer and they will tell you that despite their repetitive activities, they are always stepping one step closer to their goals. Whereas the former simply spin u in circles. My friends the time has come to give up such lavish ideas and become concentrated on your efforts. Light amusement and entertainment is necessary for the psychological well being of the individual. However, we must not over do it. I have personally experienced so many of my kind, Paki students fall into these ugly crevecis, they keep on say well i strongly believe in God and islam but am not religious. Read the book of God and see where ALLAH says (I am paraphrasing & details upon requent) ``they openly say we believe and when they are away they say to their shaitans truly to believe u``. My friends , you are Munafiqeen, I urge all Pakistanis who fall under this category to openly come out and say this, I promise no one will disturb you, yet it is disturbing to know that people call themselves muslim and yet do these things. For God`s sakes be true to yourself and to others. I am sure I am not speaking for everyone or to everyone, Yet those who truly want to help Pakistan, my message is one and one only

STOP GIVING DONATIONS TO PAKISTAN!

RATHER BECOME A DONATION FOR PAKISTAN!

My full regards for your time

Thank You

An excellent article.....