Ashamed of India Very nice and honest of you to have shared this piece with us..it was not only very funny but we could all relate to it.

I worked wiyh many foriegn missions in Pakistan

and at any time i had to entertain or escort a

`gora` or `gori` in the public, most people

would manage to make asses of themselves by fawning over them in a most embarrasing way. I think it is shamefull that we as a nation do not have a high self-esteem for our own people.

Please do keep writing and sharing experiences and ideas.

The Never-Ending Story bravo!!! what courage at having bared your life for others to share and learn from..I have never experienced narcotics or addiction in the way you have but the feeling of being an outcast and the

``branded` woman had haunted my past for many reasons..I understand so many of these feelings ...`not speaking the language they spoke`...not fitting in and then not even trying to...your article has vibrated hidden strings in my soul

and I congratulate you for having won the battle

and having the courage to look back and most of all for having the guts to share your experience.

Hope to hear more from you.

Growing up an American Muslim Well written, I know how hard it is to stay focused on your identity and how hard it can be to keep explaining and apologising to the rest of the western world for being a muslim...the religion of Saddam Hussain and most terrorist

factions..and at the same time being proud of who you are.

I have two growing children and I struggle hard to instill in them a love of their identity..without warping their minds into thinking that everyone else is ``bad and wrong``.

I don`t want them to think everything so called muslims do is right, yet I want them to believe Islam is right.I don`t want them to not fit in or

to have to live a dual lifestyle, one at home and one at school.... yet the balance seems to be just out of my reach....am I missing something?

Passage well done Zawar, a lovely poem that we can all identify with..I hope you keep on writing

Dust and Color Lovely! A beautiful piece.....makes me want to go back for a visit.