Unnoticed Invisibility Hi Uzma,

I find the tone and message of your works simple and powerful. I love Memories of the Monsoon. We`ve been lucky with the inches of rain this year in Southern California. Just wanted to say I appreciate your work.

Misbah

Harappa My last visit to Pakistan was in December of 98. My brother being always so adventurous ended up seeing everythinf from Mohenjendaro (sp?) to Khyber Pass, and of course I got stuck doing the usual Lahore Fort, Badhsahi Masjid, another beautiful masjid by Akbar and Thatta. My aunt didn`t think it appropriate for me to go with a bunch of guys :( It was so sad to see what little protection Pakistan Cultural and Archaeological resources get, let`s not even mention the environmental. Working as an environmental consultant on a billion dollar fiber-optic cable project in CA, I compare how much this country values ``possible`` cultural resources and Native American Burial grounds (NOW, I know of the terrible annhilation of the Native Americans)--to Pakistan`s disregard for it`s extremly rich history. It was so dissappointing to see how one can buy a tomb slab or just pick it up after the 60 year old guard leaves or in front of him--at the huge and beautiful burial site in Thatta. Then on my visit to I was dissapointed to see a British sculpture exhibition in the Lahore fort, where the artist made everything out of trash, and his sculptures juxtaposed against the elegance of Pre-Colonial architecture, made me think of how inferior we`re constatnly trying to see ourselves in relation to the West. I wish something could be done about protecting these resources. Is there an organization that addresses the issue?

Read that you`re in grad school at U of Penn. How long have you been there? Are you from here or from Pakistan? How was working on HARP? Just wanted to know, hope you don`t mind.

Misbah