What is your name?T J KHAN
What is your current age or age range?
40
What country are you native to?
UK
What area of Pakistan do you current live (Providence, City, general area etc.)
NOWSHERA
How long have you lived in Pakistan?
1 YEAR
When you moved to Pakistan, did you bring your family? What do they think?
NO THEY SAID THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN LIVING IN PAKISTAN AS THEY SEEMED TO HAVE A VERY HOSTILE VIEW TOWARDS THE COUNTRY.THAT WAS MOST LIKELY DOWN TO THE AREA THEY VISITED AS CHILDREN AND THE UNHAPPY EXPERIENCES THEY ENDURED THERE.
Did you leave your family behind? How do you handle the separation?
yES.TO BE HONEST I HAVNT HANDLED THE SITUATION.THATS WHY I HAVE HAD TO RETURN TO THE UK.It is a very lonely existence without your family around you.
What made you decide to relocate to a different country?
Life in UKis very stressful and there seems to be a breakdown of family unity.I feel much happier abroad less stress and depression plus i liked the atmosphere and way of life over there.
Why did you choose Pakistan, or what factors helped you to decide to choose Pakistan?
My heritage stems from there on my fathers side.{my mother is welsh}and i was married there at 17yrs of age and from that time i felt comfortable with the country although i was born and bred in the UK.Also i wish to learn the languages and you can appreciate what god give you when you see all the poverty around.
What other countries did you consider? Why didn't you choose those?
NONE
Was it difficult to get the documents you needed to live and/or work there? (residency and/or working permit)
NO AS I HAVE DUAL NATIONALITY.
What was the most difficult part of the transition?
Leaving the children behind.
What was the biggest mistake you made in the transition to living in Pakistan?
As above
What was the easiest part of making the transition?
I have a nice house there and support from friends there.
Do you plan on returning to your home country? Why or why not?
Unfortunately i am back in UK and i hope INSALLAH that i will return{pakistan} hopefully with some of my children.
Do you miss your family, friends or old home and habits?
yes family and some of the foodstuff thats all.
What do you miss the most about your home country?
The financial income
How easy has it been to make new friends in Pakistan?
No but if i was more fluent in the language it would be a great help in meeting new people.
Do you have many friends from your home country in Pakistan?
nO and i very much would like to meet a wide range of nationalities.
What are your favorite activities that are available?
I am not into activities too much.I am more interested in learning about the history of pakistan and the poetry.i do like the scenery too especially the waterfalls and mountain areas.
What are the top ten things you miss about the place you left behind?
IN UK family ,the hot water system, finances,free medical care,thats about it.
What are the top ten things you DON'T miss about the place you left behind?
weather, promoscurity,lack of family unity,drunks,immoral behaviour,the disturbing images on tv,underage girls having children without marriage.the breakdown of families, younger generation forgetting their religeon,
Do you speak the language of Pakistan?
only very basic and i would like to master it but as you get older it gets less easy to learn.
Do you think it is crucial to know the language in Pakistan, or can you get by with a handheld translation dictionary for a while?
yes as that is the way you are able to get on with people and understand their habirs more.
Was medical insurance difficult to get before you went or after you first arrived?
i never took it out,
Did you move to your new location after retirement, or are you currently working or looking for work?
no
How do you earn your living in Pakistan?
from property rent
Do you generally earn your income the same way, or in the same profession, as in your home country?
no
How did you go about finding a job in Pakistan? Was it easy or hard to locate work and get a job?
n/a
What types of sources did you use to find a job there? (agency, newspaper, website?)
n/a
If you are telecommuting, what obstacles, if any, did you face in setting up your communication methods?
n/a
What are the top ten things you like about Pakistan?
Simple life, weather, organic food, laid back attitude of the people,the scenery,the music, folk dances, the clothing,the style of my house,no stress if you have good income, the cheapness of food, goods.
What are the top ten things you DON'T like or find strange about Pakistan?
The poverty, no goverment aid for poor,deviousness,attitude towards the crippled begging,bribery,Too much emphasis on wealth and status,poor sanitary conditions and roads in poor areas.
Do you have plans to move again or travel in the future or what are your future business plans?
My heart is in pakistan and if i knew the language fluently i would have got more involved in charity work there.
Did you buy a new home or did you decide to rent?
Bought new bungalows.
What is the average cost for housing in your area?
ABOUT 50k i think.
Was it difficult to find housing in your new country?
no
Is the cost of living comparable to what you experienced before? Explain the difference.
yes some things were not that cheap like bed sheets and blankets.
How do you feel about the local people? Are they friendly?
yes and you have to realise that there is no social benefits system there and their paltry income is through work,the family support unity there is very good unlike the UK
What is the best thing about people in Pakistan?
They are muslim and they just get on with life no matter what life throws at them.Also they have great belief in ALLAH and that is the BEST thing.
Do you have any suggestions for people who are thinking about moving to Pakistan?
If you are becoming disillusioned with life in UK and you are finacially stable and if you are muslims then think about educating your children in private schools in pakistan
Do you think you will stay in Pakistan, or it is not suitable for the long run?
That is my ambition.
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