MSc Computer Science student Faran, speaks about his experience as a Pakistani Muslim studying in Stoke-on-Trent.
MSc Computer Science student Faran, speaks about his experience as a Pakistani Muslim studying in Stoke-on-Trent.
Welcome back to seriously of the Student Connect podcast. I'm Tiff and I'm Danny, and we are host for today's episode. This podcast is created in association with Staffordshire University and hosted by your Student Content team. It's a student led podcast which shares the experiences of students progressing through university education and inviting experts from a variety of life topics. In this series, we are exploring cultures to grow our understanding and deepen our knowledge about the diverse backgrounds that make up our community. We want you, the students, to help us shape this series. So if you'd like to join us as a guest, please email us on comms at staff. Stacey Duke or drop at Staffordshire Uni a DM on any form of social media. Along the way, we endeavor to share our honest stories, sometimes too honest. So how to educate and discover more about other cultures? It's important to note that there may be some sensitive topics discussed. We feel these are really important to share to raise awareness of any of the issues that we go over. If at any point me is incorrect terminology, please be rest assured that this is part of us educating ourselves and not intended to cause any offense. And so, without further ado, let's get started. Yes. So first of all, the obvious, obvious question. Elephant in the room back had podcast as a as a host, as a host. How are you doing? I've been, I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all good. Not too bad, not too bad. Can't complain. Yeah. What was it like on the flip side? It was good. You know, it was good because sometimes as a host, I've got to, like, limit how much I can waffle. As far as, like, I felt like I sought freedom. but no, I really enjoyed it. And I got, I got to talk about something that I've, like, quite passionate about for quite a while. So, yeah, I'm really grateful for that. Yeah, it's really nice to like, dive into more stuff. Yeah. Just things like as well a lot. This is what I love about this is because like that is like loads of different guests. Come on. What you learned so much about the lives and about you like, yeah, some of the things that you hear like some of the stories you just lot I would not thought that it's like, wow. And it's good that we've got like this opportunity to to see how different everyone's life and how like complexion is like because like if you're walking for campus, for example, you probably see, well, quite a few people like coffee people that's come back and they've all got their own individual lives. And like when you dip it like, oh, it's a bit crazy. Crazy happen. Yeah. Try not to think like that. But yeah. No it's good. How's university going? It's going alright. Yeah. Busy but you know. Yeah. Final push start that time of year into. Yeah I'm well it all pay off it. Well hope hopefully that's what we all say. But yeah the actual day. Yeah. No, I'm enjoying it. Yeah. well, I mean, I like to have something to do, so. Yeah, I'm just I'm in a stage at the moment. I'm considering what my next step is. Yeah. Me. So, it's like, I'm sorry. I'm at a junction and there's five different roads. So not specifically designed, but there's loads of roads I could go down on. I don't know which one to go down. but I've got time. Yeah. Time. So just keep going round the roundabout. Yeah. Because a lot of people are like, oh, that go at a slow thing. I don't, I've got to be like ten steps ahead. and this is one of these weird things where I can't be ten steps ahead because I don't know what's going to happen. So. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's, it's different, but. Yeah, I'm getting. I'm getting there. Yeah. Great. In this series, we are sharing with some awesome places across Staffordshire as we discover more about cultures and backgrounds from our community. today we are at Stanford University Student Union, located on the College Road side of campus. The Students Union are here to make sure that every student at staffs has the best experience possible as a student, as a member of our community, and as an academic. They're a charity run by students for students. So not only do they get our student members to share and use their voice, there are loads of ways they can get involved with the Students Union, including receiving free, impartial and confidential support from our advice service. Joining one or more of the 100 plus student led activity groups, societies and sports clubs. Enjoying our on campus venues, squeeze box and lounge life involve volunteering to develop their community, their skills and their experiences, enjoying excellent and accessible events in our nightclub and around campus and making a difference through volunteering and fundraising. Today we'll be chatting to student foreign about Pakistani culture. Pakistan Day is celebrated annually on the 23rd of March. On March 23rd and 1940, the All India muslim League adopted the Lahore Resolution, demanding a separate nation for for Muslims, and independent Pakistan. Thus, this day is celebrated as Pakistan Day in 1956. On the same day, the country officially adopted its first constitution, which transformed the Dominion of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. We will also be speaking to Faran about his experiences as a muslim as we learn about Ramadan ahead of the Holy month. Okay, so for this episode, we are joined by our guest. Foreign welcome. Thank you. so, Frank, can you just tell us a little bit about yourself? Thank you. First of all, for having me here. I am from, from Pakistan, from a middle class family. from the core of the Pakistan like province, Punjab. living in Kolkata, a small town there. So I've, I've spent a lot of time with my family while I was bringing there. I have five siblings, along, along with my family. So, I was living with my with my uncle, and because it's time to use the culture of Pakistan, people usually, live in joint families. So, it's very nice to be there. And apart from that, I've completed my education there in my my hometown. So I've done my graduation there. Yeah. So it's very nice to be there in Pakistan. The people there and, and the friends, good friends, the close friends there, people used to, get out of their houses in the evenings and, going somewhere on the stalls of tea, having some a cup of tea, the. I mean, conversations like that. Yeah. Well, nice. Yes. What was, what was studying like over that? Cause obviously, I'd imagine it'd be completely different to me and to, for example, students over here. Yeah. Have you seen sort of any differences or spoke to any students and maybe like, recognize oh, that might have been different. Yeah. The city is quite different because, if you talk about here, the study here is very practical and very enjoying. But, if you, if you, if not Pakistan, it's more about be focused to your studies as there are no specific, engagement levels of students where, where they engage with other societies and other club events. But it's a very culture country. So, you know, Islamic country. So we don't have kind of club night parties kind of things there. but, Pakistan is actually good in, in, in academics, as well, because when I was studying maths in one of my little my course here, it's very basic when I started doing, some of the activities and doing my coursework here, people used to ask me, how do you know this? So, so in Pakistan, they teach us with very advanced level of mathematics. Yeah. So it's very, very, good there as well. but the study here, I like the practical study here. It's very nice to Yasmin. Yeah. Yeah. Please. And so today we're at the Staffordshire University Student Union. so can you tell us a little bit about what this specific location means to you? Staffordshire Student Union is always, very important to me. because when I arrived here before arriving here in January 23rd, I was very, very keen because I was part of some unions back in Pakistan. But after arriving here, I just, I just came to know that these are student union who work for the work for the students advice and different kind of things. And, but I was never, ever been involved before, while going into this role that I then I in, in July, I got elected in this role and student union is actually very important to everyone. who whoever knows about this. Whoever don't. Yeah. it's very important to to engage with some of the societies, some of the, some of the club, clubs and, some international networks and some other networks as well. So it's very important is it's played a very vital role in my, in my academic life here. Yeah. That's cool. What what sort of, I'm at with this. So obviously coming over from Pakistan to Stoke on Trent. Yeah. What have been like some of the like sort of like things where you've seen, you've been like wow. All like that'd be so different to maybe like back home in Pakistan. And are there any has there been any like moments like that. Yeah. There was some, some things like that because in Pakistan it's very powerful that Pakistan is having almost 200 million population over there. So it's very, busy always on the roads. So on the first day when I was crossing the road, I would say, yeah, I have to press this button to do all the vehicles to be stopped. Then I'll cross the road. Yeah. And the other thing that, like, people here are always smiling, saying hi. You're right. Hey. Yeah. So these are the things that very impressed me. Oh, that's good, that's good. Have you felt like you've been that way? Like when you say that people are like saying that. How do you feel? Like it's welcoming. yeah. Yeah, it's always, it always seems very good to me because, people don't notice you, but when when they talk to you or they address you by saying hi, you're. Are you feeling good? People here are very caring. Yeah. so so the these are the things I have never seen in Pakistan before. But I suppose it's good that you've had that, reception in that asking if you're okay. That's, That's good. Yeah, I like that. Yeah. I'm glad, I'm glad. Yeah, I'm glad we do that as well. Yeah it is. It was a bit of a shock for me, to be honest myself and I like I live like an hour away. So what? So what did you say you find, like, even in, like, like Birmingham people, you know. Well, I mean, like, even on my road, the neighbors all, like, say hello to each other. But then I speak to all the people in Birmingham and they're like, you actually talk to your neighbors. Oh, wow. Yeah. It's not it's I don't want to say hostile, but yeah, yeah, yeah. Welcome in. So it's nice that you've been able to like experience that as well. I was I was been to Scotland in in April or May. So when like last year. So I've listened before like the Scottish people are very, very, very welcoming and things like that. So. Well when I go there and I've seen, and I was like, no, England is quite welcoming because people, because when I was walking on the roads and I was in the clubs and I was in some of the night parties there, nobody was talking to you like, I was like, I'm alone here. Nobody knows me. Like when I'm here in Stoke on Trent specifically, everyone, even I was not engaging at that time. The people say half hour and you're right. You. How you feeling here? how is how is the things in back in Pakistan? The, the people here, are very interested in enjoying our culture here. Yeah. I'm glad. I'm glad about that. as some as a resident Stoke. Yeah. I didn't really recognize it too. Like when you're saying, like, I'll have a while because I have a lot I have a lot of that on my list. Like, I just, like, walk past someone on, like, my street, like, are you okay? Like, like special like the older people that you really respect that. But yeah, I'm glad that, like, you've had such a good reception. Yeah. And and like, same with you too, if you know what I mean. Like, I'm really I'm really happy with that. But, so obviously this episode, you should be proud. I told you when when you come to stoke, you don't feel very like, away from your country, away from your country and your culture, because people living here in Stoke on Trent, are diverse, like, yeah, are some British peoples and some, some people who are from Pakistan, Iran, India. Because, a lot of a majority of our student community live around the university. So you don't feel like alone here. Yeah. Oh, that's really good. Yeah. so obviously with this episode being, surrounding Pakistan culture, I was wondering if you could tell us about your identity as a Pakistani Muslim and sort of how that shaped, your experiences and sort of the impact that's had on your life, basically. Yeah. being a Pakistani Muslim, extremely motivated me how I see the world. So, as a Pakistani Muslim, our families and our, our parents and our forefathers used to taught us how to respect others and how to be kind with others. And in Islam, it is very, like Islam for us to do some donations to the people and do the right things, don't do the wrong things here. So this actually discriminates me from from other people. And also, the Pakistani culture and Islamic culture also, keep me away from bad deeds. So we used to say prayers. We used to say in the fasting, we used to, do some gatherings over there. So these, these things actually helped me to be a good person and do what I do. The right things. Yeah. That's good, that's good. It sounds like you. Religion's a big part for you and like, a big part of your life. Would you agree with that? Yeah, yeah. The the primary, the being a Pakistani Muslim, the faith is your is your primary, primary thing. So, people there used to say prayer five times a day. The they do fasting during Ramadan. They, they, they, they spend a lot of money, on poor people like donating their money to poor people. So there's a, there's a threshold level. So, in Muslim community, in a Pakistani community, people, if you have suppose if you have 1000 kids, you have to, donate 2.5% of your money every Ramadan, like once in a year. Yeah. So you can donate it not to your relatives, but to poor people's. So they can also, be involved with you while while celebrating these activities. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's pretty cool. That's nice. Yeah. so how would you observe religious practices and celebrations as a Pakistani Muslim? Like, can you tell us a bit more about your different kind of, celebrations? Yes. So, so there are a lot of Islamic, Pakistani cultures there. it's different, and very, different very with the provinces to provinces. So, if you talk about the Punjab, Punjabi, Punjabi peoples usually have their own traditions and culture. But if you talk about the religious things that are common in all of the provinces. So we we used to pray and five times a day we used to have fasting. We used to celebrate, eat. There are there are two eats. One is Eidul Fitr, which is exactly one celebrated, on the conclusion of Ramadan. But, Eidul Fitr, that is exactly two months after the after, which is Eidul Adha. That means, people celebrate by doing sacrifices to God. And also, this is not about specifically for sacrifice, but, every year, millions of people around the world gather in mocha. Mocha is a holy place in India in a in Saudi Arabia, Mecca and Medina. So they do perform there had is obligation in Islam. So every person who is, Muslim has to perform Hajj once, once in life. So this is these are the things we usually usually do there. So the prayer is very the thing I always remember when I was in Pakistan, here I have never listened. And, the, voice of Azaan over the speakers. But in Pakistan, whenever it times for Fajr, Fajr, like the early morning prayer zero is the midday prayer and asr Maghrib and Isha like time to time it change. So every time you go to Fajr prayer in early morning, like in 4 a.m.. Really? Yeah. So am we. We started hearing voices from different mosques on speakers like Allahu in Lahore kind of thing. So, we, we used to hear Hasan and while breaking fast, you have to break fast. As a muslim, you have, as a muslim, you have to break fast on, on the voice of Azaan. Like, have thought, thought first prayer in a day. So like after sunset, we do offer prayer for for, maghrib. So after Maghrib, you have to break your fast. So, then when those kind of voices like I have five moves around my house, like it is a small town and the five mosques, and every at the same time, Allahu Akbar kind of things. So that that actually remem remind me of the Pakistani culture. And I have not never listen to these things here. it was very nice. Yeah, that sounds quite cool, actually. Yeah. It all going on. Yeah. So it was like all going on like, at the same time. Yes. But at the same time, the same time was, it was like really loud. Very, very loud, actually. Big speakers like you can say, like, as we have deejays here. Yeah. There's no deejays. That's kind of like only the sound system. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wow. That must be. It is quite strange. Like, I imagine it is strange not hearing it then. Like, do you kind of expect to, like, when you first came here? Did you. Yeah. What you expect. Yeah. Yeah. And then it was just nothing. Yeah. Would have freaked me out. Yeah, yeah, that's the thing. because I've spent my last rum's on here, last year, so I was expecting at the at the first day of first Ramadan, I was having a fast. And, I was waiting for Allen to hear in my in my ears, but, unfortunately, it was not because I was alone at that time. I have no friend at that time, but after after 2 or 3 days of fasting, I just come to know that no, it's not allowed here to be on the speaker. I was on stuff, so I used to open, like having my mobile in front of me and like, doing the live transmission of Ramadan. And when they say, yeah, it's a start time. So then I break my fast, Yeah, yeah. So like, you followed like, so as I'm up with this like a feed, so like everyone's doing it at the same time. Yes. Oh I didn't know that. Oh. Is that difficult because, like, correct me if I'm wrong. The timezones are different. it's the timezone here. Different to Pakistan? Yes. So. So Pakistan is, five hours ahead of UK. So they usually, like it's, it's according to the sunset and sunrise. Oh okay. So the last thing here is would be for this, for this Ramadan it would be like 430 in the morning. You're going to have fast and you are going to break it at half eight in the evening. Yeah. So it's quite long here. But in Pakistan it's quite short time. It's according to the sunset and sunrise. Yeah. But but it's good to have fasting here because it's cold. Yeah. Doing fast. You don't have to eat or you don't have to drink anything. Anything. Even you, you restrict yourself to going in because music in haram in, in, in Islam. So we don't listen to music. Yeah. We just used, Arabic. we used to listen Koranic recitation. So this is, this is very, you know, and different there. Yeah. Was it, did it take a bit of an adaption to, like, go from, like, in Pakistan? You said that, because of the sunrise and sunset? Yeah. You're fast for a short amount of time than you do here. Yeah. What was it like adapting to that and having to kind of like was it distinct? Yeah. It's it's not difficult for me, as I have told you, that it's very cold here. So, in Pakistan it's very hot. The, the, the maximum temperature is almost 40, 43 to 45. Really? Yes. So during. So it's very hard in Pakistan to having fast during, during summers. Yeah. because it's according to the moon like you have, you know, Ramadan during the it's a we have a lunar calendar. So, Dan comes upon like the lunar calendar. So every times, it might have some different dates and different times during a year. So after 10 to 20 years, it comes in winter after 10 to 20 years coming in. So. Yeah. So, it's very good to having fasting here. Like, I don't feel, you know, we eat a lot in the morning and, we don't feel thirsty during holiday. Yeah, it's. Yeah. You guys, it's cold here, so, it's it's good to having fasting here. Yeah, yeah. Do you feel like, you've been, like, well supported since, like, coming over here? I felt like there's been support for you, like, during, like Ramadan. Yeah. So. So, because I was not able back in Pakistan. I've lived in hostels for two years, but I've never cooked because the food stuffs there, everything is halal because Muslims usually eat stuff. Yeah. So, we can eat from outside. Anywhere from the from a local market. Yeah, yeah. But here we have to be very, very conscious. My mind was eating outside. So during Ramadan, we, during the last Ramadan, I was not able to cook because I have to, manage with my studies. I have to go to one job as well. Yeah. So it was very hard for me to, manage and, cooking stuff. So I used to go near mosque, like, there there's, there is a central mosque right there, in Henley. Yeah. And there's one mosque in just, three streets away from here. So I every day I used to go there to break my fast. So they, they provide you with the food for start. They provide you with with the after fasting like during Easter, we have to use dates. And that is so not soon. That means that, that is this is a thing that is being followed by our last prophet. So we break it with, water and dates. And after that, we say prayer and after praying, we, we we eat the rest of the stuff. yeah. So could you please explain to us the significance of Ramadan in eat in your culture? Yeah. Ramadan is very, very important. That plays a vital role because it it it it shows us that, how being starving for the food like how so in these month, in in this, in this Ramadan, not in this Ramadan. Like during Ramadan, people used to say, like, I listen to these things. So people used to say, nobody, even someone is very poor, cannot manage with their food on a daily basis during Ramadan. nobody sleeps hungry, nobody sleeps hungry. So every time. So if you are not having fasting like I'm a muslim, if I'm not, having a fast today. So I have to for ten people and after that, ten people who are hungry or who are in need, I have to make them able to have fast. So so this is this is very, very good thing about about about, being as a muslim. So we do donations. We do we do say prayers during Ramadan. So during Ramadan, we, we follow Islam and we, we actively participating and in all of the activities of, of all Muslims. But, sometimes if I am in office, I'm unable to say prayer, but in Ramadan, we have to say five times a day. Yeah. It's compulsory, it's obligations. So we have to say prayer. They have to do fasting even. We have to restrict ourself from doing bad deeds. If it is, it is restricted in, in Islam for doing benefits in the whole of your life. But still sometimes you you are unable to. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So Ramadan is a very, very, you know, month, a month where we follow Islam restricted in. Yeah, yeah. So you know, when you've been like working I was like here in student union and it's been during Ramadan. Have you. It was as, been I'm that word. There's sort of like an area where you've been able to pray. Yeah, there are, there are some areas, but usually I've never used the, the spaces here in society mostly. But, as I'm aware, there are 2 to 3 different spaces that we say multi-faith room. Yeah. All of the, all of the other faiths, people come and say their, their prayers. Yeah. Some do their, their, they're praying and, faith stuff. So it's, it's very good because, I've seen some universities in Wales. There was no mosque around that. around the town. So the there are, there are, there are some multi-faith rooms in the, in the universities where Muslims where Christians will seek people's fair. Hindu people used to use to worship, worship or do their prayers there. So that is a this is a good thing, I think, because I've seen when I see I've seen one, 1 or 2 students who are standing, and asking me about the faith room in the university. So I have signposted them to the matter of building or somewhere in catalyst. So it's very nice to be there to. I've seen every time when I pass through those multi-faith room, I always seen some Nigerian peoples and some Muslims from Pakistan or India or Bangladesh and some, some other religions as well. And, and it feels very, very good to me because, these things, organize you in such kind of way that you, you feel yourself that you are not in your country, yet you are. These things make you feel like, make you feel like you are like, think beyond the borders. Yeah, yeah. Like Nigerians, Pakistani Indians all at one place. Yeah, yeah. So that's one of the beautiful things of religion. And so yes, it doesn't matter who you are. Yes, where you come from, you can believe it if you want to. And that that's one of the things I do love about it because there's no there is no discrimination, as you know, like it's like you're sitting in the multi-faith room and it's good that we as a university, we can offer that to students and obviously then students coming to you. Yeah. To asking you signposting like, yeah, like you probably don't realize that that's probably really impactful for them because they've got someone. Yeah, they've got someone to go to to well to that. So I mean, that alone just shows how important your role is. Yeah. It's really good. That is. Yeah. how does your family play a role in Pakistan, coach or I'll probably reword that. What's the the culture of like family like in Pakistan culture. Like, is it a really big important thing? yeah. It's very, very important thing because I've seen much difference. what I had, I arrived here so in Pakistan, we used to live in a joint family like my uncle, my aunt, my father, along with my grandparents, we live and on in, in the same place. Even the children live in the same place. Yeah. And, the the the families plays very important role while while someone is like, but during the upbringing. So they teach us about the, about how do you respect others? They teach us how to be kind, how to do the right things. The they tell us about the very important lesson of the life. and these are the things which are very important to me. And even after, because I've seen the culture here, parents have to leave their children after 18. But back in Pakistan, even you are 34. Even you are 50, even you are 60. If your parents are alive, you have to support them. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So the these are the things, that make me feel very proud that I am supporting my parents. I'm supporting my uncle. I'm supporting my aunt. So. So whenever, whenever in suppose in case, my uncle is unable to make, make something or is able to manage something during his life. So I would be able to help him monetarily. like I can say, like I can motivate them during any kind of hardship, or I can have them in, in, like, donating some money to them, like giving some money so they can make their time very well during that hardship. So these are the things that really remind me of Pakistan. And that's good. That's good. It's quite nice that you stick together because like as you say over here, when you're 18, that's when it really gets to start. Kind of like, okay, so when you live in home and you get in your own place really you can start. Yeah. Like watch your five year plan, which you tend to be a planner. You go in traveling, it's very much it's quite like push, push, push. Yeah. like start thinking about different steps. So it's quite nice in Pakistan. It's very family orientated. Yes. It's really like your family stick together. Yeah. Real sense of like togetherness. Yeah. Yeah. Because like, even when I was in Madrid, we were working with, students on a sports science course over there, and they were from loads different countries. So there's like some from like, I know, like Russia, one was from Uzbekistan, South Africa. And like, they had just basically turned like 16, 18 and just gone to a different country to study. And like in my mind, that's crazy because I would never be able to do that because, like, I can't I can't live without my mom, my dad. So like, I won't be able to do that. But but there's there's this there's another one of my mates who's on the level below me. He's Italian, but he was saying how in like an Italian culture, like it's, and Spanish as well. children will go off for like the football side of things and they'll move to a different country to obviously try to get a career in football. And like, it's, it's just it's mental when you think about it. But because I was, I was saying to him like my mama Madrid like, do you miss your families? Like, yeah, I miss my family, but I'm so used to traveling, it doesn't faze me, like being away from home. Whereas like me, I was away for like, this is like three days. At that point, I was like, I want to go back. Well, that's my oatcakes, you know what I mean? It's like so but yeah, it's it's like again, that togetherness, it's really good because like, even like for me, I'm not religious, but like that family aspect massive. And like I don't know what they will do if I'm family. Same here. Yeah. Yeah yeah. in what ways do, the communities come together for the celebrations in Pakistan? Yeah. If you talk about the religious, religious celebration, there are different occasions when when people get together. So, as I've already told you, like people used to, like, if, if my family, if during Ramadan. So we invite different families, like our relatives or some pool people in at our home to do their stuff, and, at the end of the Ramadan, we also celebrate it. So while you are going to pray for it, like in the morning, 8:08 a.m. in the morning, so going after after saying prayer, you have to give some money to the to the like. People from different different areas come together at a specific place and they say prayer like thousand of peoples at same place like. And after praying they have to like embrace each other like hug each other, like making them feel better. and after praying, they have to give some money to the poors so they can also be involved in the same way that we are celebrating. So, apart from that, we have, Idol Adha. That is exactly two months after the after the educator. Like after Ramadan. So people also come, and do sacrifices, and after doing sacrifices, they used to distribute that a meat or that sacrifice in three different parts. So one part is for myself and one part is for my relatives, and one part is for us. Yeah. So in that way, we also, make some feast on that day and invite our families to come over, come over and enjoy. And apart from that, religious activities, we do have, marriage festivals where people come together, like, if I talk about my brother's marriage, there were there were 700 people from my family come together and celebrating that stuff. Yeah. yeah. So these are the things that may make us feel better. And, bring us together. Yeah. What are the weddings like? Because I like saying 700 people. So what are the line rate, like? Really? Like. Well, I don't know what the world is like. Yeah, yeah. So it's it's usually, when it's, it's very different, like, it's very according to the country. So if you talk about, India, it's different there. But in Pakistan it is usually 3 to 4 days events. On the first day you have to do the henna stuff and the, the, bride used to draw something like, you know, like the mandi. on the next day, we have baraat, like nikah, where we do the nikah like a signing. That. Yes. I'm going to be in relation with her, and she's going to be in relation with me. And we sign thing and we said people like people they like, I've told you about 700 people's in, in that happiness in that moment of the year, we see 700 people. Yeah. And after that we have the valimai valimai is kind of thing when, that after having a successful marriage, we do another feast for our relatives and for viewers. So there we can find them all. Yeah. So this is, this is different from other countries. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's on the same like it's really great how you find a way to like, include everyone. Yes. In everything. I find that really, like, something that should be done more. Yeah. And that's like, again, that sense of community know, like coming together and these celebrations even, even even we call our relatives and our neighbors and our, our close friends as well. Even even that day, we used to be drums. Drums in our streets. Yeah, yeah. So, so everyone knows that foreign is getting ready. Yeah. That's cool, that's cool. have you ever like yourself, or just in general, experienced any sort of, like, challenges or other any sort of challenges that like Pakistani Muslims or just Muslims in general face, like in your opinion? Yeah, there there are some challenges, but in Pakistan there are some political and economic instabilities. but even but when I talk about the here in abroad, I feel something like Islamophobia. People don't think like the Muslims. they have a different opinion about museums. So these are the things that is actually impacting Muslims and their identities. Yeah. And in this day and age, that shouldn't be happening. Yeah. It's it's it's it's disgusting that it still happens all because of what you believe in. And it's, Yeah. Yeah, it's it's, it's not specifically about in, in a university because I feel the community here and our society like Islamic society in some other societies, had a lot to overcome this thing. Yeah. But, around, around around the UK called UK. Yeah. these are the thing these are today. Someone can face, but not specifically me. I've never faced anything in Staffordshire or around. Yeah, yeah. That's good. Yeah. That you haven't. Yeah, it definitely does depend on where you go as well. So like in Birmingham, we're really diverse as well. Like quite similar to. Yeah. Yeah. so I mean you still obviously get your pockets in Birmingham, but it's not as much as like the wider UK. so it, I think it all comes down to like, maybe like if, if you get areas that aren't as diverse and they haven't kind of been surrounded by people who are actually like, yeah, Muslim and Pakistani, they don't get it. Yeah. Whereas when you're kind of in an area where it is diverse, you are blended, you do spend time with them. Like that's what I love the most about. Yeah, yeah. Is you have everyone from those different backgrounds. Unless you're exposed to that, you're going to get the wrong ideology. Yeah, yeah. The media doesn't help. Yeah. Because I think like I moved like when I mentioned, the past actually when I moved school, the BBC or one of the NDP because the school was rubbish, the first one. But one of the good things about the first school is that there's so many different, like, cultures. You know, there was people that, like Muslims, there was Christians. It was everything. And it's people from different countries. And like, because I was just a kid, I didn't know, I didn't understand why. But then when I spoke to my mum about it, she really like explained it really well that. Yeah, you know, like it's okay that there's all these different people and educated me early on and early doors to it. This is the way this is a real world. There's loads different people. But then when I knew school, there was one, black person in the entire school and everyone else was just white. But when I was speaking to like the people that I was in, like classes with and like we'd be in and I'd be out or something and we'd see, like a person of a different color or like different like race or religion. They'd have a completely different view to me. And I don't associate with these people now because I realize how wrong that is. But in a sense, what I'm trying to get at, is it like what you say, it really does depend on if you've been exposed to that, because I don't think they intentionally like, meant their opinions. And they said, but I think it's genuinely because they haven't been educated on it. But but no, it's good that like, you know, like this episode. Yeah, we can we can talk about like that issue of like Islamophobia because it is it does still happen. And again, it's disgusting that it does happen just because of what like you've you and what you think of the world. Like this should be nothing wrong with that. And you shouldn't be discriminated against because of that stuff. But to be honest, if these things are getting better, because, I, I had different opinions about, well, when I, when I arrived here, like people about like how they will think about my religion because people here are very diverse. Like, yeah, if you meet someone you don't believe in any kind of godly religion. There are some people who believe on some other things, because when you say or think about Muslims, everybody thinks like very strict. But Islam is very not restricted, like very, very, very, very strict religion. But, Islam told us how to get into your life. How you would you know, like, like doing your practices and praying and how what, what things you should not do and how this going to impact. And every reason is already in in Quran. Koran is a holy book of, of Islam. So, so, after arriving here, I came to know that no, these even even some even someone is black, even some is brown. Even someone is white. Everybody. Everyone's opinions matter. And yeah, when I was in Pakistan, I was thinking like when I will meet the people of India or, or Nigeria, they might have the same practice as I am doing. But while meeting with them here, in physical and their practices are very different. Yeah. Like, I used to pray five times a day with a different method. But while they are doing the pray in a different method, but still they are praying. Yeah. The common thing is that still they are praying. Yeah, yeah. That's what the other beautiful thing, about it as well into how the different it is different interpretation. Yeah. It's very it's a very good thing that when I come to know this morning that one of our colleagues here in student union, his children's or his kids are getting different, like books from from the institutes where they are learning. Yeah, about Ramadan, how people usually have Ramadan here. Yeah. So these are the good things, actually. Yeah. one thing we do want to cover as well is, sort of the arts and entertainment side in Pakistan culture, because obviously it has a very rich history. So, yeah. Can you recommend more? So it's a lot of viewers and listeners, any sort of, like movies or TV shows that really represent Pakistan culture. Yeah. And there are a lot of because before I think two decades ago, there were nothing specific about the TV shows and things like that because, it was haram in Islam. But, with the modern practices, they have indulged something in our culture. So there are some movies, Huda Kelly and Bull, which actually covers, covers of like, identity and socio economic nuances. Yeah. So, so these are two specific movies. And if you talk about the families, how we used to live and how relationships are and how family actually, do in, in their lives. So they are they are two different drama like Zindagi Gulzar Hare and Humsafar drama. And there are some of the other things where like there are some other books, like a book from Mohsin Hamid that is, Reluctant Fundamentalist, which actually demonstrate the identity of Pakistan identity and globalization with the perspective of, of Pakistani as a Pakistani. Yeah. So these are the things actually, which represent Pakistan and what have you seen the like period of time? There wasn't anything like Covid. And now that is how does that make you feel that now you've got something to sort of like when you watch them things like I resonate with that because that's my culture. I was like, how? What's the impact of that? Like going from not having nothing to now having things? Yeah, yeah. About representation. Yeah. I remember when I was I was very, very young. So there was only. Did you my grandmother used to, listen to radio to like, there was no TVs in our house. There was no, kind of channels, like, there are live streaming during Ramadan now. But if you go 20 years back, there was nothing people, only Jewish people, have TVs in their houses. even there's only one TV in our our town. Yeah. And and we have to have to listen to the radios to see. Yes. This is a start time. You can break your fast. So these were the thing. So the while when I have a look now on the things and things seemed just in 20 years. Yeah. So, now the Pakistani industry, the IT industry and, and, and, like videos, the filming industry, progressed very, very well. Yeah. Because, we don't have our platforms available. We can, we can, you know, you we we can, use our culture to like, nominate ourself or like, show ourself what we are doing in here in our country. But now there is a lot of TV like we have almost 100 plus channels. Yeah. Around. yeah. But around our country where we can, we are actually elaborating what stuff we have here, what culture we have, what, our forefathers, what what they have done for us. So these kind of things. Yeah. That's good. Yeah. There's some, British like programs as well that are starting to kind of get more representation. I don't know whether either of you have watched Ackley Bridge. Yeah, that's really good. So it basically takes like I think it's like an Islamic school, if I've got that right. Yeah. And then I am an, a predominantly white British school. Yeah. And they combine them and it's, it basically kind of these people that have got completely different cultures now have to, learn together and get along. And the show, I mean, obviously I, I can only go off like what I've seen in like, like my upbringing in my schools in that. But I thought it was a really beautiful way of kind of. Yeah. Bringing them together. And they do, shows some of like the kind of more negative sides and like some of the challenges that comes with, like, mixing people who haven't been exposed to one another. Yeah. But, that might be worth checking out. It's, I thought the show was really beautiful in the way they dealt with it. I would really wish to see this because I love to. I love the way they bring the, two different communities together. Yeah. And this creates harmony in them, actually. So. So when, when you combine something like this. So this thing goes both way. So the first and who are the students or the children who are British surgeons who are Pakistanis will share something with each other. And in that way you are actually promoting your culture. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. another thing we also want to cover is surrounding, like the clothing. So in terms of, like how important is to traditional clothing, just like the, please correct me if I may pronounce this wrong, I do apologize. The shalwar kameez. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. and Pakistan culture's like, how important is, like, clothing like that? Yeah. So people usually, the people, they're usually, they're so welcoming, so welcoming is our national dress. So most of the feet not in the offices, but the local community is to wear the silver kameez. And it is very, it's good for the, for for for Muslims to be able to watch me during Ramadan as well. Oh good. Is very, very nice and lose lose cost. Yeah. Yeah. So it make you comfortable doing and designer cuffing his cufflinks. So you have to when. Because, when we are going to pray, we have to do Vodou. Vodou means like clean yourself. Cleaning. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we have to like, for these coffins here and then perform the other stuff. Yeah, yeah. And do the little stuff and go for prayers. So. So people usually wear means during Ramadan, but even after Ramadan, and they, they build a maze. But in our offices, they used to veil pictures, paint coats. And if you talk about the countryside of Pakistan, people, they used to use a black, a long, white, cloth to go around this house. Yeah. Was and use the kameez as a, as a platform that like, it's a different thing. It's like. Yeah. So the the silversmiths that are national, national clothes will be there. I didn't know that. Oh, that's really cool. Yes. So let's talk food. Yeah. Are there any, specific must try dishes in your Pakistani culture? And are there any that are specifically your favorite and your go to? If you ever had a chance to visit Pakistan, you will you will say that I want to taste everything spices, any spices. Pakistani spices that are very famous. So, very specifically few. It is briyani Nihari kebabs, pickles and some of the desserts. halva. We say good rela, was engaged halwa like mean carrots. Yeah. So the these are very must try things. You should do. How's that for. Oh. Go on. Yeah. You go and watch. What's your favorite? My favorite thing is biryani. Pakistani biryani. So that make me like the. These are the things we used which remind me the nostalgic gatherings at our homes when we invite our relatives. that things make up your mind. So whenever we call someone at our home there. Are you going to make biryani? Yeah. How's that been? Like. Like over here. Something like, accessible to get, like, some of the foods that you've mentioned. has it been hard to get. Yeah. The foods. Yeah. I can get, biryani here because, here around, around the university, there are some Pakistani or Asian, restaurants. You can get the biyani. Oh that's great. Yeah, yeah, that's just around there. there's, Clay master the sound. They decide to spice sweet and spice where we can get curries. Yeah, you can get, briyani. Yeah. And different kind of stuff. Oh, that's good, because, like, so often the nostalgic side of it, you kind of won't be having that too much. Yeah, that's really good. Place is close by. Yeah. That you can go to for that. Yeah. Yeah, that's really good. so just before we start to wrap up, looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of, like, Pakistani culture? both within Pakistan and, and how that spreads across, like, the globe? Pakistani culture is there actually, like, develop thing day by day. but I would say the, the, the thing should not be stopped as they are. They are, they are like leaving their footsteps. So, bringing the culture in here, even I've met some of the, some of the British people here, last month I have like, one British people. I was like, hi. He say, Assalamu alaikum. Yeah. Oh, it is so. So these are the things. Assalamualaikum. Like saying hi. Yeah. So this is, this is the Islamic thing, like, Assalamualaikum. Like, may God be pleased with you. Yeah. So. So these are other thing. So I was thinking, like, how he knows about. Yeah. I'm like, so, so the Pakistani people here are doing well. Yeah. So I think there are more needs to do things around Islamophobia and, yeah, yeah. No, that's good, that's good. I'm glad you highlighted that. It's good. So thanks again so much for, for joining as the guests today. I really appreciate you talking about your story and your culture. Absolutely loved it. It's been a really good chat. thank you. TEF. The co-hosting alongside. Thank you to Ute for being a great to do. thank you to the staff University Students Union for hosting us today as our venue. Thank you to our listeners. Of course. viewers and viewers. Yes, I'm come on. Six, for episodes now. and thank you to our technical production team, because we wouldn't have any of this without them. Now, if you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, then please send us a direct message on social media. to find further support at university, you can visit Staff Stacy's UK or your Student Connect team. And don't forget to tell us what you think about the podcast so far, what you'd like to hear on it, or if you have any questions for us tacos at Stats Uni or Hashtag Student Connect podcast on social media. Goodbye and see you next time! Bye! Gerald Cha.