Sairah.net

I was just sitting here at work when I remembered quite randomly about my childhood.  One aspect in particular: the name calling.

I remember back in the day, when I was in around second grade, the height of insult at one point was calling someone “boogermaster”.  Those were fighting words almost.  But the nature of the insult was such that if you got seriously offended, you were just a wuss.  So you had to play it off somehow, but at the same time…you’d just been called the boogermaster.  o_o

One kid who was in my class and also lived in the same apartment building as me is forever in my mind, The Boogermaster.  Not that he picked his nose in public or anything, I just remember playing outside and calling him the boogermaster a lot.  >.>;  Not in a bully-ish way, I promise.  XD

I miss those days of boogermastership and the innocence that came with them.  These days, everyone is fond of the heavy swears and they just don’t sit well on the pealing laughs of children.  =’(

I read over things I’ve written in my journals and sometimes I really do make me lol.

We came [to Shorkot] yesterday after a shitty half-air conditioned bus ride, and then a possibly shittier van ride. >.<
---08/06/2008

It really was a very unACed bus, which sucks not because it was hot and dusty (which it was) but because we paid for AIR CONDITIONED BUS TICKETS! RAWR!

That retarded bus actually broke down and smoke was coming out from the bottom and everyone we passed on the road stared. >.> Then half the bus had to get out and push from the back XD

Well, it was definitely an experience, and to be honest, I didn’t even mind so much while it was happening because, well, these things always make for stories to tell. =)

Here’s another one-

9:30 at night- We’re here in Gugomundi <~(what a fugly name), the trip here was a bitch, the bus was a bitch, etc, etc. It's okay here. I think we're leaving in the morning? The electricity goes hella muches here. >.< ! No, like, really, it sucks major ass and I believe since we've arrived, I've sweat enough to fill a small kiddie pool. And I don't normally sweat. o_o List time!

The Hottest Places in Pakistan Known To Me:
1) Gugomundi
2) Shorkot
3) Rajana

It’s a small but extremely accurate list, I’ll have you know. o.o
—08/08/2008

Okay, first, let me explain a little bit about Gugo-freakin’-mundi. It’s in the middle of nowhere. No, no, I mean really. Pakistan is not the most populated of places (although at times it may seem that way) but Gugomundi is seriously some vacant lot out in the middle of nowhere, and we all had to go there since we have an uncle that lives out there.

The main thing to hate about Gugo is the bus ride there. The crappiest non-roads lead to Gugomundi and none other. Everybody’s heads literally hit the ceiling several times during the ride, several people were standies for Allah knows how many hours and just ugh. Plus it was hot and dusty and we were right in the back. -_-’

We went to Murree a handful of days ago, and here’s the excerpt of that:

About Murree- it’s literally situated in the mountains and is a pretty thriving town. We rode the chair lifts, which are basically like ski lifts, and the view was breathtaking. Clouds swarm around the town and mountain all the time, looking like cool, benign smoke. After that was a cable car ride (seats 8). The chair lift was for 2…

It went up to some pretty amazing heights, I thought it would be a short ride going up a little bit and then be over. But it turned out to be a smooth, graceful journey of close to 5 or 10 minutes. That’s all we did at Murree, but it was well worth the several hours in transit…

The road itself was incredibly scenic since it wrapped around the mountain and all.

—08/03/2008

It was seriously very very awesome. The video I took, I took almost immediately after sitting in the chair lift. This turned out to be a mistake because the best scenery came later. =’( But then I kept thinking the ride would be over, so what was the point of busting out the camera now? >.< I’m such a lamecake!

So here’s the crappy lil vid I took, but I guess it’s better than nothing.

Oh, and where the thing shakes because it’s going over some gears or something, I keep repeating, “Ya’Allah khair”, which is like a short prayer, lol. =D It was seriously freaky the first few times it happened, and you know how everything is pretty ghetto there (case in point, the shield thing that we didn’t use was broken).

And just so you know, there are no seat belts on this thing. o_o Just an optional little bar thingy which you can use if you want to (it doubled as a foot rest).

Certain words mean different things here than they do in the States. Observe:

Lesson 1

• plastic bag = shopper
• flash drives = flash
• Western style toilet = commode
• cell phone = mobile
• text messages = sms
• washing machine = machine
• hair clips (of the claw like variety) = catcher
• bread = slices
• batteries = cells

Also, if you tell someone you’re going to take a shower, they’ll look at you funny because here, shower is used to describe a showerhead. They’ll assume you mean you’re going to go out and buy one, and why the heck would you do that? ^^;

I found out some pretty disappointing things about someone I used to be very close with when I came here ten years ago. I wish I didn’t know them. *sigh* I won’t say the things I’ve learned about him, but I will jot down some memories of before.

Back in the day he used to be this short, fair skinned boy with sleepy eyes and a bowl haircut. Also a lopsided smile.
—06/28/2008

Some of my best memories of him which I’d rather hang on to then the new ones include:
ludo
Monopoly
Life board games
“(insert name) Express!”
“Abuji!”

Another disappointment is the adhaan. I was SO LOOKING FORWARD to hearing it’s beautiful call but technology and stupidity have banded together as one and butchered it. =’(

I wasn’t able to take a picture at the time, perhaps I’ll edit this entry if/when I do, but tuvals are honestly awesome.

…it’s this cement tub type thing in the countryside from which water gushes out [to water the fields], it’s super fun. (We) went and bathed there…sang a bit, shampooed our hair and dunked in the water after bullying the boys out (who promptly crossed the [dirt] road and bathed in the river XD)
–06/28/2008

On a side note, one of my uncles is claustrophobic. You might wonder what that has to do with anything, but the thing is, the outhouse doesn’t have a roof. XP It wouldn’t even be so bad if the walls were high, like at my other aunt’s house (who also doesn’t have a roof over the bathrooms), but they’re not. The walls are just a few inches higher than me and bits of the door from the bottom are broken, too.

Birds watched me take a shower at eye level. I felt so violated. T_T XD
—07/02/2008

The power will go out at pre-elected times throughout the day and occasionally other times for a minimum of one hour. I think I explained this unique phenomenon best in my paper journal:

…there’s a shortage of electricity here, and to counter that, the government goes ahead and shuts off the electricity of entire towns for a set number of hours. They’re never late in shutting it off, but they’ve been known to be late in turning it back on- sometimes for hours!
—06/26/2008

You’d think a place as blazing hot as Pakistan would be investing bajillions into solar energy…

Sometimes when I read over my journals, I really do make myself lol XD I thought I’d share a little something-something.

TV is a little scary [in Pakistan] with fobs trying to be cool and Westernized. *rolls eyes*
—06/02/2008

Yes, I emote in my paper journal too. o.o

They exist.  They’re everywhere.  Swatting them will accomplish nothing.  You think you’re safe indoors?  Lol.

Here in Pakistan, flies and people pretty much coexist peacefully.  This is mostly due to the fact that the people had no other options.  ._.  And yes, they (the flies) sit on your food before and after it’s cooked (though mostly after).  If you don’t like it, there’s always starvation.  XD

The graphics are amazing. The customization options are quite literally endless. I find them so fascinating, in fact, that I am mesmerized by the process. I’m pretty sure I could create characters all day.

As far as gameplay goes, it’s fairly complex. WOW complex? I don’t know, I’ve never played that one. There are plenty of quests (both of the storymode and grindfest varieties) which give you plenty of experience so that at least in the beginning, leveling is never an issue.

The mobs are interesting and varied. The community is…annoyingly quiet on the field (usually, though there are exceptions to every rule) but chipper enough in the towns. Skill acquisition system is fairly well set up, crafting skills are available and a new genie system has just been started. Music is very nice and in some cases, comparable to anime themes or appropriate for deep breathing yoga exercises.

One thing veteran players of free mmorpgs will appreciate is the total lack of Engrish. This game is very well translated.

Overall, Perfect World has a lot to offer and plenty of hours of gameplay. And yes, it’s my current obsession.

Did I mention the graphics are killer?