Umair: Introduction

I grew up as a voracious reader, but never a writer. This was because of a lack of confidence and ability. The former because I never thought I would be as good as those I read, and the latter because, well, I was never really a good writer. The University of Michigan changed both those things. Somewhere along the 60-odd papers I wrote in 3 years, I acquired the coherence to articulate my opinions. The Blue Rickshaw is hence a fitting tribute to those years, a tangible product of an outstanding education. As a Pakistani it will be impossible to not talk about the myriad of issues afflicting the country, but in a personal capacity I would want to talk about more. If my reading sources are any indication, it would make an eclectic series of posts for sure.

Finally, a bit about my favorite rickshaw memory. One not-so-fine morning, back in junior school, my school van decided not to pick me up. Both my cars were in use, and hence I found myself facing the prospect of going to school in a noisy rickshaw. It didn’t help that I went to an elite school in Karachi, where kids couldn’t fathom travel in anything other than a luxury sedan. So I arrived in front of the school gate, red faced and stumbling, facing a bunch of wide-eyed kids who looked at me as if I were an alien. Silly as it may sound, it was one of the more embarrassing moments of my childhood. Back then I thought ‘why did this happen to me’ today I know why it did.