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Ghost of Two Worlds

Ghost of Two Worlds

I’ve spent two years in the UK chasing a dream they sell you on postcards.

I left a high-paying job, a whole life behind, thinking I was chasing peace, growth, opportunity.
Everyone thought I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had.
But the truth is, the UK is a beautiful cage with velvet bars.

Have you watched The Matrix?
Escaping the system is nearly impossible.
Maybe the system needs a Neo.
I don’t know if I’m him — maybe I’m not.
But I know one thing:
This place just drains you. Silently. Slowly.

Every story has a why and so does mine.

That £3,000/month salary? It’s a mirage.
Sounds like a dream until reality breaks it down.
Rent. Council tax. Energy bills. Groceries. Fuel. Inflation.
They bleed you dry before you’ve even had a moment to live.
You earn in pounds, yes but you save in crumbs.

This system isn’t made for wealth. It’s built for movement.
Keep rolling. Keep spending. Keep working.
Just don’t stop. Don’t question. Don’t breathe.

And when you do stop, you’ll realize:
You’re surrounded by people but you feel profoundly alone.

Friendliness isn’t friendship.
Smiles at work don’t turn into dinner invitations.
“Brotherhood” isn’t care it’s just code.
Culture isn’t community it’s a coping mechanism.

You start to miss being seen.
Not just nodded at. Not just “cheers mate” and “you alright?”

They call it multicultural.
What they don’t say is , it’s multi-tiered.

Your postcode.
Your accent.
Your passport.
They still decide your cage size.
You soften your accent just to be accepted.
You dilute yourself. Erase tiny parts, day by day.

Representation isn’t respect.
It’s categorization. It’s decoration.
It’s how the system classifies you, learns how to consume you.

And that holy grail — work-life balance — the most seductive line on the postcard?
It’s just marketing.

In truth:
Wake → Commute → Work → Sleep → Repeat.
Your job doesn’t fit in your life.
It swallows it.
You give your sharpest hours, your best energy, to someone else’s dream.

And then came anxiety.
Not the word — the thing.
It’s not a feeling, it’s a web.
And somehow, you become the spider. You build it around yourself.

The endless “sorry” and “thank you”?
They’re not warmth. They’re social lubricant.
They keep the surface smooth, but kill anything real.
You’ll start craving an honest fight over a thousand fake smiles.

And so, slowly, you build a cave.
It’s polite. Quiet.
And lonely.

The seasons change and yes, the autumns are golden, the winters are white.
But the cold turns cruel.
The 4pm darkness doesn’t just end the day it presses on your soul.

Seasonal depression isn’t some urban myth.
It moves in a tenant in your mind and you become the landlord.

And yes, healthcare is free.
But mental health?
It costs time, hope, and patience you barely have.
“Free” doesn’t mean accessible.
It means you’re put in a line, waiting to be saved — long after the storm’s already passed through you.

This society, this land of sophistication and numbing comfort, runs on dopamine.
Chasing weekends. Chasing sales. Chasing holidays.
All to feel… something.
To remember we’re still alive.

Finally, you cant “go home.” You never. You leave one country and become a stranger in the other
You are no longer a pakistani and not even British.
You are a ghost of places, forever belonging to the space in between them.

 
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Posted by on July 18, 2025 in Uncategorized

 

Get well soon! ❤️‍🩹 — Pakistan

The total loss in terms of international remittances in the current fiscal year is over 4 Billion USD, which is far more than the bailout package that Pakistan is trying to get from the IMF.

Pakistan received a total remittance of $27.024 billion during fiscal year 2023, against a record $31.278 billion in fiscal year 2023, a decline of 13.6% or $4.254 billion (ouch!).

I can assume the reason behind this FALL and see what happened in 2022 when Pakistan hit the record for remittances in history, and then I can see why Pakistan lost $4.254 billion.

Overseas Pakistanis are loyal to one party or group in Pakistan since the party is allegedly being targeted overseas. Pakistanis have either stopped sending money or they have changed their ways of sending money back home (hundi or hawala).

The government tried to maintain the dollar-rupee parity at Rs 220 in the first half of 2023, which proved counterproductive. The dollar grossly appreciated in the open market, and resultantly, a grey or black market emerged that started offering Rs 20 to Rs 25 per dollar higher rates, badly hitting remittances.

Another reason is the increased interest rates on international transactions. Markets, though a small number of people stopped sending money back home and started saving money abroad, did the damage.

The majority of the Overseas Pakistanis were investing in real-estate in Pakistan, and from the last year on, the real estate industry has just seen a decline.

Please add more pointers if you think these are the reasons for the $4.245 Billion loss to Pakistan’s economy.

 
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Posted by on August 20, 2023 in Uncategorized