My Journey to Pakistan
by Helai
Editor’s note: Helai is a 16-year-old Afghan girl who I’ve been working with for several years. We first connected while she was in hiding in Kabul, teaching underground classes to her peers who were deprived of the right to go to school. From there, she was moved to Pakistan while we pursued educational opportunities for her; and this past fall, she finally arrived in the United States!
While I’m thrilled for Helai, I want to stress the immense challenges she still faces: she is in a foreign country without any family or friends, and she has no idea if/when she’ll get to see them again. I’ve offered her this platform to share her stories, in the hopes of building up her community. I promise, she’s worth listening to; I’m certain this girl will help to save her country one day.
As a bonus: any paid subscriptions offered through my Substack will be directed to Helai, to support her as she adjusts to life in the United States. Thank you for following along, habibis!
Hello and warm greetings to everyone out there! Helai Khurshid is back, and I want to share my journey in Pakistan—how hard it was and how beautiful it turned out to be.
Continuing from my previous column about leaving my country behind, I feel compelled to write this. I said goodbye to my father and kept walking. After what felt like an eternity, I finally received the entry stamp at the border and stepped into Pakistan. I got into the car with a wonderfully kind person who had come to pick me up. As the car sped along at nearly sunset, I found myself drowning in thoughts, feeling shocked, scared, and sad. I thought, “Girl, you are only 16; can you really do this?” Yet at the same time, I felt a surge of hope, thinking, “Hooray, girl! You made it! Your future is waiting for you.” But then thoughts would creep in, like, “What if you can’t see your mom again? How could you leave her when she is so sick and needs you the most?” It’s safe to say I was having an emotional whirlwind, with thousands of thoughts and feelings overwhelming me. It was very hard!
After four and a half hours, the kind man said to me, “Ms. Mursal, we have arrived. Welcome again!” I entered a lovely house, but my heart sank because I didn’t know anyone there. I wanted to hide and cry, but I reassured myself, “I am strong; I can handle this.” The house had two floors, with four girls living on one floor, all waiting like me for their processes to unfold. Up on the other floor lived the man who picked me up, along with his family. I greeted the girls there, who became my very good friends—three of whom are now in the USA.
In the beginning, I felt quite lonely and isolated. But because I’m naturally friendly and easygoing, I started to connect with the girls. It turned out to be not as hard as I had imagined. Day by day, new girls arrived from Afghanistan, and soon we had a lively group of eight.
I spent much of my time studying in Pakistan since I had a lot of free moments. I dove into learning Turkish and worked on my math. I created a healthy and vibrant lifestyle for myself. More importantly, while I was in Pakistan, I noticed that many of the girls struggled with speaking English. An idea sparked in my mind—I began teaching them daily for two hours. Some days they would sigh, “Ah! Please, I’m tired,” but I was a serious and dedicated teacher, eager for their success. I also noticed that some girls were getting physically inactive, so I encouraged everyone to wake up early and join me for fitness workouts. Having done fitness workouts at home for over three years, I was thrilled to share my passion with them. Day by day, I witnessed their progress, and they blossomed, feeling rejuvenated and vibrant. They affectionately called me “Coach!” or “Teacher!”
I organized afternoon walks, fostering a sense of community amongst us. Although I was the youngest, they loved and respected me deeply. I always reassured them that if they needed help with anything, they could count on me. These girls were not the only ones to show me love in Pakistan; the family caring for us had four delightful children, and I cherished my time playing with them. They were so adorable, and even now, I still chat with them on WhatsApp, telling them just how much I miss them.
At times, I felt homesick and longed for my family. Nonetheless, the difference I made in the lives of those around me in Pakistan filled my heart with joy and purpose.
Reflecting on my journey in Pakistan, I can genuinely say that if you want to change the world, you can start today—even if it means simply altering someone’s perspective or routine, or changing something small. No matter your age, where you are, or what you have, you always have the potential to bring something positive to the table and uplift others.
This experience has truly been life-changing for me. What I love most is making differences, no matter how small; it’s the feeling of fulfillment afterward that truly matters!
Leaving those lovely girls behind was incredibly hard. I still remember two girls arriving just a day before my flight. Even in that short time, I motivated them as they faced their first day away from home, family, and their beloved country. They were all sad and cried when I left Pakistan. But some of them have recently made it to the USA, and I am so excited to see them again!
Forward to changing the world and a world full of peace and equality!