It has been 20 long years since terrorists-hijacked airplanes brought down the twin towers and struck the Pentagon. It’s a tragedy that’s seared into the souls of most Americans especially those who were directly affected. But with each passing year, there’s less commemoration as if our nation’s wounds have now been healed and the day becomes a distant memory. In fact the … [Read more...] about 9/11 – 20 Years Later
Overseas
Traveling is in my Blood
Traveling is in my blood. When I was four my mother, with my sister and I in tow, escaped the evil grips of my biological father. I remember vividly the night my mother woke me and my sister up as if our lives were suddenly on the brink and our future on the balance. Our bags were already packed and we sneaked out of the flat that was the venue for vilification over … [Read more...] about Traveling is in my Blood
Escape from Chung King
A double decker bus, obtuse and flimsy, jerked to a panicked halt in front of an evolving high-rise that towered over Tsim Sha Tsui like an emperor cast in bronze. A dozen Hong Kongers poured out carrying large bags of something fresh and smelly. A South Asian man, lean and pugnacious, carried goat and herb spices to prepare a meal that evoked memories from distant … [Read more...] about Escape from Chung King
The Walls Came Tumbling Down
I sat distraught and exhausted in the American Airlines Admirals' Club, staring dreamily at my laptop screen. I was applying the final touches to my enduring midterm -- a take-home test for an MBA class at the George Washington University foggy bottom campus, a stone's throw from downtown DC. I had heard it several times over -- almost in a trance -- every excruciating … [Read more...] about The Walls Came Tumbling Down
The Forgotten War
We first landed in a C-17 in Kabul at the International Airport. There were no limos waiting; no meet and greet holding signs -- just a thick haze of dust and humidity so thick you could slice it with a saif (curved, 19th century Arabian sword) and spread it on a chapati. Kabul International -- from 1979 to 1989, the airport was run by the Soviet … [Read more...] about The Forgotten War