On Tuesday we took a trip into central London... for a day out, a chance to play with the new camera, go to a cake shop we used to always go to when we spent more time in London, but generally with the main reason of getting my visa for Pakistan. I was looking forward to spending the day away from the house in the sunshine with the husband :) so everything else was really an added bonus
We got to the tube station around 0930 and got the tube straight to the embassy to get that done first, it was easy enough to get there and easy enough to find with the big Pakistan flag flying high in the breeze. We were pointed in the direction of an outside marqee to fill the paper work, now that was an experience!! Standing in the dirty marqee with a littered 'carpet' surrounded by intolerable children, sympathetic gazes, 'knowing' looks (I say 'knowing' because I really dont know what they thought they knew) and a language I can not understand. After being made to wait in a smaller queue we were told I couldnt get the card we were initially told to apply for :( so then we waited in the much longer queue, hubby had to go to the desk for a form as we didnt bring any because I didnt know what visa I was applying for. We got the form and I filled it in while he waited in line, got to the front of the queue and the 'helpful' (note the sarcasm) man told us about the photocopies needed and sent us away... we didnt have any cash, so I had to run to the cash machine while hubby waited in the line and paid 30p each pfff.. I told him to walk straight to the front of the queue to give it in, there was no point in waiting. After a few huffs and stares he gave it in, only for it to be given back and told to go into the main building to give in the application form and pay for the visa :) We walked into the building, a security guard told us something in urdu my husband laughed and told him in English that I didnt speak the language, he carried on and let us in. Apparently he had said 'its ok, carry on' in Urdu lol.. he was just asking us to open our bags, which I didnt cause I didnt know what he was asking... good security eh? as I pointed out to hubby later on, noone wants to blow up the Pakistani consulate in the UK lol
We sat in the open room waiting for our number to show on the tiny digital screen while a certain child ran around saying 'hi buddy' to everyone which was cute at first, until he punched my leg and stood on the ledge behind us and started lightly spitting our way. Needless to say hubby asked the mother, who was sat in the corner playing on her mobile, to keep her child to herself. That amused me ;) Finally we were called forward, gave in the documentation.. there were a few english questions but then she stopped talking to me and spoke urdu with the husband.. it wasnt until I heard 7 years masha'Allah that I knew she was asking about me being a convert.. a few questions followed 'how did you learn about the religion?' 'was it through your husband?' apparently she asked him, was it because I fell in love with him... I went on to tell her I converted before he was even thinking of coming to the uk.. that made her smile but it just gets to me sometimes... I feel very vulnerable when people ask of my conversion, Im opening up alot to tell them and they always want more details :( Allahu alim Im sure they dont mean it to affect me in that way.
Anyways, home time... will finish this up soon insha'Allah
We got to the tube station around 0930 and got the tube straight to the embassy to get that done first, it was easy enough to get there and easy enough to find with the big Pakistan flag flying high in the breeze. We were pointed in the direction of an outside marqee to fill the paper work, now that was an experience!! Standing in the dirty marqee with a littered 'carpet' surrounded by intolerable children, sympathetic gazes, 'knowing' looks (I say 'knowing' because I really dont know what they thought they knew) and a language I can not understand. After being made to wait in a smaller queue we were told I couldnt get the card we were initially told to apply for :( so then we waited in the much longer queue, hubby had to go to the desk for a form as we didnt bring any because I didnt know what visa I was applying for. We got the form and I filled it in while he waited in line, got to the front of the queue and the 'helpful' (note the sarcasm) man told us about the photocopies needed and sent us away... we didnt have any cash, so I had to run to the cash machine while hubby waited in the line and paid 30p each pfff.. I told him to walk straight to the front of the queue to give it in, there was no point in waiting. After a few huffs and stares he gave it in, only for it to be given back and told to go into the main building to give in the application form and pay for the visa :) We walked into the building, a security guard told us something in urdu my husband laughed and told him in English that I didnt speak the language, he carried on and let us in. Apparently he had said 'its ok, carry on' in Urdu lol.. he was just asking us to open our bags, which I didnt cause I didnt know what he was asking... good security eh? as I pointed out to hubby later on, noone wants to blow up the Pakistani consulate in the UK lol
We sat in the open room waiting for our number to show on the tiny digital screen while a certain child ran around saying 'hi buddy' to everyone which was cute at first, until he punched my leg and stood on the ledge behind us and started lightly spitting our way. Needless to say hubby asked the mother, who was sat in the corner playing on her mobile, to keep her child to herself. That amused me ;) Finally we were called forward, gave in the documentation.. there were a few english questions but then she stopped talking to me and spoke urdu with the husband.. it wasnt until I heard 7 years masha'Allah that I knew she was asking about me being a convert.. a few questions followed 'how did you learn about the religion?' 'was it through your husband?' apparently she asked him, was it because I fell in love with him... I went on to tell her I converted before he was even thinking of coming to the uk.. that made her smile but it just gets to me sometimes... I feel very vulnerable when people ask of my conversion, Im opening up alot to tell them and they always want more details :( Allahu alim Im sure they dont mean it to affect me in that way.
Anyways, home time... will finish this up soon insha'Allah
I've never had my bags checked at the embassy. I didn't know they did that and the last time I went was only a month ago, lol.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately you will get many more people in Pakistan (esp the airport) asking if you converted for your husband. I've been asked a few times when going through immigration at Karachi. :(
reallly cool blog
ReplyDeletesy
http://www.sysprints.blogspot.com/
This is something I dislike. Now that Im married, muslims assume I converted for my husband. Yes I know many sisters who converted after marriage and are good muslims and does not make them less of a muslim (some better practising muslims then husbands)but I dislike people assuming women can not know about Islam or convert Because Allah SWT has brought them to it. I'm very touchy about it and my husband said I should stop thinking negative about it.. But bothers me.
ReplyDeleteSalam, I don't like talking about my conversion, either. I think it's because so many of those conversations devolve into something weird...both when Muslims and non-Muslims are doing the asking. (Just for different reasons.) I don't like talking about it at all.
ReplyDelete