Zareena Darr

PRIVATE

Some things are private, like one’s own feelings

    Interview               Potwari

“I had sorrow in my heart and used to feel that I didn’t know anything and that I was alone and abroad. The kids were young, and their language was English. There wasn’t that many people from our community that we could talk to – I was alone and dejected. Anyone who suddenly moves over to another country feels alone, especially if they don’t know the language.

Then we sisters wanted to communicate but we had problems writing letters. It was really difficult for me to accept was that I was illiterate and couldn’t read and write because although I had the desire to study, I couldn’t. I struggled to accept it but started messaging on cassettes to my sister. I used to tell her about myself, or if someone died, or if someone was getting married, or feelings about our parents because they felt alone too. It was because I could communicate in this way that I felt happy, but there was a lot of heartache within myself about not being able to read or write.

There are a lot of things one can’t tell anyone in writing. Some things are private, like one’s own feelings. It didn’t feel right to ask people to write letters on my behalf, even if they were my daughters. Sometimes daughters can be your friends, nevertheless, some things stayed in my heart and I used to hide some things from them.

Zareena Darr

PRIVATE

Some things are private, like one’s own feelings

"

    Interview         Potwari

“I had sorrow in my heart and used to feel that I didn’t know anything and that I was alone and abroad. The kids were young, and their language was English. There wasn’t that many people from our community that we could talk to – I was alone and dejected. Anyone who suddenly moves over to another country feels alone, especially if they don’t know the language.

Then we sisters wanted to communicate but we had problems writing letters. It was really difficult for me to accept was that I was illiterate and couldn’t read and write because although I had the desire to study, I couldn’t. I struggled to accept it but started messaging on cassettes to my sister. I used to tell her about myself, or if someone died, or if someone was getting married, or feelings about our parents because they felt alone too. It was because I could communicate in this way that I felt happy, but there was a lot of heartache within myself about not being able to read or write.

There are a lot of things one can’t tell anyone in writing. Some things are private, like one’s own feelings. It didn’t feel right to ask people to write letters on my behalf, even if they were my daughters. Sometimes daughters can be your friends, nevertheless, some things stayed in my heart and I used to hide some things from them.

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