My farewell talk in Islamabad. Today, it was the culmination. I gave my last talk at the auditorium of the International Islamic University here. I saw familiar faces: some of the students and faculty who have heard me talk in the last week came to attend my last talk on Palestine and US foreign policy. Listening to the students express their fears and their hopes, I felt small with my little complaints about the little creatures--alligators we now call them. The students were so eager and so concerned about world affairs. I was genuinely and sincerely touched: the reaction at the end was quite emotional: for them it seems, but also for me although I was less expressive than they were. Many wanted my emails, while others wanted me to write something, anything, on their notebooks. I wrote in Arabic (perhaps to show off my Arabic calligraphic skills). After I gave my talk, somebody from the women's section (yes, the audiences have been segregated and I of course am categorically opposed to segregation of any kind) came and slipped two small pieces of papers with questions addressed to me. I was surprised because men and women were loudly and publicly asking me questions. One of the two questions asked me about the causes of Arab racism toward Pakistanis. I was quite upset: saddened really. I remember my first encounter with Arab racism toward Pakistanis. A suitor came to marry a cousin of mine: members of the family complained that he "looked Pakistani." That was a long time ago. I answered the question and admitted that there is indeed Arab racism toward Pakistanis. I spoke about the mistreatment of Asian workers in the Gulf. There is very little interest and curiosity in the Arab world in Pakistani affairs. Do you have an idea how Arabs I know reacted to the very idea of my trip to Pakistan? (And that was before anybody knew of the lizard situation). People had so many questions about so many issues. One person asked me if there is one exemplary model of Islamic government. And I said that I don't see any exemplary model of Islamic government anywhere. At that point, this older member of the audience was eagerly trying to speak. He said that he was the cultural attache of the Iranian embassy in Pakistan, and that Iran is indeed the exemplary model of government and that he was not happy with my answer (he said that politely). When he said that Iran was the model, I was most surprised that the majority of the audience members enthusiastically clapped for his answer. This tells you something about the public mood here in Pakistan. I talked to them about my trip to Pakistan, and that I spoke to Junaid about organizing a conference about Pakistani-Arab relations. There is little interest in Pakistan in the Arab world, if I may say so. Today it hit me that you don't see Pakistanis with curly hair. (Not that there is anything wrong with that, of course). And every time I ask for Nan bread at restaurants they bring me that round bread. (I was told that it is considered "more prestigious"). I don't want prestigious: I want Nan NOW. I did not know what to expect when I came here. I have been speaking very frequently in US and Canada mostly, and I came to Pakistan and had to adjust to the accommodations and infrastructures. (When I was in London in June, my friend--hearing me complain about things in London, said: You have become so Americanized (she also said that I was bourgeois). But I have gotten used to the US, for sure. I have lived more than half of my life in the US now). But I am really sincerely glad that I undertook this trip, and told them that I would come again next year (Mirvat: don't tell mom I said that.) Khuda Hafiz to the people of Pakistan (but not to the lizards).