Day 1 - Ambition of the Heart

Day 1 - Ambition of the Heart, originally uploaded by Mild Seven Lights.

Welcome back to Pakistan
I'm back on the Karakorum Highway and just saw a sneak peek of Nanga Parbat, one of the highest mountain of the world. I love this place. I yell at the top of my lungs a big Woo Hoo, as the pick up truck makes it way to Gilgit.

Follow the dream, take the risk, you definately go places. I forgot what it is like to be free. I was once in love, real love but she let me go. It saddens me but it set me free, free to be the greatest I can be. And so I am on mission again, in Pakistan photographing girls schools and empowerment centres. Then do the photojournalism thing and head into Mingora and Mardan and film the war going on.

The Taliban have lost control of Mingora but there is still fighting going on. Over a million people are displaced in Mardan apparently 70,000 women are pregnant without proper facilities. Photograph away and see if the world cares.

I remember coming home last time from Pakistan and Banda Aceh telling people stories of what happened out there but conversations lasted over five minutes of interest. I felt saddened and depressed. I grew sick of celebrities getting the front page for banal shit. I wanted out of this life.

Sad, Lonely, yes but this is the life I made myself. I can't go back, I would never be happy. Afghanistan has been an adventure and though I cannot explain why I love it so much but I do. Here I have met some great friends, some lovers, even had a child with one but I am still me.

Though I would give up anything to be with my child everyday, I accepted that it is not my life. She is the greatest thing in my life though and I look forward to the next day I will see little Mia Nourida, I can only hope she can be proud of a father who wanted to help the world and little kids.

I enjoyed the smiles of the orphans and the street kids who skate with Skateistan. It must be something to have a little bit of fun in their lives. To throw away any sadness in their lives and be a kid.

With that in mind I am hoping I can get to Balakot and find the kids I lived with in the orphanage during the earthquake recovery. I miss them, I miss the girl Ajara and Taira up in Manoor Valley who I taught how to write and promised them a school.

Anyway I am a dreamer with ambition. Still young, reckless and adventurous. One day everyone will stop caring about what I do. This is when I know I die because there is nothing left I can give. I will never call myself a photographer, I am just good at taking photos.

Me I care about life and want to see it for as it is but I want to be active about than take a photo. I loved every moment teaching English in orphanages in Balakot and Banda Aceh, teaching them boxing and English, playing cricket, taking them on hiking trips. I remember rebuilding houses and rice padi fields, catch prawns in the dams. What I remember most is smiling faces.

I once tried to climb K2, with no real mountaineering training, I did it cause I was reckless but I did it to test how far my spirit could go. My spirit felt more for my friend who was dying from Altitude Sickness and though i knew I could abandon him for personal gain, that was not me. No regrets.

Anyway this is my rant. Go as far as your spirit can go. Follow the path that is your heart and have no regrets.

Love of my Life

Love of my Life, originally uploaded by Mild Seven Lights.

My blogging is way out of order
but I got to see my baby girl Mia Nourida
I cried so much out of happiness to finally hold her in my hands
It is the most amazing feeling in the world to hold your child
To smell soft baby skin

I love her so much
and it saddens me to let her go
because I lose this amazing feeling of watching her grow
and become a girl and one day a teenager then a young little woman

I had a dream when Mia was in her mother's stomach
I dreamt that I had an amazing little girl
she was pretty, happy and always into adventure
she wanted to be an adventurer and mountaineer
and her name was Mia.

We met each other to climb Broad Peak up in the Karakorum
Me, I was just more so a high altitude porter
helping her with the needs to get to the top
She made it to the top and i was estastic
My girl had made my dreams possible.

Mia in Hebrew means "Sorrow"
Nourida in Arabic means the "Light Bringer"
It is a perfect name for a child who was born out of tragedy
that her being born would outweigh the death of her mother's collegues and friends.

I dreamt about two more girls who came to the mountains
to wish Mia the best of luck
there names were Marjane and Amira

I feel doubtful in my heart that this may happen
I think my destiny keeps me lonely
I love the feeling of adventure, travelling and risk taking
using what I know to benefit humanity

If anything were to happen to me
know that my love for Mia
inspired me to be great in life
to illuminate the lives of children less fortunate than Mia

Mia will be well loved by her mother
She will have the best upbringing
and be outgoing and have a streak no doubt of risk taking
like her father
I hope Mia will forgive me for the distance I live.

I cry each night out of loneliness
my desire to have her by my side
sleeping on belly like every night I was there.
I can only hope to see her again in my lifetime.

Maysam Faraj

Maysam Faraj, originally uploaded by Mild Seven Lights.

Cairo Foster

Cairo Foster, originally uploaded by Mild Seven Lights.

Coming off a Rail Slide

Skateistan Skatepark

Skateistan Skatepark, originally uploaded by Mild Seven Lights.

Skateistan Skatepark is finally underway
next to Ghazi Stadium in Kabul

International Pro Skateboarders Louisa Menke, Kenny Reed, Cairo Foster, and Maysam Faraj hit the park to show the children
what can be tricks can achieved through skateboarding

An awesome day to be had

Go Skateboarding Day in Kabul

Go Skateboarding Day in Kabul, originally uploaded by Mild Seven Lights.

30 kids from Kabul took place
in the first ever Skateboarding Day event in Afghanistan
it was incredible roaming through traffic
skating from Ghazi Stadium to the Macroyan,
old soviet flats where their beloved disused water fountain is
awaiting for the fun and competition to begin

Skateistan Girl

Skateistan Girl, originally uploaded by Mild Seven Lights.

My favourite little skater
she swishes her scarf to and fro
as she gathers up speed

I used to know her from the street
running after cars
begging for money

but for two hours each day
she can smile
and not have to worry about life

Skateistan

Skateistan, originally uploaded by Mild Seven Lights.

It has been a while since I blogged something
but I live with the guys from Skateistan
an NGO looking at teaching children skateboarding
and going to build a skatepark in Kabul of all places

Skateistan is more than just any other NGO
It brings children together
whether you are from the slums begging or from a wealthy background
in the bowl you are an ordinary kid
without prejudices
of race or sex

The interaction with the children is what matters the most
seeing first hand the issues of children and interacting with them
and working on change straight away
from giving a money to a kid so she no longer has to beg on the street
and can attend class

Also health surveys with the children and assisting with problems
such as malnutrition and polio injections
things that poor families don't have access to
Also education and awareness class are taught

It makes me glad to be part of Skateistan
and hope to make a coffee book of pics
and stories of the children