Note to Readers

Dear Readers, I had the pleasure to work with 18 amazing students this July. One goal of my internship with the Al-Imtiaz Academy was to introduce “blogging”, a new form of online communication, to the students. After long lessons on figurative language, what makes good writing, essay structure, and the writing process, these students successfully posted their writings on this blog. As I taught these students—some days without electricity!—I was impressed by their commitment and dedication to learning. These students sacrificed their summer vacation to come learn with me. Moreover, they arrived to school through their own means of transportation. In scorching hot weather or flood-like, heavy rain (monsoon season has begun), these students showed up every day with notebooks in their hands, ready to learn. Working one-on-one with these students gave me the opportunity to learn about them through their writings. But even more so, it gave me a chance to learn about their daily lives, their families, and their future aspirations. In every single student, I saw a strong yearning to be successful. These students have a lot of potential and promise, and I have no doubt that they will leave a lasting mark on the world. I hope you enjoy reading their essays; they have worked very hard on them. As you read through them, keep in mind that English is the students' second language. As such, please do forgive them for any grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. With best wishes, Ms. Mariya Ilyas Bowdoin College ‘13

I Still Remember My Father's Slap

By: Muhammad Maaz Jadoon I am one of the most intelligent and talented boys in my class because I always gain first position in my class. All my teachers like me. My name is Muhammad Maaz Jadoon. I was born in Abbottabad on May 25, 1995. I am 15 years old. I am in 8th class at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. I have been studying at the Al-Imtiaz Academy since nursery. It is located on Mansehra Road in Abbottabad. My school has well-furnished class rooms, libraries, laboratories, a computer lab and a spacious principal office. My school building is as beautiful as Taj Mahal. The principal of my school is well-disciplinarian. I have many friends in school, but my best friend is Ubaid. He is also intelligent like me. When he advises me not to tell lies, but is a liar himself, it is as if the pot is talking to the kettle. So, instead, I advise him not to tell lies. In spite of that, we are still best friends and spend time together. We play cricket in our extra time. I am a very good player just like Inzamam-Ul- Haq, famous cricketer on the Pakistani team. I play shots like Inzamam so I think I am the chip off the old block. I want to be a better person—a person with character qualities like Prophet Muhammad (SA W). I want to seek knowledge which will make me better. Every single person should strive for the character qualities of Muhammad (SAW). I want to be an engineer in future because my mother and my brothers inspire me to do so. Close relatives that are grouped together are called a family. There are eight members in my family including me: four brothers and two sisters, my mother and my father. My younger brother is in 3rd class and my eldest brother is doing his MBA. Like me, my brother is an Einstein in math class. I am closest to my mother because whenever I face difficulty she is there to help me. She also inspires me not to tell lies but rather to always speak truth and be honest. My father died of a heart attack in 2000. He was a bank manager. When he died, I was only in nursery class. My father inspired to be a better person in the future. My father was a bank manager. When my friends look at me, they say I look like my father. My father was an honest man. Once my father slapped me when I told a lie; ever since then, I have never told a lie because I still remember my father's slap. At every stage of my life, I need him with me. But he is no longer with us. I miss him, I miss him so much. I wish he could be with me today, and see the better son that I have become. I still admire my father's characteristics qualities and his personality. His memories will always remain with me.

"With Musical Eyes"

By: Noor Awan Family is a group of people who live together and share their problems with each other. A family is made of love and trust. If any one person of the family goes anywhere for a long time, then all of the family members are very sad and wish for her or him to come back soon. Same is true with my family. I have six family members except me: my father, my mother, and four siblings. My father is a very generous man. He is a regional manager in Utility Stores Corporation in Abbottabad. He always takes care of his children and helps others. He is a very loving father who never differed between his children. For example, he is always fair with us and treats us all equally. My father also takes good care of my mother. My mother is a housewife and takes care of her children. A mother is the most important member of the family because without a mother, a family is colorless. Whenever I am sad or crying, my mother consoles me. My mother also never differed between her children. I have four siblings in total— three sisters and one brother. My eldest sister is doing Masters in Psychology from the Women Medical College (WMC). My second eldest sister is doing B.B.A. from Comsats University. My brother is a student of grade 12 at Abbottabad Public School (APS). My younger sister is a student of 7th grade. I am a girl of grade 9th. I was born in Abbottabad. I study in a private school named the Al-Imtiaz Academy. I have many friends with whom I share my feelings. My hobby is interior designing. In my leisure time, I listen to Hindi songs. My favorite song is “Suriley akheon walay” (“With musical eyes”). After completing my F.Sc. (equivalent to the U.S. high school diploma), I want to do M.B.B.S. (bachelor’s degree to become a doctor). My family inspires me to become a doctor by always encouraging me to work hard. I want to achieve my family’s prayers in my lifetime. My family is like a bunch of flowers; if any one flower is plucked then the whole bunch is disturbed. I love my family and I will never allow anyone to pluck even one member.

Three Best Friends

By: Abeer Awan I have visited many cities and in each of them, I have made friends: Iqra, Fatiha, and Fatima. Friends never grow apart—they are relief for us when we are in pain, light for us during dark times, and joy for us when we are gloomy. Iqra is my best friend despite the fact that I left Hyderabad four years ago. Regardless of the distance, we are still in contact. We call each other at least two days a week. She has many qualities that I admire about her; she is faithful, brave, honest, and punctual. Our friendship is truly deep. I hope our friendship will never be end. I have learned a lot from Fatiha and adopted many of her habits. She is punctual, hardworking, intellectual, honest and kindhearted. She is also very caring; she likes to give money or food to poor whenever possible. She is also very naughty. She is my best friend in Abbottabad. Her date of birth is 6th November. May God bless Fatiha forever. The quality that I like the most in Fatima is that she is very religious; she has memorized Quran and she prays five times a day. Her star is Pisces and her date of birth is 9th March .She is my cousin and she is younger than me, but still she is my best friend. She is in Islamabad and now she is in Saudi Arabia. In my life, I have been blessed with three best friends. In a nutshell, friends are the sweetest fruits for us when our life becomes fruitless. But it is important to remember that not all friends are sweet. I like my best friends very much. May God bless my friends forever.

Like A Chain

BY: Ali Raza What is a family? A family is that in which all members live their lives with love, respect and are joined together like a chain. This chain is maintained by the head of the family but it is not necessary to have a head of the family. The head may be a male and female. Each and every family has different duties, procedures, a way of living, and discipline; for example, some are vegetarian while some are non-vegetarian. So, everyone is different from one another. In families, there is much fighting but also a lot of love. I have also a family. Who am I and what do I do? I am a boy and I study in class 9th at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. My name is Ali Raza Khan and I was born in Abbottabad in the autumn season. Abbottabad is situated in northern Pakistan. It is a beautiful valley with moderate climate but it has not been observed in the passed three to five years. The temperature is rising day by day, and Abbottabad is turning into Venus. We should help the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to keep our climate and temperature steady by growing a large amount of trees and plants to avoiding global warming. I also grow trees and plants in my garden. I have three future goals. First, to become an A.M.C. officer; second, to become an I.S.I. officer; and lastly, to become a cricketer. It is not as easy as it looks but I will try my best to reach them. My future goals seem easy; however, I must remember to cut my coat according to my clothes and not built castles in the air. I have six family members. My family comprises of six members: grandfather, uncle, aunt, cousin, little mother, and me. I have no siblings, so sometimes I feel alone. However, sometimes it is good to have no siblings because without them there is no fighting, and especially no sharing. But when I see boys playing or talking with their siblings, I feel bad because, I, too, want to share my sorrows, feelings, happiness, wonderful moments of my life, and my life secrets with someone. All my family members well-educated and graduated. My grandfather was a teacher and a professor. He has taught economics to the candidates for 22 years, He was also in the Air Force for 17 years and worked in the army factory for 3 years as well. He worked for 42 years total in his lifetime! My uncle has studied from Army Burn Hall College and he’s a gold medalist. He is a pediatrics doctor. He is a teaching the future young doctors in NIMS Hospital. He spends his free time studying. My mother teaches English and math in Government School. All my all family members are established in well-organized professions. I, too, am hardworking and studious; I am the chip off the old block. I like to eat fruits, pulses, wheat, oats, grains and some vegetables. I don’t like to eat lots of vegetables as compared to others. I like to study, play and watch T.V. in my leisure time. I like to play cricket, football, and computer games.. My favorite games on computer are IGI, Vice City, San Andreas and Gun. Sometimes, I like to chat on Internet and mobile. I enjoy bicycling in good weather. I am a devout Muslim who prays five times a day and observes fast during the Holy Month of Ramadan. In order to maintain a family, there must be a routine. For example, family members should try to have breakfast at the same time, say their prayers, recite the Holy Quran, observe fast during Ramadan, have evening tea at same time, and dinner at the same time. Family members must also discuss one another’s problems and try to solve them. In a household, duties should be divided equally. Every member should be responsible for completing some chore. We all should live with peace, loyalty, honesty, love and a caring mind; this is one way family members join in a chain. A family is that in which all the members are grouped together in order to maintain peace, love, and discipline to avoid fighting. The expenditures should be proportional to the average income to avoid poverty and to bring prosperity. I have a very well-educated family. My family is of great importance to me because they are very intelligent, intellectual, helpful, loyal, lovable and caring. So, I love my family very much and I don't want to lose it in any condition. One who has a family must give respect, obey rules and regulations and give them importance for being together forever. If there is ever an argument in a family, then one should apologize for his mistakes and be honest because honesty is the best policy. This is how a family will be healthy and successful. I can give up anything for my family.

The PERFECT Man

By: Jawad Khan What is inspiration? It is a form of motivation. A person who inspires has great discipline, a healthy way of living and great qualities that have positive effects on your personality and lifestyle. The only person who has inspired me up until now is my beloved father. I want to be like my father. He is, no doubt, very hardworking and very sincere with his duties since the time he joined his profession and was appointed as MCO. But through his hard work, honesty and punctuality, he climbed up many stairs of success. Now MashAllah, he is a Director. He is not only the best in his professional life but also at his personal life at home. As a husband, he is very loving, caring, and responsible. As a father, he sometimes becomes a friend and sometimes a cruel leader when we do something wrong. But he becomes my friend when I really need him in some matters of my life. As an uncle, he is very polite and loving that the whole world loves him. As a friend, he is very helpful, sincere and loving; whenever any of his friends need him, he welcomes them with open heart. I wish to have all of the qualities that my father has. In short, I just want to be like my father because I believe he is the most perfect man in every walk of life. My father some how knows that I love him so much and want to be like him—that’s why he guides me in my daily life. He teaches me how to tackle every hardship and how to deal with every matter. The person who inspires me the most is my father. I want to become like my father. Which qualities inspire me? The qualities of my father that inspire me are helpful, responsible, and respectful. Does my father know that I look up to him? And yes, my father some how knows that I love him so much and want to be like him...

The Red Button

By Mahad Ali People say that there's no such thing as a time machine. Well, I think it can be invented because nothing is impossible. A time machine is a device which actually transports one person to his past or future—or so I heard. Traveling in a time machine can make you go anywhere. Going to your past or future can greatly affect the environment. If you have ever traveled to your future, you would know that the whole world is a changed and developed place. You are changed, your duties, your profession, your dressing, your style and even thinking is changed. The place in which you lived in your past is totally a whole new dimension; perhaps your past home is even vanished in your future. The scientists are making robots now to make human life easier. In future, I think no one will use their own energies to gain something. Everything will be robotic and computerized. Let me tell you a story of mine, a story of when I traveled a time machine. I have just traveled in a time machine. Now I'm in the year 2050. My transformation was very frightening. When I was called upon to be experimented by a secret scientist, Dr. Gilbert, who invented the time machine, I was really excited. The success of his experiment depended on me, but as a test subject, I was very afraid to enter the time machine. Before entering the time machine, I asked Dr. Gilbert, "If once I've traveled, how would I get back to the present?" Dr. Gilbert, with a smirk on his face, replied, "Here you go, take this bracelet and if you wanna get back, just press the button. But I'm sure you'll never wish to come back." I took the bracelet which had a single, red button on its top. I quickly tied it on my wrist. At that time, I had a thought—something is better than nothing. As soon as I put the bracelet on, I was a little less scared so I jumped in the time machine. After I entered the device, the inventor made some measurements with the door and then set the machine to the year 2050.There was a huge plug to the right of the device. As Dr. Gilbert shut it downwards, it made a squeaky noise. I was now even more excited and suddenly had a thought about this great invention: If one can do it, you too can do it... if none can do it you, you must do it. And thus there was a loud BANG! I was standing in the middle of somewhere I couldn't recognize but I knew it was year 2050. In year 2050, first of all I looked down at the road. The road was actually a glass mirror in which I could clearly see my reflection. I was an adult of old age, my whole fashion was different. My collars were very long and stylish; I was wearing a blue suit which was very skinny; there was a metallic belt around my waist; my shoes were also very skinny and made up of rubber. When I looked up, I saw a huge and tall buildings, network of glass road, no subways and ground trains but instead channels of railway tracks, no trees and no airplanes.There were very few humans outside and almost everything was controlled by robots. As I began walking down the road, it seemed familiar to me. I reached my home and saw it was all made up of steel and lights were all over it. When I walked in, I met some new people. I didn't recognize them at first but after having a few conversations, I learned that these strange people were my grandsons, and that my profession was teaching. I was astonished to see my grandsons in my own future. The world was a changed place. The roads, the buildings, the structures, the people—everything!—seemed like a dream! I could not believe all this was happening in Pakistan. So much had changed that as a Pakistani, I did not know much about my nation or what was happening in it. I decided to inquire about it. I walked to a school nearby for some information about Pakistan. As I walked in, there were many students. I raised my voice and called to them but my voice was like a cry in the wilderness; no one heard me. I took a few steps back and came out of the school. "What a hard nut to crack but I will not stop because I know knowledge is power," I said to myself. I started asking people on the road. After I got acquainted with a few people, I learned that they were very polite. I was surprised when I heard the name of the person who was the president of Pakistan—the guy was my old friend! 2050 was really a damn exciting year! I started to love this time because the technology was highly developed. Flying cars were invented; however, there were only a few in the air because they were expensive. The flying cars had no tires, but instead their bottom surface was flat and made of a South-pole magnet. There were special roads also made of S-pole magnet which repelled the car's bottom surface. This helped the cars to stay in air, flying. There were no workers in factories, malls, local shops and institutes. Now, I thought that really time is a great healer as every thing was controlled by computers and robots. However, humans are responsible for making these robots; therefore manual labor had not completely ended. But soon I was tired of seeing robots everywhere. It was as if they had taken over our world. What if the human race became extinct? Dr. Gilbert had told me that once I arrived in 2050, I would not want to go back but he was wrong. As I thought about all these things, I decided that I did not want the life in 2050. I wanted to go back to 2010. As I looked at my wrist, I noticed the bracelet that Dr. Gilbert had given me. I press the red button and with a BLINK I was back in my present time. I had a very adventurous travel and I explained all of it to Dr. Gilbert. I was happy now but I think I made a mistake to see what my future held for me. But then again, all's well that ends well. GAME-OVER

A Dream World

By: Mahnoor Did you ever get a chance to travel in a time machine? Well, I hope you will some day. Beep Beep! My uncle’s car came into our house. He invited all of us for a long drive, so we decided to go with him. He stopped somewhere, and everyone got out of the car except me because I had a bit of a pain in my legs. During the absence of all family members, I started to press some buttons. There was a big, red, shiny button hiding like the sun hiding in clouds. When I pressed that button, I became unconscious. When I opened my eyes, I was flying in a sweet, beautiful, small baby car with a robot but the car was moving by itself. At one place, the car stopped. The robot and I came out of it and stepped on a cloud. HOOH! I was totally amazed to see this. “My house is on a cloud?” I asked myself in disbelief. “I must be in a different world.” It was so incredible! There were machines everywhere; and they were doing their work with great perfection. As if I were a child, I took some time to absorb what I saw. As soon as I accepted this new environment, I asked one of my robots, Jasmine, about the schools. She told me that all I had to do was give orders to her and she would teach me. Obviously, change in everything causes change in world. The changed world is amazing—sometimes. Imagine a world with a trillion robots, tall buildings, houses in the clouds, people civilized in every aspect; but there is no use of man in any field. Every field is filled with machines and robots. Any thing the people want, they simply gain by giving orders. Meaning of every word is changed. Everyone is successful in this new world. This world is ideal because poverty and terrorism are nowhere to be found. Everything is going on peacefully. But change in every word had caused great destruction because the meaning of marriage or having child became totally forgettable by the human race. No one wants to be married or if (unluckily) someone got married they would just adopted a robot child. Mankind was not increasing. And with halt in the human population, how would life be possible on Earth? But in this cool world, technologies were more advanced and more things were invented. Pakistan was totally changed and became a developed country. Most amazingly, the president of Pakistan was a robot having full brain equal to the most intelligent person in the world. Even manual labor in Pakistan changed to machine labor because of the change in science and technology. But one change did not occur even with advance in technology: mankind remained the same throughout the world to the Day of Justice because our Creator will be the same. With change in everything, the world is changed but we see a dead end everywhere. All work is done by machines, so why are we created? Just to rest, pray and eat? There is a famous saying: “An idle man’s brain is a devil’s work shop.” So, becoming a friend of a devil, why can’t we work for ourselves and others? Bringing change in technology is great but making a change in our mind of just sitting idle is awful. Do we want to be the devil’s friend? Think about this because thinking is the sign of intelligent persons.

"What are you talking about?"

By: Omama Siddiqui

Whoo....making a great noise, I fall down from the bed. At that time, a door opened and a strange thing came in the room with a newspaper in his hand. I looked at both of the strange things that made me so afraid that I almost died. Then a quick thought came to my mind: I had traveled in time machine. As the thought came, I felt so happy as if I had won a golden medal. I took the newspaper from the robot’s hand and went downstairs.

On my way down the stairs, I heard a little girl calling, "Mom, Mom!’’ At first I was shocked. Then I wondered if I was married. How could that be possible, though? I ignored the noise, and continued walking down the stairs. As I entered the living room, I caught myself in the mirror. Ahhhhh! I was shocked because I looked 50-53 years old!

Before my shock was finished, the same girl came to me and said, “Come quickly, Mom. We are both getting late.”

I responded, “What are you talking about?''

''Mom! You are a professor and now you are getting late for your class,’’ she said.

It took me a moment to understand what she was talking about. I hurriedly ate my breakfast which was already made by a robot. After having my breakfast, I quickly rushed out of the house and started my car. When I started my car, it started flying in the air. Then I dropped the girl, who was apparently my daughter, at her school. I was amazed to see her stepping on puffy air because her school was located on a cloud far away from the ground. While I was driving the car, I felt like a bird.

After taking my class, I went to my home. On my way to home, I saw many skyscrapers which were talking with the sky. I thought to myself: “Wow, Pakistan has done great development in 2050.” Now, Pakistan is more developed than it was in 2010. In 2050, cars and scooters were flying in the air. The number of robots was greater than humans (uh-oh!). In hospitals, banks, factories, shops—everywhere!—robots were handling all the operations. Our job was only to give them orders. Our life in 2050 permitted us to only sleep, eat and enjoy the goodness produced by robots. Is that life pleasant?

But in spite of it, the terrorism was ousted out of Pakistan and I thought that it was the greatest achievement of the nation. Poverty no longer existed in the world and whole world enjoyed the fragrance of prosperity. The government took many serious steps against its enemies, which is why all the people lived happily under the presidency of an intelligent robot. Yes, it was true, our president in 2050 was a robot having a brilliant mind and he was not controlled by a man. The intelligence of a robot reminded me of Quaid-e-Azam, the founder of Pakistan. Our robot president took many steps for the education of its people. As a result of all his hard work, the literacy rate in Pakistan boosted tremendously.

The whole world progressed a lot, not just Pakistan. I was very amazed to see all the wonderful technologies being invented. In 2010, we get our news from newspapers, television, radio, and the computer (using the Internet). But in 2050, I was amazed when the news about the whole world is displayed on large T.V. screens hanging from the sky. The flying cars and buses were driven by solar energy. Very advanced warships and weapons were made by the talented scientists and by robots. But the problem was, in 2050 man became so dependent upon robots that they acted like babies. The new technologies in 2050 not only made a man’s life easier but also made him more dependent upon robots.

In spite of this disadvantage, my journey in 2050 through the time machine was very beautiful and charming. I felt the fragrance of prosperity and also the sour taste of too much use of new technologies. The buildings were talking with the sky. Pakistan was a very developed place—just like in my dreams in 2010.

Have you ever experienced traveling in a time machine? If not, please at least imagine it—it is a wonderful journey.

The Woodchuck

By: Mahnoor Qureshi My name is Mahnoor Qureshi. I am a 14-year-old girl studying in 9th grade at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. I live in Abbottabad. My date of birth is 29th June, 1996. My favorite color is white and my favorite ice-cream flavor is chocolate. My favorite Pakistani singer is Atif Aslam. I also enjoy American music and entertainment; I like the music by pop star Hannah Montana and I think Brenda Song is a great actress. My favorite tongue twister is “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” I have five family members: my mother, father, two younger brothers, and one sister. My father is a doctor while my mother is a housewife. I help my siblings solve their difficulties. My mother and my sister are my best friends. I share my all problems to them because they are understanding of my feelings. I love my family very much and my family loves me very much. I have many friends but I have only one best friend. Her name is Iman Irshad. She is a very nice and good girl. She is my age fellow and also my class fellow. She is very cheerful. Her favorite colors are purple and black. Like me, Iman enjoys American pop culture; her favorite singers are Salina Gomez and Taylor Swift. Thus, her favorite songs are “Naturally” by Salina Gomez and “Love Story” by Taylor Swift. Her date of birth is 25th July, 1996—just a month younger than me. Unlike the students who live in Abbottabad, she travels a very long distance from Havelian to come study at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. I love my friend very much. Everyone has different hobbies but my favorite hobby is book reading. I have a huge collection of books on various topics such as science, fiction, and general knowledge. I like to read storybooks. I also have a special interest in reading religious books. Books are powerful tools; they provide us a good pass time, they give us knowledge, and they teach us lessons. In this way, books help us achieve success in our life. In free time, I like to do creative work such as decorate my house. I also use the computer sometime. I like to play games like “Need For Speed” and pinball on it. My future goal is to become a fashion designer. I would to create new designs that change minds of people. I want to introduce to them new embroideries and new fashion designs which change the standard of living. My parents are supportive of my dreams to become a fashion designer. My sister also inspires me to do so. I would like to obtain as many good qualities as possible because I want to become a better person.

A creative teenager.

By:Iman Irshad For most students, getting an education from the “City of Schools” holds little value. Perhaps because they live nearby and have easy access to the great education that Abbottabad has to offer. For me, however, it is not that easy. I have to travel a very long distance—an hour’s drive!—only to get an education in Abbottabad. My name is Iman Irshad and I am a 14 years old. I am a student of 9th grade at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. I was born on 25th July, 1996 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, however I have lived in a place called Havelian all my life. My favorite color is purple and my favorite ice-cream flavors are chocolate and raspberry. I love listening to English music by Salina Gomez and Taylor Swift. My favorite songs are “Naturally” by Salina Gomez and “Love Story” Taylor Swift. I have five members, excluding me, in my sweet little family. My family includes my mother, my father, two younger sisters and a brother. My Mom is a housewife and my Dad is a government servant at Thseil Municipal Administration (TMA)..I love my family and my family loves me. My siblings and I discuss our problems with our parents and they always give us a pragmatic solution. My siblings are like my best friends; they always share their feelings with me and never hesitate to ask.for my help when they need it. Like a good friend, my siblings rarely fight with each other. At school I only have one best friend and her name is Mahnoor Qurushi. She is both my age fellow and class fellow. She is a very talented girl; at the age of 11, she became Hafiz-a-Quran (memorized the entire Holy Book). A devout Muslim, she prays five times a day and reads the Quran daily. During the holy month of Ramadan, she keeps her all of the fasts. The pure and peaceful girl that Mahnoor is, it is no surprise that her favorite color white. When it comes to ice-cream, however, she enjoys the chocolate and vanilla flavors. Just like me, she likes English music and entertainment—we both love to watch the Disney Channel. Her favorite singer is Miley Cyrus, more commonly known as “Hannah Montana.” She likes Brenda Song’s silly and bratty role in the hit American children’s comedy show, Suite Life of Zack and Cody. She lives in Sulhud, Abbottabad. She celebrated her 14th birthday about a month ago on 29th June. She has three siblings other than herself, including a younger sister and two younger brothers. They are six family members, just like me. Generally, she is a happy person; she always smiles like the sun. My hobbies are to read storybooks and to listen to news and music. My favorite storybook series is the Goosebumps. I spend my leisure time playing games on my P.C. My favorite games are Minesweeper, Pinball and Prince of Persia. For fun I try to learn tongue twisters, such as these ones: “how much wood would the woodchuck chuck if the woodchuck could chuck wood?” and “She sells seashells down the seashore.” How fast can you say them? Currently, I am not sure what I want to do with my future. There are many options for me. But, I think I want to be a pilot or a heart specialist. I want to be a pilot because I think flying in the clouds is fascinating. My father wants me to be a heart specialist because not many people enthusiastically choose that field. Regardless of what I become when I grow up, I know for a fact that I will give my 100 percent in my profession. May Allah help me fulfill the dreams of my parents and of my family members. Ameen.

An Ordinary Teenager

By: Sheryar Jamil I am an ordinary teenager: I fight with my brothers. I love cars. I like to play cricket with my friends. I also go out with my friends for fun. I go to school regularly. I read in class 8, and my school’s name is Al-Imtiaz Academy. Family is the most important thing in the life. Family is always there when we need them. There are five members in my family. My father’s name is Jamil Akhter and he is a businessman. My mother’s name is Abida and she is a housewife. I have two younger brothers. My younger brother, Zeeshan, who is after me, is in class 3 and my younger brother, Hayyat Mohammad, is in class 1. They are adorable, cute, and sincere to me—all reasons why I like them very much. In leisure time, I play cricket with my friends and brothers. It is a very interesting game. It makes a person fit and active. My favorite cricketer is Shahid Afridi, captain of the Pakistani team. I like him because he is the best batsman, bowler, thrower and even the best fielder. My hobby is also to play football. That sport also makes a man fit and strong. The striker, Kaka, is one of the best players on Brazil’s team. In the recent Fifa World Cup 2010, he played very well even though he made no goals. Kaka maintains great control of the ball and his passing is also very good. Unfortunately, Brazil was dismissed by the Netherlands in the quarterfinal with a score of 2:1. No doubt, football is the most famous game in the world! Like me, my best friend, Yousaf Tariq, also likes to play cricket. He is he bowler when we play together. Yousaf is very studious in his academics. His favorite subject is English, and he loves to read books in English. He is a devout Muslim also; he prays five times a day and recites the Holy Quran regularly. When it comes to food, Yousaf loves biryani. He is quite handsome as well. His hair is black and his eyes are dark brown, and he always carries a dashing look. His innocent face and sly smirk are devious. Perhaps he gets his good looks from his uncle, because they have a strong facial resemblance. In addition, Yousaf, like his uncle, is honest and kind. He has a deep, manly voice—it reminds me of the famous singer Shaan, who the Iifa Award last week. Unlike Yousaf who wants to become a soldier, I want to become a doctor when I grow up. I aspire to become a doctor because I have a deep desire to help the people who are suffering. In Pakistan, being a doctor is a well-respected profession. I am working hard to get admission into medical college. InshAllah, in two to three years, I will attempt the M.B.B.S. examination. In short, we cannot live without a family. Family members are always there when we need them. Family is that thing in which we learn right and wrong ways, develop bad and good habits. So we should all respect our family and friends. Friends are also very important in our life. Friends help us in studies and extra school activities and offer their best opinions and thoughts to us. Yousaf is my best friend. He is a studious boy. I want to become a doctor because it is a noble profession. I am blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

The World Of A Person With Family

By: Rabia Shujah Khan A person feels alone without a family. A family is a group of people who live together. In a family, members share their problems with each other and give advice to solve problems. A family is both the fundamental unit of society as well as the root of culture. A family is like a country of hearts. It is fun to live with my family. I never get bored and have many good times with them. My world is more beautiful with my family. I have three members in my immediate family; my parents and one younger sister. My mother is an airhostess and my father works in a bank in America. I live in a joint family with my two uncles and my grandfather. We always eat our breakfast, lunch and dinner together. We enjoy spending time with each other. For example, we go on picnics over the weekends, play games, and watch T.V. together. Sometimes, my three aunts come to spend time with us over the weekends as well. When my cousins and I cook together, we really enjoy ourselves. My younger sister, Muniba, and I are close to each other because we share our feelings and thoughts with one another, even though we were born in two different countries. Muniba was born in America while I was born in Pakistan. I was born on 9th August, 1995. My star is lion, the king of stars. I read in class 10th at the Al-Imtiaz Academy in Abbottabad. I have lived in Abbottabad for twelve years. Abbottabad is very beautiful place; people come from different countries too see it. Due to its natural beauty, it is called “Paradise.” My hobbies are to make interesting things like decoration and glass paintings. It is very fun! When I grow up, I want to be a doctor because I want to help people who are suffering from illnesses. I want to open my own clinic in which I check the patients free of cost. Today, medicine and check-up bills are very expensive. Some people die because they cannot afford the necessary treatments or medications. With my free clinic, I hope that people don’t have to worry about such things. I am working hard to fulfill this aspiration. I am thankful that my parents, family members, and friends are supportive of my future goals. Friends are like shady trees in an empty desert. A person having no friends is very thirsty, exhausted, and alone. But I am very blessed because I have many friends, many shady trees on which I can rely. Some of them study with me at school while others live far away. My friends and I always share our good times and hard times with each other. Whenever we face difficulties or problems, we try our best to find its solution. In school, during our recess break, we share our lunch with each other and play games. A family is a guide for the success of a child’s future. Family provides people with important relationships in their life. The strength of a family is like the strength of an army; all members rely on the loyalty to each other. A family is a canoe that makes no progress unless everyone paddles.

A Person That Inspires Me

By: Shahab Adnan What is a loyal and trustworthy friend? A loyal and trustworthy is one whom we can trust. My best friend inspires me in many ways. He inspires me to be honest, respectful and religious. I met Shahzad Gul in nursery class. He was sitting beside me. First he started talking with me and then I started talking with him. In the recess we both talked to each other about ourselves and played many games. He is studious in his studies. Shahzad is my trustworthy friend. He likes to play cricket. He also likes to watch television in the afternoon. He especially likes to watch the National Geographic channel; he has been watching it since he was in class prep. I like his honesty, kindness, and respectfulness towards his teachers and parents. He also helps those who need his help. I like his honesty because one day I gave him money to give it to my brother. He honestly gave it to my brother. His honesty is admirable. Another day, Shahzad promised his brother that he would give him money, and he did. He fulfilled his promise and I am pleased with him for doing so. All these are the ways that I am inspired by him. Shahzad and I have been friends for 11 years. Our friendship is growing stronger by the day. Now he has changed his school and is studying in Beachon House Public School. He is in class 8 now. He is my neighbor and we visit each other often. This is one way that our friendship is growing stronger. We play together and watch the matches together. He likes the sounds of the horns of the cars: "peep peep." He also likes the sound of the clock: "tik tik." We say prayers together and recite the Holy Quran everyday. When we are bored and away from each other, we send each other text messages. Not only are Shahzad and I good friends but our mothers are also friends. That is another reason for how our friendship is growing stronger and stronger day by day. Many people tell him that he’s a chip off the old block because he looks like his uncle. Shahzad Gul is a trustworthy friend. He is honest and respectful of his parents and teachers. I wish that our friendship never ends.

Four feet, one inch

By: Abdullah Mushtaq The height is 4 feet, 1 inch. Skin color: brown. Eye color: dark brown. Body shape: short and thin. Weight: 30 kilograms. Eyebrows: bushy. These are my physical characteristics. But there is more to me than just these. My name is Abdullah Mushtaq, and I am 12 years old. My school's name is Al-Imtiaz Academy. I read in class 7. I was born on 5th January, 1996 in Abbottabad. I have seven members in my family including me. My father works in an N.G.O and my mother is housewife. I have two elder brothers and one sister. My elder brother's name is Abdul Sami and he works in Standard Charted Bank in Islamabad. My second brother is studying M.B.A in Numbel University, Islamabad. My 5-minute younger brother, Abdul Basit, is twins to me. I have a very loving and caring family. Hooby is an intresting thing to do. A hooby is a kind of amusement or an intresting persuit that a person may take in his leisure time. There are many kinds of hoobies. My hooby is to read books and newspapers. On my 11th birthday, my friend, Aamir, gave me the storybook Princess Aubergens. I really enjoyed reading it. I want to be a pilot in my future. My family and techers inspire me to be a pilot in my future. Hopefully one day I will be flying planes

"Hiss & Buzz"

By: Umer Rehman It was a very hot evening of Wednesday 23rd June 1997. A baby was crying in crowded room at the C.M.H Hospital in Abbottbad. That baby was me. I am no longer a baby; I have grown to be a 13-years-old teenager. I read in class 7th A and I attend the Al-Imtiaz Academy. My family consists of seven members including me: a beloved father, a lovely mother, two elder brothers, one elder and one younger sister. My father’s name is Rehman and he is a banker. My mother’s name is Amina. My elder brother’s are Aftab Bhai and Sajid Bhai. Aftab Bhai is a civil judge in Peshawar and Sajid Bhai is studying Telecommunication in Hazara University. My elder sister, Irum, is studying in class 11th at the Pakistan International Public School (PIPS). My younger sister, Hina, is studying in class 5th at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. I like Aftab Bhai because he is very close to me. I share my problems with him—he is a helper of all the siblings. Sajid Bhai, on the other hand, is very funny. For example, once we were talking with each other, he stood up and said, "Talk quietly, the walls are hearing you," Another time, my father gave him a mobile, and he said that the mobile is as fragile as a mirror. Hina is very lovely and her smile reminds me of Mona Lisa. We live in a beautiful house situated in Kakul Road, Abbottabad. My house is colored in green paint. My best friend’s name is Taimur. He is very close to me like leaves are to a tree. He is very intelligent and very honest. He has the ability to make many sounds with his mouth, such as “hissss” or “buzzzz.” Taimur and I are studying in same class. In exams, he takes 1st position and I take 3rd position. Sometimes, we do our class work and homework together. We play football near my house. I take pride in my friendship with him. In addition to spending with Taimur, I enjoy stamp collecting. I became interested in that hobby at the age of eleven. On my eleventh birthday, my friend, Hamza , presented me an album book bearing one hundred beautiful stamps from many countries, including America, China, Oman, England, Germany, Korea, and France. From then on, I started to collect stamps from letters and parcels on my own. My father always gives me a large number of letters and parcels from foreign countries. Through this hobby, I have made a friend overseas. My pen pal, John from America, and I always exchange stamps. On my thirteen birthday, I had over two thousand stamps from over forty foreign countries in my album! I am very proud of my collection. In my future, I want to be an honest and an intelligent doctor. I became interested in this profession because I get to help the poor and needy. Doctor is a person who treats diseases. There are many diseases and there are different types of doctors that treat different diseases related to different organs of the body. I want to be a surgeon because I want to help save a patient during the last stage of his disease. A surgeon can do miracles. It is very difficult and demanding profession. A good surgeon can make a difference in the lives of many peoples. I would like to be that kind of surgeon in future. InshAllah.

A Soldier of His Country

By: Yousaf Tariq When I was little, I hated school. I hated being away from my family and spending seven hours every day with strangers. At that time I was only 5 years old and was studying in the F.F School, Now I am 13 years old and I attend the Al-Imtiaz Academy situated on Mansehra Road in Abbottabad. Over the years, however, I have learned to love school, and the people whom I once thought were strangers are now my friends. My best friend is Shehryar Jamil because he is very hardworking and intelligent. He is like his uncle because he has many characteristics like him such as honesty and hardworking. Shehryar is also very peaceful just like his father. He is truly a chip off the old block. His favorite sound is “Ping Pong” because it is a very happy sound. Shehryar’s smile reminds me of the famous cricketer Shahid Afridi. Shehryar’s favorite dish is rice and his favorite fruit is mango. He is also a devout Muslim; he prays five times a day and recites the Holy Quran daily. His hobby is to read books in English. Sometimes, he even tells me stories. He likes to play cricket—just like me. In my leisure time, I love to play cricket. Cricket is a very old game. It is played with a ball and bat. The batsman stands at one end and the bowler throws bowl from the other end. The wicketkeeper stands behind the batsman to catch the ball. The audience sits around the ground to watch the live match. When I watch cricket on television, however, I sit on my comfy couch. My favorite player is Ricky Ponting, caption of the Australian team, because he plays fiercely. In the recent World Cup, the Australian team played very well even though they did not win the competition. Australia holds the World Cup Champions title from last time, when it beat its opponent, Sri Lanka. When my friends come to my house, we play cricket in two teams. To me, cricket is a very interesting hobby because it makes the man fresh and cool. Although I spend time with my friends, I also like spending time with my family. There are seven members in my joint family. I have one sister, Amina, who is studying at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. My brother, Aitizaz, is also studying at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. My father’s name is Tariq and he is a Sui Gas contractor. My mother’s name is Tahira and she is a housewife. She teaches me valuable lessons about life. My grandmother also lives with us. When I was little, she used to tell me stories. I have only one uncle and his name is Arif. I am very close to him because he is a very honest, peaceful and hardworking person. He has one son. When I grow up, I want to become like my cousin because he is a soldier. My ambition in life is to become a soldier. I am working hard to achieve that goal. In three years I shall attempt the papers of F.Sc. to qualify for the army. A soldier is a person who makes his country proud by taking care of it. For this reason, I also want to become a soldier because I, too, want to serve my country and keep it safe from enemies. A soldier is a disciplinarian and also a well-mannered person. My family, hobbies, friends and future goals are very important to me. I like my family because they support me in all difficult situations. In my leisure time, I like to play cricket because it refreshes me. I have many good friends but my best friend is Shehryar because he is very respectful of his parents. When I grow up I want to become a soldier because I take pride in my beautiful country, Pakistan, and I want to serve and defend my country.

5-Minute Older Brother

By: Abdul Basit When people look at my 5-minute older brother and me, they can never tell we are twins. This is because we don’t anything alike; in fact, my twin brother looks older than me. My name is Abdul Basit and I (along with my twin) was born on 5th January 1997 in Abbottabad. We both read in class 7 at the Al-Imtiaz Academy. My family means a lot to me because they always support me in everything I do.There are seven members in my family including me. My father’s name is Mushtaq Ahmed and he is a businessman. My father always teaches me to be honest. My mother is a housewife and she is very caring and loving. I have two older brothers and one twin brother. I also have one older sister—her smile always reminds me of Mona Lisa. Stamp collecting is my favorite hobby. I became interested it at the age of eleven when my best friend, Ali, presented an album of one hundred beautiful stamps of various countries to me on my birthday. Now, I have over one thousand stamps from different foreign countries! I take huge pride in my collection. If Ali had not introduced me to stamp collecting, I don’t think I ever would have found this hobby. A best friend is someone who helps you. Ali motivates me to be a better person in many ways. He is very honest and very humble. For example, one day a poor beggar asked for food and Ali unquestioningly brought it to him. Ali’s character is giving, he always helps those in need. Ali is also very religious; he prays five times a day. At home, he is respectful of his father and mother, and in school, he is respectful of his friends and teachers. Ali is an intelligent boy—he is an Einstein in math class. I like my friendship with Ali very much. When I grow up, I want to become a doctor. My mother encourages me to pursue this profession because it is very reputable. I have a passion to help the sick people. InshAllah, I will be able to achieve this goal.