My experience at the Dubai Duty Free Championships

Recently I had gone to Dubai to watch the Duty Free Tennis Championships. I had gone to see my role model and favorite player Roger Federer in action. It was quite an amazing experience for me. Being in a wheelchair I was able to get special seats which were by the court side and I was accompanied by my father. We were a stone’s throw away from the players and right in the action.

Watching Federer live in action for the first time.

Last year I along with my father had also gone to the Dubai tennis championships and were able to get similar seats. Federer could not come last year due to illness. This year he was playing which made me really excited and it would just be awesome watching him live in person for the first time. I arrived in Dubai with Roger in the semi finals. It is hard to describe the feeling I had when I was going to see Roger for the first time in my life.

It was a good match and Roger was great. I was disappointed that I could not meet Roger and have a photograph with him, as he left the court from the other entrance. I hoped to be more fortunate enough in the final. I did have the consolation of having a photograph with a Russian player who went on to win the doubles title.

The Dream final

The final which everyone was anticipating between the no. 2 player in the world Roger Federer and the no. 3 player in the world Novak Djokovic was about to take place. The atmosphere was absolutely electrifying and there was a buzz in the crowd. The final was a total sell out even before the tournament had even started. Unfortunately Federer committed a lot of unforced errors and Djokovic was all over him. Djokovic played his best match of the tournament and won comfortably in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. The match was over in 75 minutes and it was very disappointing to see Federer lose.

Having a photograph with Djokovic

Federer in his post match interview admitted that he had made a mess of it in the final and Djokovic deserved to win. Federer left the court early after losing and taking a photograph was not possible. My disappointment turned into joy as I was able to get a photograph with the champion Novak Djokovic. The photograph was taken by a professional photographer and it really made my staying till the end worth it.

Unforgettable experience

It was a phenomenal experience for me to go to the Dubai tennis championships. I was able to see Federer live for the first time right in front of my eyes. The seats which me and my father got were right by the court side, since I was on a wheelchair. Watching tennis in front of your eyes is totally different from watching it on television. You are totally involved in the matches and very much a part of the atmosphere. For instance there was a Mexican wave going in the crowd in the final of which I was involved in also. You can never experience these things on television. Watching the Dubai Tennis Championships made my visit to Dubai an unforgettable one and I am already looking forward to next year’s Dubai tennis championships.

My experience at the Dubai Duty Free Championships

Recently I had gone to Dubai to watch the Duty Free Tennis Championships. I had gone to see my role model and favorite player Roger Federer in action. It was quite an amazing experience for me. Being in a wheelchair I was able to get special seats which were by the court side and I was accompanied by my father. We were a stone’s throw away from the players and right in the action.

Watching Federer live in action for the first time.

Last year I along with my father had also gone to the Dubai tennis championships and were able to get similar seats. Federer could not come last year due to illness. This year he was playing which made me really excited and it would just be awesome watching him live in person for the first time. I arrived in Dubai with Roger in the semi finals. It is hard to describe the feeling I had when I was going to see Roger for the first time in my life.

It was a good match and Roger was great. I was disappointed that I could not meet Roger and have a photograph with him, as he left the court from the other entrance. I hoped to be more fortunate enough in the final. I did have the consolation of having a photograph with a Russian player who went on to win the doubles title.

The Dream final

The final which everyone was anticipating between the no. 2 player in the world Roger Federer and the no. 3 player in the world Novak Djokovic was about to take place. The atmosphere was absolutely electrifying and there was a buzz in the crowd. The final was a total sell out even before the tournament had even started. Unfortunately Federer committed a lot of unforced errors and Djokovic was all over him. Djokovic played his best match of the tournament and won comfortably in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. The match was over in 75 minutes and it was very disappointing to see Federer lose.

Having a photograph with Djokovic

Federer in his post match interview admitted that he had made a mess of it in the final and Djokovic deserved to win. Federer left the court early after losing and taking a photograph was not possible. My disappointment turned into joy as I was able to get a photograph with the champion Novak Djokovic. The photograph was taken by a professional photographer and it really made my staying till the end worth it.

Unforgettable experience

It was a phenomenal experience for me to go to the Dubai tennis championships. I was able to see Federer live for the first time right in front of my eyes. The seats which me and my father got were right by the court side, since I was on a wheelchair. Watching tennis in front of your eyes is totally different from watching it on television. You are totally involved in the matches and very much a part of the atmosphere. For instance there was a Mexican wave going in the crowd in the final of which I was involved in also. You can never experience these things on television. Watching the Dubai Tennis Championships made my visit to Dubai an unforgettable one and I am already looking forward to next year’s Dubai tennis championships.

My experience at the Dubai Duty Free Championships

Recently I had gone to Dubai to watch the Duty Free Tennis Championships. I had gone to see my role model and favorite player Roger Federer in action. It was quite an amazing experience for me. Being in a wheelchair I was able to get special seats which were by the court side and I was accompanied by my father. We were a stone’s throw away from the players and right in the action.

Watching Federer live in action for the first time.

Last year I along with my father had also gone to the Dubai tennis championships and were able to get similar seats. Federer could not come last year due to illness. This year he was playing which made me really excited and it would just be awesome watching him live in person for the first time. I arrived in Dubai with Roger in the semi finals. It is hard to describe the feeling I had when I was going to see Roger for the first time in my life.

It was a good match and Roger was great. I was disappointed that I could not meet Roger and have a photograph with him, as he left the court from the other entrance. I hoped to be more fortunate enough in the final. I did have the consolation of having a photograph with a Russian player who went on to win the doubles title.

The Dream final

The final which everyone was anticipating between the no. 2 player in the world Roger Federer and the no. 3 player in the world Novak Djokovic was about to take place. The atmosphere was absolutely electrifying and there was a buzz in the crowd. The final was a total sell out even before the tournament had even started. Unfortunately Federer committed a lot of unforced errors and Djokovic was all over him. Djokovic played his best match of the tournament and won comfortably in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. The match was over in 75 minutes and it was very disappointing to see Federer lose.

Having a photograph with Djokovic

Federer in his post match interview admitted that he had made a mess of it in the final and Djokovic deserved to win. Federer left the court early after losing and taking a photograph was not possible. My disappointment turned into joy as I was able to get a photograph with the champion Novak Djokovic. The photograph was taken by a professional photographer and it really made my staying till the end worth it.

Unforgettable experience

It was a phenomenal experience for me to go to the Dubai tennis championships. I was able to see Federer live for the first time right in front of my eyes. The seats which me and my father got were right by the court side, since I was on a wheelchair. Watching tennis in front of your eyes is totally different from watching it on television. You are totally involved in the matches and very much a part of the atmosphere. For instance there was a Mexican wave going in the crowd in the final of which I was involved in also. You can never experience these things on television. Watching the Dubai Tennis Championships made my visit to Dubai an unforgettable one and I am already looking forward to next year’s Dubai tennis championships.

Trip to Lahore

I went to Lahore in the first week of November for giving of 4 lectures. I had planned my lectures before going to Lahore. Since Lahore is my home town, I always look forward to going there and Lahore gives me relaxation and comfort.

Four lectures in Lahore

As these 4 lectures which I was due to give were planned for four consecutive days, obviously there wasn’t going to be any time for me to settle down. My first lecture was at the famous Kinnaird College for Women. It was my first lecture at a women’s College. Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

Getting a standing ovation at Kinnaird College

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high. Haven given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations. At the conclusion of my speech I was given a standing ovation by all the women present there. The principal of Kinnaird College presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation in the end.

Learning experience

The three remaining lectures were at two branches of Beacon House School and at Lahore Grammar School. I was satisfied with all the lectures except for one which took place at Beacon House School. The reason being that the arrangements made at the school were below par and there was no teacher present there. My lecture was held in a cramped class room and there were only 15 students present there. On seeing all this I was very reluctant to give a lecture, but on the knowledge that I had come from Karachi for this purpose encouraged me to give my lecture. This was definitely a learning experience for me.

Change of Fortune for me

The next day my lecture was at another branch of Beacon House School. I cancelled my lecture as I was very unhappy with the experience I had had the previous day. After cancelling my lecture I got a number of phone calls from the school asking me to come, as all the arrangements had been finalized and everyone was waiting for me. My aunt who is at a high post at Beacon House School also asked me to go as it would not look nice. Upon her insistence I decided to go for my lecture and the arrangements were in total contrast to the other day. The Principal of the school was there to greet me along with other teachers. My lecture was held at an auditorium on the ground floor. I would have to say that really enjoyed giving the lecture in front of a very lively audience. The Principal himself listened to my lecture and a number of questions were asked by the students. Afterwards I joined the Principal along with other teachers for tea. I would say that I really enjoyed giving the lecture at Beacon House School, where I had least expected after the experience I had the previous day.

Relaxing in Lahore

After giving four lectures in four days, I was feeling very mentally very tired and decided to take it easy the remaining three days in Lahore. It was a good opportunity for me to unwind myself and enjoy the beauty of Lahore. Indeed Lahore was looking very beautiful and I also decided to take a sight seeing tour. I went to the famous Badshai Mosque, the Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan. It was a lot of fun to have a look and learn about the ancient history of the Mughal Empire. I met a few of my friends and had dinner with them.

Mission Accomplished in Lahore

In Lahore you definitely feel closer to nature with its beautiful parks everywhere. You can feel peacefulness and a feeling of relaxation in Lahore which is totally unlike Karachi. The major difference between Karachi and Lahore is the greenery in Lahore and the easy paced life. I would say that my mission had been accomplished by giving four lectures and motivating people. I look forward to giving more lectures in Lahore next year.

Trip to Lahore

I went to Lahore in the first week of November for giving of 4 lectures. I had planned my lectures before going to Lahore. Since Lahore is my home town, I always look forward to going there and Lahore gives me relaxation and comfort.

Four lectures in Lahore

As these 4 lectures which I was due to give were planned for four consecutive days, obviously there wasn’t going to be any time for me to settle down. My first lecture was at the famous Kinnaird College for Women. It was my first lecture at a women’s College. Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

Getting a standing ovation at Kinnaird College

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high. Haven given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations. At the conclusion of my speech I was given a standing ovation by all the women present there. The principal of Kinnaird College presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation in the end.

Learning experience

The three remaining lectures were at two branches of Beacon House School and at Lahore Grammar School. I was satisfied with all the lectures except for one which took place at Beacon House School. The reason being that the arrangements made at the school were below par and there was no teacher present there. My lecture was held in a cramped class room and there were only 15 students present there. On seeing all this I was very reluctant to give a lecture, but on the knowledge that I had come from Karachi for this purpose encouraged me to give my lecture. This was definitely a learning experience for me.

Change of Fortune for me

The next day my lecture was at another branch of Beacon House School. I cancelled my lecture as I was very unhappy with the experience I had had the previous day. After cancelling my lecture I got a number of phone calls from the school asking me to come, as all the arrangements had been finalized and everyone was waiting for me. My aunt who is at a high post at Beacon House School also asked me to go as it would not look nice. Upon her insistence I decided to go for my lecture and the arrangements were in total contrast to the other day. The Principal of the school was there to greet me along with other teachers. My lecture was held at an auditorium on the ground floor. I would have to say that really enjoyed giving the lecture in front of a very lively audience. The Principal himself listened to my lecture and a number of questions were asked by the students. Afterwards I joined the Principal along with other teachers for tea. I would say that I really enjoyed giving the lecture at Beacon House School, where I had least expected after the experience I had the previous day.

Relaxing in Lahore

After giving four lectures in four days, I was feeling very mentally very tired and decided to take it easy the remaining three days in Lahore. It was a good opportunity for me to unwind myself and enjoy the beauty of Lahore. Indeed Lahore was looking very beautiful and I also decided to take a sight seeing tour. I went to the famous Badshai Mosque, the Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan. It was a lot of fun to have a look and learn about the ancient history of the Mughal Empire. I met a few of my friends and had dinner with them.

Mission Accomplished in Lahore

In Lahore you definitely feel closer to nature with its beautiful parks everywhere. You can feel peacefulness and a feeling of relaxation in Lahore which is totally unlike Karachi. The major difference between Karachi and Lahore is the greenery in Lahore and the easy paced life. I would say that my mission had been accomplished by giving four lectures and motivating people. I look forward to giving more lectures in Lahore next year.

Trip to Lahore

I went to Lahore in the first week of November for giving of 4 lectures. I had planned my lectures before going to Lahore. Since Lahore is my home town, I always look forward to going there and Lahore gives me relaxation and comfort.

Four lectures in Lahore

As these 4 lectures which I was due to give were planned for four consecutive days, obviously there wasn’t going to be any time for me to settle down. My first lecture was at the famous Kinnaird College for Women. It was my first lecture at a women’s College. Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

Getting a standing ovation at Kinnaird College

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high. Haven given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations. At the conclusion of my speech I was given a standing ovation by all the women present there. The principal of Kinnaird College presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation in the end.

Learning experience

The three remaining lectures were at two branches of Beacon House School and at Lahore Grammar School. I was satisfied with all the lectures except for one which took place at Beacon House School. The reason being that the arrangements made at the school were below par and there was no teacher present there. My lecture was held in a cramped class room and there were only 15 students present there. On seeing all this I was very reluctant to give a lecture, but on the knowledge that I had come from Karachi for this purpose encouraged me to give my lecture. This was definitely a learning experience for me.

Change of Fortune for me

The next day my lecture was at another branch of Beacon House School. I cancelled my lecture as I was very unhappy with the experience I had had the previous day. After cancelling my lecture I got a number of phone calls from the school asking me to come, as all the arrangements had been finalized and everyone was waiting for me. My aunt who is at a high post at Beacon House School also asked me to go as it would not look nice. Upon her insistence I decided to go for my lecture and the arrangements were in total contrast to the other day. The Principal of the school was there to greet me along with other teachers. My lecture was held at an auditorium on the ground floor. I would have to say that really enjoyed giving the lecture in front of a very lively audience. The Principal himself listened to my lecture and a number of questions were asked by the students. Afterwards I joined the Principal along with other teachers for tea. I would say that I really enjoyed giving the lecture at Beacon House School, where I had least expected after the experience I had the previous day.

Relaxing in Lahore

After giving four lectures in four days, I was feeling very mentally very tired and decided to take it easy the remaining three days in Lahore. It was a good opportunity for me to unwind myself and enjoy the beauty of Lahore. Indeed Lahore was looking very beautiful and I also decided to take a sight seeing tour. I went to the famous Badshai Mosque, the Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan. It was a lot of fun to have a look and learn about the ancient history of the Mughal Empire. I met a few of my friends and had dinner with them.

Mission Accomplished in Lahore

In Lahore you definitely feel closer to nature with its beautiful parks everywhere. You can feel peacefulness and a feeling of relaxation in Lahore which is totally unlike Karachi. The major difference between Karachi and Lahore is the greenery in Lahore and the easy paced life. I would say that my mission had been accomplished by giving four lectures and motivating people. I look forward to giving more lectures in Lahore next year.

My experience at Kinnaird College

On the 1^st of November I was to deliver my lecture at Kinnaird College. Before leaving for Lahore I had spoken to my Khala about giving a lecture. My aunt has been teaching at Kinnaird College for 31 years.

After getting the permission from the Principal, my aunt had made the arrangements and my lecture was all set for 1^st of November.

Kinnaird College is exclusively for women and one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. Giving such a lecture was indeed an honor for me.

 

Excellent arrangements

My lecture was scheduled for 10am which was right after the assembly.

As all girls are present at assembly, my lecture was kept right afterwards to ensure that the maximum number of girls could be present.

There was a big auditorium where I was due to speak, with the girls gradually filling the auditorium.

When I was ready to begin my lecture the auditorium was filled with girls, including the Principal, and the dean. Another relative of mine had also come with me to listen to my lecture and was also present in the auditorium. This was my first experience of speaking at a women’s college.

 

Having the belief in my abilities

Naturally I was feeling a bit nervous on seeing so many people in the auditorium. The Principal of the college introduced me to the audience and left the stage to me.

The title of my speech was “Overcoming Obstacles”. As I began my lecture gradually my nerves settled down and my confidence began to rise high.

Having given a lecture at so many institutions gave me the self-belief in my abilities and my faith in God helped me get through as always in such situations.

 

Overcoming Obstacles

I began with my life story and how I have successfully managed to overcome the 4 main obstacles in life namely Sports, Work, Social Life and my Daily Routine.

My school days and how it felt when I was transferred in a wheel chair for the first time was also described by me. 

My disease known as Friedrich’s Ataxia was also defined by me and it being very rare in Pakistan.

I mentioned the 3 factors which have helped me at all times including never giving up in life, faith in God and having belief in my abilities. 

The importance of getting motivated and inspiration plays an important role. Swimming giving me motivation was stressed by me and surprised a number of students and teachers as to how I was able to swim. 

 Roger Federer from the world of tennis being my top inspiration was described by me and his 3 qualities which make him number 1 for me. They include never giving up, always being focused and his ability to come back from impossible situations.

 

Getting motivation for my lectures

I could see that there was total silence in the auditorium and all the students were totally focused on listening to me. I continued saying that it is very imperative to remain positive when you are faced with a hurdle in life like I was. 

I talked about an individual by the name of W. Mitchell who despite of being physically challenged has become one of the leading motivational speakers in the world. I get the motivation of giving lectures from him and seeing his quality of sharing his story with other individuals inspired me.  

It is his motto in life which I try to follow and have endorsed it in my lectures. It is “It is not what happens to you it is what you do about it”.

 

Power of Positive thinking

Stephen Hawkins example shows the power of positive thinking illustrated in the best possible manner. Despite of being paralyzed from head to toe, what he has achieved is for the world to see. 

It underlines my notion of having a positive mind set to overcome any obstacle is vital. I went on to say that it also shows that people having some sort of physical disability make more use of their inner strength and have a stronger will power.

 

Being determined and focused

In conclusion I talked about the importance of Overcoming Obstacles and what we need to achieve in order to overcome them.

Obstacles are not the end of the world and are character building. It helps us to grow physiologically and a person needs to be determined and have a positive mindset to overcoming them. 

People who have overcome obstacles in life have made the required sacrifices needed to achieve their goals, have been totally focused and passionate in their work and have never listened to those who said It can’t be done. 

I ended with a quotation “The difference between possible and impossible lies in a person’s determination”.

 

Getting acknowledged for my lecture

I received a standing ovation from the audience upon completion of my lecture.

There were some really interesting questions asked by the students and the teachers which demonstrate their attention on what I talked about. A lot of girls came up to me and took photographs with me. 

I was given a Certificate of Appreciation, a mug and a bouquet of flowers from the Principal. Later we joined the Principal, and the Dean for tea. Also present were my relatives.

 

Accomplishing My goal

It is hard to describe the way I felt upon receiving a standing ovation.

The Principal of Kinnaird College said "We at Kinnaird College salute you for your courage to rise above your problems and make a difference in not only your life but the lives of other people."

All I can say is that my goal of motivating people in having a positive mind set has been successfully implemented. This was definitely one of most memorable lectures I have had.