Who I’m.

I am Shaoor Khan, a seasoned Chemical Engineer from Pakistan. As a social and youth activist, I have a network of strategic contacts both at National and global alliance partnership programs. 

Hailing from a family with a rich cultural background, I have learnt from the very start, the importance of thriving hard, being optimistic, passionate and dedication towards the purpose that has been ingrained in our nature and the purpose of our creation. 

My much nurtured soft skills include creativity, organizational, problem solving or conflict resolution, interpersonal and communication especially in publishing, advertising and media role which I have acquired through experience and trainings. I am an Active listener with core competencies, good language, management and collaborative skills. I’m adaptable to situations and have always considered my failures as an opportunity to improve and improvise. 

My hard skills pertaining to my profession and academic field, include STEM skills, Project Launching, IT and Technical Report writing.

Fortunately, my thirst for knowledge proliferated, when I was at school, reading books about different continents, World Almanac and travelling diaries. I was passionate about travelling, collecting souvenirs, learning andcollecting information about different global issues. This passion, eventually helped me to gain profound knowledge in these areas and now I am certain that my degree will become my ticket to a better tomorrow.

My Passion for travelling, studying and blogging intensified with the passage of time and now here I am looking for opportunities, to mingle globally with people of diversecommunities and cross cultures, broadening my horizons, getting me over to real life education and even knowing myself better!

I have recently travelled to Turkey where I had an incredible experience of learning and experiencing with various NGOs  affiliated with the AISEC PROJECT development , this experience of visiting a cross cultural country, has left an indelible imprint on my mind. I am really grateful for the countless travel memories that I can look back with fondness and has augmented my passion for travelling further. 

I am skilled in addressing diverse groups of people, in small or large group settings and have keen interest in people and humanity. I am compassionate, courteous and have a patient personality with high ethics and I believe and practice honesty, integrity and fairness. 

I have a thrust of confidence level, with an absence of pomposity and authoritarian tendencies. Professionally, I am a diligent worker and follow the work ethics with punctuality and reliability. I am determined and a goal driven person, accepting challenges and hardships as integral elements of life. I want to groom my personality with the spirit of striving hard, with the inclination of becoming a self made man and bearing expenses to live my dreams. 

Believing that success comes from two fundamentalfactors, a person’s own determination and will to succeed,I am ready to make sacrifices to overcome my weaknesses and achieve my goal. I have accepted the core challenge of working and studying at the same time.My intrinsic motivation has always helped me to thrive in unexpected situations and recover myself after challenges entailed and not coming up with a hundred percent of the expected results. 

Equally important is the support of the people around me. Self-believing for me does not mean alienating anyone or stepping on others for my achievements, rather I accept support from people who genuinely want to help me. For instance, if it were not for my parents support In my educational endeavors, I would perhaps have not been an Engineer. 

I believe that growth is merely not a resultant of success and acquisition of everything in life which you’re attracted towards but it’s a compulsive process which comes with leaps and hurdles, I realized in all these years that its not a one-step journey of attaining correct and desired results of any attempts, it’s a multi angular mirror from doing the best, setting concrete goals and understanding the difference between need and want and even embracing gratitude on what life offers us.

I have experienced that even if I had found myself stuck up in the middle of the challenge,  my courage and strength has always been mushroomed with one practical thought that success is when I have a control over the destiny, accepting and dealing with critics and standing my ground when I believe in something.

I face challenges usually in  my life through some of my personality attributes including a strong, compulsive need to do things quickly or in haste and remove them from my “to do” list. The same need to get things done puts me in stress at times, when I have too many tasks around me. I am working hard to eliminate the assimilation of redundant and superfluous elements .triggering the ripples of undesired distress which hinders in the achievement of the acquisition of my bigger aims in life. 

I have learnt that patience, tolerance, forbearance and magnanimity shape us, but must not be a hurdle in what we strive to achieve. 

I feel a need for metacognition sometimes to improve and recover my areas of development through self-assessment and evaluation and of what to revisit in life to recover my weaknesses which hinder personal growth andself-development I always tried to see weaknesses as opportunities to learn grow and improve.

I am curious, accommodative and my level of confidence and self belief does not allow me to get baffled by the daunting tasks in life. Im ready to take and face every challenge. I don’t take challenging tasks as a burden, rather an opportunity to demonstrate my creativity.

I love to write , yet I have a room for further improvement , considering myself not by any means, Shakespeare or John Grisham, I know it would take enormous amount of time, efforts and practice. I intend to progress my writing by setting more achievable goals, building on new ideas and developing new skills.  It will meander my writing skils from micro to macro.

The many ways in  which I identify myself are actually the ways that define who I am.

FROM THE MIND PRISON, TO THE REALMS OF REALITY.

Self Isolation in Covid-19

Amidst the spread of the recent/current pandemic of the Coronavirus, self-isolation and social distancing is being practiced globally. A human mind is a set of cognitive faculties, absorbing energies from the surroundings in the array of different auras connected through various scenarios and situations, as an external signal. Henceforth, there are probabilities and supported evidences of countless profound effects of self-isolation on the Human mind. Loneliness and solitary confinement entangled in the chains of social distancing can trap a person and give feelings of incarceration, intensifying emotions of bewilderment, anxiety and disconnection to the outside world and igniting the feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Self Isolation Activity.

Since man is a social creature and isolation is difficult for humans to withstand, it’s important to take care of one’s self during this outbreak not only to maintain physical health but also to cope up with mental states that might become more pronounced during such period of time. The foremost thing we need to do is to think about the present and not let our minds wander to the future. There are some effective remedies, one can adopt to combat with the self-isolation outcomes, effecting mood, feelings and behavior changes.

Reading has a significant number of benefits and is counted as one of the best stress reliever, reducing mind pressures, bringing more inner peace and tranquility and improves focus and concentration. It’s a mind stimulant, which helps to tackle any challenge and strengthens the analytical skills. It is commonlywell said “when you are with a book you’re not not alone!!!”

Social media and technology fills a gap bridging the presence of an individual, through virtual socializing and interaction as one would in person, where one is more likely to be heard, shared or connected in a deep way in a kind of a genuine disclosure. This social connection can help ward off the adverse effects of self isolation and social distancing by keeping the connectivity intact. 

Embarking ones creativity skills, may it be Arts and Crafts, challenging from sketching, writing, poetry composition, music, playing instruments gives a n individual a sense of purpose, allows one to enter a happy zone to his world of own creativity through self-expression. It’s a blind game where one does not have to stuck for ideas, creative challenges can trigger enough ideas to involve a person’s mind to draw his mind and heart and giving one opportunity to engage with the world without judging themselves. 

Writing and blogging can make a difference during self isolation. It will keep one occupied and give opportunity to express and share passions. It not only builds up a professional network, but can also be a source of passive income. Writing is always fun and hones the writing skills, making one more organized thinker, with a healthy emotional outlet. I not only exposes us to other perspectives but also is a source of making a difference in other people’s lives. 

Maintaining physical health and engaging in physical activities at home like moderate intensity aerobic exercise and light Yoga helps to reduce stress levels and improves mind health. Even short sessions of light exercises are enough to reap the benefits. 

Konya

The visit to Konya, another magical city which has a unique power and appeals, as it evokes sights, smells sounds and textures, floating the exuberant rich Sufi culture, rendering spiritual scent in the air as it dates way back to the Sultnate of Rumi.

I had the privilege of visiting the Mausoleums of the world famous poets, Sufi thinkers, poetic intellects, M. Jalaluddin Rumi and Shams of Tabrez. Visiting the heavenly, Darwesh Ceremony, with the theme performance of Sufi dance at the Mevlana Cultural centre, still holds a profound impact on my soul.

System and Generation

The System and Generation Association established in 2008 (Ankara) is a non-profit organization, with a directed mission to empower youth, through Global traveling projects and tours and breaking the cross culture barriers for sustainable cooperation at local, regional, national and international community circles.

System and Generation Office Ankara

As heterogeneity brings about opportunities to share, learn and grow from the journeys of others, it can be induced as a part of adopted systems to indoctrinate by interacting with people of different ideologies, gender, socio economic backgrounds, races and encircling the social uplifting of ethnic minorities around the world to add value build trust and create an inclusive environment, to strengthen positive relationships.

Beypazari, Ankara

Under the SNG system of travelling projects, I experienced a latitude of exploring creative activities, learning about the rich diversity of cultural elements inclusive of new ideas, customs and traditions and social behavior in the integrated and dynamic elements of their society such as tasting the language, visiting vocational centers, engaging in creative learning and educational activities and meeting the delegates from a vast number of cross road cultures around the world.

I have been through an amazing experience traveling bit by bit through their cultural fluid and assimilating the fact that cultural diversity is actually no barrier in bringing individuals without jeopardizing their beliefs on one united platform.

Cultural & Tourism Dir Office

My highlighting moment was visiting Beypazari, a small town in Ankara where I had the greatest of splendid moments, visiting different schools and colleges and meeting children from variegated cultural back grounds. These myriads have given me a new exposition, to their sundry of traditional foods, custom and traditional practices and colorful festivities which symbolized their core belief in bringing peace and harmony around the world.

City of Carrots Beypazari

I had tasted many finest delicacies of the cuisines from local and traditional markets selling a variety of their local dry fruits, with a kick of flavor, I never tasted before.

I had the honor of meeting the Cultural Tourism Director, Mr. Zafar Poyraz and shared views about the agenda of the project activities and the significance of bringing cultures together.

"Never let your memories be greater than your dream."

This quote has always driven me towards an unknown journey, which I have been dreaming about for long. Travelling has always been my passion and i consider myself fortunate enough to pursue it relentlessly and travel my dream to a country full of life, rich privileged culture, enchanting history and of course, scenic beauty. I am grateful to the AIESEC exchange program for providing me with this opportunity and giving me a wonderful 6 week experience of project based learning and exposure to a rich culture.

As it is commonly said that a mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions. Travelling has humbled me, and has broadened my perspective in so many ways. I found each day different. For me travelling to Turkey was all about experiencing things beyond the usual and was consistently challenging, exciting, stepping me out of the box and open myself up to other culture, traditions and life routines.

The Ancient Theater at Hierapolis, Pamukkale

Turkey has some of the most amazing historical sites I have ever seen covering up from the Library of Alexandria to the Mausoleums of religious reformers. It holds on a huge pulse of life with rising technology and so many entrepreneurs in a foreign country, trying to build something new and innovating. I’ve enjoyed every bit of my travelling, wandering about the busy streets and checking in to the lovely aroma of food from local restaurants and street vendors, honing my sign language where English was nonexistent at few places. I even learnt few more of Turkish words. Visiting spectacular sites with my team and co project partners, I learnt about their history, tasted the traditional and local cuisines and experienced valuable activities. Landing at the cosmopolitan city Istanbul, with its panoramic view and a drifting Mediterranean climate, there was something more about the way that Istanbul stirred even in the darkness. I found it a vibrant city and with the finest population of local natives. I have a sparkling memory of the twilight golden glow of streetlights on the shores of the inky Bosporus, twinkling beneath the Galata Bridge.

Eminonu Sahil, Istanbul

I also visited the historical and largest mosque of the classical period, the Blue mosque. Standing as an expression of culture and human identity, with its beautiful architecture and design, its illuminating minarets mesmerize the visitors.

Taksim Square, Istanbul

I celebrated the New Year at Taksim Square, glimmering with busy nightlife and colorful festivities in different corners with traditional dances, crowded rooftop eateries and shops. From here, I headed towards one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world 'The Grand Bazaar', where i enjoyed wandering up and down about the streets that make up the Bazaar. It was crowded but not overwhelmingly,  so in some ways it was good to see more people around.

Duden Waterfalls, Antalya

The absolute stunning scenes, in Antalya, with towering mountains on both sides and the gleaming beaches, in Lara and Konyaalti had been the fondest of my memories i brought back. After extolling the beach, I visited the Sand Museum and the spectacular  Duden waterfalls, this brought us down to the other end which was the magical view of the Clock Tower that covers the massive chunk of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, which includes town Kaleiji and villages with ancient houses still inhabited with a quite a number of population was worth a sight.

The visit to Turkey’s third largest city, Izmir was a magical experience with not only its ancient roots but also the many facets of its contemporary culture, with the famous Konak mosque, historical elevator and Clock Square.

Clock Tower, Izmir

It was time for some adventure!

Soon my visit to a historical region, with an exceptional cultural heritage and great landscapes and among all it offered a perfect spot for a Hot Air Balloon ride in Cappadocia. The view from the Balloon had been amazing, with a spectacular and surreal landscapes with fairy chimneys, valleys, pigeon houses and orchards.

It would be worth mentioning, to have viewed the eighth wonder of the world Pamukkale, famous for its natural site, the most amazing attraction i found visiting this place was that the entire city contains hot springs and travertine, with terraces of flowing water, giving it a unique look. I’ve learnt that certain waters have healing properties that are rich with minerals.

My most cherished memories also include visits to the city Eskisehir, where i visited Bal Mumu and the modern museum, with wax dummies created with the finest of the masterpiece of wax sculpturing, amusement places like Disney land, Sozova Park and hiking at Goreme and Ihlara valley located among the fairy chimney rocks in Cappadocia, the dream land with a landscape of harmony with human interaction and settlement with dramatic natural land forms.

Paragliding in Pamukkale

Last but not the least, the visit to Derinkuyu, was a worth visit ancient multilevel underground city with an approximate depth of 280 ft. It is thought to be the world’s biggest underground city with the most complex infrastructure and causeways. It was amazing to learn that it had stone doors which could be opened and closed from the inside. My fondest memories of the most highlighting moments during the visit included paragliding and a vast horizon of some capturing views like the sunsets and sunrise in Pamukkale and Cappadocia, my personal experience of travelling solo to an amazing place, where i experienced warm hospitality from the natives, I would paint my exploration of a fabulous experience as the most surprise came from the exploration of the archaeological ruins, sampling the Turkish delicacies and popular cuisines, soared above otherworldly terrain in a hot air balloon, the sprawling underground city, open air museums and a plethora of viewpoints. This trip of about 6 to 8 weeks gave me an insight for the person I will be to travel alone, be brave enough, challenge myself successfully and explore the world , understanding, respecting and value each country’s cultures and customs.