10 Nov, 2016

hangover after drinking a lot of water and watching television…

10 Nov, 2016

I wake up with a hangover this morning even though last night, I drank only water. But I watched television for a long stretch. In the morning, I drink more water peppered with coffee. On our drive to school, Minal and I discuss the outcome of last night’s US...

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05 Nov, 2016

familiar sights in new surroundings…

Sehba Sarwar
05 Nov, 2016

Today, on my hike to Eaton Waterfall, right as I duck into the shaded trail, I notice a silver-haired man ahead of me, who keeps turning around to look at me. Because we are the only ones on the trail, I feel nervous. But after I take a turn,...

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26 Oct, 2016

memory: a hatchback transformed…

Sehbar Sarwar
26 Oct, 2016

I step out to our street today and freeze at the sidewalk. In front of me rests a red Honda Civic Hatchback, identical to the first new car I bought in 1993. I drove my hatchback up until 2010, after which Eric Hester and I created an art car...

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13 Oct, 2016

more explorations and a bear on the loose…

Sehba Sarwar
13 Oct, 2016

A couple of months ago, when we first landed in Pasadena, California, I began my days with neighborhood walks, but lately, now that the weather has cooled off, I’ve begun hiking in Eaton Canyon instead. Located just a mile from where we live, the park is a “190-acre zoological,...

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05 Oct, 2016

a whirlwind visit…

Sehba Sarwar
05 Oct, 2016

Our friend Oskar visits from Houston for just five days, and in the short amount of time that he is with us, we manage to visit a range of spaces including: Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center, where we view a short-term exhibition London Calling; WiSpa, a 24-hour Korean body...

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28 Sep, 2016

minal closes out her twelfth year…

28 Sep, 2016

Last Wednesday, Minal turned twelve. I surprised her at her all-girls after-school choir practice with a chocolate cake and candles. Her choir group sang happy birthday, and her teacher allowed me to light candles so Minal could make a wish. Even though twelve years have passed since Minal’s arrival,...

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i can’t find goat meat…

When making the rapid shift to Pasadena, I began a list of the replacements we’d have to uncover. And now that we’re here, the list has grown: Pediatrician General Practitioner Neurologist Orthodontist Ophthalmologist Veterinarian Salon for pedicure Desi salon for waxing & threading Hair stylist Car mechanic Tire shop...

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07 Sep, 2016

discovering the perfect markets…

Sehba Sarwar
07 Sep, 2016

Even though Pasadena is a small town, its proximity to Los Angeles and border-less connections to nearby townships means that one has a range of markets where different purchases can be made. Closeby are the usual Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and other grocery stores, but thanks to recommendations from...

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02 Sep, 2016

daily sights and pedestrian’s rights…

Sehba Sarwar
02 Sep, 2016

Each morning, stepping out – rather than driving – for my daily walk is refreshing. In most places where I’ve lived (Karachi, Austin, Houston) I’ve usually driven and parked at a spot before starting my walk. But in Pasadena, our condo is next to Victory Park, a green space...

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19 Aug, 2016

viva la causa…

Sehba Sarwar
19 Aug, 2016

While visiting a local bank, I catch sight of a wall filled with drawings by children. Each poster is a reminder of history; this one is a remembrance of the farm workers movement. 18 Aug 2016 · 04:47:23 PM

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18 Aug, 2016

unpacking boxes…

18 Aug, 2016

We have to pay the city of Pasadena to obtain a parking permit, so the company that moved our belongings from Houston Pasadena can deposit our pods on our street. Though we manage without our boxes and furniture for a week, we are relieved once the pods are delivered....

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15 Aug, 2016

the first day of school…

Sehba Sarwar
15 Aug, 2016

By sheer coincidence, we find a public school in Pasadena that offers similar programs to those in Minal’s Houston school – her new school is International Baccalaureate and also offers a Spanish-English dual language stream. I drop her off in the morning. She lugs a heavy backpack, but seems...

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I was inspired to begin my blog when I visited the library at my alma mater, Mount Holyoke College, and saw a framed photograph of my friends and me calling for divestment of funds from South Africa.

In 2007,  I began a blog when I visited my alma mater and saw a framed photograph of my friends and me calling for divestment of funds from South Africa. I use the blog to document my movement between spaces, Houston, Karachi, Delhi, Dhaka, Los Angeles and elsewhere, recording observations, images and conversations. Here, I document the multiple realities that I inhabit – writer, artist, mother, activist, educator, and transnational. Interviews from my blog were exhibited at Houston’s Baker Ripley Community Center (2014) and at Houston Public Library in downtown (2015). My papers are archived at the University of Houston’s library.