Peace away from home
PEOPLE have their own definitions of being happy. Psychology tells us that happiness is a state of emotional well-being that an individual experiences.
For the Ghafoor family, happiness was a home in the sun away from the bombing and the guerilla warfare that has tore their land in two, according to an article by The Fiji Times on May, 1982.
The children of the Ghafoor family lived in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, that was invaded by Soviet troops.
A place where people lived uneasily and where the sounds of explosions and shots are common.
In a turn of events, Ghafoor children left their home and studied at Suva’s International School because their father Abdul Ghafoor, a top agriculturalist, was posted to Fiji to work for the United Nations Development Program.
He was involved with projects that would aid agriculture in Fiji and Tonga.
His wife Shukria and six children, the youngest then, a 21-month-old Anina enjoyed the peace of the South Pacific.
The Fiji Times met the five older children at the International School yesterday, where they were enrolled.
Oldest son, Farhad Saboor 17, was a sixth form (Year 12) student who wanted to be an engineer, while his sisters Qodsia, 16, and Husnia, 15, were in forms five (Year 11) and four (Year 10).
His brother, Shafi, was a third form (Year 9) student and his nine-year-old sister, Zakia, attended the primary school.
Farhad is the only one who spoke English.
“I took an English course at the high school I attended in Kabul,” he said.
And after two weeks in his new “home”, Farhad’s verdict of Fiji was: “Very quiet and peaceful. I like it very much.”
The family left their Kabul home in June 1983, where they spent some months in Pakistan and In
We sold everything we had when we left Afghanistan, our house and car. But we have not left for good. When Afghanistan is better, we will go back
– Farhad Ghafoor
dia before coming to Fiji.
“Then we received a phone call from my father in New York to say that we were going to live in Fiji.” Farhad said.
Asked what he thought of Fiji so far. Farhad said he noticed there were fewer people, the quiet and the rain.
But did he miss his home in Kabul? His answer was yes.
“We sold everything we had when we left Afghanistan, our house and car. But we have not left for good. When Afghanistan is better, we will go back.”
To prevent any misunderstanding, Farhad maintained that they did not leave their country for any political reasons.
“My father was posted here, and that is why we came.”
Farhad expects to go to America next year, where he hopes to study engineering.
He intended to enjoy his new home, new friends, and new life in Fiji.
Mr Ghafoor is an assistant resident representative for the UNDP in Fiji.
He is here on a threeyear contract after working for the UNDP for seven years in Kabul.
“Now I am on the international staff. I don’t expect to be reported to Afghanistan.
“I hope I am bringing quite a lot of experience to Fiji. I find it a great challenge,” he said.
Like his children, he misses his homeland already.
“I miss my people and I miss my work. But above all, I always think about what is going on there.”