in 2012 my bluegrass band LMA auditioned for a program called American music
for a program called American music
for a program called American music abroad American music abroad is funded
abroad American music abroad is funded
abroad American music abroad is funded by a grant from the US State Department
by a grant from the US State Department
by a grant from the US State Department and administered by the Association for
and administered by the Association for
and administered by the Association for American Voices the American music
American Voices the American music
American Voices the American music abroad program carefully auditions and
abroad program carefully auditions and
abroad program carefully auditions and selects 10 bands a year to travel
selects 10 bands a year to travel
selects 10 bands a year to travel throughout the world for cultural
throughout the world for cultural
throughout the world for cultural exchange focusing on communities with
exchange focusing on communities with
exchange focusing on communities with little or no access or exposure to
little or no access or exposure to
little or no access or exposure to American music these bands ranging from
American music these bands ranging from
American music these bands ranging from Cajun to folk jazz bluegrass and blues
Cajun to folk jazz bluegrass and blues
Cajun to folk jazz bluegrass and blues will perform concerts at embassies and
will perform concerts at embassies and
will perform concerts at embassies and in orphanages they’ll teach master
in orphanages they’ll teach master
in orphanages they’ll teach master classes at local schools they’ll
classes at local schools they’ll
classes at local schools they’ll collaborate with local musicians and
collaborate with local musicians and
collaborate with local musicians and then perform with those same musicians
then perform with those same musicians
then perform with those same musicians at local concerts my band had been
at local concerts my band had been
at local concerts my band had been encouraged to audition by another band
encouraged to audition by another band
encouraged to audition by another band that we’d known who had also performed
that we’d known who had also performed
that we’d known who had also performed with American music abroad throughout
with American music abroad throughout
with American music abroad throughout Southeast Asia we thought why not we
Southeast Asia we thought why not we
Southeast Asia we thought why not we needed a gig plus with any luck they’d
needed a gig plus with any luck they’d
needed a gig plus with any luck they’d send us somewhere with a beach during
send us somewhere with a beach during
send us somewhere with a beach during the depths of the New England winter
the depths of the New England winter
the depths of the New England winter after a lot of speculating and wondering
after a lot of speculating and wondering
after a lot of speculating and wondering where we might go we found out that
where we might go we found out that
where we might go we found out that we’ve been selected to go on an
we’ve been selected to go on an
we’ve been selected to go on an extensive six-week tour of six countries
extensive six-week tour of six countries
extensive six-week tour of six countries whose becca stan kazakhstan kyrgyzstan
whose becca stan kazakhstan kyrgyzstan
whose becca stan kazakhstan kyrgyzstan tajikistan turkmenistan and we would
tajikistan turkmenistan and we would
tajikistan turkmenistan and we would start out the whole week the whole trip
start out the whole week the whole trip
start out the whole week the whole trip in Islamabad Pakistan I’m not gonna lie
in Islamabad Pakistan I’m not gonna lie
in Islamabad Pakistan I’m not gonna lie I had to look up where most of those
I had to look up where most of those
I had to look up where most of those countries were located when we released
countries were located when we released
countries were located when we released this information on social media to our
this information on social media to our
this information on social media to our fans we started to get a lot of
fans we started to get a lot of
fans we started to get a lot of interesting messages back at that time
interesting messages back at that time
interesting messages back at that time in 2012 we were one of the only
in 2012 we were one of the only
in 2012 we were one of the only all-female bluegrass bands on the scene
all-female bluegrass bands on the scene
all-female bluegrass bands on the scene don’t go they said it’s far too
don’t go they said it’s far too
don’t go they said it’s far too dangerous for a bunch of women it was
dangerous for a bunch of women it was
dangerous for a bunch of women it was after all just a year before that Osama
after all just a year before that Osama
after all just a year before that Osama bin Laden had been in
bin Laden had been in
bin Laden had been in fascinated in his Pakistan compound by
fascinated in his Pakistan compound by
fascinated in his Pakistan compound by the United States things weren’t exactly
the United States things weren’t exactly
the United States things weren’t exactly friendly between the countries I’m not
friendly between the countries I’m not
friendly between the countries I’m not gonna lie some of these messages really
gonna lie some of these messages really
gonna lie some of these messages really started to get under my skin I worried
started to get under my skin I worried
started to get under my skin I worried and I read the news obsessively I even
and I read the news obsessively I even
and I read the news obsessively I even wrote my own will that I sealed in a
wrote my own will that I sealed in a
wrote my own will that I sealed in a small envelope and left with my
small envelope and left with my
small envelope and left with my boyfriend at the time my husband now but
boyfriend at the time my husband now but
boyfriend at the time my husband now but after a lot of careful thinking and
after a lot of careful thinking and
after a lot of careful thinking and consideration we decided that this was
consideration we decided that this was
consideration we decided that this was an opportunity we really couldn’t pass
an opportunity we really couldn’t pass
an opportunity we really couldn’t pass up on so we packed our bags for the
up on so we packed our bags for the
up on so we packed our bags for the sweltering heat in Pakistan to the
sweltering heat in Pakistan to the
sweltering heat in Pakistan to the sub-zero temperatures in Kazakhstan and
sub-zero temperatures in Kazakhstan and
sub-zero temperatures in Kazakhstan and set off on the trip everything went
set off on the trip everything went
set off on the trip everything went pretty smoothly until we changed planes
pretty smoothly until we changed planes
pretty smoothly until we changed planes in Qatar as I entered the cabin hush
in Qatar as I entered the cabin hush
in Qatar as I entered the cabin hush fell over the plane I remember looking
fell over the plane I remember looking
fell over the plane I remember looking up and seeing that almost all of the
up and seeing that almost all of the
up and seeing that almost all of the people on the plane were men and
people on the plane were men and
people on the plane were men and traditional Pakistani dress many of them
traditional Pakistani dress many of them
traditional Pakistani dress many of them were wearing a harem clothing which is
were wearing a harem clothing which is
were wearing a harem clothing which is similar to a toga made out of terry
similar to a toga made out of terry
similar to a toga made out of terry cloth material it’s what you wear when
cloth material it’s what you wear when
cloth material it’s what you wear when you’re going on a pilgrimage to Mecca
you’re going on a pilgrimage to Mecca
you’re going on a pilgrimage to Mecca I hate lowered my eyes and proceeded
I hate lowered my eyes and proceeded
I hate lowered my eyes and proceeded back to my seat feeling the stares of
back to my seat feeling the stares of
back to my seat feeling the stares of these strange men and I sat down quickly
these strange men and I sat down quickly
these strange men and I sat down quickly immediately later a stewardess came
immediately later a stewardess came
immediately later a stewardess came around and rounded all of us up and
around and rounded all of us up and
around and rounded all of us up and segregated us to an all-female area of
segregated us to an all-female area of
segregated us to an all-female area of the plane there wasn’t much we could say
the plane there wasn’t much we could say
the plane there wasn’t much we could say to one another then but it was obvious
to one another then but it was obvious
to one another then but it was obvious that we were all feeling a little bit
that we were all feeling a little bit
that we were all feeling a little bit rattled we landed in Islamabad awhile
rattled we landed in Islamabad awhile
rattled we landed in Islamabad awhile later – a milky evening sky and
later – a milky evening sky and
later – a milky evening sky and thousands of people waiting for family
thousands of people waiting for family
thousands of people waiting for family members who are coming back from Mecca
members who are coming back from Mecca
members who are coming back from Mecca we were picked up by our foreign service
we were picked up by our foreign service
we were picked up by our foreign service officials and loaded into a giant
officials and loaded into a giant
officials and loaded into a giant government bomb-proof vehicle along the
government bomb-proof vehicle along the
government bomb-proof vehicle along the way they told us that our hotel rooms
way they told us that our hotel rooms
way they told us that our hotel rooms had been cancelled because of a bomb
had been cancelled because of a bomb
had been cancelled because of a bomb threat but not to worry we are going to
threat but not to worry we are going to
threat but not to worry we are going to be put up on the beautiful little
be put up on the beautiful little
be put up on the beautiful little College on the US
College on the US
College on the US pound later that night as we tried to
pound later that night as we tried to
pound later that night as we tried to sleep we heard the call to prayer and we
sleep we heard the call to prayer and we
sleep we heard the call to prayer and we ventured outside on the balcony to
ventured outside on the balcony to
ventured outside on the balcony to listen the caretaker of the cottage who
listen the caretaker of the cottage who
listen the caretaker of the cottage who was a local Pakistani man shoot us back
was a local Pakistani man shoot us back
was a local Pakistani man shoot us back inside quickly
inside quickly
inside quickly no no women don’t go out after dark here
no no women don’t go out after dark here
no no women don’t go out after dark here as I tried to sleep a little while later
as I tried to sleep a little while later
as I tried to sleep a little while later I I couldn’t shake this unease that had
I I couldn’t shake this unease that had
I I couldn’t shake this unease that had come over me I’m a woman who grew up in
come over me I’m a woman who grew up in
come over me I’m a woman who grew up in rural Vermont I got a degree in
rural Vermont I got a degree in
rural Vermont I got a degree in anthropology but nothing could have
anthropology but nothing could have
anthropology but nothing could have possibly prepared me for the culture
possibly prepared me for the culture
possibly prepared me for the culture shock that I was feeling I just told
shock that I was feeling I just told
shock that I was feeling I just told myself to try and be strong and to be
myself to try and be strong and to be
myself to try and be strong and to be open to whatever should happen our first
open to whatever should happen our first
open to whatever should happen our first concert was was at a Women’s College in
concert was was at a Women’s College in
concert was was at a Women’s College in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad I was standing backstage when I heard
I was standing backstage when I heard
I was standing backstage when I heard the first low Rumble followed by
the first low Rumble followed by
the first low Rumble followed by screaming we all gathered together
screaming we all gathered together
screaming we all gathered together backstage to try and figure out what was
backstage to try and figure out what was
backstage to try and figure out what was going on when one of our hosts ran in
going on when one of our hosts ran in
going on when one of our hosts ran in backstage and said that they were gonna
backstage and said that they were gonna
backstage and said that they were gonna have to open the auditorium doors
have to open the auditorium doors
have to open the auditorium doors immediately because the girls were about
immediately because the girls were about
immediately because the girls were about to tear them off their hinges it turns
to tear them off their hinges it turns
to tear them off their hinges it turns out that I had mistaken protests and
out that I had mistaken protests and
out that I had mistaken protests and anger but in reality these girls were
anger but in reality these girls were
anger but in reality these girls were just so excited to see us they couldn’t
just so excited to see us they couldn’t
just so excited to see us they couldn’t wait any longer
wait any longer
wait any longer the next minute I found myself standing
the next minute I found myself standing
the next minute I found myself standing on stage in front of hundreds of
on stage in front of hundreds of
on stage in front of hundreds of Pakistani schoolgirls who were singing
Pakistani schoolgirls who were singing
Pakistani schoolgirls who were singing and clapping along to bluegrass music so
and clapping along to bluegrass music so
and clapping along to bluegrass music so think they had never heard before in
think they had never heard before in
think they had never heard before in their entire lives I was told later that
their entire lives I was told later that
their entire lives I was told later that this was likely the only live concert
this was likely the only live concert
this was likely the only live concert they’d ever seen and to look up on stage
they’d ever seen and to look up on stage
they’d ever seen and to look up on stage and see five women little did they know
and see five women little did they know
and see five women little did they know that it was equally incredible for us to
that it was equally incredible for us to
that it was equally incredible for us to be standing in front of them after the
be standing in front of them after the
be standing in front of them after the show we gathered together in little
show we gathered together in little
show we gathered together in little groups and took selfies and and talked
groups and took selfies and and talked
groups and took selfies and and talked excitedly amongst one another no anger
excitedly amongst one another no anger
excitedly amongst one another no anger no resentment just excited people
no resentment just excited people
no resentment just excited people getting together and sharing something
getting together and sharing something
getting together and sharing something of themselves in the next week we had a
of themselves in the next week we had a
of themselves in the next week we had a day off and decided to spend it going to
day off and decided to spend it going to
day off and decided to spend it going to the base of the
the base of the
the base of the Margalla Hills with our public affairs
Margalla Hills with our public affairs
Margalla Hills with our public affairs officer Rob and our translator Oskar we
officer Rob and our translator Oskar we
officer Rob and our translator Oskar we were given strict orders to stay inside
were given strict orders to stay inside
were given strict orders to stay inside the vans but somehow that day we
the vans but somehow that day we
the vans but somehow that day we finagled a little walking trip through
finagled a little walking trip through
finagled a little walking trip through the village we strolled along cobbled
the village we strolled along cobbled
the village we strolled along cobbled streets with a chute running down the
streets with a chute running down the
streets with a chute running down the middle and goats running around
middle and goats running around
middle and goats running around everywhere we’re having a great time and
everywhere we’re having a great time and
everywhere we’re having a great time and tony noticed that no one was around the
tony noticed that no one was around the
tony noticed that no one was around the whole place felt very empty we started
whole place felt very empty we started
whole place felt very empty we started to think that maybe this was our cue to
to think that maybe this was our cue to
to think that maybe this was our cue to leave
leave
leave but at that moment a gentleman with
but at that moment a gentleman with
but at that moment a gentleman with orange henna colored hair stepped
orange henna colored hair stepped
orange henna colored hair stepped outside of his compound with a pitcher
outside of his compound with a pitcher
outside of his compound with a pitcher of water and two glasses he asked us if
of water and two glasses he asked us if
of water and two glasses he asked us if we wanted some water then we said yes so
we wanted some water then we said yes so
we wanted some water then we said yes so we stood around drinking water with this
we stood around drinking water with this
we stood around drinking water with this man and as we did I noticed that people
man and as we did I noticed that people
man and as we did I noticed that people had started coming out of their
had started coming out of their
had started coming out of their compounds looking at us and smiling
compounds looking at us and smiling
compounds looking at us and smiling after we were finished with our water a
after we were finished with our water a
after we were finished with our water a young man came up to us and asked if we
young man came up to us and asked if we
young man came up to us and asked if we wanted to go see his house so he said
wanted to go see his house so he said
wanted to go see his house so he said yes we followed him up a rocky stone
yes we followed him up a rocky stone
yes we followed him up a rocky stone path to a small house with a tin roof
path to a small house with a tin roof
path to a small house with a tin roof the father invited us inside and
the father invited us inside and
the father invited us inside and ceremoniously pulled a giant bottle of
ceremoniously pulled a giant bottle of
ceremoniously pulled a giant bottle of Mountain Dew out of the refrigerator and
Mountain Dew out of the refrigerator and
Mountain Dew out of the refrigerator and poured us each a glass the young girl
poured us each a glass the young girl
poured us each a glass the young girl came around and offered us candies we
came around and offered us candies we
came around and offered us candies we sat around with that family talking
sat around with that family talking
sat around with that family talking about who we were and why we had come to
about who we were and why we had come to
about who we were and why we had come to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan we even sang them a traditional
we even sang them a traditional
we even sang them a traditional bluegrass song called all fly away some
bluegrass song called all fly away some
bluegrass song called all fly away some bad morning when his life is over
flyway to land where joys will never end
flyway to land where joys will never end ah flying and then something happened
ah flying and then something happened
ah flying and then something happened that changed my worldview to this day
that changed my worldview to this day
that changed my worldview to this day the father asked his young daughter to
the father asked his young daughter to
the father asked his young daughter to sing us a song called lob peyote hey
sing us a song called lob peyote hey
sing us a song called lob peyote hey dois written by allama iqbal the
dois written by allama iqbal the
dois written by allama iqbal the national poet of pakistan it’s a song
national poet of pakistan it’s a song
national poet of pakistan it’s a song that a lot of school kids sing and it
that a lot of school kids sing and it
that a lot of school kids sing and it translates to from our do my longing
translates to from our do my longing
translates to from our do my longing comes to my lips as a supplication of
comes to my lips as a supplication of
comes to my lips as a supplication of mine Oh God
mine Oh God
mine Oh God may like the beauty of the candle be
may like the beauty of the candle be
may like the beauty of the candle be this life of mine may the world’s
this life of mine may the world’s
this life of mine may the world’s darkness disappear through this life of
darkness disappear through this life of
darkness disappear through this life of mine may every place light up with the
mine may every place light up with the
mine may every place light up with the sparkling light of mine when the girl
sparkling light of mine when the girl
sparkling light of mine when the girl was done singing there was reverent
was done singing there was reverent
was done singing there was reverent silence and the father stood I want to
silence and the father stood I want to
silence and the father stood I want to ask you he said to go home to the people
ask you he said to go home to the people
ask you he said to go home to the people of the United States and tell them that
of the United States and tell them that
of the United States and tell them that not all Muslims are bad people we are
not all Muslims are bad people we are
not all Muslims are bad people we are not bad people that moment brought tears
not bad people that moment brought tears
not bad people that moment brought tears to my eyes here I was having just sat
to my eyes here I was having just sat
to my eyes here I was having just sat with this family singing songs with them
with this family singing songs with them
with this family singing songs with them and enjoying their hospitality and they
and enjoying their hospitality and they
and enjoying their hospitality and they still felt the need to tell us that they
still felt the need to tell us that they
still felt the need to tell us that they weren’t bad people I felt so much shame
weren’t bad people I felt so much shame
weren’t bad people I felt so much shame for all the fear I had felt before
for all the fear I had felt before
for all the fear I had felt before coming before meeting these people face
coming before meeting these people face
coming before meeting these people face to face since that trip in 2012 I’ve
to face since that trip in 2012 I’ve
to face since that trip in 2012 I’ve been to 16 countries with American music
been to 16 countries with American music
been to 16 countries with American music abroad and programs like it I’ve met
abroad and programs like it I’ve met
abroad and programs like it I’ve met foreign servants foreign service
foreign servants foreign service
foreign servants foreign service families who have devoted their lives to
families who have devoted their lives to
families who have devoted their lives to the idea that spreading American culture
the idea that spreading American culture
the idea that spreading American culture and friendship will make happier and
and friendship will make happier and
and friendship will make happier and safer
safer
safer communities globally I believe that this
communities globally I believe that this
communities globally I believe that this kind of soft power has the ability to
kind of soft power has the ability to
kind of soft power has the ability to make safer worlds for us and our
make safer worlds for us and our
make safer worlds for us and our children I know that the idea of world
children I know that the idea of world
children I know that the idea of world peace over a soft drink and a song might
peace over a soft drink and a song might
peace over a soft drink and a song might seem a little idealistic but when you
seem a little idealistic but when you
seem a little idealistic but when you have no other language to share music
have no other language to share music
have no other language to share music creates the bridge which we can meet one
creates the bridge which we can meet one
creates the bridge which we can meet one another upon so now as a parting gift to
another upon so now as a parting gift to
another upon so now as a parting gift to all of you I’d like to sing you just the
all of you I’d like to sing you just the
all of you I’d like to sing you just the first verse of love piatti hey dua first
first verse of love piatti hey dua first
first verse of love piatti hey dua first sung to me by a young girl at the base
sung to me by a young girl at the base
sung to me by a young girl at the base of the Margalla Hills la banqueta mana
of the Margalla Hills la banqueta mana
of the Margalla Hills la banqueta mana meri zindagi monkey Surat HUD I am Eddie
meri zindagi monkey Surat HUD I am Eddie
meri zindagi monkey Surat HUD I am Eddie [Music]
[Music]
[Music] Durie dunya committee dancing har jagah
Durie dunya committee dancing har jagah
Durie dunya committee dancing har jagah me rich American day see you Jalla hoja
me rich American day see you Jalla hoja
me rich American day see you Jalla hoja LA baya tea hey do a bond kata magna
LA baya tea hey do a bond kata magna
LA baya tea hey do a bond kata magna meri zindagi monkey Surat o who died a
meri zindagi monkey Surat o who died a
meri zindagi monkey Surat o who died a merry thank you
merry thank you
merry thank you [Applause]
”
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