Dreaming Australia

Blood flows on the war-torn streets of Masar e-Sharif. To try to cope with that, and barbarous Taliban rule, Soraya illegally reads and attends a secret girls’ school. But when her mother is killed in a missile attack, all Soraya’s girlish dreams and aspirations appear to be crushed forever. One night, her father mentions a cousin living in the rich country of Australia and tells her she will be going there. To give hope to their family, her captive brother’s note says, she must journey to that beautiful, peaceful land of Australia. The first thing she will notice, the people smuggler informs her, is how hospitable Australians are. They will wave and shout their greetings, and helpful officials will be at the dock to assist her. Towards God is the journeying, Muhammed says to her as she leaves for Islamabad airport. So Soraya dares to dream again. Wouldn’t you?