Playing for Freedom: The Journey of a Young Afghan Girl by Zarifa Adiba & Anne Chaon

Author:Zarifa Adiba & Anne Chaon [Adiba, Zarifa & Chaon, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Published: 2024-04-16T00:00:00+00:00

7

RADIO DJ IN KABUL

Had Mom really been sick? I’d seen no evidence of it since I’d arrived. I was simply happy to see her again, happy to go down with her to the courtyard to break up chunks of coal for the bukhari and bring it back up to our rooms on the fourth floor. It was exhausting work, the late December days were now bitterly cold, and the effort left us covered in black smears from head to toe. But we laughed as we worked. We were together. She needed me by her side. I finally understood that I was everything to her: her best friend, her punching bag, and her reason for living, despite the deep sorrow that ate away at her.

Feeling eager to sign a contract and start work, I met with the people in charge of Radio Jawanan the day after I returned to Kabul. I wore a jacket that was far too thin for the Kabul weather, and during the interview, I was numb with cold and felt slightly intimidated. Nonetheless, I found the courage to suggest that, since their target audience was the younger generation, they should launch a music program, during which they would take live calls from listeners who could ask questions or request their favorite songs. I was lucky; they happened to be looking for someone just like me. They were thrilled at the idea of a female DJ. Jackpot!

Aref, the production manager, a beautiful man with green eyes who was from Bamyan, warned me right away: “Traditionalist propaganda has no place here, either in the office or on air. And there is no discrimination between girls and boys, either.”

If I couldn’t return to the ANIM straightaway, I hoped that I would find a similar type of open-mindedness at the radio station and experience some kind of freedom. As it turned out, my worst fears about the ANIM were soon confirmed. I had a meeting with Dr. Sarmast, during which he informed me he couldn’t let me come back.

As I stood in his office listening to him, I looked at the photos on the wall of the school’s many orchestras and leaders, including a large photograph of Negin and photos of two boy conductors of the youth orchestra. But there were no photographs of me. I was glad that the orchestras were doing well, and I was happy for Negin and the other girls. But my absence in that place made me feel that maybe there was something wrong with me here, as well, just like I was made to feel all wrong at home. I wished there were at least a small photograph of me that showed I, too, had once belonged. I felt sad to no longer be included, and I felt that Dr. Sarmast had forgotten about me. So many people in my family had not valued me, and I couldn’t help but feel that Dr. Sarmast no longer cared as much as he once had. And this hurt me very much.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.