Engro Polymer & Chemicals: Investment Case

 Leaving the Familiar Behind: One Man's Journey to Reconnect with His Roots

(Jahanzaib khan/ published 29 August 23)

You've spent the better part of your life living abroad, building a successful career and raising a family in a foreign land. After 25 years away, you finally decide it's time to return home. You pack up your life in Japan, say goodbye to the familiar, and head back to Pakistan with your wife and kids in tow. At first, you're filled with nostalgia and excitement at reconnecting with your roots. But slowly, doubts start to creep in. Can you adapt to life here again after so long away? Will your children embrace their newfound cultural identity? Did you make the right choice leaving behind the comfort of the known for the uncertainty of rediscovering home? This is the story of one man's journey to find belonging in a place that both is and isn't familiar. Buckle up - it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Bidding Farewell to Japan After 25 Years

After 25 years living in Japan, you decided it was time to return to your roots in Pakistan. Bidding farewell to the place you called home for so long was bittersweet.

You built a successful international trading company in Japan, exporting cars around the globe. Though business was booming, you felt a longing to reconnect with your cultural heritage and have your children experience life in Pakistan. Despite second thoughts about uprooting your family, your desire to return home ultimately won out.

Saying goodbye to friends and colleagues was difficult. The familiar rhythms of life in Japan had become second nature. Leaving comforts like efficient public transit, vibrant cities and tasty cuisine gave you pause. Still, visions of bustling bazaars, warm community and family bonds drew you back.

Upon landing in Pakistan, feelings of nostalgia washed over you. Childhood memories flooded your mind as you gazed at the familiar landscape. Emotions swelled in your chest, a blend of joy, nervousness and uncertainty about what the future held.

While Pakistan’s economy and infrastructure have a long way to go, for you, being surrounded by loved ones and immersed in cultural traditions outweigh any challenges. Your kids are discovering their roots, learning native languages and embracing Islamic faith. Though the road ahead remains unclear, you have hope that this homecoming was the right choice. The familiar is now strange but also comforting, as the circle completes itself.

Establishing a Successful Export Business

After 25 years living in Japan, you decided it was time to return to your roots in Pakistan after establishing Taj Trading, an international export business.

Starting the Business

When you first moved back, you weren't sure how your Japanese wife and half-Pakistani children would adjust to life in Islamabad. However, your wife's experience working for a major Japanese automaker proved invaluable in getting your export business up and running. Using her connections, you began brokering deals to ship used cars from Japan to emerging markets like Pakistan, Kenya, Chile, and the UK.

It was difficult at first. You had to build trust and navigate complicated import/export laws in multiple countries. But with perseverance, you assembled a reliable network of suppliers, shippers, and buyers. Within a couple years, Taj Trading was facilitating the export of thousands of cars annually. 

Challenges and Rewards

While business is thriving, living in Pakistan again after so long hasn't been without challenges. Your children struggle with cultural differences and adapting to a new school system. And as a family, you miss the comforts of your old life in Japan.

However, you're glad you took the risk to bring your family back to your homeland. And despite the difficulties, your children are gaining a deeper connection to their cultural heritage and Islamic faith. After 25 years away, you finally feel like you've come home.

Returning Home to Pakistan

Returning home after so long away can stir up a mix of emotions. While the familiarity of home may be comforting, everything likely looks different through your now-worldly eyes. For Mr. Khan, coming back to Pakistan after 25 years in Japan must be both nostalgic and culture-shocking.

A Different World

The Pakistan you left is not the Pakistan you’ve come back to. Over two decades, the social, political and economic landscape has transformed. Many of the places and faces you once knew have changed or gone. At the same time, the deep-rooted cultural traditions you grew up with endure. Reconnecting with family and old friends will ground you, even as you grapple with how much things have changed.

Opportunity and Obstacle

Returning home also means embracing new opportunities and challenges. For your children, it’s a chance to connect with their roots and learn about their heritage. But adapting to life in Pakistan after being raised in Japan may take time. They will have much to learn about cultural norms, Islamic traditions, and speaking Urdu. You too must navigate differences in business, bureaucracy and daily life that you’ve long grown accustomed to in Japan.

Finding a Balance

The key is finding a balance between the familiar and the foreign, the old and the new. Take things slowly, be patient with yourself and your family as you readjust and focus on reestablishing relationships and community connections. While the economy and society may look very different, the place you once called home is still there—you just have to look at it through new eyes. Though it can be difficult, have faith that you will find your footing again, and your decision to return after so long away will prove worthwhile.

Confronting Culture Shock

Coming back to Pakistan after 25 years abroad was a serious culture shock for Sohail. While he had fond memories of his childhood in Karachi and Islamabad, so much had changed in the decades he was away. The familiar sights and sounds of his youth had been replaced by a bustling metropolis that felt foreign yet familiar.

Language

Even speaking Urdu again felt strange on his tongue after speaking mostly Japanese for over two decades. He found himself fumbling for words or using Japanese phrases by accident. His children could understand Urdu but spoke it with a distinctive accent that marked them as outsiders. Communicating felt like an uphill battle at times.

Infrastructure

The city Sohail remembered had been transformed into a concrete jungle. New roads, high-rise buildings, and housing developments had sprung up everywhere. The leisurely pace of life had quickened into the hurried tempo of a major city. Simply getting around Islamabad/Pindi was a challenge as Sohail navigated unfamiliar streets and learned the new public transit system.

Social Mores

Cultural practices and social norms had also shifted in Pakistan. Interactions that were once familiar now felt foreign and awkward. Sohail worried about offending others or being offended himself due to changing sensibilities. His children struggled to adapt to more conservative expectations for dress and behavior. Resuming life in Pakistan would require patience and understanding from all of them.

While Sohail did not regret his decision to return after so long away, adapting to life in Pakistan would be an ongoing process of re-learning and readjustment for his whole family. By maintaining an open and curious mindset, embracing change, and focusing on reconnecting with loved ones, Sohail hoped to make Pakistan feel like home once again. With time and effort, the familiar and unfamiliar might become comfortable companions.

Questioning the Decision to Return

Returning home after being away for so long, you find yourself second-guessing your decision. Did you make the right choice coming back to Pakistan? Things certainly feel familiar in many ways, but in other ways, the country you left behind seems long gone.

Culture Shock

The culture shock hits you at unexpected moments. Simple things like the traffic and noise that you had forgotten about now feel overwhelming. You notice how much more conservative society has become and worry whether your children will adapt. At the same time, you appreciate being able to freely practice your faith and connect to your roots.

Economic Concerns

The economy worries you. Will your business be able to succeed here? Corruption and instability seem as prevalent as ever. You wonder if the opportunities you sought for your family will materialize. Jobs are scarce, and you want your children to have good prospects for their future.

Missing the Familiar

Part of you misses the order and efficiency you grew accustomed to in Japan. You wonder if comfort and stability must be sacrificed to give your children a Pakistani upbringing. You find yourself nostalgic for the life you built overseas, even as you work to establish your new life here.

Finding a Balance

You know that re-adapting will take time. The key is finding a balance between the familiar and the new, maintaining your values while embracing the changes. With time, the culture shock will fade, and home will feel like home again. Your children will learn to love Pakistan as you do, while gaining a global perspective that will serve them well. You came back to give them roots, but also wings to fly. With patience and an open heart, you will find the Pakistan you sought.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it. Mr. Khan's journey is a familiar one for those seeking to rediscover their roots after years living abroad. While the comforts of home call you back, the reality of returning can be jarring. The life you've built, the family you've started, they now face difficulties adapting to a place that is supposed to be familiar but feels foreign. Still, for Mr. Khan, this difficult journey is one he felt he must make for his children and their connection to their heritage. Though the path is not easy, his determination to see it through shows the depth of his love for his family and his home country. His story is one of courage, sacrifice, and staying true to one's roots against all odds.