Tseren who competed for the online voting to take part in famous Fjallraven Polar competition and succeeded has invited Moin Khan the second runner-up to Mongolia. Moin Khan is a traveller from Pakistan and has great visions for the future of his country, which he has generously shared with us in an interview together with Tseren. When he is not exploring nature’s vast landscapes, he devotes time between motivating Pakistan’s youth on the importance of incorporating their passion into their way of life, promoting education for the underprivileged girls, and organising motorcycle tours around Pakistan’s northern areas for adventurous foreigners.
WHEN YOU RECEIVE RANDOM EMAIL FROM RANDOM LADY WITH BLUE HAIR
- First you were contestants and now you seem to be very friendly and became friends?
Tseren: I came in that competition at day 16 and that moment Moin was already in the first place.
- So you caught him out with the votes?
Tseren: Indeed. During the competition Moin was very friendly to us. Of course, there were some aggressive and racist comments. Anyway, both of us did not react on it and we finished the whole competition in friendly way. I already had sympathy for that attitude of him. I am working in tourism and I already studied what he was doing, he is younger, adventurous guy. Pakistan and Mongolia have living standards probably also mentality not incredibly far from each other. I could understand him and I was thinking to invite him. On top of that many Mongolians invited him. Whatever projects I start I never finish it with just talking. I make it happen.
Moin: Basically she invited me and she said a lot of Mongolians invited me after the competition also said Moin you should I come. It wasn’t just the talk, she actually backed it up by going to different companies pitching the idea of me coming to Mongolia, her coming to Pakistan and then Turkish airlines actually believed in her and they said that they are going to support her because she seemed real and that`s the reason Turkish airlines gave her a ticket to Pakistan and give me ticket to Mongolia and that is the reason I am here.
- You just mentioned that there were so many haters and racist comment. What do you think about it? Competition was previously attended by majority from the European countries. Why there was so much negativity?
Tseren: I think it is in social media when there are two different nationals were competing and there are sometimes group of the people who are so negative and so rejecting. I think we should not focus on this, because there are many good people who are supporting and would never ever leave any comment. So when you read it, you think it is so negative, but it is not. Because we just have to look in a bigger scale.
- At the end of the votes, you came first and you came second right?
Moin: Basically, it does not matter what competition is it sports or anything else. Whoever is loosing, sometimes they have to justify them loosing. If they loose in football they would say I hurt my leg and cry like little babies, but the real man is who accepts defeat and works harder next time. When Tseren on day 16, has come up and two three days later she was wining, lot of Pakistanis were obviously disappointed that they were loosing and they were thinking that Mongolia or Tseren is cheating. Like why is she getting so many votes, they have to justify. I think if million people were positive maybe like five or ten were negative.
I think this is very common on social media. I do not see that as a big deal. I could not read everything that Mongolians were writing, I do not think there were any haters from Mongolia. The number was small and it did not make big difference and main thing was Tseren and I competed at fierce competition, but we were very strong ourselves into the bad comments. It was nice and healthy competition.
Mongolia has only three million people, while Pakistan has 190 million people. But more Mongolians voted for her than Pakistanis voted for me. Brotherhood between the Mongolians is much more than Pakistan.
-Thank you it is very appealing to us.
Moin: Our population is may be five hundred percent more than Mongolia, but Mongolians like one. When there is an outside force you have to fight with all Mongolians are together. It is amazing.
WE DO HAVE SAME SPIRIT FOR ADVENTURE AND TRAVEL
-You have won the competition and you have participated in the Fjallraven Polar. But then you had a big heart to invite your opponent to come in Mongolia?
Tseren: As I said before, we do have same spirit for adventure and travel. It was just a competition and sometimes we have to look beyond that. Last day of the competition, I was sure to be the winner. When everyone was congratulating me, I was little upset because we blew up the desire and dream of this young man. Of course I used my social media power. But still I did not have the pleasant feeling. But already in that stage, I knew that I would invite Moin to Mongolia. We just have competing it was kind of sport, we are not fighting, we are just competing. We just have to compete honest as possible. Obviously, I had bigger impact on social media than the Moin, but Moin did really good because 38 thousand people supported that is still biggest number in Fjallraven history. Fjallraven history in last year was 29 thousand. That was the biggest ever vote and I came this year with 49 thousand votes, but next was actually Moin.
Moin: And the third place came with only 7000 votes.
Tseren: Pakistan supported Moin, they also want to see their flag raising up in the Polar tundra. At the end, it was just our ambition. It is everyone`s desire and I saw that everyone attending in the Fjallraven Polar has their own flag on their jacket.
-You have beaten the young 28 year-old competitor and you were going on a dog sled competition. Were there any thoughts of regret or discourage because of the hardships and have the thought that may be you should have let Moin to participate in the race?
Moin: She is strong woman.
Tseren: No. One day I have really thirsty and have a headache and not so good mood. But I never regretted. Whole Fjallraven Polar was above my expectations. It challenged. You loose something, but there is always nextchapter. I think Moin will join next year and I really hope he will do it. Because he had learned so much from loosing this competition.
-We can vote for him next year, right?
Tseren: I hope so, I will not discourage people, but I will support him and I think in many other ways not only for Fjallraven Polar. For whatever he is going to do in the future I will stand there.
-You have completed one of your dreams and what`s next?
Tseren: This was just dream from one year ago. I am not person with bigger dream or plan, but I just try not to loose every adventure or opportunity.
-Why there was a desire to participate in that Fjallraven Polar competition?
Tseren: It`s because it was hard that I wanted to do it. Many people see me as a strong woman, but I don`t think that I am strong. I am not that courageous person as others see me and to overcome that I take many challenges. I competed for Fjallraven Polar last year and I gave it up because my Estonian friend wanted to attend and she said: “Hey dude, take off your name, I want to compete it.” I said okay without thinking and I have taken off my name. But at that moment, it was 2013, I already knew that I would compete the next year. But I didn`t tell it my husband, not even to my boys or kids or colleagues.
-So you were kind of a challenged by your friend?
Tseren: Yeah, I didn`t tell to anyone. My husband was totally surprised when I said I am going to attend this. Of course, Moin didn`t know, when I became suddenly. Because it was just so sudden. There was a tactic and strategy. I want to see who is the winner. Finally, I see that he was the one wining and I saw him social media, how he is doing it and he was not incredibly active. But he was the winner. And I knew already have to beat him off.
-Next question will be to Moin. What were the very first impressions of landing in Mongolia? I think this is the first time ever.
Moin: When I first landed in Mongolia, which was last week. Before, I knew that people would be very warm and very welcoming. But I did not know anything at all. Tseren just sent me a ticket and I did not know where I was staying or what I was going to do in 15 days and I did not even ask her. Because I was not scared to come, I did not plan anything. I thought I just go there and whatever Tseren tells me to do, I will do. If she puts me outside in the parking lot, then I will sleep there. As soon as I met her, she seems like strong lady who beat me really bad in the competition. When I met her, she is very genuine and nice person inside.
-You never have met in person before?
Moin: I met her five days ago.
Tseren: Some people think we were friends for long time.
Moin: When I first met her, it seemed like I was knew her for a long time myself. When I first saw her at the airport, we stayed for a little bit and went out and went to café Amsterdam and bunch of people came, all Tseren`s fans came to see me. It was amazing and I was just relaxing with all the people here. Two three days later, she comes and says here is the car and go to the countryside. I went to Kharkhorum and saw the big monastery and went to a lake, Terelj, it was amazing. I rode horse with Tseren and I took her on the motorcycle with me for a little bit. I am a motorcycle guy. So it was lot of fun. So far, Mongolia has been amazing.
SOME PEOPLE THINK WE WERE FRIENDS FOR LONG TIME
-The timing also great as well. Because, it`s like springtime and it`s getting warm and getting pleasant to travel in Mongolia. Our winter can be very harsh.
Tseren: Moin has busy schedule and I do have. When I am following him on a Facebook, we are not chatting often, because he responded me after two days which doesn`t make any sense. I just worried that he would not take my words seriously and he would not come here and he would miss the plane and this was the biggest worry.
Moin: She is random person. If somebody random from Pakistan, emails you and says come to Pakistan here`s the ticket for travel, would you go? She was a random person. I only saw her pictures and I did not even know that she exists or not. She sent me a ticket and I did not reply back, because I was up in the mountains. She was worried what if I miss the flight and I was thinking the ticket is fake. Some of my friends and most of my family and my parents are really excited that I was going to Mongolia, but some of my friends are like “Are you sure? What if she some crazy person? And I said, “I do not know, I am just going.” Are sure you want to go? And where are you going to stay? I said: “I do not know. I will do whatever she wants me to do.
-You have travelled 25 countries and you’ve seen a lot.
Moin: When you receive random email from random lady with blue hair. Honestly, I think I want to go back and color my hair blue as well. Wherever we go, people know her. We went far away on a horse ride and people knew her. People do not know me in Pakistan, I am upset.
-You were wining the voting competition, but you lost to Mongolian lady never met before. What were your thoughts back that?
Moin: The first fifteen days, I got 12 thousand of votes and the next person got two thousand votes. I was just relaxing; I was not doing anything else. I was like I won the competition, because the second person got only two thousand votes. I was so far ahead. I do not have to do anything now and I am just partying with my friends and suddenly this crazy person comes with blue hair. She got ten thousand votes at the first day and second day got another ten thousand votes.
It was just like, one soldier has gun, but too many soldiers come with bigger guns than you and throw your gun down. Basically, I gave up. I tried, but it was not enough for Mongolians. Pakistan and Mongolia was like battle and this time Mongolia won. Hopefully, Pakistan will work hard and come back stronger in next year and the secret is that Mongolians are on my side now. Whenever, I loose with somebody, I make friends with them. So, next time they do not fight with me.
-It is clear that you will participate next year?
Moin: Hopefully, Inshallah, which is used to say in Pakistan, if god wills, I will participate one more time.
-In your introduction at the voting competition you have mentioned about promoting education for the underprivileged girls aged five to eight and you are also building a school for them. More on that please?
Moin: Basically, every country has different problems and I think that is the problems Pakistan is facing right now. It is due to lack of education. Little kids do not have access to school, especially girls. Because, back in the day, girls weren’t allowed to go to school maybe hundred years ago, but now people are very accepting, they are want their daughters go to school. However, they are not enough people who are working on education in Pakistan.
We need a lot more and that is the reason that made me want to build a school for girls. It is in a small village about 25 minutes away from my house. The boys of that village could go to a school that was fifteen to twenty minutes away. There is no road goes through that village. Old tractors or buses get through and boys of that village get ride to go to school. Girls are shy and have problems to sit with random people. So I built a small school eleven months ago, which is in this village and it takes two or five minutes.
School started with 24 little girls, but over time the number grew and there are 72 little girls and everything is free for them. Hopefully, when Tseren comes in October I am going to take her to the school and all the girls can learn something from her: how to be bold and how to do what you love to do and how to believe in yourself. Their English is not great, but I am going to translate for them and show them her Fjallraven Polar videos and tell them about the competition. Because they do not know about the competition, they do not use Facebook. There is no Internet in that village, and I am trying to get computers to that village.
AN EDUCATED WOMAN IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE SOCIETY
-Why was there a desire to help those girls?
Moin: Because I believe that an educated man is not that important, but an educated woman is more important. Because an educated man might get a nice job and goes works comes back home gives money to his children and goes to work again. But an educated woman takes care of their children more. She makes sure that all her children are educated as well. If there is uneducated man and educated woman, chances are high that their children are going to be educated as well.
-So there is a greater impact.
Moin: Greater impact on the overall society. This village is pretty old and there have not ever been an educated female in that village. So, this is the first group of girls in my school from this entire village. There are also girls from four to five different villages as well.
I think I am not educating only 72 girls, I am helping seven to eight villages and when the girls get educated they come to the bigger cities and work there and support their families back in the village. So, for the entire society it is something good and I found out this village through somebody who told me that it is very poor and it is in bad shape. People wanted me to give them some food or put some water pump. But these are little things. I want them to stand on their feet. I do not want to give them food every month, because they will get used to it. I want them to sustain themselves. I helped them in different ways, but school is the main thing.
-How do you finance the school?
Moin: For the first eight to nine months of the school I was funding the school myself. It is very cheap, like three hundred dollars a month for the entire school. But now as there are 72 girls, it is getting harder. Different people from all over the world send me one dollar a month. About three hundred people send one dollar a month, I run the school.
-It means you have community that is donating.
Moin: Yes, they donate only one dollar a month. Two thousand tugrug is one dollar. Two thousand tugrug a month is not a lot of money.
-I guess that people donate more than one dollar, right? Are donations come from within the Pakistan?
Moin: No, it`s all over the world. Right now I have about 120 people. They give 12 dollars a year. I still have to put some money in.
I made the film in Pakistan, I invited people from different parts of the world to Pakistan and they rode motorcycles with me in the mountains for fifteen days. Basically, people are scared of Pakistan and there is lot of stereotypes, like terrorism. All of that is untrue and wrong. The film that lasts for fifteen minutes. American girls riding motorcycles in the mountains with me for fifteen days in the big cities and no problems were faced. I showed this film in the US, Canada and all the big universities like Harward, Princeton, Stanford, Brooklyn, Vancouver, Toronto, Las Vegas, London and Manchester. I did about 25 shows in four to five different countries to show people what is true about Pakistan. What you seen in the media is not true.
-It is the “Rediscovering Pakistan-the Untold Tale” and you are going to show this film in Ulaanbaatar?
-On May 29, I am going to screen this film in Mongolia.
-Where is the venue for the screening?
Tseren: That`s the problem. This is the introduction of Moin and Pakistan. So many people contacted me because I posted on my facebook about his plan. At the moment, I am looking for a space. I have many responses, but the problem is that they are too big. I just want to have nice cozy where people can also talk about. I do have response, which I have to make a choice. I will announce it tomorrow or by Sunday even Monday.
Moin`s visit here is not just to seesighting. If I do travel, for me it is my biggest desire is getting to know the people. When I am talking about Moin, I want to show him people and to bring him to contact with Mongolians. Not depending from Tseren`s contact, because he should make his own contact as well.
Another young man from Pakistan doing these kinds of things that makes great impact for the future. It is all about giving the signal. I am not going to say to young people to do something or start it. But at least it gives them some signal on what we have done already.
REDISCOVERING PAKISTAN-THE UNTOLD TALE TO BE SCREENED ON MAY 29
-Have you filmed your trip here in Mongolia? Were you thinking to do some documentary?
Moin: I am not a filmmaker and I just made little videos of two to three minutes. I have been filming anything cool that happens, I have it on the video. Hopefully, when I go back, I will post video of Mongolia.
-There are very common sides to both of you. You are not politicians, billionaires, millionaires or doing something really big to affect the whole economy. But you have that common desire and you are making an impact on the whole community. For example, Tseren united all of Mongols and made them vote for her to stand in the first place and Moin is also doing very impactful things to bring the difference. You guys both love your country, out of that love; you guys are doing something that you are doing right now. What is the love for the motherland?
Tseren: It is vey hard question. I love my culture, I love my people, I love my country more than anything else. But again it does not mean that you always have to be looking down or be against any other culture in the world. We are all equal and we all have good side and bad side. We all have advantages and disadvantages. I have absolutely great respect to any other culture. That`s what some people confused especially in my country. Maybe everybody is being raised to be very nationalist. That comes sometime even into my family, If you really love Mongolia, why did you marry with foreigner? I think that is most stupid question, which you can be asked from anybody. Now, people also confused we supported you so much to be in first place what is going on now and you are inviting this man?
With Moin or without Moin I would go one day to Pakistan that was already decided a long time ago. This competition brought us to very different level of communication, friendship we have to take advantage of that. There is no reason to hate or not to like or to be against it. The world is becoming very open and I think bringing Moin is also great opportunity for Mongolians to get know him better also. Some people are asking who is he and they want to know if he is great politician or actor. He is no one. He is just a Moin, he is 28 years old, and traveller, backpacker. I just want to get know him, but that is again me.
Whenever I meet people I want to get for me the important and interesting things. I never want to break the relationship, contacts or friendship just for any silly reason.
Moin: I am very passionate about Pakistan. This is what I truly love. I was born and raised in Pakistan, but I went for university in San Francisco. The day I finish my school, I wanted to tell the world that what you know about the Pakistan is very small percentage and there is much more to learn about this country.
I rode a motorcycle from San Francisco to Pakistan to let the world to meet Pakistan and now I am here in Mongolia. I met a lot of people at café Amsterdam who had never met Pakistanian before. Even in countryside I tell I am from Pakistan and random Mongolian started hugging me these days. He was so excited and said this is the first time he met with a Pakistanian.
You have to follow your passion, you have to do what you love to do and I am passionate about Pakistan. I feel the borders between countries only there to separate us from each other. I think there should not be any borders and you should be free to go, live and do anything you want to and that`s why I crossed the border to meet more people and bring them to Pakistan and show them my country.
Thank you both for the time during your tight schedule and very interesting insight on your trip.
For more information on charity of Moin Khan and screening of his movie please visit www.adifferentagenda.com
Tseren who competed for the online voting to take part in famous Fjallraven Polar competition and succeeded has invited Moin Khan the second runner-up to Mongolia. Moin Khan is a traveller from Pakistan and has great visions for the future of his country, which he has generously shared with us in an interview together with Tseren. When he is not exploring nature’s vast landscapes, he devotes time between motivating Pakistan’s youth on the importance of incorporating their passion into their way of life, promoting education for the underprivileged girls, and organising motorcycle tours around Pakistan’s northern areas for adventurous foreigners.
WHEN YOU RECEIVE RANDOM EMAIL FROM RANDOM LADY WITH BLUE HAIR
- First you were contestants and now you seem to be very friendly and became friends?
Tseren: I came in that competition at day 16 and that moment Moin was already in the first place.
- So you caught him out with the votes?
Tseren: Indeed. During the competition Moin was very friendly to us. Of course, there were some aggressive and racist comments. Anyway, both of us did not react on it and we finished the whole competition in friendly way. I already had sympathy for that attitude of him. I am working in tourism and I already studied what he was doing, he is younger, adventurous guy. Pakistan and Mongolia have living standards probably also mentality not incredibly far from each other. I could understand him and I was thinking to invite him. On top of that many Mongolians invited him. Whatever projects I start I never finish it with just talking. I make it happen.
Moin: Basically she invited me and she said a lot of Mongolians invited me after the competition also said Moin you should I come. It wasn’t just the talk, she actually backed it up by going to different companies pitching the idea of me coming to Mongolia, her coming to Pakistan and then Turkish airlines actually believed in her and they said that they are going to support her because she seemed real and that`s the reason Turkish airlines gave her a ticket to Pakistan and give me ticket to Mongolia and that is the reason I am here.
- You just mentioned that there were so many haters and racist comment. What do you think about it? Competition was previously attended by majority from the European countries. Why there was so much negativity?
Tseren: I think it is in social media when there are two different nationals were competing and there are sometimes group of the people who are so negative and so rejecting. I think we should not focus on this, because there are many good people who are supporting and would never ever leave any comment. So when you read it, you think it is so negative, but it is not. Because we just have to look in a bigger scale.
- At the end of the votes, you came first and you came second right?
Moin: Basically, it does not matter what competition is it sports or anything else. Whoever is loosing, sometimes they have to justify them loosing. If they loose in football they would say I hurt my leg and cry like little babies, but the real man is who accepts defeat and works harder next time. When Tseren on day 16, has come up and two three days later she was wining, lot of Pakistanis were obviously disappointed that they were loosing and they were thinking that Mongolia or Tseren is cheating. Like why is she getting so many votes, they have to justify. I think if million people were positive maybe like five or ten were negative.
I think this is very common on social media. I do not see that as a big deal. I could not read everything that Mongolians were writing, I do not think there were any haters from Mongolia. The number was small and it did not make big difference and main thing was Tseren and I competed at fierce competition, but we were very strong ourselves into the bad comments. It was nice and healthy competition.
Mongolia has only three million people, while Pakistan has 190 million people. But more Mongolians voted for her than Pakistanis voted for me. Brotherhood between the Mongolians is much more than Pakistan.
-Thank you it is very appealing to us.
Moin: Our population is may be five hundred percent more than Mongolia, but Mongolians like one. When there is an outside force you have to fight with all Mongolians are together. It is amazing.
WE DO HAVE SAME SPIRIT FOR ADVENTURE AND TRAVEL
-You have won the competition and you have participated in the Fjallraven Polar. But then you had a big heart to invite your opponent to come in Mongolia?
Tseren: As I said before, we do have same spirit for adventure and travel. It was just a competition and sometimes we have to look beyond that. Last day of the competition, I was sure to be the winner. When everyone was congratulating me, I was little upset because we blew up the desire and dream of this young man. Of course I used my social media power. But still I did not have the pleasant feeling. But already in that stage, I knew that I would invite Moin to Mongolia. We just have competing it was kind of sport, we are not fighting, we are just competing. We just have to compete honest as possible. Obviously, I had bigger impact on social media than the Moin, but Moin did really good because 38 thousand people supported that is still biggest number in Fjallraven history. Fjallraven history in last year was 29 thousand. That was the biggest ever vote and I came this year with 49 thousand votes, but next was actually Moin.
Moin: And the third place came with only 7000 votes.
Tseren: Pakistan supported Moin, they also want to see their flag raising up in the Polar tundra. At the end, it was just our ambition. It is everyone`s desire and I saw that everyone attending in the Fjallraven Polar has their own flag on their jacket.
-You have beaten the young 28 year-old competitor and you were going on a dog sled competition. Were there any thoughts of regret or discourage because of the hardships and have the thought that may be you should have let Moin to participate in the race?
Moin: She is strong woman.
Tseren: No. One day I have really thirsty and have a headache and not so good mood. But I never regretted. Whole Fjallraven Polar was above my expectations. It challenged. You loose something, but there is always nextchapter. I think Moin will join next year and I really hope he will do it. Because he had learned so much from loosing this competition.
-We can vote for him next year, right?
Tseren: I hope so, I will not discourage people, but I will support him and I think in many other ways not only for Fjallraven Polar. For whatever he is going to do in the future I will stand there.
-You have completed one of your dreams and what`s next?
Tseren: This was just dream from one year ago. I am not person with bigger dream or plan, but I just try not to loose every adventure or opportunity.
-Why there was a desire to participate in that Fjallraven Polar competition?
Tseren: It`s because it was hard that I wanted to do it. Many people see me as a strong woman, but I don`t think that I am strong. I am not that courageous person as others see me and to overcome that I take many challenges. I competed for Fjallraven Polar last year and I gave it up because my Estonian friend wanted to attend and she said: “Hey dude, take off your name, I want to compete it.” I said okay without thinking and I have taken off my name. But at that moment, it was 2013, I already knew that I would compete the next year. But I didn`t tell it my husband, not even to my boys or kids or colleagues.
-So you were kind of a challenged by your friend?
Tseren: Yeah, I didn`t tell to anyone. My husband was totally surprised when I said I am going to attend this. Of course, Moin didn`t know, when I became suddenly. Because it was just so sudden. There was a tactic and strategy. I want to see who is the winner. Finally, I see that he was the one wining and I saw him social media, how he is doing it and he was not incredibly active. But he was the winner. And I knew already have to beat him off.
-Next question will be to Moin. What were the very first impressions of landing in Mongolia? I think this is the first time ever.
Moin: When I first landed in Mongolia, which was last week. Before, I knew that people would be very warm and very welcoming. But I did not know anything at all. Tseren just sent me a ticket and I did not know where I was staying or what I was going to do in 15 days and I did not even ask her. Because I was not scared to come, I did not plan anything. I thought I just go there and whatever Tseren tells me to do, I will do. If she puts me outside in the parking lot, then I will sleep there. As soon as I met her, she seems like strong lady who beat me really bad in the competition. When I met her, she is very genuine and nice person inside.
-You never have met in person before?
Moin: I met her five days ago.
Tseren: Some people think we were friends for long time.
Moin: When I first met her, it seemed like I was knew her for a long time myself. When I first saw her at the airport, we stayed for a little bit and went out and went to café Amsterdam and bunch of people came, all Tseren`s fans came to see me. It was amazing and I was just relaxing with all the people here. Two three days later, she comes and says here is the car and go to the countryside. I went to Kharkhorum and saw the big monastery and went to a lake, Terelj, it was amazing. I rode horse with Tseren and I took her on the motorcycle with me for a little bit. I am a motorcycle guy. So it was lot of fun. So far, Mongolia has been amazing.
SOME PEOPLE THINK WE WERE FRIENDS FOR LONG TIME
-The timing also great as well. Because, it`s like springtime and it`s getting warm and getting pleasant to travel in Mongolia. Our winter can be very harsh.
Tseren: Moin has busy schedule and I do have. When I am following him on a Facebook, we are not chatting often, because he responded me after two days which doesn`t make any sense. I just worried that he would not take my words seriously and he would not come here and he would miss the plane and this was the biggest worry.
Moin: She is random person. If somebody random from Pakistan, emails you and says come to Pakistan here`s the ticket for travel, would you go? She was a random person. I only saw her pictures and I did not even know that she exists or not. She sent me a ticket and I did not reply back, because I was up in the mountains. She was worried what if I miss the flight and I was thinking the ticket is fake. Some of my friends and most of my family and my parents are really excited that I was going to Mongolia, but some of my friends are like “Are you sure? What if she some crazy person? And I said, “I do not know, I am just going.” Are sure you want to go? And where are you going to stay? I said: “I do not know. I will do whatever she wants me to do.
-You have travelled 25 countries and you’ve seen a lot.
Moin: When you receive random email from random lady with blue hair. Honestly, I think I want to go back and color my hair blue as well. Wherever we go, people know her. We went far away on a horse ride and people knew her. People do not know me in Pakistan, I am upset.
-You were wining the voting competition, but you lost to Mongolian lady never met before. What were your thoughts back that?
Moin: The first fifteen days, I got 12 thousand of votes and the next person got two thousand votes. I was just relaxing; I was not doing anything else. I was like I won the competition, because the second person got only two thousand votes. I was so far ahead. I do not have to do anything now and I am just partying with my friends and suddenly this crazy person comes with blue hair. She got ten thousand votes at the first day and second day got another ten thousand votes.
It was just like, one soldier has gun, but too many soldiers come with bigger guns than you and throw your gun down. Basically, I gave up. I tried, but it was not enough for Mongolians. Pakistan and Mongolia was like battle and this time Mongolia won. Hopefully, Pakistan will work hard and come back stronger in next year and the secret is that Mongolians are on my side now. Whenever, I loose with somebody, I make friends with them. So, next time they do not fight with me.
-It is clear that you will participate next year?
Moin: Hopefully, Inshallah, which is used to say in Pakistan, if god wills, I will participate one more time.
-In your introduction at the voting competition you have mentioned about promoting education for the underprivileged girls aged five to eight and you are also building a school for them. More on that please?
Moin: Basically, every country has different problems and I think that is the problems Pakistan is facing right now. It is due to lack of education. Little kids do not have access to school, especially girls. Because, back in the day, girls weren’t allowed to go to school maybe hundred years ago, but now people are very accepting, they are want their daughters go to school. However, they are not enough people who are working on education in Pakistan.
We need a lot more and that is the reason that made me want to build a school for girls. It is in a small village about 25 minutes away from my house. The boys of that village could go to a school that was fifteen to twenty minutes away. There is no road goes through that village. Old tractors or buses get through and boys of that village get ride to go to school. Girls are shy and have problems to sit with random people. So I built a small school eleven months ago, which is in this village and it takes two or five minutes.
School started with 24 little girls, but over time the number grew and there are 72 little girls and everything is free for them. Hopefully, when Tseren comes in October I am going to take her to the school and all the girls can learn something from her: how to be bold and how to do what you love to do and how to believe in yourself. Their English is not great, but I am going to translate for them and show them her Fjallraven Polar videos and tell them about the competition. Because they do not know about the competition, they do not use Facebook. There is no Internet in that village, and I am trying to get computers to that village.
AN EDUCATED WOMAN IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE SOCIETY
-Why was there a desire to help those girls?
Moin: Because I believe that an educated man is not that important, but an educated woman is more important. Because an educated man might get a nice job and goes works comes back home gives money to his children and goes to work again. But an educated woman takes care of their children more. She makes sure that all her children are educated as well. If there is uneducated man and educated woman, chances are high that their children are going to be educated as well.
-So there is a greater impact.
Moin: Greater impact on the overall society. This village is pretty old and there have not ever been an educated female in that village. So, this is the first group of girls in my school from this entire village. There are also girls from four to five different villages as well.
I think I am not educating only 72 girls, I am helping seven to eight villages and when the girls get educated they come to the bigger cities and work there and support their families back in the village. So, for the entire society it is something good and I found out this village through somebody who told me that it is very poor and it is in bad shape. People wanted me to give them some food or put some water pump. But these are little things. I want them to stand on their feet. I do not want to give them food every month, because they will get used to it. I want them to sustain themselves. I helped them in different ways, but school is the main thing.
-How do you finance the school?
Moin: For the first eight to nine months of the school I was funding the school myself. It is very cheap, like three hundred dollars a month for the entire school. But now as there are 72 girls, it is getting harder. Different people from all over the world send me one dollar a month. About three hundred people send one dollar a month, I run the school.
-It means you have community that is donating.
Moin: Yes, they donate only one dollar a month. Two thousand tugrug is one dollar. Two thousand tugrug a month is not a lot of money.
-I guess that people donate more than one dollar, right? Are donations come from within the Pakistan?
Moin: No, it`s all over the world. Right now I have about 120 people. They give 12 dollars a year. I still have to put some money in.
I made the film in Pakistan, I invited people from different parts of the world to Pakistan and they rode motorcycles with me in the mountains for fifteen days. Basically, people are scared of Pakistan and there is lot of stereotypes, like terrorism. All of that is untrue and wrong. The film that lasts for fifteen minutes. American girls riding motorcycles in the mountains with me for fifteen days in the big cities and no problems were faced. I showed this film in the US, Canada and all the big universities like Harward, Princeton, Stanford, Brooklyn, Vancouver, Toronto, Las Vegas, London and Manchester. I did about 25 shows in four to five different countries to show people what is true about Pakistan. What you seen in the media is not true.
-It is the “Rediscovering Pakistan-the Untold Tale” and you are going to show this film in Ulaanbaatar?
-On May 29, I am going to screen this film in Mongolia.
-Where is the venue for the screening?
Tseren: That`s the problem. This is the introduction of Moin and Pakistan. So many people contacted me because I posted on my facebook about his plan. At the moment, I am looking for a space. I have many responses, but the problem is that they are too big. I just want to have nice cozy where people can also talk about. I do have response, which I have to make a choice. I will announce it tomorrow or by Sunday even Monday.
Moin`s visit here is not just to seesighting. If I do travel, for me it is my biggest desire is getting to know the people. When I am talking about Moin, I want to show him people and to bring him to contact with Mongolians. Not depending from Tseren`s contact, because he should make his own contact as well.
Another young man from Pakistan doing these kinds of things that makes great impact for the future. It is all about giving the signal. I am not going to say to young people to do something or start it. But at least it gives them some signal on what we have done already.
REDISCOVERING PAKISTAN-THE UNTOLD TALE TO BE SCREENED ON MAY 29
-Have you filmed your trip here in Mongolia? Were you thinking to do some documentary?
Moin: I am not a filmmaker and I just made little videos of two to three minutes. I have been filming anything cool that happens, I have it on the video. Hopefully, when I go back, I will post video of Mongolia.
-There are very common sides to both of you. You are not politicians, billionaires, millionaires or doing something really big to affect the whole economy. But you have that common desire and you are making an impact on the whole community. For example, Tseren united all of Mongols and made them vote for her to stand in the first place and Moin is also doing very impactful things to bring the difference. You guys both love your country, out of that love; you guys are doing something that you are doing right now. What is the love for the motherland?
Tseren: It is vey hard question. I love my culture, I love my people, I love my country more than anything else. But again it does not mean that you always have to be looking down or be against any other culture in the world. We are all equal and we all have good side and bad side. We all have advantages and disadvantages. I have absolutely great respect to any other culture. That`s what some people confused especially in my country. Maybe everybody is being raised to be very nationalist. That comes sometime even into my family, If you really love Mongolia, why did you marry with foreigner? I think that is most stupid question, which you can be asked from anybody. Now, people also confused we supported you so much to be in first place what is going on now and you are inviting this man?
With Moin or without Moin I would go one day to Pakistan that was already decided a long time ago. This competition brought us to very different level of communication, friendship we have to take advantage of that. There is no reason to hate or not to like or to be against it. The world is becoming very open and I think bringing Moin is also great opportunity for Mongolians to get know him better also. Some people are asking who is he and they want to know if he is great politician or actor. He is no one. He is just a Moin, he is 28 years old, and traveller, backpacker. I just want to get know him, but that is again me.
Whenever I meet people I want to get for me the important and interesting things. I never want to break the relationship, contacts or friendship just for any silly reason.
Moin: I am very passionate about Pakistan. This is what I truly love. I was born and raised in Pakistan, but I went for university in San Francisco. The day I finish my school, I wanted to tell the world that what you know about the Pakistan is very small percentage and there is much more to learn about this country.
I rode a motorcycle from San Francisco to Pakistan to let the world to meet Pakistan and now I am here in Mongolia. I met a lot of people at café Amsterdam who had never met Pakistanian before. Even in countryside I tell I am from Pakistan and random Mongolian started hugging me these days. He was so excited and said this is the first time he met with a Pakistanian.
You have to follow your passion, you have to do what you love to do and I am passionate about Pakistan. I feel the borders between countries only there to separate us from each other. I think there should not be any borders and you should be free to go, live and do anything you want to and that`s why I crossed the border to meet more people and bring them to Pakistan and show them my country.
Thank you both for the time during your tight schedule and very interesting insight on your trip.
For more information on charity of Moin Khan and screening of his movie please visit www.adifferentagenda.com