I thought it's about time I say a proper hi to all the lovely Steemians over here.

This is Fahad Zaidi from Lahore, Pakistan.. I'm 29 and I have been working as a Project Manager at a software house since the past few years.

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Born and bred in this beautiful city, Lahore, a place that almost has everything to offer.. uhh.. except the beach :/ But pretty much everything one can ask for. My journey since my early childhood has been a rollercoaster ride.. Being part of a Third World nation, yes we do have a lot of shit going on at societal and a state level at any given time! Yes my country's economy, politics, unemployment and inflation is all over the place. Yes our currency is still too weak to gain global dominance and all. Yes we do have all the other internal and external challenges you can possibly think of.

Having said that, it's still heartbreaking to watch Pakistan falsely portrayed as the hub of all the negative things by the mainstream media. In the words of Russell Peters, "we don't keep blowing up every 5 seconds!" :x Pakistan, and particularly Lahore, is undoubtedly one of the most amazing places you'll ever visit! And I have no idea why am I selling patriotism in my introduction! :O Well, yeah I am patriotic, so I had to get that out of the way first.. Please stop believing what the news tell you, Pakistan is a wonderful country blessed with enormous resources, landscapes, amazing and hospitable people and the best South Asian food you'll ever get to taste! :)

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https://s26.postimg.org/kyomsyqjd/lahore_food.jpg

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That's Lahore for you! :O

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And that's the rest of the Pakistan for you! :)

Well, I am just a regular guy, living a normal life.. I have a passion for music, something that I will be starting on pretty soon.. I love to write, about my experiences, the world I am a part of. In addition to this, I enjoy playing table tennis and cricket, and watching as much sports as I possibly can. Mainstream media is something I hate, too much negativity over there. It's always like the world is coming to an end one way or another, however, on the contrary, this world and the billions of people in it are simply beautiful, only if we choose to look at it in a different way.

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The culture, traditions and values where I come from, family relationships mean a lot! I am a family-oriented individual and I love to spend time with my siblings, parents, nephew and my niece.

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That is the naughtiest little brat I have ever known! :)

Well, I try to see the beauty in all the ups and downs I ever witness. Trust me, like most of us out there, I certainly have seen the most testing times, followed by some of the most memorable phases of my life! One thing life has taught me so far is the fact that you need to stay positive and optimistic about everything that goes around you. Yes, it's easier said than done - but this is coming from someone who has seen quite a lot! This is coming from someone who almost gave up and had serious suicidal tendencies not too long ago. Giving up is easy folks.. it's a cowardly act that anyone can do.. living is what requires courage, willpower and patience. No one told me that, never took any medication or therapies. It's my own life, and all the events in it, that made me reassess and re-evaluate myself. My own subconscious is what cured me.. made me look at things in a different way. The road is never going to be a smooth one, all we can do is try to look at everything in a positive way. What way is that? For starters, know that there is nothing as 'failure' in your life. You will either succeed, or you'll learn. Eliminate the word 'failure' from your dictionary. That's what I have been trying to do since the past few years and trust me, it has worked for me on numerous occasions. This is the same what I try to tell people around me whenever they're in distress or having a rough patch in their lives. You need to know that "it's not over yet". One bad moment or phase does not define the rest of your life.. Self-belief and self-affirmation is the arsenal that you can't ever be robbed of. Just have a little faith in yourself and keep marching right ahead! There's a whole lot of fun, experiences and memories out there waiting for you!

Already looking forward to amazing posts, experiences and information by all the wonderful people out there!

Cheers! :)