Returning to Pakistan after living abroad for so many years was a whirlwind of emotions. On the one hand, I missed the familiarity—the comfort of home, the smell of home-cooked food, and the warmth of my family. But on the other hand, I didn’t quite feel like I belonged here anymore. Living abroad had transformed me in ways I didn’t expect, and I was no longer the person my family thought I was. I had always been the obedient daughter, the one who followed the rules. But being away from home for so long had allowed me to redefine who I am. I started to choose my own path—independent, confident,…