Lahore, Pakistan

Lahore, Pakistan is where Samra is born and lives until her family emigrates to Canada. Despite the fact that Lahore is home to Samra for her early life, it is not necessarily a safe place for her and her family. Violence often erupts between members of different Islamic sects and, as Ahmadis, Samra's family is often targeted. Having to keep her religious identity secret in Pakistan means that it is never really a safe home to her. Pakistan is where Samra spends her formative early years and she is informed by the surrounding culture. She writes about this particularly in relation to ideas of womanhood and femininity, as well as the path that she expected for her future as a woman.

Toronto, Canada

Toronto, Canada is where Samra's family moves to when they leave Pakistan. It is where Samra spends her late childhood, teen, and adult...