100 Strangers: Babu and Khan

Meet Babu and Khan.  I met them at the tire shop where I took the reflection photos posted on Friday.  Both of them volunteered to have their pictures taken.  (What a relief.  I have no trouble talking to strangers, but I find it really hard asking if I can take a picture).  Khan made me promise not to ask him to smile.  Babu is from a village near Karachi, Pakistan and is Khan's nephew.  Prior to coming here a year ago, he studied technical engineering at a Christian school in Karachi.  Babu grew up knowing that his uncle was sponsoring him for a visa.  It took 13 years of waiting before it was granted.  Hard as it must have been, he says he did not give up hope about this long journey.  I can only imagine how difficult a transition it must be given how different our cultures are.  Nonetheless, Babu is happy he's here and seems to have a positive outlook.  There was so much more I would have liked to know about both of them; but after all, they were at work.  And the shop was really busy.  It was a pleasure meeting both of these guys.