Tooba Mahmood is a senior at Warren Woods and recently got engaged! The man she is engaged to lives all the way in Pakistan. Tooba is Seventeen and Ahad the man she is eventually going to marry is nineteen. She is beyond excited for the future. Tooba’s parents have been together for over forty years and she plans for the same success!
Tooba’s mom got a call one day in August from her friend that she was extremely close to when she was young saying that her 19-year-old son Ahad, is looking to get married and that she thought her daughter Tooba was a great choice. After that phone call, Tooba and her mother talked and at first, Tooba did not want anything to do with this.
Tooba’s mother arranged this, but before her mother did she made sure that Tooba was on board and if not that it was no big deal. Tooba has a large family with four sisters and two brothers. Her twenty-one year old sister is even engaged to Tooba’s Fiancés Best Friend. Tooba and her sister both have lots in common, but this has brought them closer.
Tooba did not want to but then she got his number and they started to talk. The two skyped, texted, called, and emailed but because of the time difference it was extremely hard. The first time they talked was extremely awkward but as time passed it got better, they found out how much in common they actually had and the two warmed up to each other. “It took me several days until I told my mom I was okay with this,” Tooba stated.
Ahad and Tooba hadn’t met until this past November, when Tooba, her mom, sister, and brother flew to Pakistan to visit family and attend other occasions. They also went so that the two sisters could meet the men they were eventually going to get married too.
The flight was very exciting for Tooba! “I felt anxious and nervous,” Tooba said. She has never been on a plane before. The flight was about 16 hours. The family left at 12 pm to drive to Chicago and from Chicago, their flight left to go to Turkey. It was eleven hours and an hour lay over. Once the layover was done it was another six-hour flight to Pakistan. They landed around 4 a.m. but Pakistan in 14 hours behind the United States.
The family was there from November 22nd to December 25th. They have had this planned since early September and have been excited! “I have never been on a plane before up until this and I was excited to leave the country and experience more,” Tooba said.
While in Pakistan, Tooba and Ahad did many things together, although they never went on a date alone they had many quick moments by themselves. Ahad showed Tooba around and gave her tours, the two went shopping, and they ate out a lot at restaurants.
Also, they had an engagement party! The majority of Tooba’s family lives here in the United States but Ahad’s family live in Lahore, Pakistan. All of his family was there, around 100 people. “I was so nervous to meet his family, gasping for words. I was unsure how to react or what to say,” Tooba said.
She was up at 8 a.m., showered, and left at 9. From then she went to the salon got her hair and make-up done. “I got dolled up and was so busy all day long!” Tooba stated.
She also had henna, which is a semi-permanent tattoo. She left the salon at 4 pm and went to the hall for the photo shoot.” The hall was huge, white with maroon décor. It was gorgeous!” Tooba said. The party was from 5 pm to 12 pm.
On December 20th, they were officially engaged!! The two plan on getting married after Tooba is done with college and ready. But they have a big question! Where are they going to settle??? Will they live in America or Pakistan?
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