We three friends chose a middle row and waited. When the lights went off and screen turned on, hundreds of eyes turned toward the screen. I was astonished.

We women are beautiful as we are, and freedom to wear a good-looking dress would only make us more beautiful! Opinions differ, but many people would prefer the freedom to dress the way we did thirty years ago.

The Afghan Constitution says: “Any kind of discrimination and distinction between citizens of Afghanistan shall be forbidden. The citizens of Afghanistan, men and women, have equal rights and duties before the law.“ How can equal rights mean the women stay home?

As we came home after our exams, she would be standing in the doorway waiting for good news. If she saw we were happy and smiling, she would know we had done well and would start clapping. Then she would tell us to change our clothes and come into the kitchen for our favourite foods like mantu, ashak, and qabuli palow to show us how happy she was.

Some of my classmates who were from Saudi Arabia asked me what I thought about the death of bin Laden. I told them, “You should tell me your idea first.” But they kept quiet. They did not want to share their thoughts, so neither did I. Bin Laden is from their country, not mine.