When Farid said,"You've always been a tourist here, you just didn't know it", what does he mean? What is Farid's impression of emigrant Afghans who returns to visit Afghanistan?
Afghanistan almost unrecognizable to Amir since he was absent and in America. Farid’s comments are pointed to Amir. He (Amir) had been living a life of privilege while the rest of Afghanistan struggled to survive amidst war and ruin. Farid points out the painful fact that Amir had, “Always been a tourist in his own country.” Farid feels that Afghans who have left and come back do not understand their own country.
