15 unforgettable portraits from the 'Humans of New York' photographer's trip to Pakistan

Continuing last year's tradition, photographer Brandon Stanton, aka "Humans of New York," is taking part of the summer to venture outside of NYC and tell the stories of people from another city, country, and culture.

What he has found and shared on his wildly popular Facebook page is that even when you travel half way across the world, people still share similar hopes, fears, and aspirations.

This August, Stanton has been in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Northern Pakistan, a place he tells his Facebook followers, "has some of the most amazing landscapes on the planet." 

Stanton has already gathered a handful of moving stories, funny quips, and wonderful portraits. Below are the best images, along with their original captions, that he's published so far while on the road.

SEE ALSO: Meet 12 Unforgettable 'Humans Of New York'

“Education changed the lives of my entire family. Before education, we knew only how to work. It was always very quiet in our home. My grandfather was a laborer, but he paid to send my father to a tutor so that he could learn to read. He told my father that, if nothing else, he should begin by learning how to read and write his name. When I was born, my father taught me how to read. I started with local newspapers. I learned that our village was part of a country. Then I moved on to books. And I learned that there was an entire world around this mountain. I learned about human rights. Now I’m studying political science at the local university. I want to be a teacher.”

(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)

“The most important thing about swimming is to not be afraid.” “What advice do you have for people who are afraid?” “Just don’t be afraid. Or you’ll drown.”

 (Hunza Valley, Pakistan)

“I’m studying overseas at a small college in Minnesota. I’m just home for the summer. There’s definitely more outward freedom in the states to wear what I want and do what I want. But I never feel completely at ease because there are only three Pakistanis at my school, and I feel that everything I do reflects on my family, my religion, and my country. I feel pressured to always be exceedingly polite and well behaved, even when I don’t feel like it. But in Pakistan I can relax more, even though the electricity sometimes goes out and I’ve already been mugged twice since I’ve been back. Because here I feel like my actions only reflect on me.”

(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)

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