Eid Greetings & Some Wishful Thinking

This Ramadan has been a strange one to say the least. Call me naïve, but I expected some of the violence in Pakistan (and all over the Muslim world for that matter) to abate during this Holy month at least.

I know that people who murder others have no religion, despite their claims to the contrary, but for some reason I thought even monsters like that must have a shred of mercy perhaps, for lack of a better word, and might spare people during this month of fasting.

I was very wrong of course.

First the public killing of two innocent young brothers in Sialkot, and then a few suicide bombings later, I am now convinced nothing is going to change in Pakistan any time soon.

Even massive flooding in the already fragile country hasn’t deterred the situation from worsening.

I guess when you know the law is ineffective and can’t, or won’t, prevent incidents of senseless death and destruction, you kind of start hoping that something, anything, else will.

I’ve even seen reports on television that show regular people taking advantage of the floods in Pakistan by hiking food prices, even in cases where the floods aren’t affecting any of the prices at all.

I suppose that’s nothing new, because that’s exactly what market vendors did after the earthquake in 2005. Again, I guess it was just silly of me to think that maybe they would act with more compassion this time, largely because the flooding in Pakistan is the worst the country has ever seen, and also because it is a humanitarian crisis of unparalleled magnitude. Also, it is Ramadan, and that should mean something to normal people, if not the ones who are involved in terrorist activities.

Again, I guess I was wrong.

Ramadan seems to mean nothing more to most than having delicious iftars, attending a sermon or two, and maybe attending the extra prayers at the mosque after Isha prayer.

I know that a lot of people are helping those affected by the floods, but there are so many more who are not only not helping, but probably making things more difficult by hiking prices and making people’s lives more arduous.

It’s probably not fair to blame them entirely though, because they probably can’t make ends meet either, which is why they feel the need to resort to such dishonest tactics. I prefer to think that’s the only reason people would behave that way, even though I know full well it isn’t.

In any case, Ramadan isn’t supposed to be just one month out of a year in which Muslims refrain from less than exemplary behavior. It’s supposed to be a whole month of fasting and thinking about what one wants to improve about one self, and then trying to stick to one’s self improvement goals throughout the year.

For a lot of people that seems to be very difficult though, which is why I thought that maybe, just maybe, some would at least desist from wrongdoing and harming others during this one month.

Of course, I was wrong.

And now as Eid approaches, I somehow can’t shake the feeling of sadness at a nation’s failed and corrupted morality.

This Eid will be a bittersweet one for me, because I’ll be thinking of all those unfortunate people who lost their lives, and all the families that have been destroyed, either because of the floods or more regrettably, because of the unnecessary and unending violence in the country we call Pakistan.

Check out my latest article on DesiVibe.com and tell me what you think! http://www.desivibe.com/index.php?/Special-Feature/pakistan-a-land-of-forgotten-ideals/

Happy Ramadan

As it turns out, bad habits and routines gone awry are difficult to fix. While I continue to struggle to make amends for my apparent disappearance, here are two pieces from me for you to have a read through. Don't forget to comment!

Also, a very happy Ramadan to everyone! May this month be a blessed time for all of you. 
More later soon (hopefully), 
Keep cool,
xo


My latest article "Stop at your own risk" on DesiVibe.com - http://www.desivibe.com/index.php?/Special-Feature/stop-at-your-own-risk/

My first movie review for DesiVibe.com - http://www.desivibe.com/index.php?/Entertainment-News/khatta-meetha-review/

Lost and Finally Found

For a few days now, I have been putting some (relatively) serious thought into what to do with my blog.
Before you burst into a happy dance, let me assure you that I am not thinking of deleting it.
I've been thinking about what I write on my blog and why.
I started it initially because I wanted to have a kind of "portfolio". Something to make it a bit easier for those I submit my work to, so they can decide if they might like to have me write for them.
As I wrote more articles for DesiVibe though, as well as just wrote more in general, I began to realize what I enjoyed writing most.
I became more certain that I didn't want to go into journalism, or any kind of field where I'd be restricted to writing only neutral or factual type pieces.
I love voicing my opinions, being creative, and asking for my readers' opinions as well. I really do enjoy knowing what others think, not just about my writing but about different issues in general.
World events are always important of course, but I found that I gravitate more towards more subjective topics like observations on the world around us, and issues that define and concern certain groups of people perhaps. I guess that would be included in the realm of personal, anecdotal, and even cultural discussion type writing.
Some time ago, I decided to change my blog's direction, and write about what it's like to be shuffling confusedly between Ottawa and Dubai, among "other stuff".
Unfortunately, I forgot the former part of my blog description, and got caught up in the "other stuff".
I'd remember periodically that I was also supposed to be writing about my experiences, which is when you'd get the more personal type blog posts, but overall I believe I failed to do justice to what I had set out to do.
Lest I get sidetracked again, I've gone and made some changes to my blog description and how I'm going to approach topics now.
I'm too much of a wanderer though, and don't like to confine myself, so there will still be a mish mash of things on my blog. That'll probably help prevent things from getting too serious or monotonous, which is always good, right?
So what can you expect from this blog?
You can expect the honest and candid thoughts, experiences, and situations, a 20 something, Canadian Desi girl finds herself in as she lives in two totally different parts of the world. 
The first is a part of the contemporary Western world, and the second, the modern Arab world of today. There is a third too, my homeland, which I visit for a few days every now and then.
I understand and respect all three cultures, even though I don't agree completely with everything in any of them. I am aware of the advantages and pitfalls of each place, and maybe that's what makes it difficult to decide which one truly comes out on tops. 
Until I navigate my way around in my head some more, and write up my next post, why don't you be so kind as to visit the link to my latest article and leave your comments on the website?
It would be much appreciated. 
And if you know someone like the character I've described in my piece, do let me know how you've been dealing with them. Maybe we can exchange some valuable tips.
Till next time then,
xx


Link: http://www.desivibe.com/special-feature/679-the-human-leech

Article Alert - The Human Leech @ DesiVibe.com

We come across all sorts of people, and perhaps that’s part of what makes life so interesting. Without some irritating intruders, how would we ever know the difference between those we want to spend time with, and those we consider a waste of energy? You need to have experienced the bad to appreciate the good, right? That’s a more positive way to look at it anyway.

There is a whole variety of individuals worth discussing, but there is only so much that can be talked about in one article.

Today then, we’ll be talking about that category of people who seem more like descendents of the leech family or some combination of human and leech genes that have mutated together over time. For your convenience, I have named this type of person, “The Human Leech”. Just to make it easier for us to discuss and educate ourselves on, of course.

For the rest of the article visit DesiVibe.com or http://www.desivibe.com/special-feature/679-the-human-leech

Hope you like it!

xx

"Up Side, Down side" on DesiVibe

Quite a bit of my one month trip to Sharjah was spent doing things revolving around our new apartment there. 

Although my dad had moved in by the time my mom and I arrived, there was still a lot to be done.

The apartment is still not completely furnished, and we're still waiting for the rest of our family, living, and dining room furniture from the place we ordered it to be custom made.

We've moved countless times, and have lived in different places, and in more than 20 different houses, but each time is an experience in itself.

I thought I'd share a bit about what this particular move was like. 

Hope you enjoy it!

xOxOxO

To read, go to: 

http://www.desivibe.com/special-feature/591-up-side-down-side-

Here Comes the Paan Police! - Special Feature @ DesiVibe.Ca

Most people of South Asian descent are aware of what Paan is. For those who aren’t so sure,
Paan is made of various spices and ingredients that are mixed together and wrapped up in a betel leaf. Tobacco can be added for those who want. There are different types of Paan, each with its own combination of ingredients and unique flavour.
Chewing Paan is an Indian tradition, but has spread to countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Bollywood mega-star, Amitabh Bachan, sang and danced to a song about Paan in the 1978 movie, Don. Decades later, Shahrukh Khan did the same in the movie’s remake.
More recently however, signs of Paan chewing have also been found in Gulf countries like Qatar and the UAE.

For the complete article go to:
http://www.desivibe.ca/special-feature/307-here-comes-the-paan-police

Retail Therapy for the Unemployed Soul?

It has been three months since I landed in Sharjah, UAE, from Ottawa, Canada. I was too busy relaxing and enjoying the good weather here to realise where all the time was going. I really was too busy to remember the “real” reason I moved here; to land a job or at least some sort of employment.
Actually, I hadn’t forgotten. I’d just relegated it to the very back of my head, from where I could quickly stifle any reminders of what I “should” be doing now that I was here. The reminders in my head got louder and louder, and a bit too persistent to ignore, so I finally decided to do something about them.

For the complete article, visit Special Features - Retail Therapy for the Unemployed Soul? @ http://www.desivibe.ca/

My featured article

I recently started writing for DesiVibe, a Toronto based online publication. My first article is one of the top three stories, and is the special feature at the moment. Please check it out and don't forget to leave your comments!
Also, if you have any interesting ideas, topics, or people you'd like to see covered feel free to contact me at annie@desivibe.ca
I'm looking to cover young Canadians of South Asian origin who are contributing to society by doing things different from the beaten path. Whether that's through their own business, job, or non profit activities, I'd love to talk to them. Contact me if you know of anyone like that, or if you think you're a good candidate for an interview.
View my article, "Fate of Swat Valley" at http://www.desivibe.ca/