I have a lot to write about today but I think I'll just focus on one major thing. My activity this Saturday. I'm sure it was the best and the most rewarding Saturday in the history of Saturdays :)
Image courtesy - blog.ning.com
The floods have wrecked havoc in most parts of the country and it's time we took some social responsiblity. Many of my my friends are volunteering for the flood relief efforts, all in whatever capacity they can and so I thought I should play my part too. Mobashir, a friend had been volunteering for the Pakistan Medical Association and was involved in fund raising so the rest of us came up with a plan to help him out. We did a door to door fund raising campaign in the colony I live in. Maryam, Azka, Huzair, Hunain, Mobashir himself and I knocked almost 60 - 70 doors on Saturday morning and afternoon to collect Zakat and donations for the flood victims which shall be delivered to them in the form of medication and food items through the Pakistan Medical Association which has medical camps set up in the affected areas. We collected a staggering amount of around Rs 45 000 !!
And I really want to mention this guy whom we came across in the block next to mine. We knocked his door, and introduced ourselves to him ( Azka, Huzair and I, we did the campaigning in two teams) , he gave us and our cause a patient hearing and then when he handed me over the cash for donation , he refused to take the receipt for it by saying "Its all about trust" , smiled and then closed the door as I hurriedly thanked him. It really was inspiring to see that a total stranger was trusting me with his money just based on the few words of introduction I had given about myself and the cause !
Well, after a long tiring walk in the sunny afternoon all of us headed back to my home, offered our prayers, played board games, watched a movie and then did our Aftaar (breaking of fast at dusk)..
Not only was the aspect of doing something good very rewarding but we also had a lot of fun and it was a new experience all together. And the subsequent board game, movie, and aftaar session with my dear friends was the added hype and happiness :)
Zakat - The annual donation that affording muslims have to give as a religious obligation
PS - Keep visiting the blog cuz the next post shall be on Aftaar delights !! You dont wanna miss that :)
There used to be a phrase "Time flies" which I think is totally invalid now, because time isnt just flying these days, its whizzing by at ultra sonic speed. Its just been a week since my last post and yet it seems like a gazillion years have gone by. So much has happened and so much has changed.
First of all, Ramadan greetings to everyone ! The month of Ramadan had a pleasant start for me on Wednesday as the moon was sighted ( The muslim calender is the lunar calender). I just got back from a friends birthday, and was with my bestie Uzma when the moon sighting commitee announced the month of Ramadan on the news, we greeted and hugged and got to see the moon together ( on the TV :), we just couldn't spot it in the sky).With Ramadan comes the fasting and worship and a change of lifestyle since all the eating and drinking is shifted from dusk to dawn instead of the other way round that usually happens the rest of the year. But I just love Ramadan its my favourite month of the year, filled with blessings, internal satisfaction and of course followed by Eid !!
Secondly, my dad had his birthday on the very first day of Ramadan. I brought home a Chocolate fudge cake on my way back from college and we celebrated it at Iftaar (breaking of fast). One important lesson I've learnt is that the best present for my dad is definitely good food. I'm sure even a blackberry wouldn't have made him as happy and excited as the cake did ! The saying "the way to a man's heart is through his mouth" proved itself right in my dad's case !
Thirdly, the flood has wrecked havoc in Pakistan and I don't remember seeing any situation this worse as long as I've lived here ! Millions have been displaced, the death toll is rising and not just that, diseases like Malaria, diarrhea, dysentry stand a risk of becoming epidemic in the displaced population. Its a relief to know that the Pakistan Army is diligently working to help the people, and I find great pride in the fact that the general population and citizens of Pakistan are actively donating to help the victims. My own college mates are busy in fund raising and are volunteering to make packages and parcels of life saving drugs, tents, kitchen utensils and other equipments to be delivered to the affected areas.
A man trying to save his children after losing everything in the floods
Fourthly, its the 14th of August today, the day Pakistan got its independence from the British ruled sub continent back in 1947, this day naturally holds great meaning and importance but this time there wont be any national celebrations since half the nation is in mourning and its our duty to stand in solidarity and sympathize with them as fellow Pakistanis..
As if the tragic plane crash wasnt enough to keep the nation mourning , now we have the floods that have devastated most of the northern areas of the country. There's not much I feel like I can say on this subject besides the fact that it isnt a pretty picture out there. Thousands have died and many millions displaced. The food and clean water supplies are running out. The victims are stranded without the basic necessities of life and need shelter, medication, food and water supplies. I hope the Pakistani nation stands strong to help out those in distress like it has always done.
Here's a short list of organizations you can contact if you're willing to help
TABBA !!! Yes the Tabba heart Institute has been giving me a good time this summer.There's so much to learn and so much to see, plus we get free lunch coupons everyday ! Now free food can take me anywhere, anytime, but seriously Tabba is fun. Especially since my friends are there too and I tell you , getting the same summer internship as your friends is pure luck !
We're being posted in each dept for a week. This week I've been able to see Thallium scans, ECHOs etc but the most interesting one was watching an angiography. We had to wear Lead jackets and lead collars to protect our body and our dear old thyroid which keeps us running in a modest manner ( you dont wanna go obese, lethargic and sleepy all the time, do you ?)..The doctors there are co operative too, well not exactly as co operative as I'd want them too but they still make sure we understand whats going on..
The best part of being at Tabba is that the mall is just at a 5 min drive so we easily escape to that delightful zone of sales and sundaes whenever we're free :)...And oh yeah I've some new plans that I'm sure all of you will love. But you'll have to wait for about three more days..Till then ...Allah Hafiz :)
Thats us on the last day of college before vacations !
Since the time I opened my eyes to date, the month of July has always been a vacation for me, but not this time ! Well, technically it is since we're off from college but I'm doing an internship at the Tabba Institute of Heart diseases, at about a 20 minutes drive from home so it isn't a vacation in the true sense. Gladly Shirin, Huzair and Hunain are interning too and so I can spend more time with them during the vacations. I'll be posting more details about the Cardiology experience after a few days.
As for now I'm relieved that I'm done with the rotation in the Opthalmology ward, eye isn't particularly my area of interest but I really liked the rotation experience because I seemed to know a lot about eye diseases without actually studying about them and was able to participate in the discussions in the ward and amaze myself with the stuff I'd come up with. I mean seriously, I picked up the book on Eye just a day before the ward test and yet I think I did well in it. I just got a little confused over the differential diagnosis of leukcoria (an abnormal white reflection from the eye) in the start but I was able to cover it swiftly with other stuff that supposedly impressed the examiner.
Other than that , life's good , its almost monsoon season so we have a thick cloud cover every now and then , it seems like it'd rain but it doesn't, we gave Huzair his birthday present in advance since we weren't sure we'd be able to meet up with him during the vactions, its an Mp3 player that we bought with a combined contribution from all his friends, he seemed to like it a lot :). I have a wedding to attend this Wednesday and I cant wait to wear the black dress I'm dying to put on, I just got it back from the tailor after getting it stitched today..And oh yeah ! How could I forget, we got our transcripts of the 5th semester and I scored a GPA 3.70, its lesser than my previous score but I'm happy and thankful to God that I passed ..So much for the random updates I'll be back with more...
I'm not on a very hectic study schedule and so I have time to open my eyes, look around, shake away the numbness and fall in love again ! So what am I in love with these days ? Here it goes...
1 - Loving the food
Seven layered 'Death by chocolate' cake from 'Pie in the Sky'..No matter how many times or how much I eat it, it still tastes divine. Ooh that mousse and cream and chocolate...ummm..its simply-a- killer ! I somehow deleted the picture from my pc !! And that should be a sobering thought for all those who are on a diet these days !
2 - Loving the Brand
If there's a brand I'm in love with these days, it has gotta be 'Saeed Ghani'. They manufacture skin, hair, and nail care products..and what makes them different ??? all their products are herbal ! No chemicals and hence no unwanted side effects. The fact that their products are herbal makes them cheaper too. And variety is simply astounding, hair conditioners, facial masks, scrubs, massage oils, cleansers, henna, kohl and what not. Name it, they got it ! My mom's an ultimate fan, there's no way she leaves the shop with at least a bag full of purchase.
3 - Loving the Song
'Paimona' a classic song by Zeb and Haniya.This isn't exactly a very new song and is actually a poem by "Omar Khayyam" but I was recently introduced to it by a friend.Zeb and Haniya make the first female band of Pakistan and featured their debut 'Chup' about 2 - 3 years back. Of all my mid summer loves this one is THE closest to my heart..The instrument you'll hear playing for the first 1:14 mins is called 'rubab' a musical instrument popular in Persia and Afghanistan. The song is in Persian so I couldn't understand it the first time I heard it but I later found a subd version, so here it goes..Don't miss it ( or you'll regret it for sure !)
4 - Loving the Possession
I'm currently really happy of buying these pair of sandals I bought from the mall while out shopping with friends..
5 - Loving the book
30 second successories by Faez Saeyal .. Its got 365 quotations and an inspirational message for every day of the year.
6 - Loving the TV show
Daam (Trap) by Mahreen Jabbar.Here's a prelude of the story which I got from the official website.ZahraHidayatullah and Maliha Sami have been close friends for over seven years. Zahra belongs to a lower middle class family and Maliha comes from an upper class household, yet their class difference has never threatened their unbreakable bond. Maliha has been there for her friend through many hardships, though she never really knew the extent of the mental anguish that plagued Zahra's life.
The first blow to their friendship domes when Maliha's older brother Junaid, shows his interest in marrying Zahra. Her parents have no objection to the union, but it comes as a real shock to Maliha. Somehow Maliha is not able to fathom the thought that her best friend could marry her only brother. Daam is the story of the price that she pays to her best friend to stop this marriage and how that price becomes a Daam (trap) for all of them.
Here's the trailer
The reason I'm loving it is that its wonderfully directed and I just love stories based on friendships and student life.
8 -Lovin to wait for
My birthday in July, and the secret present that Uzma is making me. She couldn't keep the secret that she is making something, Lol. The nature of the present is still unknown to me though !
9 - Loving the saying
This is actually a hadith (saying by the holy prophet, peace be upon him)
“Treasure five things before five others: Your youth before old-age; your health before illness; your wealth before poverty; your free time before becoming occupied, and your life before death." [Source - Tirmidhi]
I really like how all the things we usually are unthankful of and later regret are summarised in this one saying.
10- Loving the hobby
I am a change in the change . Yeah I guess thats how I can most accurately describe myself. I can absolutely love something I hated doing to the core previously or can suddenly be uninterested in something that had been a life line. One of the places I'm least found at, is the Kitchen. All my trips to the kitchen usually do not last more than 5 mins (Thats exactly how much time it takes to drink water and grab something from the fridge ) But these days, I'm loving experimenting with all the ingredients and making something different (and edible !)
11- Loving the drink
I'm up for anything with Lemon or orange in it. Its basically the flavour I like but I get the added advantage of getting sufficient Vitamin C's. And of course the two ultimate heat freezing drinks that I've mentioned here
12- Loving the Ice cream
Strawberry Cheesecake !!!!
13 - Loving the ultimate summer commodity
My sunglasses ! With a thin (very thin) row of bling on the edge.
14 - Loving the to wear
Anything made out of the fabric - lawn ! Thats what possibly every female in Pakistan wears in the summers. I love it because its airy, light and absorbs sweat. We have lawn exhibitions by most brands in the start of summer every year to display their new and exclusive designs and variety, lawn has evolved from simply fabric to a fashion statement over the years.The choice of having them stitched to suit your needs, rests on you.Prices range from Rs 350 - 3000 per dress.
The first ever expected diamond in my life was nothing but a betrayal ! A false hope that changed my life for four good memorable days ! But like every other dramatic episode in my life this one also ended in deception, painful, miserable deception...
Now for all those who thought I was getting engaged/married, you must've missed reading my previous posts, had you done that you would've known that the diamond I was referring to was the cyclone 'Phet' !! Thai for diamond..(The only diamond that us Karachite's ever got scared off, I'm sure.) And for all those who figured it out without reading my posts , go get ur IQ level checked , I'm sure Mensa needs more members :)
Any ways, so the the well awaited, well feared of and well talked/ written about cyclone chose to spare us and deflect itself to the east ! Even though it was something to be thankful about all that waiting and preparation made it something to loathe. I mean all that program cancellations, safety measures and even exam postponements for some ended in nothing..But anyways there were rains and the weather turned from unbearably hot to pleasant for about 48 hours, so that's an upside..And even though I was a little upset with nothing happening I'm still thanking Allah for saving Karachi from destruction..and alongside I pray that Allah help those who are in distress along the eastern regions of Pakistan and even in the west where the cyclone did wreck havoc..may God give them the strength to rise above it all ..Amen
I'm sitting in my room, in front of the window, watching the intermittent, fluctuant rains. Its been this way since 1 am last night, when I started getting text messages from my friends all hyped up and excited about the rain. Yeah thats how we Karachite's react to rain and cloudy weather. I remember reading books by English writers back in school where the author would describe a sunny weather as pleasant and uplifting, and all my class fellows including me would be amazed at the writers altered sense of perception ! The teacher would then smile at us and explain how the English have rains and cloudy weather all the time so the sun is always a welcomed guest. So you see we tend to like things that are new or are less frequent in our lives. As is the case of rains in the hot, sunny lives of Karachite's . We hardly get to see rains besides the few monsoon drizzles in July. But yes we are pretty afraid of cyclones and destructive forces of nature just like all the other people around the globe !
Anyways, so I was up till 3 am last night constantly texting my friends about how the weather was in their locality and what they've been upto. One of my friends Maria lives right next to the beach ! And with the cyclone just lurking around the corners of Karachi's shore she was constantly updating us of the weather situation there ! With friends like Maria and cellphone's who needs news channels ?.. So its still raining and as per the news the cyclone is 200 km away, Karachi is fully prepared and praying , lets see how much power the mighty 'Phet' has to unleash on us !
Phet , Thai for diamond is the name that's been given to this cyclone !
The coast of Karachi - Courtesy Dawn.com
So all you people out there keep praying for Karachi !
The world seemed like a changed place after I stepped out of the examination hall ! The winds felt cooler, the trees were greener, the birds were chirpier and even the naggy guard at the gate felt like such an angel !! My minding was whirling into the possibilities of having a good eight hours sleep, looking at myself in the mirror , good food and talking to my mom to my hearts content ! Ummm no I havent been back from serving a sentence in prison, really no ! I just got back after taking my last exam of this semester :) And boy was it a tough semester, I had to put myself into self exile to study, could'nt even get enough sleep ! And I'm not exaggerating, during the viva today , the examiner actually asked me if I had a normal LFT ( Liver Function test) because my eyes looked yellow and jaundicised to him !!( Yikes , hey, wait, readers please dont run away , I assure you I'm not suffering from Hepatitis and am neither a source of any other contagious disease ! You can all come back now ! ) My eyes turn yellowish whenever I'm exhausted but it was the first time someone commented that way , I must have been fatigued for sure ! But anyways enough of the exam talk, there's a lot more to yak yak about.
The Cyclone ' Phet ' is on its way to strike Karachi, there've been warnings and alerts splashing across TV screens , newspapers and the radio for the past three days or so ! According to the latest news it might just strike sometime in the evening today or tomorrow morning. All the ships have been docked safe, the advertisements on the bill boards across Karachi have been brought down to make them stable to face the winds , mommy dearest has cleaned all the possible water outlets we have in the house and my nani (grandma) has her old energizer torch all set and functional !! And well all I've done is get my laptop fully charged !...Jokes apart , I hope the cyclone doesn't cause much damage and my fellow Karachites are all saved from all sorts of casualties !
A picture as the cyclone takes aim at Oman before striking Karachi !
