home...where the heart is

we all have various definitions for home....i know that i use the word interchangeably with a lot of different places, and people often do get confused. i use the word home to describe vancouver, the place where my parents live in dallas, the hotel that will check into if i have been on the road....and so many other places. each place is unique and is called home for various reasons....

i am in nairobi, kenya for work this week...and well, yes...you guessed it - nairobi is home for me this week. but this isnt like a hotel home, or a temporary home. this is very much a real home - just like my parents house. this is familiar, this is warm (literally and figuratively), this is loving...this is where my heart is! in feb of 2008, i made my first trip to my ancestral land (kenya) and it was amazing! upon landing there was a feeling of nostalgia that i felt - it was like i have been here before. i spent time with my family here - people who i respect and love beyond belief, people who are so kind and who understand the real meaning of the word family! i was just here for a short trip, but on the trip, i was asked to relocate to nairobi. without hesitation, i said YES!

i had the opportunity to live in nairobi and travel through east africa in my two and a half years here. it was a great experience. being here taught me so much about life and struggle and that happiness is what you make of it. being here also showed me that i have a home here. i have people who i love and care for, and who love and care for me. i have people who i can laugh and cry with, people who are close to me and people who i can depend on. i had a purpose here. and well, now is no different. as i run into familiar faces here, i realize that this is home, this is where my heart is...this is one place that i can be happy and i can thrive! this is true for kenya and tanzania...i have been spoiled here....when i am back in canada, i do ask myself what would life be like if i were still here....and well, it would pretty amazing. one day, i hope to return to my home in africa!


asante sana kenya, tanzania! asante sana...


peace and love....as the rain falls in africa....

sameer's bollywood picks...

hello friends :)

I write this with bollywood on my mind. I have just left India, and am now in Dhaka...I guess part of this blog is dedicated to my time in India, trying to hold on to that amazing culture and country. Part of this is looking forward to my time in Bangladesh and understanding the culture here - its been less than 24 hours so far, but I have been picking up on the observations - thats for another time.

This time, I figured I would focus on some of my favorite Bollywood movies - there is no order to this...and I would ask, if you want to share your favorites with me, please do!

Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham
Seeta aur Geeta
Dhobi Ghat
Once Upon a Time in Mumbai
Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayange
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Jab We Met
3 Idiots
Jaane tu ya Jaane na
Mere Brother Ki Dulhan
Qayamat se Qayamat tak
Aaja Nachale
Devdas
Umrao Jaan - new and old
Om Shanti Om
Laagan
Kal ho na ho
Baazigar
Jodhaa Akbar

This isnt an exhaustive list...I think I am losing some of my memories. This is a start...this may be one of the ongoing blogs...if you havent seen these...you should!

Peace!

i am in chandigarh and i am the star....

bucket lists....

hello from India...or should I say Namaste! 

I havent been blogging as much - and I know I should be and more importantly, I want to be...its a habit I guess, something that takes time to develop - almost like a behavior. 

Anyways, here it goes...haha!

Todays topic...bucket lists. I dont know how I feel about them...I have spent the past couple of days thinking about this. I am in India - as I mentioned earlier, and being here, there is a lot that I want to do - some of these, some may classify some of these things as bucket list worthy. I guess I take the philosophy on living one day at a time - when I am in a place, whether home or abroad, there are things that I have planned, things I want to do, but clumping them into a list...hmm, I am not sure...feel free to comment :)

Some of the things that I have done since I have been in India which I have wanted to do include:

riding in a rickshaw in Bombay
singing an Indian song to a group - thanks CHEC Tour friends
seeing a bollywood movie in a cinema in India - saw Mere Brother Ki Dulhaan - go see it if you havent already!
crossing the street - sounds funny....try it, then we can talk!


This is a short list...and I am sure I am forgetting some things. Feel free to share things that I should do while I am here too...

There are things that I havent done - see the Taj Mahal - it is priority...one day it will happen. 

As always, thanks for reading...hope, if nothing else, this got you thinking!
 
Peace! 

a day that stands alone....

there are days in history that stand out, some more than others for various reasons....the day world war 2 ended, the day the civil rights movement was at its pinnacle, the vietnam war, and the list can go on and on for recent events. in my life, there was a day that stands alone - september 11, 2001. this is a day where my world changed....and i day that i remember, almost like it was yesterday. 

some may ask, how such a day could create such an impact...why i remember it so clearly. yes, its the impact that it had on my country - the united states of america, the fact that an act of violence so large had happened in my home. but not only the fact that there was violence. 

like many on that day, i was woken up by a phone call telling me to turn on the tv. i did. and i watched in confusion at first, flipping the channels, thinking why is good morning america showing a movie. then i understood...and the confusion turned to shock...and thats when it all started. the emotions, the sinking in, the concern for friends and family...all rushing together! i remember the day like it was yesterday. i remember what happened as well like it was yesterday - the thoughts and feelings people had towards people who looked like me. needless to say, 10 years later, somethings have changed and somethings havent, but its about learning and reflecting and educating. 

there is one thing that has been consistent from watching the tv this morning...its a message of hope. there is a better future, there can be and has been for so many people. this is a lesson that i will take with me...and i will try to live to the fullest!

always remembering....

peace

Rules of flying

What better time to write then when you cant sleep..haha! This jet lag thing is so overrated. Its about 323 am on Tuesday, September 6th and I cant sleep...ugh. I have to go to work later today, later meaning 7ish am. Oh what to do, but write a blog!


I am jet lagged because I recently came back to Vancouver from India. It was a long experience...it totaled out to about 3o hours with layover time, etc. The route was Bangalore to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Toronto, Toronto to Vancouver. The Toronto leg broke the trip up a bit, although in hindsight it would have been great to fly direct to Vancouver - I was tired at that point already. There are many keys to flying - things that can make my trip more enjoyable. One of those things is an aisle seat - I love my travel agent every time I fly because of the aisle seats :) Thanks Jacqueline! Yes, I know first class would be better, but the aisle seats are critical for me. 


Every flight coming back to Vancouver was packed! Not even one empty seat in coach - which is totally fine, if everyone co-operates. An example of not co-operating was what the guy from  Bangalore to Frankfurt was doing. When on a plane, I ask you to stay in your space (i.e. look at the seat in front of you and let that serve as your boundary!). Try not to put your feet, legs, bags, etc. in your neighbors space. The arm rest on either side of you is a shared space - not just your space, but a shared space...samja! I know youre probably tired at 215 am, the time the flight does depart, but please try to adhere to these rules of flying...this will make it more comfortable for everyone you sit next to in the future (you are welcome everyone). I feel like I can write the manual for behavior on a plane, it would be interesting to have the flight attendants do a behavior presentation after the short video on the plane's safety features...hmmm, this could be a new project.


On a side note, I did make it home safe and sound...and am now prepping to go back to the motherland - India - in 16 days. Bring on the frequent flyer miles!

Peace!

Shukaran Allah...Eid Mubarak