Month: July 2017

Confessions of an Immigrant- 8

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Hello lovelies,

Its been a while since I updated anything because I was going through major writer’s block. It was a phase when I decided that I would never write but then came some circumstances and situations where I realised I need to vent out my thoughts as it will dance in my head. We all know life is full of ups and downs. There are many things which I came to know during this phase.

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So, finally I made my bus pass and I could travel anywhere using TTC bus pass. I went to Brampton for a reception of my cousin sister. I learnt one more thing that 102 A stops at Centennial College whereas 102 B stops at Markham Road while 102 D stops just before Progress Campus. I learnt it after taking some wrong buses. Guys trust me, travelling in a bus has been the biggest challenge for me. For two months I avoided bus because I had a phobia that I might get lost but when I boarded the bus, my notions were proved wrong. The system is great here. There is a button to stop the bus when you reach your destination, there is no conductor, you can either put the coins in the box or just use your presto or TTC bus pass. Moreover, TTC pass can be used in TTC subway too. You can get to know about the buses from Transit. So, from Scarborough to Brampton you have to change 5 buses. In Brampton, TTC doesn’t work, infact it is Zum 502 which is faster. But changing buses is not at all hectic. Everything goes in time but you need to be on time for everything else you have to wait for 15 mins or sometimes half an hour maximum.

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Coming to the reception, it was amazing. The theme was white and gold. It was much different than any other wedding in India. It was the amalgamation of Punjabi and Gujarati families which was showcased beautifully. I liked the way the tables were set and the way the families were introduced. And the bridal party was fantastic along with the bride. In India, we don’t have speeches but here there were speeches from the close members of the bride and the groom. They were straight from the heart and reached the soul. Then there was couple dance, father- daughter dance, belly dance and cabre sort of performance. The most beautiful and pure segment was the father daughter dance. It was nostalgic, heart warming and I could feel the essence of love. In India, we don’t have this and I wish at that time I could dance with my dad.

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A new interesting thing happened in my Canadian life. It was playing the role of an HR Manager and as a Lawyer. No, I am not switching professions, it was part of my assignments. For the first time, I wore western dress and dressed up like a professional. It was an amazing feeling. Plus, during arbitration, it was just like some discussion and I enjoyed this new phase of my life.

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There was an event in college named Rangla Punjab where everyone was dressed up in a suit. The students danced for us, they had small quiz about punjab and many amazing posters were there about Punjabi Culture. Further, they applied Henna on some of the volunteers and I did too. The food was sumptuous as it was none other than Makki KI Roti with Sarson Da Saag along with authentic Lassi. I have a friend named Anjali who performed at this event. I feel so connected to Punjab and on that day I felt at home.

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Now semester is coming to an end, things have been different here. The people I met 3 months ago are different now. Either they are disconnected and some of them are attached. People are unpredicatable here. Either they will be your closest friends when they need you and then slowly they will alienate you from their lives as if you never existed. The other side is, those who think wont be with you, they will do anything to help you and make you feel special. I came across these two set of people which has made me completely philanthrophobic. I can say people are like chameleon that change its color all the time.

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Canada is a mystery and I am still in process of solving it. I realised today, your parents are your true well wishers and can be your best friends too. I miss everyone back home be it my friends, familia or the friends. These assignments have taken away everything. My inner peace is lost and I don’t even get time to introspect myself. I am around so many people but still I feel so alone and this feeling will never go away. I always feel that something is missing and maybe once I get to know what is missing, I can fill that missed part of the puzzle called LIFE. I just know one thing, I am strong and I know what is being weak.

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I will be back with another new episode soon. Stay tuned and keep following me 🙂

 

Book Blitz of Just Me, the Sink and The Pot by Sudesna Ghosh

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JUST ME, THE SINK & THE POT
by
Sudesna Ghosh
 
Blurb
 
Meet Pamela, an overweight girl who’s looking back at her school days. From longing for a Valentine to dealing with a sibling who hates her, Pamela has a lot to deal with. She even has a special bunch of friends at home who she can turn to – but they aren’t the kind of friends you’d expect. Life sucks when you’re fat. Can Pamela ever be happy?
Read an excerpt of the book here…
 
One day a classmate asked me, “Where is your lunch?” I told her that I had already had it and went back to my fake laughter and smiles. The others chatted and laughed while they ate from their tiffin boxes. Some brought samosas or ice cream from outside the gate. My hunger pangs got worse as I saw all the food and smelt the delicious odours around me.
 
The ice cream cart was run by a sweet old man who knew me since I’d started school. He would ask me some days, “Child, you don’t want your favourite orange stick?” I would say no thank you and smile before running away from him and his cart. One day he seemed to be desperate to make me have an ice cream. “Child! Come here and have an ice cream. You don’t have to pay me,” he called out. I smiled, turned around and went to hide in an empty classroom. Two minutes later, I shrieked; the old man had found me. He was carrying a dripping ice cream for me. I started laughing. Then I started running away from him. The old man started running after me!

 

My classmates were shocked. The sports teacher was happy to see me run for the first time – I had never run before because fat moves when you run. Everybody would laugh. The lunch break ended with me accepting the mostly melted orange stick from the kind ice cream man. We were too tired to talk about the whole event. But it did make me a bit popular that year, with the school Yearbook including the story and a picture of me running away from a 6 feet tall man holding an ice cream.

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Sudesna (Sue) Ghosh is a writer based in Kolkata. She was born in the United States and moved to India when she was 9. After completing high school there, she went back to the US for her higher education at the University of Rochester. She has also penned What Would I Tell Her @ 13 and News Now, along with several short stories. When Sudesna isn’t writing, she tries to do her bit for animal welfare.

 

 

                  

 

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Confessions of an Immigrant-7

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Hello lovelies,

I am back with yet another confession and I know many of you were waiting for my update but I was stuck with a Canadian Dynamite called Mid- Term. Finally its over and my Reading Week too. So, now tomorrow I will go back to my college and again back to that studies. But many new interesting things happened in this course of time.

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The latest event being my Cousin’s Ladies Sangeet. This weekend was more than fun, excitement and a roller coaster ride. I really loved the decoration. It was combination of Punjabi and Gujarati culture which I was looking forward to. There was a stall where mehandi keeps, parandi, bangles and some other sweets were there. Everything was from home, starting from scented candles, with stands, hukkas, cushions, colourful curtains, umbrellas. Now umbrella had something different in it. They were stitched with phulkari dupattas which made them look more ethnic. Further, I met my relatives which was an amazing catchup with cousins and family. We danced alot and some of the dance was choreographed.

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Bride’s Mom

Coming to the bridal shower which I had missed was also a great show and I just have a picture of it. I wish I could attend the bridal shower. But there were some props too like ‘Bride to be’, ‘Bride’s friends’ or some ‘bridemates’ etc.

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Sisterly Love

Mid Terms didnt seem like mid terms. We had no holidays and they were taken place in the given periods only and in given time. So, it was not like our Indian system that the exams and datesheets were given, then we used to give exams and go back. We practically had no datesheets. For 2 subjects we had mid term quiz which we had in the class and it was objective. All the papers were objective except the two. But I couldn’t feel like that I was giving any exam. We have to answer in the question paper only so we are not given the question papers back.

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first time gulab Jamun in Canada 🙂

The assignments were interesting but hectic. My group gave our best and we could score well in that. For the first time, I got a chance to compile the work and then only I realised how tough it is to be mechanical and go in a sync when it comes to compiling the work of different people into one. Some experiences are always different, yet it teaches us a new lesson.

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The next best segment was the live concert. I still don’t know who the singers were and my apologies for being so naive. There was a restaurant opening and the customers were given free food and some discounts for the other food if we order. The music just relieved my nerves and I wore a gown.

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with dadi and bua

Life has become fast paced and how time flies, you just never come to know. But slowly things are getting better and I am understanding the lifestyle here. I am still a learner and will surely learn new things everyday.

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Author’s Advice: Life is easy but it is on us, how we handle it, either by complicating it or by just facing the reality and moving on with a positive spirit.