START OF SECOND YEAR

The day has come for me to return to the North; where the weather forces you to stay inside and do work. I can't believe I'm at the second stage of my degree. I have heard quite a few horror stories about the year that lies ahead of me:

A higher pile up of work, long days following up on case studies at the hospital, a dissertation, the wait until mid July for exams to finish, barely any free time, inability to have a decent social life etc...

As strange as this may sound, I wouldn't trade the position I'm in for anything else in the world. Even though at times the levels of stress that I put myself under take me to the brink of insanity, I thrive in situations when put under pressure.

Anyway, over the summer I've been posting a lot. Every other day to be precise! Don't ask me how my brain came up with the content to write because I honestly haven't got a clue. Wait, maybe I've finally got to grips with the whole blogging thing and can class myself as a blogger now. It's infuriating that I decided to mess around with the HTML of my previous blog to lose all the content from first year; I've definitely learnt from my mistake and will never even go near a HTML code ever again.

Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone that reads my blog. I've received some sweet and kind feedback from the posts and I really am grateful. Secondly, I'm going to try sticking to blogging on a more regular basis. However I don't know how long that will last. Hopefully I can squeeze in half an hour every other day to fill you all in with what I've been getting up to.

£5 GEL NAIL VARNISH

"In accordance with the professional dress code, medical students are prohibited to wear nail varnish whilst in a clinical setting and must keep their nails cut short..."

This is a completely valid condition that medical students have to abide by. Considering the fact that I'm on placement in the hospital at least twice a week in second year, makes it extremely difficult to paint my nails. Nonetheless,  I still have a growing collection of nail varnish which I use during the holidays.

Recently, I bought Model's Own Hyper Gel nail varnish. It supposedly gives you a gel-like finish which requires no UV. I was sceptical to say the least when I first came across it but the lady at the stall persuaded me to buy it and try it.

I was quite impressed by how long the application lasted (just over a week) and you only need one coat. The only downside to this nail varnish is that it takes FOREVER to dry. I'm talking a minimum of half an hour to an hour! 

Turquoise Gloss

So if you have the patience, I would definitely recommend this brand for a cheap alternative for gel nails.

PINK FOR A BROWN GIRL?!

People who are close to me know that I'm a sucker for lipstick. You will always see me wearing some shade of lipstick and at least two of them can always be found in my handbag. 

It's a nightmare trying to find a shade of pink lipstick that suits my skin tone. I either end up looking like Nicki Minaj during her Barbie days (never a good look!) or it doesn't even look like I have anything on.

Shade: Midimauve (Satin)

You can just about imagine my pure joy when I walk into Mac and find the perfect shade. With the help of a wonderful make-up artist, I was able to find a satin lipstick - Midimauve. It perfectly compliments my skin and makes my face look naturally brighter.

So for the ladies that are a slightly darker shade of brown and fancy a lipstick that looks natural; here are some tips for when choosing a shade that helped me:

• Don't go for pinks that are close to brown. It will make your lips blend into the rest of your skin and it's hard to define the lip line.
• If you fancy something bold, go for bright pink which has a warm undertone. It looks great against dark skin and would be perfect for a night out.
• The best thing to do would be to get professional help, you don't want to spend around £20 on a lipstick which looks terrible on you!

TRIP TO WESTFIELD

The summer would not be complete without a trip to Westfield in Stratford, one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. 

If you've ever been to Kerala in India, you'll know know that no matter where you go you will always find coconuts being sold at the roadside. With a large knife the stall owner knocks off the top of the coconut, pops a straw in and hands it to you. One swig of the coconut juice is enough to make you want to stay in Kerala for all of eternity. 

You can imagine my surprise as I walked past a stall called Zumo (They sell delicious shakes and smoothies made of fresh fruit. It's a bit expensive but I'd definitely recommend it!) and I found a coconut still in it's shell. It didn't have the green covering that can normally be found on it but I thought I'd still give it a try. The juice doesn't taste as sweet as it does in India but it was still a nice drink.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Trying different cuisines is one of my favourite things to do. I adore the way different traditions have different recipes and methods of cooking and even eating food.

Normally, I don't go to Indian restaurants. As much as I think that accommodating this cuisine for the people it targets is great, I do believe that the authenticity of a traditional Indian curry is soon disappearing. Indi-Go is a brilliant Indian street food supplier. The samosa chaat and the bhel papdi took me back to the bustle of the streets of Mumbai.

Samosa chaat

Bhel papdi

Pani Poori

I have never tried Vietnamese food and I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. I had this meal at the Pho restaurant and it was absolutely divine. You get given a very good portion so you do get your money's worth. With the choice of a variety of sauces, herbs and spices to add to your own accord, you can make each dish your own.

Pho ga

#6 PAVLOVA

I've recently had a huge craving for pavlova. I haven't had it in ages and I love the mixture of textures that you can taste with each mouthful. As part of my summer bucket list I thought I'd give it a try. I've heard that making meringue is quite difficult but it was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. Anyway, here's how I made it in case anyone wants to try it.

Ingredients for the meringue:

• 4 egg whites
• 250g of caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cornflour
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

- Start with whisking the egg whites using an electric whisk until you get a foam-like appearance.

- Slowly start putting in the sugar little by little. The mixture should now thicken and have a glossy appearance. Once you've finished adding all of the sugar, add the vanilla essence, cornflour and lemon juice.

- Once you're happy, pour the mixture out onto a baking tray. You're supposed to use baking paper rather than foil but I forgot to buy it so I had to make do with aluminium foil!

- Put the tray into the oven (which is at 150 C) and bake for an hour.

Ingredients for the topping:

• Double cream as required + caster sugar as required
• Strawberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and redcurrants
• 5 tablespoons of sugar

- Whisk the double cream along with the sugar until the mixture is as thick as whipped cream

- Mix the fruits along with the sugar on the hob until the sauce has been reduced.

- Once the meringue is done, put the whipped cream on top of it along with the fruit mixture

And voila! 

#4 INFERNO

"The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis."

Dan Brown has always been one of my top favourite authors, and rightly so for a number of reasons. The way he combines science, art, literature and religion to create a fictional story combined with facts boggles my mind each time I read his book. The descriptive language used in all of his books sets the scene in each chapter perfectly. To be completely honest, there isn't one way in which I can fault this man's work. 

It comes as no surprise that the Robert Langdon series have been made into films. As usual, the films are a bit disappointing especially if you've read the books. But I guess that's the case with all films that originate from literature. Nevertheless, it's exciting to see a work of art unfold on the big screen. I believe Columbia pictures are due to release The Lost Symbol soon; the third in the series following the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons.

Inferno is a brilliant book! It certainly isn't a disappointment from its predecessor, The Lost Symbol. Set in Florence, the story takes you on a journey with Robert Langdon through various museums and cathedrals in search of clues to unlock the secret to a potential global disaster. 

I hate summarising books so I'm afraid you're going to have to take my word for it and read this piece of genius work.

RETAIL THERAPY #2

It's back to school season. Just because I'm not in school I'm not going to break my tradition of buying a new bag and a pair of shoes each year.

This bag looks even better in real life. It's one of the better monochrome bags that I have found which was affordable. The gold detail on the buckle gives this bag a more elegant look. When I ordered it, I was a bit worried that the bag may be a bit on the small side. Surprisingly, it's a decent size! Perfect enough to lug my laptop and books around in

Product
£19.99

I love heels. But I hate wearing them for more than an hour. I do wish I had the ability like some women to walk endlessly in killer stilettos; but my poor feet beg me to take them off after some time. Heeled sandals are a great way for me to feel like I'm wearing heels without any pain. The wedged heel is also a lot more comfortable making these type of shoes an easy wear.

Product
£19.99

A GOOD DEED OR A GUILT FREE HOLIDAY

Voluntourism

vɒlənˈtʊərɪz(ə)m,vɒlənˈtɔːrɪz(ə)m/

noun

1.     a form of tourism in which travellers participate in voluntary work, typically for a charity.

"at the core of voluntourism is the desire to help others"

It sounds like the ideal thing to do right? But there's so much controversy circling this booming sector. One of the main things that I found ethically wrong about this concept is the fact that voluntourism benefits only the volunteer. Some may say that that's a good thing, I mean who wouldn't want to feel great for giving something back to the community...

In my opinion, I think that feeling good about yourself for volunteering is very selfish. You shouldn't feel like you're a Godsend to the community for giving them your time. Most importantly, if you're thinking of volunteering, you should also think about what skills you can offer to people. It's all very well going to an orphanage and playing with the children, but what happens when you leave. Aren't you scarring the children even more than before?

Going to Morocco was something of an experience like I mentioned above. I didn't feel like I was actually doing anything no matter what project I did - except for feeding the homeless, because each of us put a small amount of money towards the food so we felt a bit more useful. Don't get me wrong, it was a great experience. But the fact that I couldn't be bothered on some days to go to projects shows that this wasn't the type of volunteering experience I had hoped for.

I would be lying if I said that I had always known about this. And yes I admit to taking pictures whilst volunteering in the past as keepsakes for the future. However, it was only recently that I realised my stupidity. I have been unknowingly treating people in a different community as zoo animals: being amazed by the conditions that they live in and then leaving.

All is not at a loss! Especially for a medic. It's been my dream for a number of years to work with MSF. An organisation that send out doctors to poverty-stricken and war-torn countries in order to provide them with free medical aid. You see something like that is my holy grail of volunteering - not only are you fearful for your life, you also provide people with something which in effect saves their lives.

So to conclude, if anyone is thinking of volunteering I suggest you research really well. Be careful not to fall into the traps of companies online that offer you "an experience of a lifetime". Ask yourself these questions:

How can I help this community?

What skills do I have?

Will they actually benefit from me being there?

Am I doing this because I need to or because of the feeling it gives me?

If you have any doubts or questions, feel free to contact me. I would be more than happy to offer as much help as I can.

PINEAPPLE TOP DISASTER

This is something that I picked up during exam time.

The pineapple top hairdo. 

Quite possibly the most stupid yet the most easiest thing to do with my hair. But now I can't stop sporting this and yes I even go out in public looking like this.

I think my hair is one of my assets. Modest, I know. But it's a well known fact that Asians have luscious locks! Even though my hair is thin, the way it falls on my head naturally makes it look like it is thick. I dip-dyed my hair a few months ago after wanting it to do it for so long. The main reason I put it off for so long was because my mum hates the idea of chemicals tarnishing my jet black hair (even though she dyes her own hair) (-_-)

Anyway, if any fellow dark haired ladies are thinking of doing a bit of ombre; this is what I used: L'Oreal Pref Feria Extreme Blonde Ombre E01. The reason I went slightly ginger may be because of the fact that I dyed my hair burgundy a while back; so I'm guessing that this dye kit stripped the black revealing the previous colour mixed with the blonde!

RETAIL THERAPY #1

I have a few exciting things coming up next month. For starters, I'm back at university and this time I will be roaming around campus as a second year medical student - that is if I have any spare time! Secondly, I'm turning 20 on the 20th. I also have a half Indian half English wedding to go to which happens to be on the 20th as well. So all in all, next month should be jam-packed with things for me to do. Hopefully my blog won't suffer because of it!

A birthday and a wedding, that calls for new outfits! I'm a huge fan of online shopping. Mainly because I'm too lazy to actually go into town and do some browsing myself but it's also a great way to compare prices on different retail shops.

I thought I'd wear a bright colour to the wedding as my normal wardrobe consists of monochrome items. It's a nightmare trying to find a decent colour that will go with my dark brown skin tone! If I ever decide to inject a bit of colour to what I wear, I tend to go for something bright. It's risky but it makes you stand out. This duke blue shade is a personal favourite of mine. Not only is it bright, it also complements my dip-dye really well (which is sort of ginger - I'm afraid you have to trust me when I say that it wasn't planned!).                                                 

Product
£13.99

I'm afraid I gave into monochrome for my birthday outfit. Playsuits are absolutely perfect for nights out. Not only can you look dressed up, you can also avoid the occasional flashing that may occur as you dance! I'm not normally a fan of cut out clothes; but the contrasting colours and the way the playsuit is tailored works really well with the cuts.

Product
£12.99

#3 HARRY POTTER MARATHON

At the tender age of 7, I watched a film which spurred me on to read like a maniac for the next few years. 

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

I still remember the moment I opened up the book and the words of J.K. Rowling flew from the pages and toyed with my imagination. From that moment on, I awaited the release of every other sequential book and film like many other 7/8 year old children.

It's amazing, sad even, that the finale of this amazing series was also the end of the childhood of a generation. The harsh reality of growing up hit me as I watched Harry Potter's son board the train in the Deathly Hallows Part 2...

It's only when you watch all the films in one go that you realise how quick you've grown up as a person. I don't know, maybe I'm looking into it too much. But I can't help but think how different I was when I was 7 to when I turned 17. Time really does fly doesn't it?

Having a Harry Potter marathon was on my summer bucket list and I'm happy to say that I've finally finished it. Currently I am extremely tired and will be hibernating for the next week or so!

http://bewitchthemind.tumblr.com/post/755702757

I'm still very upset that I didn't get my letter to go to Hogwarts when I was 11, but whatever I'm not holding any grudges.

#2 QUICK SKETCH

I've ticked off the first thing on my summer bucket list!

Not having drawn anything for nearly 2 years has definitely made me a bit rusty. I've always enjoyed Art; it was one of my favourite subjects throughout high school and sixth form. Regardless of how good/bad I was at it, there was something so very peaceful about listening to music and drawing how you felt or how you perceived the object in front of you.

 

        

RETURNING TO THE MOTHERLAND

~Image taken from Google~

The land of delicious curry, piping hot chai tea and an array of colours that become embedded in your visual cortex from the spices, dyes and sarees that you see.

The extremely polite children, the love of cricket and the infamous train journeys that take you on a whirlwind of an experience up and down the country.

Not to mention the mix of the old and new whereby you can still see how the land and its people lived hundreds of years ago mixed with areas with infrastructure and technology which is light years ahead of its time.

INDIA

I've never really felt close to my motherland, India.

Maybe it's because I was born and brought up in Oman for 9 years and was then whisked away to live in England for a further 10 years and counting.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who had this type of childhood and yet all the other Indian teens I knew felt a strong connection back to their native land. It was as though I was being left out of the warm embrace that India was giving everyone else. But I just couldn't bring myself to connect with the land of my forefathers.

I always used to wonder why this was the case: is it the way I was tormented for my skin colour whenever I was over there or the way some aspects of the culture went totally against what I believed in? 

Recently, I have begun to appreciate all of India's glory. I've been focusing 19 or so years of my life on the negative aspects of this beautiful country.

I forgot the smell of the damp earth that fills your nose as you step out of the plane.

I forgot the experience of playing outside in the monsoon season, getting lost in the rain.

I forgot the different cultures and traditions that follow the 29 states,

each filled with their own characteristic traits.

From Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala, I forgot the colours, the music, the different styles of dance, the history and every little thing that makes India one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world.

By reading about British imperialism and how it affected Indians, I have begun to realise the hardships and pure terror my motherland has faced. The struggle and blood that has been shed in order to give its descendants freedom will never be forgotten.

Needless to say, I'm starting to not appreciate the stereotypes that are being associated with Indians. Nor the fact that people are using Indian traditions as a fashion statement. But it goes to show that India will always influence the world in one way or another.

So what spurred me on to realise all of this? Well, it all began when I went to Morocco. Strange, I know! In Morocco, all of the cinemas play Bollywood movies. Most of the fabrics that you see in Morocco was inspired by the delicate designs that  Indian designers portray onto the fabric. As you walk through the souks, some of the stalls even play iconic Bollywood music. The hagglers on the street ask me if I'm Indian and their faces fill with joy when I say "Yes, I'm an Indian." as they frantically attempt to act out famous film scenes. Seeing the way the Moroccans admired all things Indian made me realise how wonderful my motherland is.

I am ashamed to say that it has taken me 19 years to realise this...

But I adore India.

~Image taken from Pinterest~

SUMMER BUCKET LIST

I know that it's already August and I have less than a month until I'm back at university. But I thought I'd make a little list of things that I aim to complete by the end of my very short summer.

#1 - Make a scrap book for year 1 (I'm not sure whether to make a book or a folder on my laptop but we'll see!)

#2 - Create a painting/drawing (I haven't done any form of artwork since AS and I really REALLY miss it. Unless you count anatomy illustrations as art...)

#3 - Harry potter marathon (I haven't seen any of the films in a long time and whenever I want to, I can never decide which one to watch. So I might as well start from the beginning)

#4 - Read inferno by Dan Brown (I started reading this book during SSM but never got round to finishing it and as a die hard fan of Mr. Brown's work, I feel obliged to complete reading his masterpiece)

#5 - Make up a dance for the first session back (Due to the final month of university being extremely torturous, I had to cancel a few classes. So it would be good if I could get back into dancing again)

#6 - Bake a cake (I am absolutely terrible at baking cakes. So this summer, I am going to try perfect my skills)

I'll keep you all updated on how I get along with each of the things on my list. Why not make one of your own, I'd love to see what you've put on it!