#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!

HOW CAN I...?

How can I explain the act of humans killing other humans to my children?

That history repeats itself and no one shows remorse

That the cries of the children of Gaza will still ring in their ears with force.

How can I tell my children that the very moment they step out into the world, they will be criticized for everything that they do?

That the colour of their skin will be scrutinised at every opportunity.

That the world will lie to them about everyone living in unity.

How can I show my children what their ancestors have been through to give their descendants freedom from a once heartless race?

That the rivers in the countries which were once ruled by the British empire is still flowing with their blood.

That their sweat and hard work can be found in the desolate mud.

How can I even begin to tell my children that they will always ALWAYS face racism, in one form or another?

That the amount of melanin that they have in their skin determines how society acts towards them.

That the blood that runs in every single human being's vessel is accountable for nothing.

My child, what's worse is the fact that people still turn a blind eye to what goes on around them.

 "Institutional racism?" "What's that?"

"People always have something to moan about"

Remember this: The oppressor will never understand the oppressed.

They will try to make you forget by convincing you that it's a thing of the past. But do not ever forget what our ancestors have been through.

And one more thing, do not encourage your culture to be a fashion statement. It is sacred and it's what makes you YOU.

And a final message...

Always read and educate yourself about your past and the present. It will open your mind to the reality that you have to face and will ensure that when faced with bigotry comments, you will know just what to say to make that individual look down at the floor in shame.

RATE YOUR PAIN ON A SCALE OF 1 - 10

Hospitals: they can be fearful places or they can be places which give health care professionals an adrenaline rush every day they come into work.

My little sister has been through a lot over the past year.

A whole year of unimaginable physical pain.

A whole year of walking in and out of hospitals.

A whole year of having her body throw one obstacle after another at her.

This year has gone so quick for me. I’ve achieved a lot and kept myself busy every day so it feels like time has flown past. But I can’t even begin to imagine the year my sister has had.

I wish I could talk more about what she’s been/going through but I have to respect her privacy and I doubt she’d want me to plaster her personal life across the internet! But for all of those who read my blog, if any, I beg of you to pray for her health; both physical and emotional.

I have always admired doctors. The way they remain professional at tough times, the way they know exactly what to say to put your mind at ease, the way they can recall the heap of information that they learnt all those years ago at university. It wasn’t until I became a medical student that I began to gain a new found awe for doctors and other health care professionals.

Being in the hospital to visit my sister has shown me the responsibility and power that a doctor may knowingly or unknowingly hold. The sense of ease that washes over you when a doctor comes into to see you is something which is indescribable. Especially when you know that someone you love is in a vulnerable state and there’s nothing in your power that you can do to change that.

In the midst of it all, there’s one person that I admire the most (directly after my sister); and that is my mum. How a mother can watch her child go through all the things my sister is going through and still remain as strong as she is, is beyond me.

“How would you rate your pain today, A”

“Probably around 3 or 4…”

It wasn’t until I heard this conversation between the nurse and my sister that I began to appreciate the good health that I have been blessed with.  Imagine having to suffer the pain that is constantly there; regardless of whether it’s a 3 or a 4. It’s strange, even as I write this post on the train; I can feel a lump rising to my throat. But I know that won’t change a thing. All I can do now is pray and hope that one day; I will have the same strength that my 16 year old baby sister has.

FROM 45 DEGREES TO 18 DEGREES

Well I'm finally back! The Morocco page has been updated so feel free to have a snoop around and ask me any questions about my trip.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling that I have missed a few things out but I'll be sure to update the page as soon as my brain decides to work in my favour.

I have pieced together a 10 minute video of some of the highlights of my two weeks so do have a look at that.

Next on my list is a thorough tour of Italy! 

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, SOUKS AND SERVING OTHERS

Two weeks of cuddling orphans and exploring Morocco. These are the type of holidays that I actually enjoy. I've never been a fan of going abroad to relax in the sun or get immersed in the lifestyle of countries such as Ibiza or Magaluf. You can call me old-fashioned but I believe that when you're in another country, you should spend your time there as though you are her citizen...

You should eat all the authentic food she offers you, wear her traditional clothes, live like her people and get totally engrossed in her culture. The few days that you spend in another country should make you forget about all your preconceived thoughts about your experiences of the world and it should add to the vast ocean of memories that you are beginning to collect over the course of your life.

As a medical student and a future doctor, one of the hardest things you can do is travel whilst studying/working. That's why I believe that any spare time that I have should be used to explore the world. I guess in a sense what's driving me to this is my fear of growing old and being filled with regrets.

"I wish I did that..."

"I wish I hadn't said no..."

"If only..."

These are phrases that will haunt me until God shows mercy on me and calls me up to (hopefully) spend eternity enclosed in my Creator's grace.

And the only way to stop these nightmares would be to grab each opportunity that comes my way and by always saying yes!

Anyway, I won't be posting a lot over the next few weeks. Unless I have Wifi, in which case I may pop up and say hello. But let's be honest, the chances of me wanting to be glued onto my laptop in another country where I'm going to be looking after adorable children will be very slim. Therefore, I bid you all farewell. I can't wait to get back and talk about my experiences so watch this space!

ADVENTURES IN EAST LONDON

MEMORIES OF A FRESHER

Alex put together a collection of the best memories of our past year at medical school and it's the most adorable thing you'll ever see.

It's amazing how close some of us have become over the past few months. Knowing people who share the same love of medicine, is something which can't be explained adequately in words.

Memories like these are so precious and what makes it even more special is that these experiences will stay with us (even if it is in the back of conscious mind). Only to resurface when you sit in front of the fireplace, wrapped up in blankets, surrounded by your children and grandchildren and relive them as though they happened just the day before...

LIKE A GIRL

"You...like a girl."

This phrase has always frustrated me. 

What does it mean to be a girl?

As an Indian girl, this question has always been brought up in conversation when surrounded by other Indians. 

I grew up thinking that a woman's place is in the kitchen. She should only speak when spoken to. She will never achieve great things if in competition with a man. God forbid, she should never speak up for what she believes in. 

Watching my mother break all these stereotypes has taught me that being a woman is more than what the Indian tradition and culture teaches its children.In a land where women are treated like dirt, where rape is seen as something which is "sometimes right and sometimes wrong"; it is important for females to break these stereotypes and take control of their own future. It's the only way that sexism will be driven out of society and women are treated with respect.