Postcards from Bangladesh

Ever since I came back from vacation to BD the summer of 2007, I wanted to write about it like I did on England (http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2012/07/seeing-england-for-first-time.html). I finally had the opportunity to make it work for an assignment for my Creative Non-fiction class this past semester.

The flight to Bangladeshwas an exhausting one. Unlike on the recent trip to England, there wasn’t a TV to entertain myself with on the plane ride. So, I paid more attention to the funny looking passengers. Unfortunately, my hands got sticky thanks to a waiter who later dropped orange juice on me by accident. On the bright side, looking out the little window was an amazing view. The Earth looked just like a map with its separation of blue water and brown land. It was breathtaking from so high up!

Upon landing in Bangladeshbefore sunset and stepping out of the cool airplane, I was hit in the face with humid air. Countless people were crawling on the streets like an army of ants, even while it was getting dark. The driver hired to take us to my dad’s place from the airport was driving like a lunatic. I seriously thought I was going to die! Fortunately, we made it to our destination safely. Exhausted from a long journey and stressed over whether I would die or not, I easily fell asleep that night.

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From the early morning wake ups, humid air, curious stares we got from relatives and neighbors for being Americans, to the stifling smell of smoke from cooking, there was a lot to adjust to. It wasn’t all bad though. It was fun hanging out with my cousins, especially the younger ones and their friends. My cousins and I would pick pears from their trees, race each other and play tag, and just joke around. They would enjoy hearing my siblings and I speak English so one made up his own language similar to pig Latin that I never understood.

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My family and I would travel between the city and country, visiting both my parent’s sides of the family. The bumpy roads and pot holes was a bit frustrating, but also funny. It was amusing seeing each other bouncing up and down in the rented white van while trying to talk. From my experience, the city was populated and polluted in contrast to the country. Of course the city has its perks like better shopping, sanitation, and transportation. But, the countryside appealed to me more. The fresh air while sitting in the back of a rickshaw, the sights of open rice fields and rivers, and people's simple life gave me a better perspective and appreciation of life in the country.

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For some reason, the mosquitoes were horrible in the city. Twice, I woke up to a swollen lip and eyelid! It was so embarrassing that I hid my face from my two younger cousins who would make fun of me. Imagine trying to cover your mouth for the whole day! I couldn’t of course, being as talkative as I am, so I stopped trying and gave my cousins a good laugh out of it. Fortunately, it wasn’t anything serious and eventually went back to normal.                 

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My youngest cousin on my mom’s side, who was four years old at the time, although cute, was a handful. He liked to sit on my lap every time I would sit down on the sofa. He was like a mini shadow! One day I had on a red ornamented Indian-style dress with black palazzo pants and he jumped up from my lap. We both realized that the bejeweled dress wasn’t comfortable for him to sit on. He and I also eventually got into a “routine” where we would wait for each other to finish dinner so we could brush our teeth together before bed. It sounds silly, but he seemed to enjoy the company. And I’m not great at singing, and far from comfortable doing it in front of others, but I would quietly sing to him in his ears. "Dhoom again and run away with me on a roller coaster ride. Dhoom again and see your wildest dreams slowly come alive…" It was an English song from an Indian movie I had learned from a friend that my little cousin was somehow familiar with. I don’t watch non-English movies, but the beat and fast lyrics stuck in my head and made for good entertainment for the two of us.

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I never knew what the night sky had in store until one night in the country. The country night scene in Bangladeshis definitely worth staying up for! Sitting outside on the front porch with my family and relatives and looking up at the night sky was beautiful. With not too much lighting in the country, millions of stars that I wouldn’t see from elsewhere looked like they were within arm’s reach. It's hard to withdraw from such a wonderful sight, but another day must begin.

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I have to admit, I wasn’t looking forward to my family trip to Bangladeshthe summer of 2007, but when the time came to prepare for our return journey back to America, I didn’t want to come back. I don’t have close relatives in Americaand the trip opened my eyes. Previously growing up close to friends and distant to my own family, I realized while on vacation the importance of family. The day before my family and I had to get ready to leave was definitely a sad day. We said our last good byes to our relatives with salty tears in our eyes and dripping down our faces and made our way to the air conditioned van that would take us to the city.

“Seeing England for the First Time”

England. Setting of the famous Harry Potter books. Known for the English language spoken and written differently from Americans, the rainy weather, the double deckers, the castles and ruins from ancient times, and so much more. For some people, England is just like another America, with all of its praises and problems, but for others it’s an exciting adventure. What a dream it is for some people to just step outside of one’s homeland, especially after being in one place for so long, but what if it could become a reality? What a trip that would be!

Upon hearing of my parent’s final decision to go to England along with Bangladesh, I was overjoyed! I would be spending my summer vacation in two countries, far away from America. Not having gone anywhere far since our last trip to Bangladesh many years ago, at an age too little to remember clearly, this was an exciting time for me. Our trip took place in the summer of 2007, the year of my 8th grade graduation (I guess you can say this was a graduation present from my parents and a vacation t o relax before high school!) I told some of my teachers and friends that I would not be attending the graduation ceremony because of a trip that would take place before the school year ended. My 4th grade teacher, who I visited while my peers rehearsed for their graduation ceremony, told me that her daughter had gone to London and really enjoyed it. She told me to have fun and stay safe. One of my “friends” told me that she had gone and did a pigeon feeding and for me to try it! Overall, I was eager for my first trip to England!

We arrived at my aunt and uncle’s house after over an hours drive from Heathrow airport
in London. I noticed the houses in the area were very similar to one another, just like on Privet
Drive in the Harry Potter movies. I felt like I was dreaming. Not only was I finally in England, but I saw my cousins after many, many years. I even had another cousin who I didn’t have when we last met. We had so much catching up to do with our lives! My mom was doing the same with my aunt, her older sister in the kitchen.

The first couple of days were for family time, recalling memories of when my cousins had come to America in 1997, the games we played when we were little, our trip to New York and two years later to Bangladesh, the good old days of the past! One night my cousins and I told ghost stories (it was a “tradition” my cousins did), and boy did they have stories to tell, with all the shows they watch on TV! I remember thinking of England to be full of haunted houses from the stories I would read when I was younger. The next day we showed them a scary picture of a girl with a disgusting face and another one where a guy screams suddenly! It might not sound scary, but when one of my cousins saw the skeleton, she screamed and covered her face. I thought she had a heart attack, but she was bent over laughing! My other cousin laughed and said that was cool (they are really into anything that is scary, shows, stories, you name it!) Some days later, my uncle, brother, sister, 3 cousins, and I went to Rochester Castle. We climbed to the top and could see the cathedral nearby. The days passed quickly but it was almost time to leave England. My dad met up with us from America a few days before we had to get ready to go to Bangladesh.

After spending over a month in Bangladesh, which I enjoyed most of the time, we got a chance to stop at London again because our flight was rescheduled for a few days later. One of those days, my uncle took me, my dad, brother, and 2 cousins sight seeing. At first I didn’t want to really go but I’m glad I changed my mind. I would have really regretted it! We took a trip to London, since my cousins live far away from there. We took a train for some parts of the trip. It was the first time I went in a train and it was fun.

Our first stop was to Buckingham Palace. The gardens and fountain were beautiful! After going around the garden and fountain, we went in front of the palace (we couldn’t go inside though…). It was huge! Tall gates separated the palace from tourists, but we did see soldiers guarding the palace grounds. We later headed to the Tower of London. I recalled doing a social studies project in the 7th grade on the Tower of London and it was great that I was actually able to see it in person! We crossed the Tower Bridge and later came to the Palace of Westminster where the legendary Big Ben stands. We also saw the London Eye, which I later discovered was a Ferris wheel and the Swiss Tower, a rocket shaped skyscraper. Night fell by the time we got back on the train, our car, and finally home. The day finally came for me and my family to head back to America. I will never forget my vacation to England and hopefully will be able to visit again sometime in the future!

Field Trip to Pt. Pleasant

I realized that hard work does pay off the day I stepped onto the boardwalk to enjoy a field trip to the beach!

I was a seventh grade tutor in school for about five months, helping second graders improve in reading. Being a tutor was not all fun like I had thought (getting out of class early and having to miss certain classes). We had to be responsible enough to keep up with all the work we missed so we could continue doing well in school. The day we were going on the field trip was the most exciting day for me that year. We were going to spend our day in luxury while our peers were in class doing work. Me and some of my friends, along with other seventh and eighth grade students from different classes were on our ways to Point Pleasant in Ocean County!
 
The first one and a half hour on the bus was a bit tiresome, but fortunately we were on a bus that had a television and a bathroom. We watched movies, played games, and talked to keep ourselves busy. It felt great to be out of school with my friends for a change. After about another half hour or so, the bus pulled up leading to our destination.

Stepping off the bus, my eyes were fixed on the beautiful beach that was laid before us. The dazzling blue ocean and sparkling sand waiting to be played in was a gorgeous sight.

This is the life! I thought.

We were going to spend our day here while some of our other friends were stuck in class on a hot day in May. I felt bad for them, but proud of myself for being able to come to this wonderful place.

First stop was the Fun House. The four of us stayed together to be on the safe side. It was completely black except for only a few lights, which were lighting up the scenery including scary faces to ordinary plants. We had to get through slides, stairs, and other obstacles. Suddenly, one of my friend looked at me and screamed! When she turned around I realized why; everything that was white like our eyes and teeth looked blue. Both of us frantically rushed to find the exit.

Next, we went to the Jenkinson's Aquarium. Inside, we saw many creatures including fish, sharks, seahorses, penguins, parrots, a blue lobster, a white alligator, a cute little monkey, a starfish and many other animals. After about an hour of touring, we finally reached lunch time. I had three slices of pizza, a chicken patty, coke, and chocolate ice-cream. After lunch, we were told we had an hour and a half to ourselves. We went to the souvenir shop and after buying some souvenirs, the four of us took off our shoes and socks and ran for the beach!

We stood close to the water waiting for it to come up. The water finally reached our feet and above, soaking us up to our knees in freezing cold water. The wet sand felt squishy between my toes and I started to sink into the sand. We retreated further back and sat watching the other people. Before leaving the sand, we ran around racing just for fun. Later, we went to the clothes store and made a final stop at the arcade. Getting onto the bus, I looked back at the shore. I would never forget the great day I had!

Media’s Message of Islam

My poem entry for the Islamic Writers Alliance 5th Annual Poetry Contest (2009)

Many false things have been said about the religion Islam and its followers, Muslims, by the unhelpful portrayal of the media. Do you let others think and judge for you or not?   

Why do you judge my people by looks?
We’ve all heard to not do the same to books,
You assume things by the actions of “Muslims by name”,
To some, when it comes to Islam, it’s all a game.

Maybe it’s because of what you’ve heard or seen,
The media is all for making Muslims sound mean,
You publicize the bad acts and even make up your own,
You start trouble to hurt Muslims both young and grown.

You hear of women covered from head to toe,
You call them oppressed but you really don’t know,
We do it to dress modestly, please Allah, and follow his command,
We won’t give in to your unfair and dirty demands.

Maybe you’ve seen men with kufis on their head,
“Going to the Masjid (mosque) to teach violence,” the media says,
Or, perhaps Muslim men growing a beard and wearing Islamic clothes,
Facing Makkah for prayers lined up in straight rows.

You call us dangerous, crazy, and lame,
But, in some ways it brought Islam great fame,
After 9/11 more people became curious of Islam and to learn the truth,
It even reached the ears of some of the youth.

Bringing reverts to Islam, believers of its message so true,
Since then, the numbers of Muslims worldwide grew,
InshAllah (God willing) Islam will rise like the past to see the light,
So, to the ones who slander Islam, please stop the fight!

So Much to be Thankful For

Piece I wrote for a song writing contest in the summer of 2008. This was inspired by Ahmed Bukhatir's "Forgive Me."

For the people who don't take the time to think how much they have to be thankful for. A reminder for others as well as myself.

Look at you sitting there on your couch staring at your flat screen TV,
Dressed from head to toe with clothes priced high enough to clothe the poor,
You live in style yet so much more you desire not even thinking about me (unfortunate ones),
You see, while you sit there you don’t think that you have so much to be thankful for.

You eat till you’re full, you even throw away food,
This can be given to charity to feed the poor,
But still you’re in a tempered mood,
You see, while you sit there you don’t think that you have so much to be thankful for.

You live in a beautiful house with four walls and a roof to cover your head,
You raise buildings to the sky where the money can be used to shelter the poor,
You’re living in peace and comfort, but still you are not satisfied while sleeping in bed,
You see, while you sit there you don’t think that you have so much to be thankful for.

You enjoy holidays and vacations with loving family and friends,
While the ones living through deaths are living like the poor,
Yet complaining you are bored not thinking when lives will end,
You see, while you sit there you don’t think that you have so much to be thankful for.

You have a body with five working senses and everything intact,
Which can be used to help the less fortunate who are looked at as the poor,
Just to fit in with the crowd you want to change your looks and act,
You see, while you sit there you don’t think that you have so much to be thankful for.

You were born with everything you need to help you be the best in this life and the hereafter,
Fortunate it was you who was given a chance and whose soul didn’t soar,
While you’re here, help those who need it the most for them to join in your laughter,
You see, while you sit there you don’t think that you have so much to be thankful for.

The Purple Blurble

This is a short story in Dr. Seuss style that I wrote for a contest when I was in the 8th grade. (I won 1st place in the short story category for this piece!)

The Purple Blurble was a cute little creature
But I know it would be the least favorite of your teacher
With its cute fuzzy ears upon its cute fuzzy head
Its eyes would turn from blue to red
But this fuzzy little creature did not stay for long
It knew something had gone terribly wrong
No one really knew what happened to it or what it did
One day the townspeople found out it had disappeared or worst, hid.

No one really cared that it had just gone
Except for one kid, Billy Bean Bon
So later on, on the very same day
Billy decided to go, even if it meant far, far away
To discover the truth, the real, real truth
That happened in the town of Bungeeooth.

It took him two days, one night and six hours
But he didn’t give up, not with his powers
Onward he went to a house that read "The Purple Blurble"
“I wonder what happened,” Billy said with a burple
But suddenly, out jumped a gruesome little creature with no teeth
He opened his mouth and out came the hideous smell of old, soggy feet.

Billy stepped back and said with a frown
“Please don’t hurt me; I’m new to this town”
“Why have you come, you outsider from town, and why do you have that horrified frown?”
“I am Billy and I have come here to discover
The heartbreaking and sorrowful things I have always wondered
You see, I love creatures no matter how they look
They may be real or imaginary from a book
I was sad when I heard the sorrowful story about the Blurble
That had once lived in this town, they said it was purple.”

“Why Billy, you are right and I am glad to say
I thought no one would bother to care up till this very day
The Blurbles had disappeared, but that was long ago
But I will be kind enough to tell you the story if you really want to know.”
“The Purple Blurbles lived with their family and friends
When all of a sudden their lives came to a woeful end
A colony of Sneezles had invaded their town
With their silky fur coats of white and brown.

The Sneezles took all their belongings and chopped down the trees
Took them home, it wasn’t funny you see
They tore down the Blurbles homes, took all of their food
This all left the Blurbles in a very bad mood
The Sneezles took everything the Blurbles once cared for
The Blurbles couldn’t take the destruction anymore
They couldn’t just leave, as they had no place to go
So they decided to stay, but ended up having a big row
That led to the deaths, the same of their kind
And that is how the Blurbles ended up dying, there are no more left to find.”

“I’m sorry this all happened, but is there someway I can help?”
“You can spread the story from the north of Ashphen to the south of Welp
Let them all know what really happened and teach them a lesson
That they’ll never forget, my dear boy Nelson”
“It’s Billy, not Nelson, and I’ll try with all my might
Even if it takes me days and nights.

Well thank you for all the help and letting me understand
The importance of all living beings, they each have a role to play like in a marching band
We should assist all of God’s creations instead of breaking them apart
I thank you again from deep within my heart.”