LIFE AS IT IS

Instead of having just one life, many of us these days have two lives - a real life and a virtual life. At times, it becomes difficult to separate the two. Sometimes, the virtual world takes over and our real life is left in shambles. Yes, this virtual world can give us good friends and good times, provide us with love and mental support in times of need, and work as a vent after a long, busy day. I am talking about networking sites, forums and Facebook groups.  However, as a member of one such online group, I feel that there  is a strong need to live both of these lives of ours, especially the real life, because that’s where a person has to return eventually… I took a 3-day break from my virtual life and in those three days, I walked every day, started reading a book, danced to music, followed the news, and talked with old friends over the phone. I connected with people who I can see, touch and hear. It felt good, it felt refreshing. I felt alive. I love the virtual world ...

Cooking at home is not always a pleasurable experience. You have to stand in front of a hot stove, do mental calculations before adding oil, salt and spices and in the end, if the taste of the food does not meet your expectations, you feel dejected. But home-cooked meals are and can be so much healthier, if you carefully choose your ingredients and their amounts. I see my friends and family eating out a lot more than they used to 5 or 10 years ago. Dhaka now has more restaurants than any other time in its history, and this can be one reason why people lunch and dine outside so much more frequently than they once used to. But are restaurant meals healthier than home-cooked meals? Most likely not. Yes, lunching or dining outside with friends and family is a wonderful experience, but having several restaurant meals each week is perhaps not. Here are some of the reasons why: When you cook at home you can control the quality of your food. You know exactly what ingredients in what quan...

I was watching an episode of Satyamev Jayate on YouTube last night. While watching it, I suddenly remembered my 2007 trip to India. I was taking part in a 6-nation youth leadership program. As part of that program, we paid a visit to a girls' orphanage in Faridabad, the largest city of the Indian state of Haryana. At Arya Kanya Sadan, we had a lovely time with little girls, who even danced and sang for the guests. We played with them, talked with them, hugged them and laughed with them. I was told that some of these children were abandoned by their parents because they were "girls" - their parents wanted male children and therefore abandoned them after their birth. I was thinking of these little girls a while ago and wondered where they must be now. Many of them are now in there teenage. I hope and pray that life showers them with tons of love and happiness. *This blog was written 2 weeks ago.

Air travel is rarely a pleasurable experience for me. I especially dread long flights. The idea of visiting Bangladesh excites me, but the number of hours to be spent inside an aircraft dampens my spirits. I am not that tall but even so, my 5'6" body frame cannot sit comfortably in an airplane seat. I turn and twitch during the entire duration of a flight, and wonder if plane seats are becoming smaller. I eye other passengers and feel a pang of envy -- many people enjoy long stretches of sleep on long flights, but I never can. My in-flight agony has doubled, or perhaps tripled, in the last two years. Flying in the air with a two-year-old is anything but enjoyable. My husband, who is my daughter's favorite parent, suffers endlessly when we travel. Watching his in-flight plight stresses me out even more. My toddler almost goes on a hunger strike when she is traveling. We returned completely untouched trays of meals to air hostesses in the past. When my child is awake...

I watched the short film below some time ago and could not hold back my tears. I saw my child in this little boy. I saw my daughter's face in the face of this child. We live in a cruel world. I don't know the maker of this film, but I express my gratitude to him for this work of his.

My daughter started her pre-school yesterday. Well, yesterday she was at the school for just 15 minutes - it was more like a short ice-breaking session with her two teachers, Jeanne and Amy. Today is her official first day at school. I am a little worried because she cannot take her teddy bear to the classroom - "Telly" is with her all the time and it might be difficult for her to part with it. I cannot imagine how how quickly time flies. I still remember the time and day I first held her. She will turn 2 years on September 17. It seems as if she was born only yesterday, but no, almost 2 years have gone by while I was busy raising her and seeing her grow from an infant to a toddler. She is attending the Montessori Learning Center in Wilmington, DE. The 40-year-old school have amicable teachers and a comfortable environment. I hope she enjoys her time at her pre-school. I am happy for my girl. No, I don't think it will hurt me much to let go of her and see her grow i...