Month: May 2014

Lost in Migration

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Ahhhh, now this is something I could sink my teeth into. Have you felt that you have been in the same cold weather, dreary winters, wet springs, etc. that you want to have a change to an everyday sunny day?

 

Or have you always lived in a hot humid country that the sun finally gets to you that a snow reprieve turns you into a frantic-boot-legged-scarfed maniac trying to catch a snowflake with your tongue?

 

Well then there’s a solution for you, summer in Canada and winter in the UAE, particularly Dubai.

 

Canadian seasons, specific to Vancouver, creates colours beyond my imagination. It’s beautiful specially on a sunny day. There will always be a cool breeze on your face outside. Winters are cold but not harsh in this area. Seemingly bearable.

 

Dubai seasons, are hot and hotter. But hey, it rains (this is an approximate to the times I was there) about 12 times in a year. On those days you would see folks donning their boots and fashionable parkas or trench coats, mind you this is the version of winter there.

The coldest temperature in winter I had when I used to live there was 11 degrees centigrade in January.  A City with 4, 114 km2 of land area with a population of 2.1 million (90-85% are expatriates). I have a Serbian friend who took a picture of clouds in Dubai as it is not often you see them there, normally its just clear blue skies!

Sounds like fun? It is, because its a tourist city and most of the great food places in the world have a franchise there. Plus by the way, the country is tax free. Making it the go-to place in the Middle East for shopping and everything else.

 

The only thing it is not, is home. Vancouver is home and it has a heart. That is the big difference why me and my family migrated here. This is a place to finally take root in. One more thing, if Vancouver boasts 20-30 deg centigrade in summer Dubai can make a whopping 55 deg centigrade, and I kid you not :).  Have a great day!

 

 

The Sage?

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I told one of my friends that I started blogging and he commented ah, you are turning to Sage? Enlightenment? Interesting and so I followed the lead, it seems that Sages are teachers but they don’t use words, quoting a page from “Sacred Place in Time”, enlightened Sages are silent. It is a very moving description that I was not able to grasp the entirety to it. I may inquire on my friend on what he knows more and keep you guys posted. Here’s the link in case you want to read it:  http://rahkyt.com/2013/09/09/practical-enlightenment-the-silent-sage/

Midweek and we are 2 days near the weekend. Yehey! To the Middle East people, enjoy your weekend.. They start their weekend on Thursdays, off on Fridays and some companies, Saturday in respect of the day of prayer for the Muslims which is the Friday. Salam!

Summer Babies! Mommy’s Brainies?

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Two of my friends are giving birth this summer, they are both excited and anxious to start motherhood. I’m a mom and its intense in a profound way.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, holds her baby Prince George. Research shows pregnancy can affect women's brains.

Makes me think about the article I read on shrinking brain size during pregnancy in CBC news on May 2, 2014. Quite unnerving on the fact that the brain size decreases 8% and bounces back near normal, but not the same size about 6 months after birth.

I could just imagine the sacrifices our mom’s had and now us as mom’s to endure all of this for our child. Nevertheless, I have survived, still am surviving and loving every minute of it 🙂

The Tent Lady

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Good morning Monday! My head is brewing with thoughts in trying to remember who the author of this very inspiring story. It has been years that I was trying to locate the writer but my best bet is Og Mandino being one of the most inspirational writers of all times.

 

Do you ever wonder why you had to learn how to manage your email and squeeze them all in Outlook or why for some reason do you need to know how to open up canned goods with a knife? Or learn French when you already speak English?

Going deeper . . . is there a purpose to the skills/experience you are now garnering that you have to bite your tongue not to spat at the illiterate customer you have as a call centre agent who can’t seem to find the Control key on the keyboard?!

 

Well, maybe this will help. The story of the tent lady had been repeated from my lips for some time now and had actually helped me understand more of the phases of life I went through.

 

A young lady born in a small village where they take silks from caterpillars as their trade had been hit by a plague where most of the people died. The survivors had moved to the neighbouring village to survive.

 

The new village makes thread from silk as their craft. Foreigners from afar had captured this village and they were sold off for slaves. This young lady was one of them, she was bought by a merchant that creates cloth from threads. She toiled and perfected that craft. One day the master noticed her skills and sold her to an off shore merchant as she has a higher price for that skill.

Her new master makes ropes from thread. Again she learned that craft. The new master needs to get to his homeland and sell his products and so brought her on his ship to sail. On the way, a storm had crept up and hit the ship the young lady was on. Everybody died except her.

 

She woke up in a foreign land, on the shore, alone and desolate. Feeling the world on her and wondering what kind of mishap could still happen. She did not have enough time even to question the misadventure one after the other as all she tried to do was survive.

Suddenly an army of soldiers came to her and ask her to come. She came willingly, she’s got nothing on her Iphone Calendar anyway (trying to see here if you are still awake!).

 

She was brought to the King of the land all bedraggled and dazed. She was placed in a room with silk in a bundle and she was asked to make a tent. With all her skills it was easy. She made the threads to make the cloth and the ropes from the silk. And from the thread she made the ropes. Eventually she created the tent from silk.

 

She married the King. The prophecy of the land, a lady visitor from a faraway place will come and make a tent out of silk and would be crowned Queen.

 

***Lessons, things happen for a reason. The reason won’t be known before the right time. When is the right time? When you got all the ammunitions you need to trudge ahead. If she gave up when she was sold she would not have been queen. Heads up M’Ladies and gents, life is too short.

 

Mondays!

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It’s the laziest day of the week! I suppose I could use the rope on top of my ceiling over me bed to pull me up, ugh!

ASKLYZMD

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MD, Medical Doctor? Music Director? Message Digest? Modern Drummer? Madarina Duck? Marriage Degree? I could go on for the next 3 pages pondering on the meaning of md at the end of my blog name. This being my first blog, I let you decide which one you prefer. I dreamed of being a doctor once though fate has other plans for me. Pushed by responsibilities at a young age, I had to cope with life early. Lost my mom at a very young age, deserted by my father years later on (though he waited for me and my brother to finish school at least). Tried to win him with the step mom but lost that battle eventually. I am now left with the bittersweet memory of settling in the “as-long-as-he-is-happy” notion. I guess I am done. Moved to 2 countries, 14 years in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (now that is an exciting adventure, on the food and exotics alone I could talk for a year non-stop) and now in Canada for almost 2 years, here I am still trying to get as much exciting things to talk about and enjoying the journey so far. I was motivated by friends to start my blog and see how this goes. I was told I give good advice and not be judgmental about it (so true, I will even research it for you! I find it fun). To some, knowing stuff takes interests, to me, its a new fact, just get a glimpse of what it is and dive down further if it gets interesting. If it involves income, then hey, let’s roll out those sleeves and get to work. Evidently, that’s my sneak preview. See you next post.