Been there, done that

Been there, done that - Yes, I can proudly say that when somebody asks me if I've watched a cricket match live from the stadium! =) *all smiles*

I'm an ardent fan of cricket - I don't know the rules of the game in & out, but I have enough understanding to enjoy the match, despite it being lengthy (considering the fact that I don't have a lot of patience).
I developed interest in the match when I used to watch cricket matches on TV with my uncles and whatever I know of the game is what has been passed on to me by them.
I've grown up rooting for the Indian Cricket Team & my all time favourite is Rahul Dravid. Now, I have a soft corner for Virat Kohli - he's the most good looking player in the team, for now.

I'm now in Sri Lanka, a country where the people are cricket fanatics!
Sri Lanka co-hosted the Cricket World Cup last year (2011) and I desperately wanted to go watch atleast one match where India was playing. But, I could never get tickets.
But this time, when I heard of India touring Sri Lanka for the ODIs, I did my share of planning in advance. Thanks to a very good friend of mine, I got tickets and so, yesterday, I headed out to watch my first live cricket match between India & Sri Lanka played at the R. Premadasa Grounds in Colombo.

I was so excited! I wasn't even one bit sad that I couldn't watch the Olympics on TV!
But I was in a dilemma on which team to support - I've loved the Indian Team since the day I understood cricket but I love Sri Lanka - it's my second home and there arises some feeling of patriotism.

When I got my seat and looked down to the ground, I actually pinched myself - it looked so surreal. I couldn't believe I was seeing cricketers whom I've watched on TV playing just few meters in front of me. I squinted my eyes, craned my necks - did almost everything possible to see each one of them!
Only when the second wicket was lost, did I actually realise that I was there, in real, in person watching it all happen.

Sri Lanka was batting first and 98% of the crowd (full stadium!) was rooting for Sri Lanka. Inevitably, I was in support of Sri Lanka too. Screaming, shouting, wildly waving the cards displaying 4s & 6s high in the air every time a boundary was crossed - I had the time of my life. Sri Lanka ended at 286 for 5 wickets at the end of 50 overs.
It was almost 7pm by the time the Indian opening batsmen came on to bat - Gambhir and Sehwag. Sehwag was caught off guard and was out for just 3 runs. Gambhir went on to score a century with 102 runs. Rohit Sharma had yet another duckie. Suresh Raina and Irfan Pathan created magic.

India did not look like they were going to win. And with minimal support from the crowd, I was sure they'd lose. I was so bored in between, hoping the overs would move faster.
But in no time, things got very interesting! Malinga almost made a hatrick taking down 2 wickets consecutively. As he bowled to get his third wicket, we were all shouting "Malinga, Malinga, Malinga..."
But whenever the Indians made a 4, I clapped - garnering deadly stares from the die hard sri lankan fans seated around me! Haha!

The last five overs with the Indians batting was just magical.
I was so excited but nervous at the same time. I felt I was missing heart beats. I was telling my friend that had I been Dhoni, the Indian captain, I'd have gotten an anxiety attack by then.
But all of it paid - the Indians went on to win!!!

The funniest incident was a dog who came running onto the field twice, pooped and ran back to disappear in the crowd. A cleaner had to come and shovel away the poop. Haha!

The 9 hours that I spent there was totally worth it.
I'm definitely going to go watch more of such matches! :)

p.s: Trivia - No team has ever chased so much (287) to beat Sri Lanka at home! 

Pictures are taken from my very primitive phone - I'll steal some pictures from my friends and put them up shortly!
Special note of thank you to all who made it possible for me!

Updated (30/07/2012) - as promised, better pictures.

I miss you mumma

My mum worked as a journalist for about 10 years - this was when I was around 4 to about 14 years of age. I remember she bringing home work many a times, and I used to read each of the news articles she was working on. Often, I used to stand in front of the mirror and read them, pretending I was a news reader.
Before 1999, we had no TV, so it was only over the radio that I heard various readers. I used to loving faking an accent and read out those articles.
For a brief time then, I wanted to become a journalist!

When BBS TV was launched, mum was among the first few English news readers. When I saw her on TV the first time, I was so excited!
I remember taking pictures with the film roll camera  of her on TV; and finishing the entire roll! I was so proud that MY mum was on TV :)

Soon, it became almost an everyday thing. Back then, news readers had to go all the way to Sangaygang to deliver the news. So mum used to go by about 6pm and get back quite late. I used to wait at home with the maid; so mum & I could have our dinner together.
Soon after the news was over, I used to look out of the window towards the Sangaygang hill (which then, was clearly seen from our window - there weren't so many buildings obscuring the sight unlike now). If I saw a pair of car lights dancing down the ridge, I knew it was mum coming back. I'd quickly ask the maid didi to warm up the food.
When I saw no car lights, I'd be so disappointed.

There were times when I missed her so much, that I used to go out, stand on the tallest window parapet; face towards Sangaygang and shout, "Mummyyyyyyy.....". Many a times, the neighbors used to come running, worried that something had gone wrong. I'd just tell them that I was missing mum. They'd tell me to go in and wait, but I never listened. I waited outside till I saw lights over the hill - only then did I run in to ask didi to heat the food.

After mum quit journalism and started work at the UN, things were even more hectic, work wise for her. She's get home very late. But I suppose it was because I was in my teen years, I was too engrossed in watching TV shows, in making scrap books that I did not miss her as much as I did as a kid. With the invent of mobile phones, I'd just text her and ask when she was coming, and that was it.

Now that I look back, I realize that once I was in high school, I took mum for granted so many times. I don't remember ever thanking her for making me what I was then.
I don't remember thanking her for waiting for me for dinner when I'd get back late from tuition classes. I don't remember thanking her for getting up early and making my favorite steamed broccoli with amul butter and bringing it to my bedside for me to get up. I never thanked her for staying up with me, late in the night, while I studied. I never thanked her for snuggling me to sleep when I was too stressed with exams.

If I could go back in time, I'd want to thank her every single day for all that she did for me. You know how they say, you realize the importance of people and things only when you don't have them - it holds so true!
Now, that I'm far away from her, I realize how much time and effort she had spent on making my life comfortable. I miss her so much - never a day goes by when I don't write to her telling her how much I miss her and how much I love her. I hardly said that to her while I was with her, back home.

Even now, when I am  20, I have times when I can't fall asleep due to stress, and I call her at the wee hours of morning, and ask her to talk me to sleep. Nobody but she has that calming effect on me. I have loved people in life, but the love & respect I have for her surpasses every nice feeling I have for others.

My happiness knows no bounds when people tell us that we are more of friends than a mother - daughter duo. My extended family remind me time and again of how my mum has only me, and I tell them that she doesn't have only me, she has the whole of me :)

Every time I tell her that what I am today is all because of her, she tells me that what she is today is because of me - and it's such an overwhelming thing to hear.

I've been missing her all the more today. If only I could go upmto the terrace and shout "Mummyyyyyy....." for her to hear it all the way in Dhaka.
But a skype session's due tonight - so I'll do all the screaming (in joy of course) later! :)

May musings

May 1^st – the Worker’s Day feels like just yesterday and today it’s the 30^th.

The end of the month is already nearing! 

How time flies by.

I remember telling myself that there are two solid months for me to prepare for my exams (in July) and now, before I’m even half way through my preparations, one month’s down.

But, May has been a wonderful month for me. My housemate got married – the first Sri Lankan wedding I attended. She made a beautiful bride and it was a lovely wedding. Being a part of the wedding made me realise how beautiful sari clad women look, so I’m going to learn the know hows of draping a sari soon after I’ve done away with the exams!

May brought yet another Mother’s Day where I could not be with my mum zo that was a little saddening. 

May has also been a month full of shopping, which I absolutely enjoy :)
 Also, I’ve had a hair cut – the shortest I’ve had in 4 years! All to beat the heat here.

One weekend, I got my face painted by a very talented artist at a new bread store which I've grown to like.


May (they) made me monitor! I was the monitor of my group for the three week paediatric appointment at Asia’s the World's largest Paediatric Hospital (yes, that is in Sri Lanka). 
It was quite a task, being the monitor. I'd be lieing if I said it was easy; it's not easy having to organise the work schedule of 16 students in a ward with over 60 beds. 
These 3 weeks have taught me many lessons, most ofwhich I learnt bitterly. Patience would be the most important value I learnt.   

The downside to this month has been the opportunities that I've missed.  I saw it, right there before me and I chose to ignore it – you know, like food stuck between someone’s front teeth, you can’t miss it – but I missed it and I regret it.

Dear God, give me the strength to live through June and the much dreaded exam week in July. 

It takes us ~

It takes some fears to make you trust

It takes those tears to make it rust

It takes the dust to have it polished.

It takes some silence to make sound.

It takes a loss to make you find it.

                                                                                                                                                                      ◆  Jason Mraz ◆

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my mother.

Every other girl in this world says her mother’s the best.
But my mother beats every best mother in this world
Because what she’s done as a single mother for me,
No other mother has & can do for their daughter.

Today, on International Women’s Day
I salute my mentor, my best friend, my MOTHER
Without you mum, I wouldn't be what I am today
I love you to the moon & back. 

From 'not liking kids' to 'liking' kids.

Don't let the fear of the time that it'll take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it.
The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.
                                                                                                                                - Earl Nightingale


I started my final week of the pediatrics appointment at the children's hospital here with this quote in mind.
I do  not like kids (Don't judge please). It's not that I hate them but I would choose anything else over having to spend some time with a kid. Their crying gets into my nerves and sets me off.
I know I must have cried a lot as a kid; my mum says I did. And it's only fair for the tiny ones to cry considering the fact that they can't speak - but not being able to take in their howls is my problem. 


So when my Pediatrics appointment began, I was totally nervous. The first few days, I maintained a good distance from kids. I never examined a baby during the first week.
I was disgusted at myself because my friends were all smiling and playing with the kids. Then, I tried - I made that effort - to like kids. I realized I was better with the elder lot of kids (say above 3-4 years). So it was those age group of patients I liked. 

I've learnt that as a doctor/medical student, one must connect with your patient to be able to help them. One must empathize. And in the Pediatrics ward, I was failing at connecting. 

Quite contrary to what I used to think, I liked the subject matter. Our consultant was an awesome lady and she taught us extremely well. Her team was as good as her, so we got some excellent input. 
But they say, in medicine, it's the clinical practice that matters, not the theory bit you inherit. So I was really lacking! I had/have no intentions of becoming a Pediatrician but I was failing the duties and responsibilities of a medical student and I was very disappointed. 

Perhaps luck was on my side - we had to do only 2 weeks of the appointment at one go. We excused ourselves to gain a week more in our study leave of a meager 7days. But due to the rescheduling, we had to do a week more of Peads. So instead of the regular 3 week rotation in Peads, we were to do 4 weeks. 

The third week too, was as same as the first 2 weeks. But on the weekend prior to our last week at the peads ward, I had a heart to heart with my mum. 
And with that I realized that the kids I don't like are innocent. And I'm being the cruelest of the cruel by saying I don't like them; even more cruel by not trying hard to break the "don't like" bond. 

It was time I change; else I'd never enjoy the privileges a woman enjoys. 
I crept into the Baby Room and started watching the babies sleep. I saw reflections of happiness and utter joy in the eyes of the new mothers.
What kept me in the Baby Room for almost 2 hours was really special - there was this baby with liver cirrhosis whose chances of survival was minimal because liver transplants for children aren't done in this country and the parents couldn't afford to take the baby abroad for surgery. The mother understood it all and yet she loved the baby unconditionally.
The mother had gone to get some syrup from the nurse while the baby was asleep. While the mother was away, the baby woke up and started crying. The mother at the next cot tried to calm the baby by showing her some toys but there was no stop to the crying.
I went up to the cot & stroked the child and guess what? The baby smiled and stopped crying. The other lady made a comment saying the baby likes me and you have no idea how much that meant to me. I stayed with the baby till her mum came and not once did she cry then. 


I spent some more time in the Baby Room - watching the babies being fed, being changed, being put to sleep. And it was amazing how these little things go together to help these children grow from the tiny ones they are now to big, beautiful human beings. 


  
Perhaps God was happy with the progress I was making - all my patients during this last week were children under the age of 3.
And with every patient, after taking the history, I always spent some time playing with them, tickling them - knowing them :)

I didn't know how time flew by and it was the end of the week so soon!
I'm glad it was a productive week - I've grown to like children a little. I still would not want to take up treating children in future - I'd suck at it but I'm proud of the steps I took that week.
Saturday, the last day in the ward, we gave chocolates to the kids and donated a few instruments to the ward. 


Goodbye Pediatrics,  for the time being.
Still have 2 small rotations and the Professorial Appointment with these tiny humans. 

Pictures are from the time our group decorated the ward during New Years.

Making the most of my time on earth

There are things I've always wanted to do, to see, to feel and enjoy. I've done some while many remain only dreamt of.
Perhaps getting it listed will help me achieve the un-achieved ones, especially with worldwide rumbles on December being the end of our world.

                Lets see how many more I should be doing before I kick the bucket because:
                   A well spent day brings happy sleep; a life well spent brings happy death.

• Visit Europe
• Go bungee jumping
• Go on a cruise (December, 2011)
• Achieve my ideal weight
• Hug a stranger
• Visit a church (2011)
• Attend a Sunday mass
• Visit a mosque
• Join a gym  (2012)
• Make my dream home
• Adopt a dog
• Bake a cake
• Go on a road trip
• Scale a well known mountain/peak  (Adam's Peak, Sri Lanka)
• Learn how to swim
• Travel to an island  (Saint Martin's Island, Bangladesh)
• Drive a speed boat
• Donate blood
• Go parasailing
• Visit disney land
• Walk bare foot in a desert
• Ride a camel/elephant
• Experience sun rise (Atop Adam's Peak)
• Watch the sun go down the horizon by the sea  (Done this over & over again!)
• Take up dancing lessons
• Learn the art of crochet (My art work is proudly displayed at home)
• Meet my King (2009 - gave him a peck on the cheek too!)
• Attend a live concert 
• Complete a marathon
• Learn to play table tennis  (2012) 
• Be a member of the school team in one discipline (Quiz team, Badminton team)
• Go on a safari
• Camp in the jungle
• Learn how to say hello in 10 languages 
• Learn to play one musical instrument
• Sing karaoke 
• Get an autograph from one celebrity
• Get a celeb to tweet/retweet me on Twitter  (Xteeener, Meiang Chang)
• Visit at least 3 of the 7 wonders of the world.
• Watch an open heart surgery being done
• Help deliver a baby
• See the Stonehenge
• Spend a day in a five star hotel
• Go on a pilgrimage
• Sponsor a girl child's education
• Attend the Oktoberfest 
• Learn a magic trick
• Learn to make candles
• Help raise funds for an NGO
• Read every book by Nicholas Sparks
• Give a CPR 
• Discover what makes you truly happy
• Say "I love you" & "thank you" to mum
• Get over my weakness of overeating
• Learn to say "no" without feeling guilty
• Touch a snake
• Get a poem/story published (My poem "Salute to our Kings" published in 2005)
• Get into Med School
• Become a surgeon
• Give a speech at a university
• Address a gathering of 500+ people
• Address a gathering of 1000+ people
• Address a gathering of 5000+ people
• Meet Oprah Winfrey
• Hug an HIV/AIDS positive individual
• Open a Swiss bank account
• Fly first class
• Find the love of your life
• Have a pet
• Celebrate your 50th anniversary in Maldives 
• Visit Ladakh
• Meet Dalai Lama
• Learn yoga
• Donate clothes to a shelter
• Start a blog
• Create a you tube video
• Write your memoir
• Make the front page of a newspaper  (2009 Jan - BHSEC results)
• Watch the World Cup
• Eat crab cakes
• Slap an eve teaser
• Stand up for your rights
• Get your palms read
• Get hypnotized
• Have your portrait painted
• Get a tattoo
• Travel solo

Life is too short to let it pass you by.
      We only have one shot at this & then it's gone.