Independence day resolution

Firstly, HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY…

I understand we all have some memories associated with Independence Day. After all we have studied extensively about Bhagat Singh to Gandhiji to Chandra Shekhar Azad in our history classes. We by hearted the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to Dandi March cribbing about the dates and numbers for our history exams. As a kid, I loved Independence Day mainly because we got to do something different on that day. Who likes boring classes any ways!!! It would be a half day with flag hoisting and march past and of course, how can I forget the yummy laddoos!!!

As I grew up, I studied more science and less history but strangely, every event/person associated with history began to leave a mark on me. I read more about freedom fighters during my college days when I was supposed to study the cross-sectional diagram of limbic system. I felt more connected with the lives of freedom fighters and as a person, who cried for not having born in the US, started developing an extreme attachment towards India. Whenever I heard patriotic songs, my eyes would moisten and a strange feeling of doing something for the country arose. It's been at least six years since the birth of that strange dose of patriotism but guilty me, I haven't done anything for my country apart from showing love and respect through my words.

After my marriage, I realized I don't really have to join army or politics or donate money to contribute towards the betterment of my nation. I modified my lifestyle and I stopped littering in public which I would do very often before. Now whatever I eat, I normally dump the remains in my handbag and throw it in to a dustbin. I would like to do few more lifestyle changes before I go back to India, so that I feel proud of contributing something towards the welfare my nation and I request all the Indians to do the same. Every bit counts!!!!

- I urge everyone to stop littering in public. Of course, there have been campaigns and rallies spreading awareness but I don't know why people just don't stop. In our school Independence Day celebration accumulated more wrappers and papers and balloons and we littered more!!!! So, today I make a resolution to avoid littering and try to pass on this habit to everyone I know.

- My next resolution is to plant more trees whenever possible. I hate gardening, in general. But I have decided to spread more greenery in and around my house once I go back to India. After living in KSA, I have realized a dry country feels lifeless. I was so depressed when an entire kundel kadu (a small forest) was cut down in my home town. I can't stop such havoc but I can try and plant more trees.

- I use a lot of water for my household works. I waste water and electricity profusely. My third resolution is to use water and electricity wisely and avoid any kind of wastage.

- My fourth and last resolution of this year is to make the next generation understand the real meaning of Independence Day. It is not just a holiday. It is a day because of which we can breathe freely in our own country. I feel the present generation kids have not understood the real value of this day. So, it becomes our responsibility to carry forward the tales and messages. After all, they are the ones to lead our nation in the future.

New Year resolution toh bahut suna hai... So what is your Independence Day resolution? Are you trying to help your country by doing your bit? Share your ideas as to how we can make our country a better place to live in our own small ways…

**** Images are downloaded from google via different sources.

"So, what do you do?"

In this era of doctors and engineers and surrounded by relatives who made statements such as, "there is no course better than engineering" maybe because their kids are engineers, opting for a profession which people hardly knew became very difficult. Even I didn't know what Speech, Language Pathology and Audiology was all about. But yes, I had the basic idea about it. In the past eleven years people have asked bizarre and stupid questions, some of them I find extremely funny, some annoying and some insulting. 

I am sure after reading this post people in my profession will be able to relate well to the situations, people outside my profession will have a good laugh and people who still have no idea about what we actually do will stop asking irrelevant questions or acting smart!!!!

1. He - "So, what do you do?"

Me - "I am a Speech, language Pathologist and Audiologist"

He - Is it engineering?

Me - No

He - Is it a part of MBBS?

Me - NO

He - Then why are you doing it? 

I smiled and thought "Because life is beyond engineering and medical"

2. She - "Hey, long time.. So what do you do now?"

Me - "I am a Speech, language Pathologist and Audiologist"

She (trying to be a smart one) - Oh!!! Is it? Lovely. I have see the news for deaf and dumb. It must be interesting to do sign language.

Me - ****facepalm****

My profession is way beyond sign language and interestingly we don't even use it. We try other modalities of communication in case if you didn't know.

3. He - "So, what did you study after PUC?"

Me - I did my masters in Speech, language Pathology and Audiology

He - so what are you called as? Doctor?

Me- No. We are not doctors. We are called as Speech, language therapists and audiologists

He - That is too long. I am asking what people call you? Doctor?

Me - facepalm + clenched fists!!!!

4. She - So children who come to you gets cured completely?

Me - First of all, we are here to help gifted children. We help them to be independent and improve their quality of life.

She - Oh!!!!! Then what is the whole point if you can't cure them?

Me - Did you just hear what I explained????????

5. He - You profession is like a social service. Isn't it?

Me - Yeah, in a way

He - Then you should give therapy for free

Me - I would if I could survive just on air!!!

6. There are some over smart people also in this world!!!

He - I know what you do. Autism, ADHD. I know everything about your profession. Given a chance even I could do what you do 

Tells me a person who has done his BCom!!!!

Me - Oh is it? That's great. I have a kid with severe dysphagia. Could you please help me out in preparing a therapy plan?

He - Dysphagia? what is that?

Me - That is something you didn't know!!!!

7. This is my favourite of the lot.

She - "Do you work in a spectacle shop?"

Me - Hell, NO!!!

She - But I thought opticians sell hearing aids. Could you please explain what you do exactly.

Me - Double facepalm!!!

Now if anybody asks me what do you do? I ask them if they have watched the following movies - Black, tare zameen par, The king's speech and I tell them I help these kinds of individuals. I even deal with stroke patients like Hritik Roshan in Guzarish or maybe autistic kid like Jhilmil and hearing impaired kid like Murfi from the movie Barfi. After all the bollywood explanation, I normally receive a different kind of regard. People have often told me, "wow, you do something incredible" and no doubt, it does feel good.

But, the problem arose when I proudly listed all the movie names and one guy said, "sorry, I don't watch movies. Could you please explain what you do?

 "Ah! Not again. Kill me!!!". 

Jeddah to Europe - Visa application process

What is the first thing you do after booking your tickets to go on a long vacation of 16 days? 

Scream!!!

Ok, yeah, what do you after screaming? 

In my case, the day we decided about taking this long vacation, I started planning. Of course, when you are going on a long vacation that to if it's an exotic location like Europe that too during summer peak time, you gotta be really concerned about expenses. Everybody says, book in advance but if your husband is in a consulting, travelling firm then things are never hundred percent sure. Funny part is people suggested us to book six months in advance and we didn't even book six weeks in advance!!! We ended up booking our local travel and stay just ten days early (yeah, we just finished it on 10th and we are leaving on this 20th).

Source

When you are already living in a foreign country, every system and procedure is new. We were kind of lost during the visa application. In spite of doing a lot of research on this area, we were sent back not once but twice at the Etimad center. 

Here are few information you need to know about applying for Europe visa from Jeddah -

1. Check this Etimad website for all the documents required and visa fees http://www.aletimad.com/italy_jeddah_document.html 

2. Especially for expats, you need a letter from your sponsor (more like a no objection letter)

"Original employment letter with chamber stamp address to Italian consulate Jeddah. Employment letter should furnish the details of Name, Nationality, passport number, salary, Designation, Joining Date and Purpose of travel of the applicant. Employment letter should also have a visa request"

This is what is mentioned on the Etimad website, and we actually took the original employment letter with us the first time. Hence, we were sent back to get a no objection letter. But yes, even that letter needs to have chamber stamp!!! 

You can follow this format if you like, 

To,

The Honorable Consul General,

Italian Consulate,

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

We would like to inform you that our staff with details as below,

NAME
PASSPORT NO.
IQAMA NO.
NATIONALITY
DESIGNATION
EMPLOYMENT START DATE
MONTHLY SALARY (SR)

desires to visit your country on vacation from _________ till _________in Italy (mention the country to which you are visiting first or spending more days in).

We do not have any objection.

We request you to kindly issue the necessary VISA for his travel.

Thanking you

Regards

Chairman

3. If you have recently moved to Jeddah, then you can't travel to Europe as you need minimum six months’ salary slip or bank account statement. This was one more reason why our visa application was not accepted the first time as we had four months bank statement of KSA and two months of India's bank statement. 

At Etimad, they are very particular about every single document and so, follow the guidelines properly or be ready to accept a rejection!!!

We applied for our visa on Monday and we got our visa on next Sunday, in one week's time. Entire visa application process to Italy costs about 350 riyals per person!!!

Just near the entrance of Etimad building, there is another visa application center called Vega. They charge 50 riyals extra per head and take about 15 days for visa approval. But, if you are not getting through Etimad, then you can always try out this option. 

If you have recently shifted your house or moved from a different place in KSA to Jeddah then have a copy of your house rental agreement in ENGLISH. They are very specific about it being in English!!!

The entire process easily took us two months (including the time needed to prepare an employment letter and to get the stamp of chamber of commerce) and at the end, we were literally praying to get our visas as we had already booked our flights out of excitement and to get a better deal on money. 

Finally, all is well that ends well. After all the struggle and running around we got our visas done!!!! And the last two weeks have been crazy as we were finalizing on the plan, booking trains, hotels and trying to look for the best deals to save money!!!

I will keep you guys updated about my longest and most happening trip of my life (hopefully, it will help you all to plan yours)

See ya till then!!!

Most annoying questions!!!!

In my childhood, after the death of my mother people often asked me, "Don't you remember your mother?", and I had no clue how I was supposed to answer them. The more they asked me this question, the more aloof I became. I just wanted the years to pass, so they won't ask me this question. But now I know, years may pass, but society's questioning attitude will never change. The moment I was 22 years old, the world surrounding me quickly adapted a new approach to deal with me. The people who often enquired about my mother's memories, education, marks and future aspirations suddenly had a different set of questions.They weren't interested in my marks or my ambitions, they didn't appreciate my high spirit or approach to life, they didn't even observe what kind of a person I had grown in to. After I crossed that milestone of 22, and since then, people have asked me very weird and offensive questions. They are undoubtedly very annoying and humiliating and that's why I thought of writing all of them together and posting it here. So, the next time if somebody asks me any of these questions, I will share the link to this post!!!!

1. It all started with "when are you getting married?".

The sooner you finish your studies, the sooner you get this obvious question. In my case, as I wanted to pursue my higher studies, my parents discarded the idea of marriage and somehow shut the mouth of this I-am-interested-in-your-business society. 

But once again, they started pelting these questions at us the moment I finished my post graduation. My parents convinced everyone that it is my dream to work after studies. Hence, I once again got a time window of two years. But after two years, everyone including my parents started pressurizing me for marriage.

Submitting to their demands and also, to avoid the questions I got married thinking the "Kaun Banega crorepati" series would end. Sadly, it didn't!!!

2. After marriage due to visa issues, I was stuck in India for a long time. I kept shuttling between my parent's house and my in law's house. So, whenever I would go to my parent's house people would assume not all is well in my nest. They would ask indirect questions, trying hard to make sense out of it.

"So, why are you not going to saudi?"

"How long it will take?"

"But my friend got the visa in just two months. Why are they delaying yours?" - Dude, Saudi embassy in India just want to make my life miserable, that's why!!!

and the most ridiculous of all - "How come your husband is able to travel leaving you behind in your parent's house?"

My inner soul (with lips sealed) kept on screaming loud, "It's my life. So, don't poke your filthy nose into it".

3. The same people, once who were least bothered about my career, job and aspirations, got suddenly interested in my professional life. Due to circumstances, I couldn't work after marriage and even after moving to Saudi, I am unable to get in to a job. Hence, I have to face one more set of firing bullets with a pinch of "unnecessary gyan" and sarcasm.

"Why are you not working in Jeddah? I have heard there is quite a demand for speech therapists in Saudi" 

"Why did your dad spend so much on your studies? So that you can sit at home?"

"Oh, your husband must be earning well then!!!!!"

"Why don't you try some other job?"

People should first of all stop interfering in others' lives and it's high time they realize I am a smart, educated, sensible woman. I won't simply sit at home doing nothing if I had any other preferable option. 

4. It's just been four months since I shifted to Saudi Arabia and people are already asking me when am I travelling back to India!!!

I understand the concern of family members who genuinely miss us. But that's not all, there are many other people who keep asking me and even my parents when I am planning to shift back to India. 

They even make statements like,

"It is Saudi Arabia. Don't stay there for long. You don't know how that country is!!!" - I wonder how do they have so much knowledge about this country sitting in India, having never travelled abroad.

"People who stay outside India tend to never come back." - Firstly, there are many people who come back and secondly, you don't know me and most importantly, why do you care?

"You are the only child. If you stay away who will look after your parents?" (with a sarcastic pitch) - I love my parents and I also know my responsibilities. Plus, if you care for my parents so much, why don't you take them to your house?

5. Ah, this is my favourite part. My entire family circle and people surrounding them are constantly peeking inside my uterus now. First you get married, then have your first child and after that second child. By any chance if you break this cycle or delay, then people will start asking questions. 

"Do you at least have the desire of becoming a mother?"

"If it's not now, then when?"

"What are your plans? Any good news?"

"What do you mean by right time? There is nothing like that!!!"

"You know you are becoming old right?"

So, basically there is nothing called "purely personal matter". Everybody wants to know everything and suggest like they have the ultimate knowledge. 

Come on people, it is high time you stop asking questions and let people be. I understand why parents ask these questions but why the whole society (in fact they are least bothered about my happiness) wants to know about my life? I don't know if they get any kind of pleasure by doing so. But spare me!!!

I am sure you all must have gone through something similar. Let me know what questions irritate you the most.

*** All the images are downloaded from different sources via google.