Settling into UK!

Hey ya fellas! I apologize sincerely for vanishing for a week or so but I had to or rather I put it like this that I was too much messed up in the emotional trauma that I was going through that it made it difficult for me to inform my lovely family here! I have read too many posts on Renard’s blog expressing his miserable feelings for the bloggers who vanish without explaining the cause and though I have had a sincere readership around yet I failed to inform you all and that is why I feel awful so apologies, apologies and apologies! And I hope its granted now!

My books – Business, Mathematics, English (Three subjects for this term which ends on December 7th 2012)

Now the question is where have I been? Interesting question! I am no more in my country but in England for my studies i.e my undergraduate program! The previous week was crucial! I covered 6 chapters of Business Studies and 5 chapters of Mathematics and submitted the project of Business on Friday and wrote the maths test on Thursday (which was nearly perfect!) Apart from studies which are smooth enough now after a rushing week because I arrived two weeks later than the starting date (Another story why I was late – briefly, I turned 18 in August and it took longer for my identity card to get to me and as soon as I got through it, I filed my visa and fortunately I received my visa in 5 working days!)

Clouds forming before it starts to rain or rather drizzle! I love the smoky skies in here – this place is romantic! (lol)

Settling into UK – not a problem at all! Lovely people out there in almost freezing weather and yeah romance pouring my heart with the rain tickling my face! According to me, it never rains in here instead it drizzles! I like the feeling of walking on the lonely and empty streets aimlessly trying to figure out where I have to go. I love getting lost and then finding my way back again and the sweetheart babies you see all around you; almost perfect but I miss my family terribly! The most difficult part is when you sit all alone by yourself trying to eat but you can’t cause you miss your family’s dinning table, your parent’s arguments and siblings chit chat and funny pranks! I have to cry to myself because if I will be weak, my mum will certainly be not better! My room is okay – thankfully it is my room only so I do not have to share it with anybody even being on university’s accommodation!

I carried it all the way from Morrisons to my room – those 15 minutes were hell!

Plenty of stories in my head and I want to let all of them out! My flight was 7 hours delayed and I got to know it on Dubai International Airport when some Italian guy (whose English accent was a terrible pain for my ears) told me how they do not have enough passengers to fly to Birmingham! I simply never knew how Emirates could ditch me like this but those 7 hours were an incredible experience. The sense of responsibility that ensured me how I had grown up and can do everything independently now. Those 7 hours when I had to look after my money, my luggage, keep contact with my parents, resisting the sleep when I was up for more than 24 hours and what not. Dubai Internstional Airport was my first examination and with His cooperation, I succeeded it like a victorious warrior! I reached my accommodation at 11:00 pm on October 12th and the very next day I realized I had to do my grocery all on my own (which I had never done before) and I had to walk like crazies! Yeah, I missed my driver and at times my car as well but with time walking was a pleasure instead I discovered how I can observe many things minutely when I walk and see the world without technology!  I have been to city center twice and I kinda bought many things though I am not a shopaholic at all but I guess that was the need cause UK is kinda freezing and will continue to freeze more and more with every passing day! Primark, H&M, Topshop, Zara’s, Integration,  Evans – you name it and I am sure I have been there! I am still discovering good restaurants though right now Subway and my own cooking skills had help me enough!

World Of Coins!

The very big change for me was MONEY! Amazing! It took me almost a week to learn about currency, coins, pence and I am still on my way to learn more about them! We had maids back in home to do everything, from ironing clothes to polishing shoes and almost everything. Now, I wake up 2 hours before I have to leave so I can iron my clothes and look about my shoes and then leave almost 40 minutes before because it is a 20 to 25 minutes walk to my school from my accommodation and I leave the margin of 20 minutes in case of any accident (God Forbid) I never imagined how time would play with me and change me within a week! I thought I was careless (clutz) and may be I still am but I don’t see it. The very big problem for me is to look about my keys and wallet; back in my home country I never had a wallet! All I ever did was slip few bucks in my jeans but wallet – NO!

Talking about Leicester, it is not a busy city like London but it is still busy enough. Traffic can prove you and when you see Audi and Mercedes cars out there, you are like Woahh!! (Just Kidding) It is like a Mini China in here cause you will find so many Chinese people! Okay, they are Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Nepalese but all of them look almost same so you can never ever tell who they are! Now what I am fed up of is every other person asking me if I am from AMERICA! I am not boasting about myself but hundreds of men and women have asked me if I am from America because they say my accent is American and when I tell them from Pakistan, I see their eyes bulging out as if I have said that I am the president of US. Excuse me, get a life – my school’s principal will kill me if she gets to know how I am receiving such a comment because we are taught British English then HOW THE EFFING HELL I POSSIBLY CAN SOUND LIKE AN AMERICAN? Does that even make sense? The very first person to tell me was a guy on the plane, then the immigration lady(until she saw my passport), then this surgeon I met in the grocery store, then almost every receptionist on the university information desk, the receptionist guy on the accommodation information desk, cashiers in the shopping malls and I am tired of giving them that look to not repeat it! You know how is it like? Let me demonstrate, consider I am talking to a lady who is the saleswoman of H&M;

Naima: Excuse me, Can I see this?

Saleswoman: Yeah sure!

Naima: Thank you (Smiling) – But I don’t want heels you see.

Saleswoman: Oh! Are you from America? You have an American Accent!

Naima: (A crucial look and then a smile and says with grinding teeth) Everybody says so though I don’t know why!

Pasta – Cooked on Friday, 19th October 2012!

Chicken and Capsicums – Cooked on Saturday, 20th October 2012!

Chicken and Vegetable fried Rice – Cooked on Sunday, 21st October 2012!

I know at times it is a LOLing situation for me but I have to bear with it. I don’t mind being the way I am so back out! Another worse thing in here is that it is autumn and I hate to walk on the fallen leaves! I mean, why did they ever taught us that leaves are living beings because now I feel miserable when I see plenty of them lying on the floor and I have to walk over them! I feel guilty at times and curse my science teachers for being so mean back then when I was 9 or 10. I started cooking like 3 days back that means from this weekend cause I had to buy my cooking pans and everything and I think I am doing pretty well if I eliminate comparing it with my mommy’s food! Of course, she is a professional! I see old couples being too romantic – holding hands and linking arms and I go back in my memory to recall when did my parents or even grand parents did it last time in front of me! I adore the people here, their innocence and the love they share through their smiles! (Believe me or not, I am almost smiling to everybody on my way; exclude the young guys please cause they will take a different meaning out of it)

Cooking and eating – a good time pass; need no friends! (lol)

Briefly, I enjoy in here. It is an adventure ride. Lazy mornings in my bright room with a chilly wind that knocks me down and I stretch my arms thinking if I can see some other faces than Chinese (Just kidding – no hard feelings please but the fact is there are too many Chinese out here and I appreciate their love for education) As expected, no friends yet but I think with time, I will be okay. I talk to a Singaporean girl in my class *Ann* who has a boy friend so she is too busy with him all the time but she is a great girl to talk to and I have been lately talking to this Canadian guy *Marcus* who has explained me the maths and business problems that I have not understood after reading on my own! He had been a great helping hand but again it is just a hello-hey with them; they are not yet friends! I am too bad at it, I know but I hope to do good!

PS– I know I have missed out whole a lot on reading the blogs I follow but I will try to manage it out whenever possible! Thank you for the support and cooperation as always! It is greatly appreciated! Stay blessed!

Babies Ain’t a piece of cake (Tribute to MOTHERS)

In bed, trying to smile to the camera while my cup of coffee is all empty!!

What happens when all day you have been working like an ass and at the end of the day when you want to have a nap, the sleep doesn’t come by easily?? At times, I am dozing off unnecessarily but right now when I really need to sleep as I have to get up early in the morning cause my baby cousins will be at my place – I just can’t help myself but crave for some caffeine! My system has been programmed to malfunction at extreme times I guess, whenever I am exhausted and exceptionally fatigued I can not rest instead I am more restless and hyper-active at such moments which results in the dark-creepy-swollen eyes!

The three sisters together after breakfast!!
From Left to Right: Soha(oldest), Izma(Youngest), Nabah(Middle one)

Nabah and Izma jumping on the bed during breakfast and I am sure you can’t hear me requesting them to sit down in the photo!!

The day was busy and tiring today; my mommy and aunt were out for shopping and my aunt had an appointment with a orthopedist as well due to some recent back and leg cramps occurring occasionally since a while ago. My mom and aunt left me with the kids at 10 in the morning when they were sleeping peacefully in their bed. After an hour or so they woke up and I knew my parade had begun. I managed to fry eggs and toast few slices of bread along with boiling milk on the stove while consoling the youngest that her mother is in the washroom(Lying with kids can be dangerous and I discourage that – my experience had taught me enough today). I prepared their breakfast as fast as I could and dashed into the room to find the other two playing some Barbie games on my brand new iPad. Firstly I couldn’t digest how they turned it on when I have never used it in front of them but then I flushed that thought at the back of my head knowing that they were not some normal kids but the super-techno kids of 21^st century. I was not worried about my iPad for that time but I was worried about their empty tummies. I fed them with my own hands from the oldest to youngest cause the 7 years old feels that I discriminate on the basis of love with them due to their ages (though it has never been my intention) so I couldn’t do anything but feed the three of them myself. Then I managed to get their attention off the iPad as I had to bathe them. I bathed them, had them brush their teeth and then brushed their long curly hair – goodness; it was another examination brushing their long curly hair and making a tight looking braid once they were dry!

Nabah running to me for going to the bathroom after I have resolved the fight between them for that goddamned remote!!

At 2 in the afternoon my siblings were at home from their school and serving them with the lunch along with the three little kids wasn’t an easy task. I served them with sandwiches and fried some nuggets and crockets which were enjoyed by my siblings as well as my baby cousins. Sideways, I told my siblings to take an afternoon nap so they can get up fresh in the evening and continue with their homework and etc. Fortunately, they obeyed me without any argument (which is a rare case) and I engaged myself with the babies because I had to cook some oat meal porridge for them as per their mother’s instructions. While the oatmeal was preparing, I gave them some books to read but they showed least interest and then reluctantly I had to play the DVD of “The Little Mermaid” for them so that they could sit quietly. As I went in my room to relax myself for a bit and lay down in bed for a while, I heard the youngest (Izma) crying and her voice pierced through my ears and I got up running all the way to the hall so that I could see for my eyes what had happened that have had her screaming along with sobbing loudly. When I reached the hall, I saw them pulling each other’s hair and smashing each other with whatever comes their way to hand like a weapon. I got in between and was severely thrashed with hair pulling and scratches of their trimmed nails and what not but ultimately I got them over the fight which had accidentally started over who would keep the remote in their hand and just then the porridge was ready too as I could smell the aroma so well. I learnt a lesson on my way: Never ever think of “RESTING” leaving the kids alone; they would screw you even before you start regretting.

After giving me hell of the 15 minutes of my life; she still smiled!!

Nabah desired to capture a shot cause she wanted to use my camera!!
Look at my posy baby(Soha) – giving me a hard laugh as I go through the pictures!

Anyway, the oldest (Soha) ate the porridge without any chaos. The youngest(Izma) did make some noise but when I engaged her attention with some teddy bears and dolls around me, she was convinced and ate her meal without any mess but the one in between these two sisters; the one older than Izma but younger than Soha made me experience hell within the 15 minutes while I forced spoonful of porridge in her mouth which would come streaming out and I would make her eat the same thing again (I really felt like puking but I had to do it) because if I would have thought of sparing her of that oatmeal, her mommy would have never spared me for life punishing me for keeping her baby hungry! After all when she was done with her porridge, I felt like a winner – so proud of myself and smiling to each one of them for their cooperation and teaching me the worth of the mothers across the world.

My pretty mommy with Umair (my brother)!

This one day baby sitting taught me a lot. When my mom came back, I hugged her like a 4-year-old baby would tug into her mom seeing her after a long time. The three babies were even happier to see their mom. I realized how mothers work like a robot machines, looking after kids, serving their husbands, looking after the household and what not. Their day starts with the sun (or even before that) and their day would end late after everyone is snoring and fast asleep. I am tear-eyed thinking of what my mommy has gone through for me and my family and that whatever I do, it can never repay for the sleepless nights she had stayed up when I was a baby and my days were nights and nights a lively morning, I can never pay off for the time she has spent in my upbringing teaching me the difference between good and bad, I can never compensate for her love and care she has awarded me with throughout and I wonder if I would ever be able to pay her off for being my backbone through the thick and thin which has given me the confidence to stand upright with dignity in the shoes which fit me now. This is not the story of my *MOTHER* specifically but all the mothers across the globe. They say, Heaven is under the feet of mothers and I can not agree more because Almighty created mothers as His representative on the phase of this planet. That’s why He had poured all the love and care in the mother that He would have liked to give to His creations in the embodiment of a mother. One day baby-sitting taught me much, I have been babysitting my baby cousins for a while now since they are here from Dubai but an entire day with the babies where I have no one to depend on was an outstanding lesson. While I sit in my bed sipping caffeine, I mumble “I LOVE YOU, MAMA” and you my friends out there have to give your mothers a call – a phone call probably and those who unfortunately can’t give a phone call, give her an honor for the memory call! I can not help but salute all the mothers out there who have the stamina to overlook their baby’s mistakes because it is only them who possesses heart as vast and immense as the sea – the true beauties and saviors of the world!

Your family is your first Ministry!

August 12^th 1996 – a two-year old little girl surely did not know the significance of this date at such a young age yet she celebrated it every year (and will continue to) since the day she knew what birthdays were and whose birth date made this date special. Well, if you guys (I mean both gals and fellas) are thinking to apply brakes to the present and dive into the history books or lectures you must have received in past from your history teachers then take a deep breath – I am not talking about anything such as that yet I will astound you with how every date is special within itself.

Umair’s (my brother’s) sweet sixteenth!!

Except of some breathtaking facts like the only silent film “Wings” won an Oscar for best picture in 1927 on the very same date of August 12th, Soviet Union conducted a secret test of its 1st hydrogen bomb in 1953 on the same date, William Shatner was married to Gloria Rand on August 12th 1956 (yeah, its lame but spare me without smacking me down), the very first time two people were in space in 1962 on August 12th, China & Japan signed a peace treaty in 1978, the very first IBM Personal Computer was released on the very same date (12^th August) in 1981 and in 1996 I was blessed with a new-born baby – of course I can’t be a mother at the age of two but a baby brother was warmly welcomed!! Two years younger than me – not even exactly two; just a one day less than 2 because he is 12^th August and me 13^th! Celebrating birthday together is utmost fun but this time it was something special – it was his “SWEET SIXTEENTH”! This post is going to be informal so anyone who wishes to kick me or punch me in my gut ; all of you are warmly welcome to email me but the emotional and exhilarating episode yet have to gear up!

Left to Right : Me, Umair (the birthday boy) and Atif (my other brother)
Love them to the core!

Well, it was his sweet sixteenth and my eighteenth so August 2012 was much awaited since New Year (or may be even before)! His birthday was a blast! I surprised him at the midnight with some balloons and a cake and party crackers so I can just blew him off his seat and make him wonder at how super awesome his siblings are! I am sure he felt it but he didn’t feel comfortable to express his happiness and there was a reason behind that too. His O levels result was expected on August 13^th (my birthday) so he was all anxious about the upcoming result and least concerned to take part in the celebrations of his birthday blast. At times, I asked him to smile and be confident about how his hard work and struggle would be paid back but all I received was a “GRIN” or may be some words under his breath (can be curse words too for releasing down the pressure in the most abnormal way) or it was an outburst like “SHUT UP” or “DUHH” – anyway whatever it was; it made me go all crazy to tease him more and more! He slept around 3 in the morning (mum and dad were certainly snoring in their bed by that time) and before that he was praying for himself like geeks! I even teased him that if he would have put this much effort before exams in his studies then he would have not been this worried – he hated me for pulling his leg from time to time but isn’t it all we call “THE SIBLING’S LOVE”! I even offered him a drive though I did not have my driving license as there was still a day to go to be 18 but he refused and I think he missed out the fun we would have had wandering from street to street playing with the peace of night. After all, he slept at 3 am and I was all curious to make the day special for him. I made a card for him and packed him a digital camera and a perfume (Eternity for MEN) that I had bought for him earlier – I hoped he would love it. I then slept around 6 in the morning and woke up before him to make some coffee muffins he loves. Few hours later, when he was smiling and laughing I was contented. It is always a different feeling to see your young boy smiling and laughing; a feeling of contentment and delight embraces the soul when you succeed to paint a smile across his face – when they smile, the efforts are worth it. I was on cloud nine as I have had succeeded to make him forget the anxiety of his upcoming result. He loved the presents whole-heartedly (greatly expected, who wouldn’t have had? – I was saving for an eternity to buy him those things). After all, the day ended and I captured his smiles in my head as I knew I would be away from them very soon (my university starting and I have to move to Leicester, England). There was no surprise for me at midnight but million calls and my parent’s and sibling’s hugs and wishes made it special in itself – I cherished each and every moment as I wondered if I would be here to celebrate my next birthday; all I did the entire time was resisted myself to not spill a tear because I didn’t want my mommy to get upset or overwhelming at this particular day!

I love my mum!!
PS– This is an old picture around a year and a half ago!

Don’t forget, when I write there is always a message concealed and this time there is one too. Family is family and there is no alternative for family – neither your boy-friend/girl-friend nor your friends because your parents are a treasure in disguise. You may not realize their worth in their life time but once they abandon you then the thousand wishes in the wish-well can’t bring them back so love them now for who they are and thank them for supporting you throughout without any selfish means. Your siblings are your very best friends; they make the world around you beautiful and amusing – the fun and enjoyment you have with them is an exciting priceless adventure that in no way can be compared to anything in this universe. They understand you and defend you even when you are wrong; take your blames on their own shoulders even at the age of six; argue with parents and the world around to prove you right – their presence is a blessing for which you should be grateful everyday.  I read it somewhere and it fascinated me a lot and so I will share it with you.

BOY-FRIEND = Look at the last three words – END.

GIRL-FRIEND = Look at the last three words – END.

FRIEND = Look at the last three words – END.

FAMILY = Look at the last three words – ILY – I LOVE YOU.

Amazing, isn’t it? I love my family and their presence is a blessing for me for which I am thankful to Almighty and will be throughout my life! I pray for their protection from evil and health and happiness. Amen. Do not forget to pray for your family everyday; they should be your very first priority so if you are done reading it and haven’t talked to your parents or siblings (even daughters or sons for the matter) since a while then call them up and let them know that they will always be cherished. This world is not a place for hatred instead it should be the aroma of love spreading far and wide; hence forget the old wounds and take an initiative to cradle your relationships and knot a new thread if you have not been in contact with your family and if my words aren’t convincing then remember your childhood days – I am sure you will be rushing to grab the phone then!