A new year musing of a nostalgic expat

 

As we all welcomed  the new year with enthusiasm and a determination to be a better version of oneself, amid all the chaos and the mistakes treaded upon we had a humble new year and to bring a smile on the face of our kids we took them to shanghumugham beach and kids enjoyed the crowd and hustle and bustle of the stalls created (to loot the money of innocent people could not help calculating the inflated prices, to satiate the extra oalfactory function of our son my husband ordered fried fish and I almost fainted when he paid the bill. ) The realisation dawned on me that we have been living in Trivandrum for the last 11 years as expatriates and the aeroplanes flying to different destinations made me nostalgic and the memories of my frequent airtravel with my husband pricked my ego and when we passed the air terminals I felt like I somehow got alienated from a world altogether and I heaved a sigh and told our kids about the life once we had abroad. And promised them a trip once luck favors us again something like a paradise regain tale. 

We enjoyed the sea breeze, mystic tides and the coffee house reminded us of our wedding time visits almost 20 years back, when we look back we lost most of our loved ones during the pandemic time. The times we used to roam together have parties and fun with dear and near ones all seemed a distant dream.

My daughter taught me how to ask chatgpt to determine gender of papaya trees and to better aid pollination of jackfruit and custard apple and guided me to have a smart garden, new generation obviously think and act smart unlike an old fashioned me who constantly worry about price and inflation. 

As I received a pretty good feedback from my kids teachers on their exam report (apart from the laziness, naughtiness chatter issues) I felt elated and thanked the almighty for abundantly blessing us. We pray to almighty to guide us and give us health and focus to mould our kids to brighter and responsible citizens. A heartfelt note of gratitude to siblings,family friends,neighbours who tolerated our previous years fights (property dispute and jobless issues) our kids teachers and our well wishers we hope more good days are yet to come. Dreamingly,declutteringly,gardeningly and funny parently yours Shabina Sanad

Reconciliation note to friends & Relatives

 

As I realise shutting out myself from friends and relatives is not the right way to solve any misunderstanding, I implore  you to send me friend request in facebook(blocked & blocked  as I could not figure out who have been hacking or prying or for what reason?) I have friends and relatives spread across the globe including my husband's side. Its true that I did overshare , our overseas life I flaunted too much creating confusion in many and I think created distance and an unhealthy competition hence our patience has been tested to the core for survival here ,

because of my naiveness I don't wish my husband or our kids to suffer. I still value and cherish each and every one of you who taught me to be a better person. My native place, first workplace, my husband's home, overseas life, infertility treatment ,Siblings, our family friends , neighbour network and support and the almighty God's grace guided us so far and Iam at a state wondering how to contribute to add more value and meaning to our existence. My husband's suggestion on generating money online got me thinking about adsense and analytics and brought back memories of Google analytics sessions at office in Dubai back in the year 2007. Do enlighten me with your more broader and sharper views and help us uplift us. Think starting a new blog for our hometown and the funny tales and tricks each contestant try out to win would attract traffic or atleast keywords but the funnier point is though I treasure and love my husband I don't love the party least his family staunchly believe, so better to hide my party allegiance and write and talk sweetly about other walks of life. 

Sugar coating my tooth ache and Facebook ache once again forgive me and let's be friends again for friendship sake.

Wishing to be friends again in facebook

Yours Shabina Sanad

Friday musings

 

Good morning All

Wishing you all a vibrant and positive day. I just felt hugely blessed (though there are hundreds of unresolved issues dancing to the tune of the damp whether and rain) after speaking to my mom( who is struggling with her new treatment plan and troublesome kids like me lol) and a family friend of ours (a proud father of a Doctor Daughter) who used to visit us while we were in Dubai.

Who used to guide and offer suggestions when we made mistakes after mistakes with regard to choosing career or retaining the status. Now we are ex NRIs struggling to fend for ourselves in the chaotic world and decided to take the matters to a slower pace and decided to  keep a safe distance for the rat race to luxury or abundance. We learnt to appreciate  the simple pleasures of laughter and naughtiness thrown by our kids and the joy of cooking and gardening without worrying about any deadline( though I lose temper over the uncertainty his parents imposed on us apologies to sasuralwale inlaw's kith & kin ) I reason out that it's our responsibility to preserve the legacy of my Medical Officer mother in law and to raise our kids in this very house she built passionately for her kids. I felt happy and my joy found no bound when the mango tree in our garden blossomed after 20 years when I threatened the tree after making a ring on her wood and provided nourishment, I felt proud indeed though sanad laughed it off and said Iam crazy like my mom (who needs credit he should be wise enough to stop piling up credit that's all Prince of Doctor mom) Believe he is also trying hard to whether the gloom.

Jokes apart I really need your views on generating income with a laptop at home ( I could write stories poems articles and can do online marketing as well don't mistake me Iam not blowing my own trumpet ) I have eight years of overseas experience in creative writing for Dubai property, events calendar  and travel & Tourism portal) If you have got any reference or idea to help me earn some pocket money please feel free to drop an email to sanadshabina@gmail.com

Optimistically freelancing job searchingly yours Shabnam, Shabna, Shabina, Shabina Sanad

Have a fabulous Friday !

Back to Scool

 

It was indeed a pleasant day today as sun shone brightly  very much making us happy as we could dry the clothes in sunlight. The interval from torrent rain was a mood uplifter. We were planning to make our school shopping at Police store to save money but the rain and condition of the car changed our plans and we went to Sabari and finished our shopping. When  Mohid started throwing tantrum  on using old notebooks that looks brand-new with only very few pages used, my sister's son came to rescue on phone and   pacified Mohid over the issue and  made him realise it's not necessary to buy all the notebooks new and there is no harm in using unused old note books. Spider man umbrella, water bottle ,shoes and other accessories for school purpose bought illuminated their face and they happily volunteered to bind the books and put name slips on it and I had to simply supervise and lend a hand in between. 

We followed the instructions from School and I smiled when I heard Manha reading it aloud for Mohid.  

After two months of library book reading. Tv watching, family gathering, gardening, experiments and cooking sessions,fun,  laughter, giggles and bonding with kids and fight sessions now we are back to 'back to School mode' Hope you are also excited and in good shape to welcome the new academic year with mirth and joy. I wish you all good health,happiness and lots of love and patience yours Shabina Sanad

Summer vacation tales

 

Listening to the tune of the lashing rain I finished reading Agatha Christie's somewhat mystic novel, my other half has been listing the troubles and dissatisfaction one face while working in Kerala, I just wish to forget his Serco Dubai metro accommodation in Al Nahda and my late-night inspection visits ( we used to stay near Dubai metro accommodation a stones throw away distance to be precise) it was a single yet chic and cosy accommodation provided to him. we used to pay rent and live near Serco Dubai metro accommodation next to Emirates Hotel Apartment and Istanbul Supermarket, almost all his Dubaimetro colleagues knew me, I really miss the naughty smiles of his friends and colleagues when I snoopingly travel in Dubaimetro to reach my office in Airport Road Dubai where I used to work as a creative writer. Our meet up in the evening and window shopping, siblings and cousins join us to gossip and laugh at each other over queer habits especially they all know my husband drink like a fish and iam always on the lookout of catching him red-handed,God how I miss all those shawarmas I ate and the metro stations wrongly passed while listening to music and daydreaming now I feel guilty to deviate my kids attention from junk food I wonder how could I supress my own sweet tooth, may be the magic of motherhood, on this summer rain I wish to proclaim my love for Dubai and my love for my better half whose lavish heart could forgo all the lavishness and facilities of a metropolitan city for the sake of family.

The coconuts,passion fruits and all the flowers and plants in his garden are the symbol of patience, love and care mother earth bestowed us for Manha & Mohid. Our summer vacation resolutions went on pretty well visited library many times,was too excited to welcome my smart sister,her son ,mother and brother to our somewhat old retreat and kids enjoyed playing together and converted one room to a DJ ambience with the studio lamp Manha received from Yippee Noodles and with the speaker system. I enjoyed cooking for them(as they provided parties to us many a times) though had a row with mother over cleanliness in kitchen (who is a supermom raised 4 kids and managed tending to her mother-in-law as well) so as to prove my efficiency I  washed the whole area and sent the photos the very next day though I regret being so harsh on the phone. We did munch on the snacks they brought  and resumed our somewhat laidback life striking the checklist where they suggested attention like putting bulb in places where no light is there, changing gas burner and deviation tips to bed wetting and tantrum throwing, after my in-laws absence God has been leading us and when my mother and siblings came I felt so happy to bond, his relatives stopped coming to our house may be because of the property disputes and misunderstandings, our neighbours often reassures and inspire us through good words and good deeds by giving us sweets and gifts for kids I wish and pray that his parents blessings and love towards us would make our every steps more bold and optimistic  bingingly,gardeningly,homingly yours Shabina Sanad

Our unsolved mysteries

 

It's raining heavily in Kerala very much giving us all relief from scorching summer heat. The rhythm of rain drops prompts me to exhort your help for solving a myriad thread of mysteries we have been experiencing for many years.

Somebody has been deftly taking almost all our digital gadgets, iphone,apple Ipad, Sony vio laptop,HP laptop and Apple Mac, we both worked abroad Sanad in Radisson SAS, Dubaimetro and myself in various firms across Dubai all our cherished memories with friends,colleagues and relatives are there in the stolen hard discs, we never worked for FBI or any sort of secret service as we were always busy finding means for settling rent,loan and leaves to continue infertility treatment, by God's grace and Credence Hospitals expertise we are gifted with a baby girl named Manha now she is in fifth standard and our son Mohid in third standard. Though we both have overseas experience in prestigious firms our State so far is keeping a blind eye to it and Sanad supress his frustration and his BP shoots up quite often and take Lasix shots for quick relief, with regard to me my mother and siblings are pillar of support though I doubt them also sometimes for our Paradise lost status.

Upon his Doctor mother's demise we still don't have any clue as  where the house and flats property document vanished I like to believe the Howdiney is none other than his sister who so far took the lion's share with regard to his mother's earnings. Here iam like a female thug shouts and shows holy cross to scare them away and promised the ownership of my mother in law's consulting room to my son to compensate my 5 cents land I bought in 2008 and sold in the year 2016 to settle debts( though he keeps on changing his ambition from Doctor to  Driver  and Fireman) I find solace in gardening and household chores and brainstorm with kids to find answers to all the mysteries.

In another words we have been going from pillar to post ,even approached mosque authorities as well with no solution offered. Now what we have is strong faith in God and the innocent smile and laughter of our kids to tackle the brainy web weaved by the mysterious someone, hope your views on our delusions would keep our wit in tact. Lovingly, laughingly ,rainingly Shabina Sanad

Vacation tales

 The love hate relationship between me and my two kids gets a new dimension this summer vacation. The gadget savy naughty kids observations keeps my already jumbled up hormone levels a hilarious ride. It's my son who reported the missing of our cat and he revealed innocently and mimicked the action of the cat he met when he went out with his Dad to a nearby hotel and he reasoned the cat needed more food and that's why left our house in search of more food and he reaffirmed that it is not a look alike cat and mused over the cats desire for freedom and gut.

It was indeed a refreshing experience to attend our cousin's wedding amid the recent loss of a family member. We did touch base with everyone.  Indeed received coolness to eyes watching little versions of our cousins and their curiosity witnessing Indian Muslim wedding. we scheduled activities to spend vacation productive and less cumbersome as my brother postponed bringing his family to Dubai we dropped our plans of taking an international vacation. doing the math of finding fund for settling debts already amassed for educating two kids scarred taking trips further. So we went to Library and brought books from children's section. My daughter nagged over the kitchen utensils while baking bread (Her Home science session in my in-my mom in laws kitchen) I did show her the photos of oven,toast maker we had in our Dubai accommodation almost 17years back. Just to deviate my kids attention from mobile games I bought them coloring books and color and gave them sermon on the side effects of junk food while feeding them junk food pretty ironically and told them that mashmellows taste like rubber so that they won't pester me buy it and involved them in beating the summer heat with natural resources available. We decided to walk our talks on summer vacation and  bought refreshments to keep the energy levels intact when they went for cycling. Would love to hear from you as well on your vacation resolutions. These are all the tales from Kerala so far.  Enjoying the cool breeze and starlit nights  and missing vibrant Dubai life once in a while and finding peace and contentment watching greeneries around and the growing plants planted newly for a more fruitful connection with Nature. Feeling blessed and wishing everyone more blessings.with lots of love and prayers Shabina Sanad