Common thoughts by the commoner about the uncommon mango

I call the mango uncommon because in our part of the world it is known as the king of fruit. I had to do some research about mangoes hence I had to talk to my friends and family so I guess my whole article today is basically their thougts mingled with some of my own.

Any one who grew up in the subcontinent knows that summer is all about mangoes. Mango parties, eating them by the canals and specially eating them during the monsoon rains getting soaked. I still dream about biting into the luscious silky soft flesh and tasting the sweet sweet nectar. I have searched high and low for mango varieties from Pakistan here but have always been disappointed. The mexican mango does not quite compare to the more flavorful and sweet Pakistani variety.

I personally believe the right way to eat a mango starts with buying the right mango. For that one needs to go to the big farmers markets and haggle with the farmers. Once the right price has been negotiated the big carats are loaded into the back of the car and bought home, where the mangoes are packed with ice in steel buckets. Ideally every one would plan and all our extended family would pile into cars sitting one on top of the other and head to the Lahore Canal, where we would sit by the banks with our feet dangling into the cool flowing water. The men usually would jump right into the cold waters and start splashing every one whilst the women out of modest requirement sat under the pepal and safayeda trees with their shalwars hitched up. Each one would be issued a mango and we would progress to soften the flesh by kneeding it with our hands and than bite off the top and suck everything out. I can still taste the yummy goey deliciousness. The slight tang of the fruit, the juice would drip down the mouth and at the end we would all have yellow beards and sticky hands.

The next ideal method of eating Aam (mango) was to enjoy it during the torrential monsoons. All of us would come out with all our clothes on and bathe in the cool showers while mom would hand us the mangoes which we would relish. Monsoons, have a kind of magic associated to them in my mind I used to think it was something every country in the world experienced so when I moved to the USA I was quite disappointed for there was no intense heat where I lived and no cool monsoon.

However back to the subject of Mangoes, I think there is only one method of eating a mango which is sucking it but others seem to disagree. They say eating a mango is dependent on the type of mango, if its a tapka you suck it. Anwar Ratols can also be sucked. But langra, doosairi, sindhri are to be cut up and eaten. Some people enjoy cutting the fruit in half and scooping out the flesh, while others just cut it up into flanks with the skins on and eat the fruit off the skin. While still some would go to the trouble of removing all the skin and chopping it into small peices and eating it with a fork. This latter method is employed by people who have little love for the fruit and too much show shaw. Lahori's will tell you that when it comes to the mango one has to just hitch up ones sleeves and dig in, minimum hassle= maximum reward.

Mango seasons also result in mango parties, which have mango ice creams, buckets and buckets of mango fruit and little else. In such times kids are found running around in under wears to minimize sticky clothes. I remember the mango parties we had at our place back home, one in particulat was some ones birthday and all my uncles and aunts were wearing comical hats as they sucked and chewed on delicious, juicy juicy mangoes. The juice dripped over their hands and would make puddles on their plates if they were lucky to be carrying some or on the floor.

I feel my life in Pakistan was entwined with mangoes a lot of my childhood memories revolve around it, perhaps because it was in season during the summer when school was out. My my grandfather had mango trees in his garden and we would go and climb and collect the kachi ambiz (unripe mangoes) eat it with lots of salt and red chillies the sour flavor would make our mouths pucker but we wont let up until we had soar throats and ended up with a hoarse voice.

During the mango season mom would make achar in big clay martabans and we would have kachi keri ke chutni with missi ki roti and sometimes with aloo parathas also. My aunt would make methi aam ki chutney which we would enjoy with daals and parathas. I can still smell the unriped mangoes while mom pounded it with green chilies and salt to make the chutney the heady smell would waft on the sluggish hot breeze though the veranda as the mortar and prestel would go thud, thak , thud thak......

Concordia took a chance on me

Dear Concordia,

I have recently completed my undergraduate degree in Biology from Concordia University, and I would like to relate to you some of my experiences at Concordia. I came to the university in January 2004 as an international student; my biggest shock upon landing in Canada was the massive amounts of snow and the cold cold weather here. Upon arrival I stayed at the Hingston Hall dorms and loved the experience. First of all it helped me to make friends which helped a lot with keeping my homesickness at bay plus my friends helped me to understand and navigate the metro and introduced me to the social scene in Montreal. Next I had to look for a part time job; in this endeavor I was helped by the international students office; so I started to work at the bookstore and as a stock keeper in the labs. In the summer I had the opportunity to work in the residence again as the housekeeping staff because the residence is converted to cheap housing for tourists. During my stay in Montreal due to circumstances beyond my control I was unable to go to see my family and since I came to the city I was unable to go back home but I have to say that Montreal and specially the Concordia community has a way of making you feel like family, the international students office folks were very helpful all along. I suffered from a bout of clinical depression and i got a lot of help from the councelling and development and the heath departments at Concordia. I was encouraged and started to go running with one of the nurses Donna at Loyola campus and my councellor Noreen helped me sooo much that I cannot even begin to express my thanks to her. I was able to come out of my depression and be a happier person and though my grades have been all over the place and I even got failed out of university. I want to say thanks to Concordia for not giving up on me and giving me a second chance. Thanks to all the proffessors in my department who have worked hard to make our university experience a lot of fun and helping us to learn new and intersting things. I had the chance to work with the clients at the centre for the arts in human development at Concordia and I was inspired by their enthusiasm and grit, it helped me to stay in university. It is an excellent effort on the universities part and helps not only the clients who come and learn the arts but also volunteers like us who work with them on many levels. The other initiative I greatly admire, taken by the university is the Sustainable Developement program in place, it has done a lot to educate students and faculty alike and is helping to transform the policies at the university for a better and more sustainable future for all of us to enjoy.

It is easy to take the creme de la creme of the student lot from high schools and Cgeps and than expect them to do well, as is the case in a lot of universities in Canada and around the world, its a whole different ball game to give a chance to students who are not neccessarily doing exeedingly well in schools. I was always a good student even when I came to Concordia as a transfer student my gpa in my college in the USA was a 3.98 but having to live here on my own for a long time, having to deal with the weather and isolation and being tight on money was very tough for me and hats off to Concordia for understanding that and giving me so many chances and letting me stay and finish my degree.Which i finally did this semester [fall 2008] and I am all set to graduate in the summer of 2009.

Once again i would like to extend my thanks to every one at the International Students office, at the Councellling and Development centre, at the Health Centre, all the faculty and advisors in the Biology Department and the Concordia open door policy for giving every one a fighting chance and not just one chance but in some cases such as my own numerous chances. Now I feel motivated to go and do a graduate degree in a couple of years, to think that at one point in my life I was not even sure I would have an undergraduate degree it is a very big achievement for me and I can not thank Concordia university enough for believing in me.

Thanks Concordia!! I love you

Sincerely,

Fatima Shah

student id #5311748.

My brother my hero

My brother was 2 when he had an accident which caused him to undergo major brain surgery. As a result of which part of his brains frontal lobe had to be removed. This left him in a coma for a month and the doctors told us his chances of survival were minimal at best. If he did survive he ll probably be on a bed unable to do anything for the rest of his life.
He proved them wrong, with my mom exercising him and taking him and doing whatever she could in her capacity, he was able to not only move again but also regain all his functions and now functions as normally as can be expected of some one who underwent major brain surgery 5 time in total to date. He has seizures and is retarded, doctors tell us that mentally he is like a 7 year old. Although he is a goofy, lovable funny 23 year old.
I find it amazing that after going through all that he has been through in his life, he is a very upbeat and gregarious individual. He loves music and laughter and has a lot more empathy than I could imagine. When he found out he was an uncle he sent his favorite toy for his neice.
When we were young, I d get into scraps with other folks who d make fun of him and at times I was embarrassed of my brother. It took me a while to realize that he has a way of making himself heard and loved. In time, the folks who made fun of him became his best buds.
There have been times when I have wanted to protect him, protect him from people and at times from himself too. I guess I have come to accept the fact that what is cannot be changed. He just wants to be accepted for who he is and loved like every one else does. So here is to you my dear wonderful brother, here is to your generous heart. Your big laugh and your goofy jokes. Thank you for being you; for helping me be more empathetic and be able to look deeper than the surface.

Where is Humanity?

The events which took place in a village near Sialkot moved me to tears of frustration and anger. Nowadays the newspapers are full of violence all over the world. Murder, mayhem, hunger, rape and hate.

Today while praying I just felt soo hopeless and helpless and I asked Allah where are you? why are you not helping the helpless and I screamed at him to tell me where he was and than I heard a voice in my heart which said to me. It was not his duty to help and protect us, it was our own duty to protect the defenseless. It was our duty to do help the helpless and the feeble and the weak.

Yes, we all question what can we do in such reckless times, when Humanity seems to have died. I guess the answer is that yes we cannot change the world but we can change our selves give a little bit of our time and energy to do good. Every small thing helps. Mothers can raise their kids to be better more thoughtful individuals. WE can volunteer our time with organizations if not money. Just pull along and do a little bit, because every little bit helps

Where is our Humanity?

A ricochet Bullet at the corner

Pierced through is ribs,

went through the mothers heart.

Blood splewed everywhere

They came in droves

to break their bones,

Broken limbs,

fractured skulls

Brains frying on the side walk

She was left looking at their pictures flashing on the screen,

What was she to do to protect her babies...

Killing, Murder, blood...

Is this the solution ?

Where is our humanity?

In such reckless times

Death seems like a bliss.

Through the eyes of my child

I see a face, it has a mask on it and they are all looking at me. I am wrapped in something warm and fuzzy. It feels almost like the belly lodge and I am placed in the arms of some one. They are soft and kind and feel very much like what I was used to. I hear her voice, the voice I have been hearing for the last so many months and I can smell the same familiar smell. I feel safe, this is my safe haven.

There are so many people staring down at me, oh why do they have to make such weird faces and why do they talk in this funny language. I can understand adult talk perfectly well. I try and tell them to talk properly using their big words but oh what is this I feel an intense pressure and pain in my belly so I start to cry and soon there is a wet sensation and it all feels better. A disapproving face hovers on top of my crib now, it is the nurse she is telling mommy that I have wet my diaper and we need to change me, oh not again. I feel horribly cold, so I cry some more.

Now I am hungry give me food, oh you mean mean people give me food I yell and scream and flail the things attached to me, what are these long things and where is my belly lodge bed, I do not feel the walls around me any more. They laugh that I sleep like a super man well I want my bed back you guys. I hate this crib, I am all alone in it no warmth no safety;oho everything is new and different from what I am used to. Pick me up pick me up waaaah waaaaaah. Finally a light turns on, I see her face hovering over my crib she is smiling. I smile back, she hugs me tight...... I feel safe now. Mommy please keep me safe protect me from the mean mean monsters.

Yes my baby that is a mothers job; protection........

protection of my gift from god.

Halal =sustainability

My younger sister is a tree hugger, atleast that is what i call her. She did her studies in economics with a special interest in sustainable development. She recently got a job and in the interview they had asked her why she was interested in working in sustainable development and my sister who in outward appearance does not come across as a religious person told the interviewer because that is what her religion taught her to do. I had asked my sister why she had said that and she said, well apa Islam is all about sustainability, we are encouraged to live a life of service to others where we are good to the environment and treat all creatures humanely. I thought wow, she is so right i never did look at it quite this way before; yet when I think about it, it is true. We are told not to beat work animals and to treat them kindly, feed them well and give them plenty of rest and not over work them. When it comes to crops and trees we are told not to burn, cut or destroy crops even in times of warfare. When it comes to eating animals there are strict guidelines on how to kill them and not only how to kill them but also how to raise them.

These last few days my friends and I have been having discussions regarding method of Halal and all my research led me to a lot of information regarding how the throat of the animal must be cut, how the blood be drained how things are to be cleaned prior to the killing and after the killing. What verses of the Quran are to be recited etc. However, the things that really piqued my interest was that there is also strict guidelines on how to raise the animal. It must be raised on good vegetarian diet, not be fed ground animal bits. It must be allowed to roam free and it must be treated with kindness and calmed down before being killed. It also got me to thinking that although Islam allows us to eat meat it does not tell us to just eat meat or to eat meat mostly. Cause when we study the life of the prophet and examine his diet we find it to be quite simple and again following organic and sustainable practices. His sustenance was mostly dates, water and sorgham (jowar) flour. He did eat meat occasionally but even than liked to share it with other people, it is a good practice to send some meat curry to your neighbor when it is cooked at home. So here is my beef with whole halal/haram debate. First of all halal is a way of life which extends beyond how we cut and kill our meat. It is also about how we treat them prior to killing them. Halal is also not just about what we eat but also about how we live our lives, it is about conservation about all else. Islam discourages needless consumerism by encouraging us to spend our time and energy wisely in service to other creatures and in spending time gaining knowledge and our expertise in other areas of life. It is about living passionately and in harmony with out environment while inflicting minimum damage to it.

My sister was right Halal is synonymous with sustainability and conservation. It is about leaving our planet a little better than how we found it, and if we cannot leave it better; lets try and not leave it in a worse off state.

You should have married a computer

My husband started telling me he wanted to buy a computer the second day of our married life. Oh wait, it was the first day. I was not surprised, since he is a programmer and well I would look at him in quiet amusement barely containing my adoration of this 6 ft "galoot"(I mean this with sincerest affections hubby dear). Thinking its only time before he ll be giving me his 100 percent attention hanging on my every word. Oh, how naive I was.

Well, he bought a lap top and after barely a week with that machine he wanted to buy yet another computer and the quest for the perfect 'puter began. I told him hey, when you buy me a house you can buy your self a computer. The day the deal for the house finalized the first of the many number of puter boxes showed at our door step. My husband came home barely containing his excitement. Like a child on Eid day waiting for eidi he could barely wait to get the box open and examine the motherboard. The mother to the bane in my life. Than more boxes arrived, a tickle soon became a stream ending with a deluge in the form of an HDMI monitor screen.

The next few days were spent among a maze of boxes while the machine was being put together. First it had just been the laptop which was the center of his life. He d come home,barely enter the door and start on the laptop. There I was regaling him with the triumphs of my day which he would half listen to as he read news from all across the world. The final straw came in the form of Stephen Colbert and John Stewart; with food was a daily dose of the daily show. I have asked him on many occasions why he married me. I think if we were in more technologically advanced times and hot hot robots in black leather suits were actually around, girls like me would never have a chance at snagging a husband. He would have married a computer. The other day a friend of mine and I were lamenting this very fact, of how our husbands spend their whole day in front of this terrible tube, come home and plank themselves right in front of them. We dubbed them the other woman in their lives to which her husband said no, she is not the other woman, you are!

Well I am woman enough to admit that he is right, the terrible tube did come into my husbands life waaay before me. He was swimming in its codes long before I arrived on the horizon and writing the code to Writetext.Writeline("Hello World") before we had the chance to be introduced. Another friend gave an iphone as a birthday gift to her husband and right after she took it away because as she put it, it was like shooting one self in the foot.

Hence, I will never give my husband an iphone or a wii console or for that matter a play station for his birthday, a few months a ago a dear friend of mine had to buy a gift for her husband she had enough money saved up to buy him rock band but in the end she decided on not getting him any such thing. As she put it than I wont talk to him for weeks unlike right now where I get to talk with him once every few days.

As my husband is such a computer geek and as I am surrounded by computer geeks in this part of the world I decided the only way I was to have meaningful conversations with my better half was to become at least some what like that hot hot robot. Becoming hot is out of the questions as I am sure my rotund and pleasantly plump figure will never be able to fit into a leather suit. Becoming more computer savvy is still a possibility, so what started off as a conversation starter between me and my geeky half soon became my all consuming hobby. Conversations about computers and programming started me off on the quest to actually learn and figure out the fantastic world of computers and well honestly saying now after my meager experience. I get why my darling is glued to the terrible tube, it really is quite addictive and a whole lot of fun. So to the Richard Geere/Josh Groban/Patrick Demsey/Eric Bana/Shiney Ahuja/Luke Wilson of my life(i.e hubby dearest) all I gotta say is code on dude!!!!