Looks like I've brought a throat infection back from Bombay. And it sucks. Finding it hard to swallow or talk. Currently on medication which I have to take for 10 days. Sigh.
I hate being sick. I feel like I can't think. My head's all fuzzy.
Anyway, I know it could be worse. Just having a whinge and a bout of self-pity. I'll be okay. Soon.
Until next time,
**Cough**Splutter**Cough**
blah...
Just spoke to my flatmate --- who met with an accident this morning on the way to work in a 4-car pile-up on the M5. Most unfortunately, the front of flatmate's car ran into a ute and a truck ran into the back of his car. Luckily he wasn't hurt but apparently, the car may be written off. The thing is, I guessed there was an accident on the M5 this morning because I pass the exit and there was heaps of traffic which is very unusual on the non-city side. Little did I know as I drove to work that it was my flatmate in one of those cars involved in the accident. As far as I know, no one was hurt because the accident was caused by braking suddenly but not quick enough.
I've been in an accident before...as a passenger. And it was scary. Again, no one was hurt but my mate's car then was written off all thanks to a woman driving out of a side street when she wasn't supposed to, on a rainy day. I was scared to go on that particular street for a while. However, I realised that avoidance of the traumatic situation can actually result in post-traumatic stress and made myself go through that route.
Accidents are something I worry about every single day. Yes people follow rules here. Most of them, at least. but there's always that idiot who does not. And it's that person I worry about. I guess though, like everything else, there's always the possiility that something bad could happen.
Until next time,
Cheers!!!
I'm home. And it's good to be back! I landed at 5:00 a.m. in Sydney and was welcomed by a friend (Thanks again C ...esp for waking up at an ungodly hour!!) The flight wasn't too bad except it's not very comfortable travelling with a blocked nose and a sore throat. The landing at both Singapore and Sydney was especially painful for my ears!
but, I'm home now and I'm over my jet lag.
I'd forgotten just how cold Sydney was though. Anyway, it's back to work tomorrow. Hurray! I also have to get my laptop repaired --- 3 keys don't work: the delete key, the letter 'n' and the letter 'b'. I guess you are wondering how I managed to get these letters on if they are not working. Good old copy-paste from old word documents! :P
Until next time,
Cheers!!!
...Before I head back home to Oz.
I am going to miss my parents, sister and a few friends but I'm also thankful that I have a bunch of amazing friends waiting for me back in Oz. It feels good to know that I have a home there even if my parents, sister and friends I grew up with are not.
More importantly, I'm looking forward to going back to work. It's been a pain not using these brains as much.
Anyway, the next post will be from Sydney.
I'll catch you all from the southern hemisphere!!
Until next time,
Cheers!!!
I landed in Bombay to the news that homosexuality had been decriminalised. Unfortunately, it's only in the country's capital, Delhi. I remember learning only in 2006 that homosexuality was actually considered a crime in India and I had a huge rant about it. The reason I never thought it was illegal was because I knew some people who were out of the closet at my college. I knew they had been victims of gay-bashing but were still proud of their sexuality. And they were no different to you and me except that they were attracted to individuals of the same sex. I still have homosexual friends in Australia and no, they do not have a label on their foreheads stating that. They are fun, helpful, loving and intelligent friends and great individuals.
I digress.
Anyway, I was at first overjoyed on seeing the newspaper because I thought homosexuality had been legalised all over India. Only later did I find out it was only in Delhi. Oh well, I figured it was a start at the very least. Then there have been other reports that it has in fact been decriminalised throughout India. Either way, I guess it's a positive step. Unfortunately, as it tends to happen in India, this joy was not going to last.
Since the High Court's decision, there have been appeals made. And as always, when it comes to India, people against social reforms refer to how things are "against the Indian culture" (I swear if I hear that phrase again, I'll rip the person's tongue out!!!). One group protested that homosexuality is a psychological disorder. My response to them: please look up the DSM-IV-TR used by psychiatrists and psychologists world over to diagnose mental health problems. You will see that homosexuality is NOT listed as a disorder. That's because it isn't one. At this junction, all religious groups in India have come together and forgotten they actually burn each other normally. Conservative Hindus, Muslims and Christians have all spoken out against homosexuality deeming it unnatural and against what God wanted. Now seriously, how did these religious fanatics agree which God it goes against? :P
We also have a yoga guru and an astrologer filing a motion against legalising homosexuality because it is a disease that can be cured. Seriously, an astrologer and a yoga guru? You're kidding me, right? Since when do these people have even an ounce of critical thinking? Apparently. the astrologer claims that HIV is a result of unnatural sex and could be spread due to the legalisation of homosexuality. And here I always thought that HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases were spread due to unsafe sex i.e. without a condom. He also says that in future, people may seek permission to have sex with animals. Well, if it's in the privacy of their own bedroom and if the animal is above legal age and can provide consent, I don't see the problem in that. Having said that, I object to his association of something crude with homosexuality. Then again, he is an astrologer and since when have astrologers been known for using scientific facts or logical reasoning??
I don't have the source for this but I remember reading some place that someone said if homosexuality would be made lgeal, then at this rate prostitution too would be made legal (which would be against the Indian cultuire blah blah blah). Well, why not make prostitution legal? It is legal in several countries. It's not like it doesn't exist if it's not legal. Instead, by making it legal they would probably be ensuring more hygienic standards and lesser chances of STIs. Anyway, legalising prostitution is not my main agenda here. Apart from the above atrocious appeals against scrapping Section 377, there have been comments about how it encourages paedophilia (homosexuality does NOT mean paedophilia you morons!)
To sum up, I hope the Supreme Court throws out the appeals made by uneducated and socially regressive individuals in the name of the 'Indian Culture' or 'Religion'. If they do that, all the homosexuals need no longer stay in the closet and get married to someone of the opposite sex for the sake of it, thus ruining their own lives and their partners'. And please, would someone educate these narrow-minded, regressive individuals?
It's high time India realises that progressing just in terms of IT is not enough.
It is more important to be socially and morally progressive than to be stuck in the Dark Ages.
Here's hoping homosexuality stays decriminalised throughout India (and hopefully, world over).
Until next time,
Cheers!!!
Read more...
I've been wanting to blog on all the things I was thinking about and doing over the last three weeks.
Firstly, the flight from Sydney to Bombay was quite good. Sydney to Singapore was a packed flight with people stopping at Singapore to catch connecting flights to Bombay, Delhi, Germany, Paris and some other countries. I got my window seat that I had requested for and was seated with an elderly gentleman from Denmark and an exchange student from Germany. Now, I remember when I was flying from India to Sydney in 2005...I was seated with 2 Indian blokes who were friends and were extremely annoying and I didbn't enjoy the flight at all. This time it was different. Not only did I have interesting conversations with the two co-passengers, we also all had our own time. At Singapore, I barely had time to freshen up and make a phone call to my cousin there before I had to check-in.
The flight from Singapore to Sydney was quite empty. I didn't have anyone seated next to me and I got my window seat again which was quite nice. (Don't have to ask them to excuse you if you have to use the loo!!) The food on this flight was ordinary compared to the previous one. And you could tell that you were on your way to India when the pilot (or whoever else speaks) had to remind passengers to be seated when they didn't as the plane was taking off. Seriously, don't people ever realise that there's a reason such rules must be followed??? On the bright side, I had a wine on my Syd-Singapore flight and a beer on the Singapore-Bombay flight. Watched about 3 movies in total, two of which were stupid ('Confessions of a Shopaholic and He's just not that into you). It seriously made me wonder why they portray women as being such airheads and why that sells (But that's a totally different post altogether!)
Finally, at around 2:30 a.m. Indian time, we landed at Bombay airport. To pouring rain. I kid you not when I say that I brought the monsoons to Bombay --- I haven't seen a clear sky since I have been here!!! In fact, at one point I wondered whether it was a smog covered sky but apparently it's not. It's just cloudy. Anyway, at Bombay airport, it was the usual chaos. You just know you are in India. Compared to Sydney and Singapore where things were conducted in an orderly fashion, in Bombay, chaos rules. the funny thing was with the swine flu scare --- they ask you to fill out a form and state whether you have been in contact with anyone who has swine flu. In short, you could lie and they wouldn't have a bloody clue!
Luckily my bag was immediately visible after I cleared immigration. The scary part was when we had to put our bags again for inspection before checking out --- I noticed some people were allowed to get out without doing so. Excuse me, but where is the security??? I thought every one world over was stricter these days. Oh well. And as usual, the concept of standing in line is not there. A bloke just cut through and put his bags ahead of the guy standing in front of me. And all of this together said one thing to me: Welcome to India. Sigh.
I had my mum and sister come to pick me. And then it was a 30 minute drive on the rainy streets of Bombay to where I lived for 10 years. And a scary 30 minute drive at that. I had completely forgotten how there are no road rules here, no lane system and the 'might is right' phenomenon. In the past 3 weeks, every car ride has my blood pressure up there! I don't know how people do it. I also learnt that a red traffic light means nothing. At least not in the suburbs.
Over the past 3 weeks, I have caught up with my mum, dad and sister. I have played games of scrabble with my sister and have had arguments since we are sharing a room again. I have met up with friends from school and uni. I have eaten so much I am scared to weigh myself. I have shopped for clothes, shoes, souvenirs for friends back home in Sydney and BOOKS!!! I have travelled by train a few times and reminisced about the days I went to college. I have whinged about the computer and the way things work here (slow!!!). I have been annoyed at the zillion bag checks upon entering stores and leaving them in the new shopping malls that have erupted in the past 4 years. I have fallen sick a couple of times and I'm currently battling another runny nose (Damn the pollution and my allergies). I have had moments of wanting to tell off my grandmother but have restrained myself mainly because I can't speak the language! I have also had to meet family friends and neighbours.
The one question I have been asked by every Tom, Dick and Harry here has been the whole 'racism' thing. And I have given the standard answer: DO NOT BELIEVE ALL THAT THE MEDIA SAYS!!! In fact, there is a whole speech attached to this which my sister now knows by heart because of the number of people I have had to say it to. The media here has tainted the image of Australia so much that it's not funny. In the three weeks, I hope I have done something to promote their image because I love Australia and it's home for me. And I will not listen quietly when the media tries to taint my home. I have got my point across to all the people I know and hopefully they will pass on the message to other anti-Australians.
I have found that India has changed. For the better, I can't say for sure. Yes, there's more shopping centres and great progress in the IT industry. But I find that morally and socially, the country is regressing. I will delve further into that in a different post altogether. Let's just say I am very grateful to call Australia home and even more grateful that I had the opportunity to go there and start a new life. I love my immediate family and friends here but I will be glad to go home. Two more sleeps to go.
Until next time,
Cheers!!!
I hope you have missed me.
I know I have missed everyone in blogosphere. I have missed writing. I have missed the comments. I have missed reading what others have written.
I blame firstly, the old crappy computer we had here. But now, with much persuasion, my parents got rid of the 8 year old desktop and bought a new one. And I get to use it for three days before I head home to Sydney.
There's a lot I want to say --- to talk about my experiences here, things I've seen and read, the new law on decriminalisation of homosexuality, my views on how Bombay has changed and how some people haven't.
But all in due time.
This is to let you all know that I'm still here.
And I'll be writing a whole lot more.
Until next time,
Cheers!!!
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