New Year Eve Celebrations

The New Year started with church. I went to the City Cathedral for the Pontifical High Mass. The Mass celebration was conducted by the Apostolic Nuncio to Arabia, Archbihop Peter Rajic. This is the 2^nd time this week and 4t overall. Ths father seems to like Eucharist Celebrations, since he is consistently coming and celebrating the Eucharistic celebrations in Kuwait cathedral church. I like his sermons, which due to his concise and clarity in voice and also due to its compelling nature. He often urges through his sermons, which instill in us a moral for the day.

My office colleagues along with some of their common friends arranged some party at Salmiya. I arrived straight after church to the party hall. Played some games and then danced on floor ( a bit)). Had dinner by 11:30 and by 12:00 am had New year countdown with wish passing across. A cake was cut and passed on to others. My throat started aching. By around 12:30, it was time for us to split, and we bade goodbye to the old year.

Apart from the celebrations, I just reflected on the past and the future. I was just thinking what is in store for me this year. I am pretty sure, that there would be at least one event that can change the course of my life, which would draw an era in life. I prayed to God to help me in whatever happens in the future.

Good Bye 2010... Welcome 2011...

The new year is shy of around 7 hours.

What a year 2010 was.

I made some resolutions exactly 1 year ago.

I did some review on it. I did not fare well.

I do not have big plans for this new year.

Just hope.

For in hoping, there is unlimited avenues to achieve, to feel and to enjoy.

Welcome 2011.

Need to logoff. Going to church.

My trip to Jordan

I must confess that I am posting this trip after a long period of 6 months.. This trip happened during the summer.

When the plane touched Queen Alia International airport, I wondered finally. Its been a long time living in Middle east and I always wanted to visit a country like Jordan (Lebanon and Syria are other countries on the list). After completing all formalities, I came out of the airport. My pickup was waiting outside. Suddenly a gush of cool breeze swept my face. I shivered. Though the temperature at the airport was well over 30 degrees, I was feeling cold, for I was coming from Bahrain where the temperatures topped 45 degrees. I wondered what would my relatives living in Kuwait would feel (there it is over 55 degrees)?
I reached the hotel. The room was a suite and the view was sweet. This hotel is on a slope and I could see west side of Amman from my room. I slept and later woke up at 5. I was hungry and went out. Nearby was Sweifieh Avenue Mall which housed Carrefour express. I got some necessities and walked back. I had some food and watched football match. Later at around 7:30, I looked out of my room. It was not even dusk yet. At about 8 pm, got frustrated, took my camera and started shooting the waning sun light and its effect on Amman. By 8:20, the sun set.
I guess one of the after effects of staying in Jordan is that sun sets late, I sleep late and yet I have to wake up early. I had some sleepless nights and my mood was out of the world.

The Hope - Chariots of Fire

In Chariots of Fire, there are 2 protagonists. Both are sprinters, however both have different goals. Harold Abraham runs the race in order to prove that he is like any English man. Eric Liddell runs for the glory of God.

Towards the last, we see the Harold who just before the final 100 m race, stretching in his room. During the scene where he speaks to his friend and after that, there is a palpable sense of tension within him. Of course he needs to prove that he is the best and this is the Olympics that occurs once in 4 years. Therefore it is a make or break situation, no wonder it is difficult for him.

However, Eric was happy, went to church and was enjoying every moment. He, even at the last moment kept his cool. Why? Because he trusted in the Lord. He was running for the glory of God, and if God wants him there, He will get him there.

So he ran. And won the gold medal with a new world record.

Now as I remember my past, I just imagine that, if I work according to God's plan and submit myself to Him, I would be able to see the right path and then understand in His terms what victory should be for me.

I hope for the very best.

Trivia:

The film is named Chariots of Fire based on the poem by William Blake. The poem is also a hymn called Jerusalem which is sung in the film also. You may note the following verse interesting:

I will not cease from Mental Fight,

Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:

I will not cease from Mental fight is equivalent to having hope.

The Tension

Before you have something to do important, something that can change your life forever; you get nervous and tensed. This is because your actions can change your destiny.
It can be a decision making process like the moment you say yes to a proposal, the moment you take an entrance exam / standardized exam etc.
These are the stepping stones to your future; these are the ones that define your future.

I, in my younger years used to have peer pressure for my final year exams of 10th grade and 12th grade.
This is the typical scenario in India at least, where parents and relatives tell, scold or finally yell at you telling that this is an important event for you.
But then, I was young, to understand the rationale behind it.

Now I am older enough to understand my situation, it dawns on me how important this makes or break events can be.
Now I am bearing the heat of it.
It is so evident.
I am actually crushed not by the event, but the forethought of it.
Gosh, this is killing me.

"Hope is a dangerous word, it can drive a man insane"

I was relying on hope.

I fell down and did not know whether I will get up.

I prayed to God for hope and He gave me in abundance.

I again fell down, looking at my opportunity lost, but I realized I was not in pain.

Because I had hope and that kept me alive.

I fell down again.

I brooded for some time. Then I got up.

This was because of hope.

Hope kept me alive.

I realized that I have more avenues to look upon for what I am searching than rather waste my time grumbling upon my lost opportunity.

As I walked through the streets of Hoora ( Bahrain), a thought just flashed across my mind.

Am I addicted to Hope???

As Red said in The Shawshank redemption: "Hope is a dangerous word, it can drive a man insane"

Am I on the brink on insanity. Or am I keeping hope.

Hope is a gift from God.

Denying there is hope is a sin.

Just thinking about the hope that I have and where it will lead me.

Dubai..... WOW and Casablanca wait... disaster

I reached Dubai at 7:00 Dubai time. I was little bit of sleepy and wanted also to make sure I stayed fit for the final disaster - Casablanca airport wait..
However Dubai airport was biiiigggg. If you had seen Home Alone, I bet this airport is much busier ( and scarier ) than the one in the film.
I madet ot he lounge. Though it was fully occupied, i found it to be absolutely superb. The facilities and they atmosphere there really made me relax. normally while I am at the airport, those precious 1 hour seemed to walk away so fast. However, here the case was really different. I got to have some breakfast and some cappuchino. Then I read the news papers. I was always checking the time to make sure that I reached on time at the terminal.
At about 30 minutes before the check in, I went to the Dubai Duty Free. That duty free was also really superb. But since I was not in the mood of buying, I could not check the prices of most of the objects of desire. Also I could not note down the exchange rates and compare the price with other country.

I bought a book called "The Argumentative Indian" by the Nobel proze winner Amarthya Sen. This was to keep me occupied during the wait at the airport of Casablanca. Then I made a big mistake, I heard them announce "Casablanca". The Duty free was between terminal 20 and 18 and I had to reach terminal 1. I made a dash to the terminal. I had company of some other expats also trying to rush throught he terminals. I took nearly 10 minutes of fast walking to reach the terminal 1. I guess that transalates to about 600 to 800 metres of airport space. I was out of breath when I reached the plane.

Emirates is rated as one of the best in the world. I really can attest to that. My flight from Kuwait to Dubai and Dubai to Casablanca was really good (among the best I ever took). The food they served was class. The wine they served was exquisite. Even the dessert delightful. In fact I chose to have the dessert twice. The air hostess then asked me if the dessert was fantastic. I replied that it was perfect for the food it accompanied with. She gave me an extra helping of the chocolate both white and black.
Its not only food, but the service they gave was also superb ( I think I am getting out of adjectives).
during introduction of the staff, Iwas astounded by the number of languages the staff could handle - Eng, Arabc, French , Spanish,Hindi ,Bengali, Russian and Italian. Also they do care for their passengers very much in terms of assisting and talking with them.

On reaching Casablanca at about 12:30 pm, I made way to the VIP lounge. Air Maroc told that they will ot arrange any hotel stay.So I had to stay in the airport for about 10 hours. The VIP lounge was good, but then to my shock the plug was not compatible with my adapter. I am stuck - No internet ( except the crap terminals present over the lounge), no music, no cinema, no work .. nothing to do.... except sit and eat and watch french TV ( yes thats right Morrocco was a Frech capital, therefore uses french along with Arabic.) , browse ( not read ) French newspapers.

This trip was good till I reached Casablanca. Then started disaster in my travel plans, plane was delayed for 30 minutes. The connecting plane was not good. The air hostess announces everything in Frenchand Arabic only. The food was crappier. The seats bored out. I could not catch a wink of sleep. When the plane reached an airstrip, the air hostess announced something. I got off the plane and went to the immigratin dept. They asked me with whom I am working- I answered Celtel Sierra Leone. They said that this country is Liberia ( my God ). I was cursing the air hostess for this incident. Then I took the plane and reached Sierra Leone 1 hour later.
To reach the mainland I had to take a helicopter ride from the airport to the mainland. Then I joined the organisation for my work.

Signing off with travel weary eyes,
Miju