Daily Prompts: Sentimental

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

I have some nostalgic memories of my college when I was only a teenager. I lived in the residence with thirty-two other girls. Some were younger than me some were older.

I used to be very homesick, I was unable to concentrate on my school work. The fact I was away from my mom and my siblings, gave me a lot of pain.

Fortunately I was  introduced to a girl named Evelyn Baptist. She was in my class. One day she noticed I was sitting quietly on the steps of our residence, she sat beside me and started talking to me, in the middle of our conversation, she asked,”Chaman would you like to go to a movie, it’s a  musical, Elizabeth Taylor plays the main part.”

I asked her the name of the movie, She said, “It’s The Last Time I saw Paris,  I promise you’ll love it.”

I told her I wasn’t sure. In those days my mom did not want me to watch movies. I told Evie, she said, ” oh she won’t mind when she knows how homesick you are.”

This is the song that brings nostalgic memories of my friend Evie, my Mom and my siblings.

………………………………….. 🙂

 

Daily Prompts: My favorite

What’s the most time you’ve ever spent apart from your favorite person? Tell us about it.

My favorite person in my childhood was my Dad, the times I spent apart from him was when I went to school and my Dad went to work. Besides when he came home, he had to rest and I’d wait for him to relax in our front garden where I’d sit on the grass and talked to him about many things, most of the time it used to be questions, which he’d answer sometimes, other times, he’d read his newspaper, which meant, “Ma I’m busy.”

When he passed away, I had more than one person to spend my time with, they were my siblings.

When I moved to another city to pursue my education, and I was living in a residence, I spent time with my classmates. On weekends I visited my uncle in the city, he was a very nice man, he’d ask me about my classmates, who they were, what did their father do for a living. This question confused me, I told him I didn’t know  anything about their father.

He cautioned me about these mysterious friends, who he thought might not be good for me to hang out with. I found the girls friendly, I was happy I got to spend time with them, it helped me to recover from homesickness which troubled me a lot in the beginning.

Now a days my favorite companion is my book, I spend hours reading it. I only stop when it’s time for my prayer, or to feed the felines or eat when it’s lunch time. Sometimes I spend time away from my book when my eyes start to be painful or when I suddenly feel the need to take a nap.

I was relieved when I finished reading, “Atlas Shrugged,” it was a wrong companion I chose. I’ve learned my lesson, now my book companion will be chosen very carefully.

I’m reading one now, Paulo Coelho is the author. I’ve completed reading more than half of the book. I’ll be ready for the next one hopefully tomorrow.

A book I feel is the type of companion I like, I put it aside when I’m tired, I don’t have to do anything to please it, unlike a real person who can be demanding, who expects me to be pleasant all the time, which is not possible for a human being like me.

………………………… 🙂

 

Writing 101, Day Six: A character Building Experience

Today’s prompt: Who’s the most interesting person(or people) you’ve met this year?

I have not met anyone interesting this year. I did meet someone very interesting when I went to Dhaka to pursue my education in , ‘Holy Cross college’.

In  Dhaka I was so homesick I could not concentrate on my studies, I only wanted to go back home. During this time I met Mr. Bazlul Karim, my mother suggested I should see him, he was my parents’ friend for many years.

He lived alone after the death of his wife. He loved company, he  welcomed everyone , I was the fortunate recipient of his love and affection. I did not tell him I was homesick.

He had a son who lived in another city with his family. When I went for a visit he recognized my problem, he said nothing, he  told me,I should visit him on week-ends.

He was the Secretary of the local Jute Board and was well respected.

I found him affectionate and understanding, he made me feel like a family member, every Friday he picked me up from my college to spend the week-end with him. I addressed him as “Khaloo”( uncle), he and I would sit and talk about my college, the students and teachers. Slowly I was settling down, I was no longer depressed , I saw him every week-end, this made my life  bearable.

Uncle Karim was a very generous man, he helped everyone, his friends came  whenever they needed help, whether it was to find a husband for their daughter or a job for a family member. He loved helping them. He once told me,” you know if I can help my friend’s daughter find a husband, I get reward from God which is equivalent to building  a mosque.”

At times I’d joke and ask, “Khaloo how many mosques have you built ?”

His face would be beaming with a smile, “I’m waiting to build two  more,one when I get you married and other   when I get your sister married.”

He had a heart of gold, he kept his cupboard full of saris to give away. His house was a haven for people looking for a job, they’d stay at his place he’d provide food and clothing for them.

Once he spotted a woman begging on the street she was wearing a torn sari, he told his servant to call her in, he instructed  him to give her a sari.

He had a stroke in the middle of the night, it paralyzed his right arm and leg. He did not lose his cheerfulness. He was the same Khaloo we all loved and respected.

He was regular in his prayer, he had a table at the side of his bed, at prayer time he’d have someone  move the table and lay the pillow so he could pray.

After completing my education I took a teaching job, I rented an apartment in the city with five other girls. I continued to visit him on week-ends. One week-end for some reason I could not go , I called him and told him I’d visit him next week-end . He said he was sorry, he had bought all my favorite foods.

I was sad I could not go. It was a Saturday when I called him.

Next day for some reason I looked at the ‘Obituary Page’, I was shocked to see Khaloo’s name on top, I do not know why. I wished I had gone that week-end to see him, it made me sad when I realized I’d never see him again!

…………………………..

Dear friends, I am sorry if it’s too long, I tried to shorten it, but could not. All the best to you all!

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2015/04/13/writing-101-da…ing-experience/

DP Daily Prompt: Teacher’s Pet

Tell us about a teacher who had a real impact on your life, either for the better or the worse. How is your life different today because of him or her?

After completing my post graduate degree, I decided to register for the B.Ed. degree in a town named Mymensingh in Bangladesh. My classmate and I took the train from Dhaka city to Mymensingh.

We arrived in the afternoon and went straight to the Training College, we met the Principal, she didn’t seem to appreciate us arriving in her college without notice,what was worse we were two months late.

She asked us why we were late and why didn’t we apply before we landed in her office. I explained we were doing our exams, and could not contact her earlier. She seemed to understand, and said, she was impressed by our guts,even though all the places were filled she’d make arrangements to admit us by cancelling the registration of two other students who had registered before us . The Vice-Principal tried to convince her it wasn’t fair, but the principal stuck to her decision.

We were taken to show all the classrooms and where we’d be staying. As I was walking along I noticed the building was dark and looked like a ghost house, I was disappointed I was not happy that I’d have to stay there a whole year.

We went back to Dhaka ,we had a part of our exam left. I thought about my decision to study B.Ed. in that ghostly building. Back in Dhaka for some reason I got hold of the newspaper and read vacancies in different fields of education, it did not motivate me until I saw an ad of scholarships offered to students interested in various fields, mine was education, to my absolute delight scholarships were offered in my field i.e., education was on the list as well.

I tore off a piece from the newspaper, next day I wrote a letter to the authorities stating my interest in education, two weeks later I received a letter informing me to go for an interview.

I did not tell anyone in my family about it, to be called for an interview in my mind does not guarantee anything, my mom or siblings need not know about this was what I thought.

On the day of the interview I reached the place on time, I said the prayer my mom taught me whenever I needed help. When my name was called I was scared of rejection, but said my prayer again and entered the office. There were three or four of them, they asked me all sorts of questions which I answered. I was not confident I will get the scholarship,but I knew I have a place in Mymensingh if this one fell through.

About a week later I received a registered letter informing me I was selected for the scholarship.

I went to Comilla,Bangladesh my home town to give my mom and my siblings the good news. A week later I flew to Lahore, and went to the college where arrangement was made for me to register in the course.

At first I was happy because compared to that ghostly building this college was large and the students were friendly.It was probably the same evening or a day later, I felt very homesick, I missed my mom and my siblings. I could not imagine staying a whole year in this college without seeing my family.

When I thought I would not be able to concentrate, because I felt so lonely. I spoke to one of the teachers I told her I did not want the degree I just want to go home. She looked at me, smiled and said, “No chaman we have made up our mind we will not send you home without the degree,go back to your room and get ready to start attending your classes.”

I knew the verdict was firm and I must never bring up the subject anymore.

The girls in the college were very friendly, the residents and the non-residents made it a point to see me daily, and took me to different places in the city. Thanks to these friends and teachers I was able to complete the course successfully.

Now when I look back and recall those days I’m thankful to the teacher who was firm with me, had she given up on me I would not have qualified to be a teacher, I’d miss teaching all those wonderful kids who made teaching fun for me!

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/dp-daily-prompt-teachers-pet/

DP Daily Prompt: Why Can’t We Be Friends

Do you find it easy to make new friends? Tell us how you’ve mastered the art of befriending a new person.

Friends I have very few,you won’t even need five fingers on your right hand to count them. I don’t easily make friends,it’s my personality, I’d say.

I have a tough time starting a conversation with a stranger, so they,I mean the strangers,have plenty to say about me, e.g., she is too proud,she is dumb, unsocial, they use all the adjectives they can find to describe me. Does it bother me? Nope I ignore these comments because I know who I am.

So far I cannot recall befriending a single soul. I love my quiet time and too many friends will take it away from me.Is this who I am,no but the fact is I grew up in a large family, my siblings were the ones with whom I spent my waking time,I talked,I played , I teased them, we had nothing to worry about losing friends,my siblings except one were always there for me, and I did the same for them.

When I went to college I was homesick, my siblings were not there to ask me anything. There were a whole bunch of girls busy with girl talk, I didn’t belong,so I was in no hurry to have any of them as my friend.

I spent week-ends in my local guardian’s house, he was a kind man,I loved talking to him about my family about college studies and everything. He was a delightful listener and I enjoyed telling him about the weirdos in the hostel.

This probably explains about friends or befriending,I  have no qualms talking about it.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/prompt-cant-we-be-friends/