Good Bye Bristol

It was the month of July, I guess, when I arrived here. Everything was a stranger. MUF was the only person I knew. I still remember getting out and looking around like a curious child. The times when I would miss my trains and get late for interviews, drop my phone into the hollow ceilings and all that stuff. I would always remember

MUF, I am grateful to you. You were my mentor. I have never lived on my own, without family. So for me, it was all new. You taught me everything … and then things got going slowly and gradually.

I made some new friends here, and discovered some old friends as well. I learned some lessons here, and re-called some previously learned lessons as well.

I saw life a bit closely; not much, but a little more than I did before. And its different.

I experienced how you can be lonely in the middle of a crowd, and how to make a gathering when you have nobody around.

I learned how to cry and how to laugh, when you are alone.

I realized what family means to your life. I saw what is it in a language. I discovered different prospectives of looking at the same thing.

This chapter of my life has been quite interesting. There has been a lot to it. Thanks MUF, thanks Bristol, and thanks everybody who has contributed to my  life.

…

Anyway … time to say good bye … I will miss you all.

Lemonade .. really ??

Yesterday, we went to a pizza restuarant in city center for lunch. Yup, sometimes, you know dil pashori ke leye, we get into some pizza place and eat vegi pizza, yup vegi pizza And whats interesting to note is that they have a buffet for pizza, pizza + pasta + salad actually. So sort of “all you can eat”.

We were three, me MUF and his arab colleague, lets call him SD. In drinks, MUF asked for a 7up, we asked for 2 lemonades.

After placing the order we got to get the food. When we returned there were three glasses, big glasses actually like we have for lassi in Pakistan, on the table. The liquid in all the three was colourless, as you  normally expect from 7up. What confused us was, which of these are lemonades? They looked the same. I was like, lemonades should have a bit of colour, a bit of whiteish you know … SD agreed to me, but …

We even tried to identify the odd ones by observing the number of bubbles that go up from bottom to top, as MUF said 7up is supposed to be more carbonated as compared to lemonade,  but that was also same … :S In all this process, I was trying to get the waiteress’ attention, who was serving us, but she would never look our way.

Khair .. at last MUF picked one, and said this has to be 7up, took a sip, and confirmed. So, logically speaking remaining two were lemonades. We, me n SD, each took one glass, and tasted it; yeah it looks like lemonade, but … anyway …

We were still eating, when the bill was placed on the table. It stayed there for a while, as everybody was busy eating. When were done, we noted the amount. I normally read the bill before paying, so just out of habit, I took a look and it read:

Three 7UPs.

An adventure

MUF had to buy a wireless router for home use, and interestingly enough he couldn’t fine a router in Bristol City Center So we decided to go to PC World which is a little aside from city center, in an area we have never been to, before.

We checked the location of the store online, and proceeded to bus stop to see which bus goes that way. We were able to find more than one buses, but some of them were morning only, some noon only, and some evening only, running with quite an interval of time in between. Khair we decided upon one of them, and got on board. While we were discussing with each other ke ‘yaad he na utarna kahan pe he’, I was like, yup its the second stop.

When the second stop came, we were looking at MUF’s phone’s GPS to see our location, and the road our destination was at, was quite near by. We didn’t get off the bus, expecting that bus is going to the same road, so we’ll get off on next stop. To our amazement, as we looked at GPS, bus started moving in opposite direction

Aaah, khair, we were like, ok, will get off at next stop and will come back, as in city stops are not much far from each other. But, what we didnt know was, we just left the last stop to be counted in the city. As we waited for the next stop, the bus moved on and on …

and on …

I would look at MUF, and he would look at me when we saw the trees all around, as far as we could see.

Now we were concerned about if there soon will be a bus coming back to city from the stop we’ll drop off, when MUF suddenly asked a very interesting question: Do you have cash with you?

Me: I dont think so … might have some change, but thats not much … kion?

MUF: I think we are out of zone 1, the zone for which our monthly bus passes are valid, into zone 2 may be. So we’ll need to pay for the ticket.

Me: Do you have the cash?

MUF: No .

Both of us … : £$%^&*#@

… bus is still moving on …

I got all the change I had, out, and that amounted to some 2.60 pounds I guess. MUF was quite -ive that this amount will serve the two of us, as ticket might cost more than that. And in this part of the world, Bristol particularly, if you are even a single pence short of fare, you wont be allowed to board the bus. If you would argue, driver would switch off the engine, and sit there, untill u get off the bus. So … we were worried now. And did I say it was already dark , around 7 pm.

The bus slowed down, and stopped eventually. We got off. There was nothing around, except a pub. I went int to see if they have a cash machine, they didnt. But got some hints that there is a cash machine at 15 minutes distance. As per the time table, next bus was due in 20-25 minutes, and if it would take us 30 minutes to come back to bus stop, we’d miss this bus as well only to wait another hour or so.

We didnt have money for the ticket, but still there was a hope.

Standing on a dark road, in a dark night, with a pub and 2-3 houses around, we were worried now. What if the driver didnt allow us to board the bus …

Also we were doubtful if taxi service would entertain an area this remote. We even thought to call police, worse come worse.

Now we were counting the people we can ask to come and pick us …

The bus pass normally contains a valid untill date in very big font, and other information like zone valid for in quite small font. So small that you can’t read it, unless you look closely. Drivers would normally look at valid untill date, when presented with a bus pass, but few would actually read every bit of info printed on it.

We planned to present the pass with a normal tone to driver, and expected him to read the date only, ignoring the zone information. This was our only hope. On the other hand, if he’d read the zone info, we were in trouble.

We were planning this when bus came. We waved to it. It stopped. I entered first. Presented the pass. Without even looking at it, the driver pointed inside. I was like, wow I was about to put it inside, when he called from back,to put it to the machine. Bus passes are machine readable. I put it to machine, and it beeped, means card not valid. I showed it to him, he looked at date, and told me to get in … phew ….

… so was it with MUF.

Yes, we were in … after some time of tension, quite relieved …

And now, the more we would think about it, the more it’d expose the wieredness of the situation … and more we’d thank God to get us out of this adventure …

Protest to stop Israeli aggression – Bristol

Yesterday, there was a protest , organized by Muslim community, here in Bristol against Israeli aggression in Palestine.

I was in office when I heard the shouts outside, around 3 pm, but my office being on a road joining the main road on which protesters were marching on, couldn’t hear clearly, neither could I see the placards they were holding. It was just that some protest is going on.

Protesters in Bristol City Center

Image Source

In evening, when we, me n MUF, went to a food takeaway near to my house, we saw a flyer, mentioning about the protest. And then we recalled that it was the same protest, as MUF also saw them in city center. We were like, could have joined had we known about it. The guy on counter told us the details. There was quite a good number of people and people came even from outside Bristol, to join it.

The pub experience

Last evening, I for the first time entered a pub.

A lets-have-a-drink party was offered by my manager. Infact it was our weekly team meeting, and as I have moved to a different project, I have been excused of the weekly meetings for a while now. So I was a bit surprised last evening when I got a message on internal IM, for a meeting in Meeting Room “P”. And I was wondering if they changed the meeting-room-names again ? as we dont have any meeting room named “P”, when my manager disclosed P is for Pub

As xmas holidays are almost there, it was a just a goodwill gesture to say good bye to 2008, as it was our 2nd last day in office before 2009.

Pub is more of a social place. Where you can sit, have a drink, and chat. Yup, thats it. This provide a good hangout for everybody, at reasonable prices.

It was a nice big cafe, serving only drinks. The place was quite cosy, keeping the outside temperature in view.  We sat there for 2-3 hours I guess, and chatted about almost everthing.

I was thinking about Pakistan. OK if we talk about Rawalpindi Saddar, how many decent places can you  name where you can get to with some friends in evening, and have a cup of tea, for a decent price. None, I am afraid. And its not just Saddar, its the same all over. And its not just pindi, its the same all over. Islamabad may have some good places to sit, but I repeat, decent price is also a concern.

Then there  are those chotay-ka-hotels, the small tea shops, where you can always get tea. Some of them also offer place to sit, but that is by no means decent. Its not clean, its not calm, and a lot of other concerns. So, not an option.

No wonder, we dont get anytime to sit with friends for a while, let alone socialize.

PS: Just to keep the records straight, I had an orange juice, and a coke-with-lemon. Yup, on rocks 

Allahuma Labbaik – ﺍﻟﺎﻬﻤ ﻠﺒﻴﻙ

Away from all the meat-ish activities that sorround Eid Al Azha, ranging from arranging sacrifice animal to butcher-hunt, and distribution of meat and to all the way eating it, it happened to be an oppurtunity for me to have a look upon the non-meat-ish part for a bit.

Hajj.

Its such a big event of the year, Muslims from all corners of the world, in one dress, for one purpose, shouting one slogan; Labbaik Allahuma Labbaik. I am present, my Lord, I am present. I am here for You, and You alone. I have traveled from the other part of the Earth, to see You alone. I have left my family, my business, my people, for You alone. And here I am, helpless as I am, hopeful of your Rehmat, hopeful of getting clean of my sins, hopeful of being granted the commitement to my Taubah.

I wonder, the way we stand together, without any discrimination, in front of our Lord, how come we become different, once we are out of Ihram. How come we become Pakistani and Indian, Irani and Iraqi and Arab, from being a Muslim. Its us, the same us, a unity for 40 days, and then again its us, the same us, who dont bother to look at each other for the rest of the year.

Dont know, what goes wrong, the moment we come out of Hijaz.

If we were to sustain this unity, if we were to be the same for rest of our lives, if Hajj Sermon could bind us together and serve as the strategy for rest of the year for us, God knows, what can we become. But alas !!! who cares.

Khair …

This was my first Eid away from family, and was as boring as expected. The friends here in Bristol, are back to their homes. MUF :@

After saying Eid Prayers at 8:30, headed straight to office, talking to my family all the way along. One thing common to Eid in Pakistan, was the SMS part. Although the frequency was comparatively low . The moment I was out of masjid, to my delight, texts started pouring in. Even there was one during namaz. From friends here in UK, from guys back in Pakistan, and from family. And that was among the few good things about the day.

I had prepared Laziza Kheer and Liver Curry a day before , yes in preparation for Eid. Kuch to pata chale Eid he. In evening, was quite excited before reaching home. After putting everything on dinnig table, I sat there …  and I couldnt eat. There was nobody I can share a meal with, and it was Eid. Aaahh … goodness.

Khair, wishing you guys a very happy Eid and I miss you people.

Back to life

Yeah, that is what it means to have your own machine for a software guy.

I was without machine for the last two months or so. Yeah I had access to MUF’s, for which I am grateful to him, but you know having your own is a different feeling

Its a SONY VAIO. Specs are awesome, something I can brag about. Its Core 2 Duo 2.26 GHz, 3GB, 250 GB, 16.4″ and beautiful Yeah looks are cool.

Don’t have internet connection yet, at home. Will get it by next monday insha’Allah. Yeah right now I am at MUF’s place.

And here we go with my first post from my naya nakor laptop

UPDATE: Found some images for FW11E:

Ramadhan Mubarak

Well logically speaking, its 29th of Shaa’ban today, but somehow we are fasting and observing 1st of Ramadhan in Europe, as announced by The Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) for the UK.

I am unable to comprehend the rationale ICC could have used as grounds for turning Shaa’ban into 28 days, may be following the Saudis, but still, I mean there has been instances of having a 29 days month instead of 30 days, or vice-versa, but turning a month to 28 days is rare, and illogical.

If you have a look at all the imagery out there about moon’s state, its impossible to see the moon with naked eye on Sunday 31st August 2008 in this part of the world. So there is no possibility of having a witness to the moon.

I asked the people at my local mosque, that how come we are having this, and they said, we discussed and decided collectively. Is this a matter of collective decision or we should follow the Book. I dont know.

On discovering this last evening I talked to my friends here, as I was unsure about what to do, as you know its not 1st of Ramadhan, and your community is fasting. And then we collectively decided , that its a community concern, and Islam is not individual’s religion, so we should go with what Imam sb tells us.

Although I am not that excited about 1st of Ramdhan, as I used to be, but still, Happy Ramdhan to all of you. May Allah bless you all in this blessed month.

Islamic Cultural Fayre 2008

Yet another Mela

Date: Sunday , August 24, 2008

Timings: 12 PM to 6 PM

Venue: Eastville Park, Bristol.

Islamic Cultural Festival 2008

So if you are in Bristol, do come. As yet I dont know the stuff that would be there, as this would be my first time, but we should come to see at least. Organizers will feel good 

Ohh! You speak good English…

It happend second time, yesterday.

First time, it was my house mat, Michael. We were in kitchen and probably were talking about the pizza he was just taking out of the oven, when he asked:

“For how long have you been in the UK?”

Me: Less than two months …

Michael: Ohhh! But you speak good English. Where are you from?

Me: I am from Pakistan.

Michael: Do you guys speak English in Pakistan?

Me: No, we don’t.

Micheal: Then … ? (how come you are good at it?)

Me: … aaa … ummm .. (no answer)

And just yesterday, I was at bank. The customer service officer (CSO), who was herself an Easteren European, and hence not English, was processing my credit card application, when she asked the same question: (you are asked this everywhere btw)

“For how long have you been in the UK?”

Me: Less than two months.

CSO: Ohh! But you speak good English. Do you speak English in Pakistan?

Me: No, we don’t.

CSO: Then, where did you learn it from?

Me: umm .. aaa.. My university degree was taught in English (the best I could come up with), so …

CSO: Arrite. You know I studied English for 5 years, but still I am not good at it.

Me: I see.

I was in hurry, as it was lunch break and I had to get back to office, so it just got off my mind. But at night, when I was talking to MUF, the bank just came up, and so did this conversation. And I was ashamed of myself. Things just get different, and you actually get to realize it.

Its been more than a month I am here, and am beginning to get comfortable with the accent here, although in the start, it was not that good. I used to get many things wrong, and it was MUF who helped me all the way along. And if you can actually speak and understand English, it helps if you are in an English speaking community, but just yesterday .. it dawned on me … its not that good.

A late realization though …