Most of my followers are on the more active blog http://drtaherofarabia.blogspot.com, and I, too, have paid little attention to this, a much more important blog as this is reflective and will endure beyond my tenure in Saudi Arabia, beyond my work as a Pediatrician, and perhaps, beyond my life. Hence, I decided to make a fresh entry here and perhaps get more people to check out this blog and its very interesting entries.
First of all, let me say that my stay away from my home and my family caused many changes to happen to me as well as to my family members. This entry, however, is about me. To be honest, a few of the changes have been unnerving, to say the least. For example, coming into more money has made me realise what I have missed until now, and has made me splurge on several unnecessary things. I have bought many more clothes than I really need. I have splurged on electronic gizmos - I now have the latest smartphone and ALSO a Kindle. My laptop is a Dell touch-screen computer with a 15" screen. I keep drooling at electronic merchandise whenever I am near a shop or a market that sells these things, and I do not feel guilty when I buy something that I don't really need as of this moment.
During my last trip to SE Asia, my Canon DSLR camera broke down, and I rushed to purchase - yes, purchase a NEW Canon DSLR - such has been my profligacy!
Moving now to the positive things that have happened to me:
- I have become a bit more pensive, less short-tempered, more loving and more reflective.
- I have become more patient and tolerant of others' weaknesses and stupidity.
- My thoughts are more inclusive, i.e. I now think more globally when I think about people, events, personalities, and problems.
- I have come to understand that even when I was with my family, I could not really control my daughters' fancies or plans, so why worry so much about this ... Allah will take care of them!
- I can speak a fairly good level of Arabic and can continue a conversation for at least five to ten minutes with someone to whom this language is native.
- I can identify with the problems of others, which, by the way, are not always of a financial nature. Let me add here that financial problems CAN create non-financial ones!
- I have observed the way Arabs live and can now understand why they behave the way they do: whether it is about their food, their mania for football, their love of olives and cheese, their begetting at least three offspring and many-a-times 4 or even more, etc.
- I now know that Saudis are as, if not more, intelligent than people from any other nation of the world, and of nothing else, they have managed to advance their country's infrastructure, development, achievements and progress by recruiting the best talent from around the world --- and for this, I respect them.
Knowing these things has improved me as a person, and I am grateful to Allah for this.
There have been many material changes too. I now enjoy cuisine from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Syria, doses of which I have been exposed to over the past 2+ years. I still remember how I hated their food - this was just 2 years ago! Now, I actually relish many of their foods. Not just that, I even cook my Indian food with less chilly and other spices!
I guess this brings this entry to an end. I would love to write more, and perhaps I will, over the next few weeks. Do tell your friends and family to also read this blog and help me to save it from oblivion! I would appreciate your comments. Do write them and start a meaningful dialogue. Thank you.
First of all, let me say that my stay away from my home and my family caused many changes to happen to me as well as to my family members. This entry, however, is about me. To be honest, a few of the changes have been unnerving, to say the least. For example, coming into more money has made me realise what I have missed until now, and has made me splurge on several unnecessary things. I have bought many more clothes than I really need. I have splurged on electronic gizmos - I now have the latest smartphone and ALSO a Kindle. My laptop is a Dell touch-screen computer with a 15" screen. I keep drooling at electronic merchandise whenever I am near a shop or a market that sells these things, and I do not feel guilty when I buy something that I don't really need as of this moment.
During my last trip to SE Asia, my Canon DSLR camera broke down, and I rushed to purchase - yes, purchase a NEW Canon DSLR - such has been my profligacy!
Moving now to the positive things that have happened to me:
- I have become a bit more pensive, less short-tempered, more loving and more reflective.
- I have become more patient and tolerant of others' weaknesses and stupidity.
- My thoughts are more inclusive, i.e. I now think more globally when I think about people, events, personalities, and problems.
- I have come to understand that even when I was with my family, I could not really control my daughters' fancies or plans, so why worry so much about this ... Allah will take care of them!
- I can speak a fairly good level of Arabic and can continue a conversation for at least five to ten minutes with someone to whom this language is native.
- I can identify with the problems of others, which, by the way, are not always of a financial nature. Let me add here that financial problems CAN create non-financial ones!
- I have observed the way Arabs live and can now understand why they behave the way they do: whether it is about their food, their mania for football, their love of olives and cheese, their begetting at least three offspring and many-a-times 4 or even more, etc.
- I now know that Saudis are as, if not more, intelligent than people from any other nation of the world, and of nothing else, they have managed to advance their country's infrastructure, development, achievements and progress by recruiting the best talent from around the world --- and for this, I respect them.
Knowing these things has improved me as a person, and I am grateful to Allah for this.
There have been many material changes too. I now enjoy cuisine from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Syria, doses of which I have been exposed to over the past 2+ years. I still remember how I hated their food - this was just 2 years ago! Now, I actually relish many of their foods. Not just that, I even cook my Indian food with less chilly and other spices!
I guess this brings this entry to an end. I would love to write more, and perhaps I will, over the next few weeks. Do tell your friends and family to also read this blog and help me to save it from oblivion! I would appreciate your comments. Do write them and start a meaningful dialogue. Thank you.
2 comments:
to add a few things (since you wnet to ksa)
1. you have performed umrah and hajj
2. i feel you have started believing more in Allah than before.
3. i feel this has been a veruy good decision of your life
Yes, Muhbeen, what you say is 100% correct. Thank you for your kind words.
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