Musings of a Global Nomad

Neeira-in the last 18 years you have brought us much pride, love, and laughter. We watched you become a remarkable person with a strong moral compass. You often taught us, that speaking up for something even in the most uncomfortable of situations was ALWAYS worth it. You never hesitated to break the silence for what needed to be said. You took on stigmas and cycles and chains for you believed they needed to end. Your loyalty to your sisters, your mother tongue, and your mother land is inspiring. And your diligence and discipline for anything you take on is admirable. As you celebrate this milestone birthday on the cusp of the new adventure that awaits you, we wish that all your dreams come true. We hope a spicy plate of biryani will always bring you comfort, that you meet your favorite Bollywood stars someday, that you get to travel and travel and travel and go do a semester at sea.  You have heard us saying ever so often 'life is unfair' and you will experience this yourself ...

  2022   Annual Update Top Ten Highlights of 2022 We began a year-long celebration of our 25 th wedding anniversary, with a little trip every month; all went to plan until August, after which Gerard had to travel to Afghanistan and then Sri Lanka, and then Sanchita was banned from travel 😊 (clue below to know why). Ar  was thrilled to be invited to exhibit her photographs at the ' Exploring Identities' exhibition in London. She also started her second year at the Advocacy Hub for Hunger, while continuing to grow Quake . And her grad ceremony which should have happened in 2020 was finally held! Ryeika got a job as Youth Worker for the SHAK Community Partnership, while she continues to pursue her second year of university . Neeira got to visit her dream destination Iceland. And…London here she comes! She has received two university offers for Fall 2023; fingers crossed that more will follow and then ‘Decision time’. Liraya turned 13- she has had a busy year with Thea...

As I begin to write this years update, it's Friday evening in mid December and  I have officially begun my month long vacation. Quite excited and apprehensive about our plans for the next few weeks. We will be leaving our home cave, to get on a plane and travel to a far away land, where people who share our last names and DNA await us with baited breath. What used to be a journey we have done effortlessly so often, from locations more far flung and unpredictable, is feeling almost unsurmountable this time around. Multiple changes in our itinerary, cancelled flights rebooked, changing restriction's and entry protocols; all a strong reminder of the new normal. In fact if this year has taught us anything it is that the old normal is unlikely ever to return anytime soon.  So what was our life like under this new normal? For the most part it seemed tedious, monotonous... days that rolled into one another, each week was pretty much just like last week. But looking back now, I see th...

Dear friends and loved ones, Anything is possible, even the impossible. 2020 proved this right. What an aberrant year it was, so unexpected and utterly unbelievable. A virus came and took us hostage, built invisible walls that separated us from each other and savagely took away loved ones.  It was a year where everything was different and yet we couldn't  really pause because the business of life carried on. I n time we found a way circumventing through the  m onotony, the isolation, the paranoia, the frustration. Some of us trusted the science and followed the guidance, while some of us didn't and added to the frustration of those who did. The months passed, we celebrated lockdown birthdays and anniversaries, we expertly home schooled, and navigated new ways of working. We endured, we  innovated and dipped deep into our indomitable spirit, grit and resilience .  Yes, there were times we did lose our sanity but for the most part we survived pretty damn well....

Today we begin our fourth week in lockdown. We continue to cope reasonably well, are grateful for jobs that allow us to work from home effectively and for school work that continues seamlessly online. We are thankful that our supermarkets continue to be well stocked and that we have enough green space around us to walk and refresh. And most importantly we are thrilled that our family is together (Ar made a quick decision to come back from Uni in the UK last weekend. We had about 12 hours of drama as she was initially not allowed to board, but things worked out in the end and she IS HERE). The MasterChef table- every dish prize worthy So yes, a new week begins. If you ask if had a good weekend. I will tell you that I did; that I was glad the sun was out, that I could sit out on the terrace, that I finally watched the movie CATS and got why James Corden half regretted ever doing that movie. I will tell you that the highlight was organizing a Master Chef- Lockdown edition for the k...

45 years ago in Bisidimo, Ethiopia. In a few hours I will bring in my 45th birthday. As I write, Corona Virus has taken over our lives. Italy is in lock down and the mood everywhere is somber.  But it is my birthday tomorrow, so I refuse to be dispirited, and as I always do, am looking forward to a great birthday. It will be a different kind of birthday, one that I am sure I will especially remember. I know birthday plans have kept the kids busy and I hear rumors and whispers behind closed doors of surprises being planned for tomorrow. I am ready and waiting... So what's it been like to be in lock down? Not too bad at all. We had anticipated it and so had stocked up with basics even before the announcement. No we didn't buy a hundred rolls of toilet paper but rather a limited amount of groceries, just enough to keep us going and limit our trips to the grocery store. The school is doing an incredible job with online schooling and the kids are busy throu...

Dearest friends and family, Greetings and the warmest Christmas blessings from the Holy Land where we are so blessed and excited to be spending Christmas this year. It has been quite emotional and humbling, to be here amidst so much history. The learning and the understanding of the different faiths, who all have a special connection to the Holy land has made this trip all that more enriching and enlightening.  So...It was mid August and I was lamenting to a friend about the awful summer we were having. What was supposed to have been a relaxing holiday with my parents, feasting on mums home cooked meals, sleeping in late and waking up to the sound of monsoon rain dancing on the tiled roof above, had turned out to be what will go down in family history as one of the most disastrous summers ever. I will get to the details later, but this friend in a bid to make me laugh said “well atleast you already have material for your annual newsletter’. I laughed and was grateful fo...