Crabby

It seems like Deja vu, writing to you all from the beautiful Algarve in Portugal again. My posts last year seem to centre on the incredible seafood available here and a beach facial I had the privilege to experience. 

However, today is different. I don't wish to describe any part of the region or its fruits, but rather share with you an incredibly funny incident that took place today. 

So to set the scene; today is my first day of vacation here in Portugal. The day entailed a trip down to the local markets where I ended up purchasing spoilt avocados, addictive honey coated almonds and of course some seafood. 

At the seafood stand, hidden, in a posy of adult live crabs was a miniature baby crab. It was different to the others, not only was it smaller but it was wearing a red and purple polka dot shell. The crab immediately caught my eye because it was just so cute (sorry no unusual creative adjective word can describe the crab better than cute!). 

The stall owner saw our (my sisters were present too) reaction to the crab and being the happy man he was gave us the crab for free. 

The whole day then revolved around what exactly we were going to do with the crab. It was too cute and too puny to cook. So I had an epiphany, that we should keep him (despite being a feminist, I do have a tendency to assume creatures are male unfortunately)  as a pet and name him George after the Royal Baby (British pride kicking in even when abroad!). 

Now to fast forward to the main part of the story! The crab for the of most day was kept in the kitchen in the bag and water it was packed in and was very calm.

At around 5pm, I decide to go for a shower and as usual, something always takes place when you least it expect it too. I hear from outside the bathroom, my sister who is eleven calling me. So slightly irritated that I can't have a shower in peace, I respond asking what is going on. Then I hear a tremor in her voice as she responds, I will wait for you to come out.

As you may know Algarve, is the region most famously known for the area where Madeleine McCann, so in frenzy, I fluster out the bathroom thinking the worst thoughts, to find her hesitantly standing outside.

I ask her what is going on and she says with that same tremble and fearful eyes that I think you should go in the kitchen. Given I have been addicted to Body of Proof for the last few weeks, I prepare myself to find a kidnapper or worse inside. 

With my heart racing at a million miles,  I find that it is crabby lying there in a soup plate. I turn around in confusion and ask for an explanation. To which, my sister responds she wanted to make crabby in a full pet like I suggested earlier and thought she would surprise me by putting it in a bowl but became scared as it started to slowly move.

As I held a crab this size before in Ghana, I felt this was no big deal and decided to walk towards the crab and transfer it into a deep bowl or pan as it could not fit on the current soup plate. As I extended my hand to reach for the soup plate, with my sister hiding behind me, the crab decides to jump around the bowl and do some 360 degree rotations. 

Terrified I jump around, end up whacking my sister in the face, screaming and basically running for my life. My sister following me behind in tears and hitting me back (of course sibling fights are not forgotten in moments of high stress and pressure). 

The funniest part of this whole saga, was the fact that all while this was happening, my other sister calmly was sitting in the living room next door watching her Indian soap opera. I tapped her to ask if she had any idea what was going on and she had no idea! 

As a means of an ending, I trapped the crab using three saucepans as a means of calming it down. After which I transferred it into a nice bowl with water. And of course, my mother couldn't help but be a mother and gave the crab some fresh chives to eat, which he didn't really like!

Below, I have shared some photos with you (I will upload them later - wifi issues!) :)

Wrongful Wonga?

This morning I read an article which criticised the existence of Wonga, the short pay-day loan company who charge over 5,000% interest. 

It was in the Metro and the article talked about the immoral activities of Wonga and blamed the company for making people worse off. It is also well known that lobby groups are seeking ways to shut the firm down.

Now before I begin, let me start by saying, I don't particularly like Wonga or the services they give but I find myself playing Devil's advocate.

The services carried out by Wonga are legal under current English law. Under a capitalist society, banks, firms, entrepreneurs are allowed to charge what they see as fit for the goods and services they provide. The UK being a mixed economy, does intervene when it needs too, e.g. taxing alcohol or making children's clothing VAT free. 

The next point is the morality of Wonga's actions. I don't see what gives me or any of us the right to call Wonga an immoral organisation. Immoral means "not conforming to accepted standards of morality" and thus is a notion that is subject to change and develop. Therefore, suggesting it has been immoral, doesn't mean that it doesn't conform to accepted morality (whatever that is) for present society today. I hate people judging, its the one thing that really gets to me. 

The next point is about shutting Wonga down. Wonga like any business would not exist had a market for its products not existed. If we shut Wonga down, another Wonga like institution will show itself because the bottom line is that demand for these pay-day loans at this ridiculously high interest rate do exist.

So what I am getting at , is that we are all free individual human beings who strangely make choices to use institutions like Wonga which be claim to be immoral and therefore, I don't think its fair to single out and blame Wonga because in the end it takes two to tango.

Father

Today I would like to write about my father. This topic has been on my mind for some days. Perhaps, it is the prospect of returning home in less than two weeks or the fact that I arrive on my dad's birthday. Regardless, it has been on my mind.

I have been through different stages and feelings of homesickness all summer, as I have been abroad in different countries for various amounts of time. I found that it wasn't too long before I started missing my sisters, then my mum and finally my dad. It wasn't that I didn't miss him, it was that emotional kind of sadness only kicked in about 10 days ago. 

Fathers, are such important parts of our lives and often we don't even realise just how important they are. I have only realised how much of my own person, attitude to life and general personality I get from my dad.

Often, I find myself, particularly as I have got older disagreeing and debating with my dad.Yet, there is just so much of what he says is right, correct and makes sense. 

I have just deleted the last paragraph I wrote as I feel like I am repeating myself. Perhaps, its time for me to delve deeper into the true purpose behind this post as opposed to the the basic generic comments I am making about how I am like my dad.

So perhaps I should start by saying what are the particulars I miss of my dad. I miss a lot. I miss my dad's ability of being able to tell what's on my mind within moments of seeing me. I miss my dad putting his arms around me and hugging me and not just any ordinary hug, one that lasts for minutes and I can't help but forget whatever it is that was upsetting me . I miss my dad talking through things in a rational, logical and in some ways a pretty blunt manner. I miss my dad telling me I look nice because he can tell the days I have made an effort to dress up for an occasion. At the same time I miss always making sure I am always on top of things because I do not want my dad to ask me why I am behind on something. I miss my dad asking everyone on the table every dinner how their day was. I miss my dad.

Usually when I go on a family holiday, there will always be on thing which I will be questioning why my dad is so insistent that we do this. I will usually be pretty grumpy on those days. Yet coming out on my own, I find myself wanting to do all the things he would. Having the same philosophy of making as many memories as you can even though not all will be pleasant. I find myself looking for a place of worship, any place, when things get tough, another thing that my dad has always done. 

This trip has really taught me to appreciate and be grateful of the relationship I have with my father. I have realised that I take the time I spend with him, talk to him and the advice he gives me for granted. I miss him a lot today. If you are fortunate enough to be with your father today, I would say try and make the most out of it and if anything, just notice and realise how reliant and important fathers are in our life.   
I wanted to write so much more but its difficult when your laptop has become smothered in tears. I love my dad a lot and for the first time have really appreciated not only the father he is, but the person he is; from coming from one of the worst schools in the country to a detached house in a suburb. 

I hope when I have children, I am able to give them all the love, tolerance, patience and knowledge my father has given me.

Fruits A-Z

In Singapore, the place where I worked was the the first office where I have seen where fruit days are taken so seriously. This made me think about the lack of fruit I myself eat. So today I have put together an A-Z guide on fruit, naming a different fruit with each letter and its benefits to learn a bit more about why eating fruit is important.

Apple

An apple is a round fruit of a tree of the rose family, which typically has a thin green or red skin and a crispy flesh.

There are many benefits of eating an apple including; it is an overall tonic, a good fibre for the digestive system and is known to reduce the risk of Alzheimers. Apples are also recommended for weight loss as they contain less than 100 calories and their digestive aid helps your stomach in holding on to less saturated fat.

Banana

A banana is a long curved fruit which grows in clusters and has a soft pulpy flesh and yellow skin when ripe.

Bananas have high vitamin and mineral content especially potassium. They are especially good for fat burning and providing energy for a long period of time. There is also evidence to suggest they reduce chances of kidney cancer.

Cherry

Cherries are small, soft round stone fruit that are typically bright or dark red.

Cherries have a unique combination of detoxifying, laxative and inflammation reducing qualities.  They also have a surprising large amount of vitamin A which is good for maintenance of heart, lung and kidneys.

Durian

Durians are spiny oval tropical fruit that contain a creamy pulp. Despite its fetid smell it is highly valued for its flavour.

Durians like bananas are rich in their vitamin and mineral levels containing high amounts of potassium, sulphur and vitamin C. However, because of their warming properties, too much in hot countries can cause excessive sweating.

Elderberry

Elderberries are the bluish-black or the red berry of the elder tree or shrub, used mainly for making jelly or wine.

Despite being used mainly for creating secondary food products, elderberries are extremely beneficial to health. They can help improve vision, lower cholesterol levels and its high vitamin C levels mean that it was given to treat a flu epidemic in Panama in 1995.

Fig

Figs are soft pear-shaped fruit with a sweet dark flesh and many small seeds, eaten fresh or dried.

Figs are extremely mineral and vitamin rich containing B1, B5, B6, iron and calcium. Dried figs are extremely popular and they still have all the mineral properties that raw figs have.

Grape

Grapes are berries, typically green, purple or black, which are grown in clusters on a grapevine. They are eaten as fruit as well as used in making wine.

Research shows that grapes are a profound heart and blood vitalising food, contain anti-cancer nutrients and help with anemia.

Honeydew Melon

Honeydew melon is a variety of melon with smooth pale skin and a sweet green flesh. It is considered the sweetest of all melons. t

Honeydew melon is a perfect source of your daily vitamins and minerals being high in vitamin C, potassium and vitamin B-6.  Vitamin B-6 is in fact a metabolism booster and aids brain development and so this fruit is often advised to those on weight management diets.

Iyokan

Iyokan is a small orange Japanese citrus fruit. Given its slightly sour taste, it is the second most produced fruit in Japan.

Iyoka has extremely high levels of vitamin C making it very good for the immune system.

Jujube

Jujube sometimes referred to as the “Chinese date” is an edible berry-like fruit of a Eurasian plant, formally taken as a cough cure.

The high levels of vitamin C, zinc and magnesium is what made its most popular use being cough medicine.

Kiwi

Kiwi is a fruit with a thin hairy skin, green flesh and back seeds. It is formerly called a Chinese gooseberry.

Kiwis contain unique enzymes that help in correcting and smoothing the digestive system. They are also said to eliminate wrinkles and remove excess sodium.

Lychee

Lychees are small rounded fruit with a sweet white scented flesh, a large central stone and a thin rough skin. They taste similar to grapes but typically are much more fragrant.

They contain large amounts of copper, vitamin C and phosphorus. It also helps protect the skin from UV rays.

Mango

Mangoes are fleshy, oval, yellowish-red tropical fruit which is eaten ripe or used green for pickles, salads or chutneys.

Mangoes are excellent aids to kidneys; they help cleanse blood and lower cholesterol levels.

Nectarine

Nectarines are a variety of peaches with a smooth red and yellow skin which have a rich, firm flesh.

Nectarines are also a digestive aids; they help to cleanse the body and contain vitamin E and copper.

Orange

Oranges are large round juicy citrus fruit with a tough bright reddish-yellow rind.

Most famously, they are known for their immune system benefits. They can also reduce tumors, inflammation and prevent blood clots from developing.

Pineapple

Pineapples are juicy tropical fruit consisting of aromatic edible yellow flesh surrounded by a tough segmented skin and topped with a tuft of stiff leaves.

Pineapples promote joint health, can help with cleansing mucus specifically and help promote folic acid levels.

Quince

Quinces are a hard, acid pear-shaped fruit used in preserves or as flavourings.

Quince have anti-allergic and anti- inflammatory properties. They have also been known to treat cystitis.

Rambutan

Rambutans are red plum-sized tropical fruit with soft spines and a slightly acidic taste.

In traditional medicine, they are used to cure diabetes and hypertension. They are high in protein not just vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, phosphorus and copper. 

Star fruit

Star fruit, more formally called carambola, is a golden-yellow juicy fruit with a star shaped-shaped cross section.

Star fruit is rich in antioxidants, potassium and vitamin C. In Brazilian folk medicine, it has been known to suppress coughs and increase urine output.

Tangerine

Tangerines are small citrus fruits with loose skin, especially a skin which has a deep orange-red colour.

Similar to oranges; they are great for vitamin C boosts, calcium and copper. Their fibre is also good for reduction in risk of arthritis.

Ugli

Ugli is a mottled green and yellow citrus fruit which is a cross between a grapefruit and a tangerina.

Ugli fruit contains 0g of fat and half your required portion of fiber; therefore is featured in many weight management diets. 

Voavanga

Voavanga also known as a Spanish tamarind, it is a round fruit that is green with white dots that turns brown when fully ripe. The pulp is moderately juicy, with a slightly acidic flavor. It has been described taste wise as a combination of a Satsuma and a grapefruit. They are very rare and although featured in the Spanish cuisine, they are actually from Mexico.

There is no specific breakdown of the vitamins and minerals they contain; but they are known to add to your overall vitamin and mineral levels.

Watermelon

Watermelon is a large melon-like fruit of a plant of the gourd family, with smooth green skin, red pulp and watery juice.

Watermelon interestingly helps to prevent against sunburn and is said to reduce the risk of prostate and ovarian cancer. Being a summer fruit it also is great at rehydrating and cleansing the body.

Xigua

Xigua is a fruit very similar to watermelon only shorter in size.

It has all the same benefits as watermelon only difference is it is shorter and can be found in a cube shape.

Yuzu

Yuzu look similar to grapefruits only smaller in size, and are yellow or green depending on ripeness. It is found predominantly in East Asia.

Yuzu can help replenish dead skin cells, slow down physical signs of aging and boost vitamin C levels. It is often used in beauty products too because of its anti-aging properties.

Zalacca

Zalacca have a reddish-brown scaly skin covering a white pulp which has a slightly acidic taste. These fruits are native to Indonesia.

The fruits are recommended for those suffering with diarrhea as they are full of fiber and of course vitamin C. 

Guilt

When I am upset, I hate being around people. All I want to do is to be left alone to weep. When I am happy, I want to share this feeling with others and yet this is the time you barely find someone so pure who feels absolutely happy for you. 

I have found it hard to deal with guilt here in Cambodia. Often, we say we are feeling guilty if we forgot to go to the gym for a month or purchased another pair of shoes in a different color in the same week. But to be fair this is all nonsense, because if we were truly guilty we would do something about it.

This is the first time in my life I have felt what I would call true guilt. And you know its true guilt when you don't want to talk to anyone about and stop making eye contact with people when they are trying to talk to you especially if one is close.

The first thing I find myself being extremely guilty about the life I seem to have attained in Cambodia. Cambodia is a two tier society. The rich drive range rovers, eat at costa and indulge at daily spas. The poor walk, eat street food (if any) and spend most of the time trying to make money for their kids. Some may say well this isn't too different to the situation I had to deal with in Ghana. However. I would argue its very difference. The difference being I am not interacting with the low tier of Cambodian society or in any way helping it. I work in a fairly medium size ngos, putting together fundraising strategies in respect to funds such as the UN Women fund. I sit in a a private office of only me and my friend in an AC-ed office, we have our own private bathrooms and a kitchen. We eat lunch at fancy cafes. We use tuk-tuks everywhere and fly when going out of Phnom Penh. We go out every evening after work whether to the shopping mall or a health club. We live the lives of kings. We live in a guesthouse with warm water, mattress on beds and wifi downstairs. We get more than most of these people. I feel physically sick writing this. The idea behind volunteering was supposed to be to immerse yourself in the poor society and make a difference; share stories, skills and most importantly friendships. I don't I have spoken to a single "street person" in my two and half weeks.\

The second guilt I hold is an extension of the first point. People work years to do a trip like the one I am doing. I didn't have to work; just ask my parents. 'This added to the fact that I feel like I am making no difference at all to Phnom Penh; I feel extremely guilty. I mean why should I be granted this privileged. What gives me the right to use someone else's hard worked money especially when I am educated and of a working age. I have never ever said this before or spoken to any one about this but it upsets me. It's different when I have a student loan because ultimately I myself pay for that. I really have an issue with accepting gifts and anything to do with money. But I have been thinking that I am not entirely wrong; it is unfair. This also adds to why I feel so bad that the Cambodia trip hasn''t yielded in me making a difference to lives of the poor around me.

Someone once said to me that your family is your biggest strength but that also makes it your biggest weakness. It is a statement that resonated with me. I hate the idea of being fearful, fearful of anything. I mean why should I? I believe in God, Karma and that you only get what you can handle in life so why be scared? This is perhaps what lead to me to make sure that I wasn't so attached to my family so that say something happened I knew I could cope. I sometimes don't see my family days in a row in normal daily basis. I managed two weeks many years ago on my own, then three weeks last year and now I am on a trip of 8-9weeks away from them. And you know what; yes my family is my biggest strength. Yes, I can't deal with life without them. Being away does help make stronger in some ways; I am responsible for everything and am forced to deal with individuals who do not have the same genes or thinking as me. But the truth of the matter is quite simply; going away from home doesn't make you need them less. You will always need them. And this unlucky scenario of should something happen, actually happen, is a bridge for me to cross when it happens, not now. Going away for a year wouldn't change this. Having realized this brings me to the final guilt that has been eating me that so much so that I was going to get the next flight home today. My sister is very unwell. It is my duty to be there by her side and take care of her and I cannot because I am on a stupid trip where neither am I helping the locals or becoming less dependent on my family. I know I should be home and if she is not better by friday, I have decided that I will leave regardless. 

I feel so much lighter writing this; writing is so cathartic. I have stopped weeping for starters. Ultimately, I have learnt what guilt actually feels like and it has taught me a lot about the nonsense drama we bring in our daily lives when we claim to feel guilty for forgetting to text back or eating that chocolate fudge cake. 

Being A World Class Employee

Hi folks!

It wasn’t long ago that I was in the wonderful Singapore. Whilst there, someone said to me that they treat their place of work as if it were their customer. At the time, I found this to be merely poetic and wrote this down on a paper. It is beautiful quote, and I didn’t spend much time dwelling on it. 

However, seeing that quote, by chance many weeks later has got me thinking. I believe this is the reason why some employees progress and some do not. Those who do not treat the workplace as their customer are those who don’t do so well professionally-speaking. 

Let me explain. 

We live in a world which very different to how it looked say 50 years ago. No longer are there “jobs for life”, one is expected to be moving between organizations and jobs. The nature of jobs themselves are different, they are now much more narrow, defined and specific in what they require of an employee. The idea of continually getting more and more richer as you get older is permanently stained in our societies. Then there is also the environment of workplace, one is expected to know only a handful of individuals in t he office as opposed to all the staff really well, especially in large organizations. 

So in essence our job should not define us for all those reasons mentioned above. It is temporary state. These facts added together puts some in despair. They feel then why should one go beyond the tasks at hand at work?  Whats the point, within some years I will have enough experience to move onto better job or for those particularly pessimistic, I will be leaving at some point why bother? This attitude is what creates the unsuccessful worker.

The successful employee then is one who sees themselves as the brand not the organization they work for as their brand. Every individuals name denotes unique idiosyncrasies, some more general personality traits and a skill set. These put together are a functioning business. You are a functioning business.

Your workplace is a customer, some of which will be temporarily and others more long-standing. The employer and employee join together in contract. You provide a service, of say offering the company’s clients legal advice and in return you get some monetary return. Similar to how a law firm works, they sell legal advice and in return they are paid a monetary fee. If you are a lawyer do not think of yourself as a Clifford Chance associate but rather a law firm itself which goes by the name of your own name. 

This way of thinking though, still does not explain why one should excel at their job and make active efforts to always go beyond what is required. Well its simple. Think of a business like Clifford Chance or Prada.  Their customer service is know to be incredible. It is for this reason that people pay more quite happily. We as brands should always be thinking of our own customer service. But what does this mean? It means ensuring wherever possible, additional work could be done. If you are a lawyer, this may involved checking on clients, finding more clients and maybe perhaps giving a few minutes here and there free of charge to your clients. Maintaining high customer service is expensive both in business and in person but worth it. It is more likely that your own customer i.e. the employer would want to maintain a long-standing relationship with you as well as more customers will be attracted.

As in business, there is of-course another model, simply put in the Apprentice as “stack them up high, sell them cheap”. The model of quantity which doesn’t involve much customer service. If we apply such a model on ourselves, it becomes a self-depreciating cycle. This is because time is finite. There is maximum numbers hours per day one can work and so the idea of doing short cheap jobs becomes uneconomical as they cost of time in setting up for the next job and opening and closing the job does not cover the return payment. Those who take this attitude also fail. Think of your employer as a customer, and customers want to be served otherwise they would not enter into a contract with you.

Successful organizations are those that are continually are investing in their business. Investing involves a few different stages. The first being assessment. As individuals then, setting aside time to examine our CVs and work is crucial. The next step to investment is analysis. Once we have examined out work and CVs it is crucial to analyze it, merely seeing what is going on is not enough when making investment choice. Remember for business money is finite and for individuals time (and money usually) is. This analysis should involve looking at the competition and the general market. So for a lawyer assessing your work against how your peer is doing can be eye-opening and looking at the general demand for lawyers in the market, what is demanded. Perhaps compare to job criteria for similar jobs. The next stop is examining the investment options. For individuals, it is looking at the different options they may have whether its a new language class or a position on the board of a NFPO. The final step is making the investment. This is crucial to being a successful employee. 

So this sums up my case for why those who view themselves as businesses and workplaces as customers do well in their professional lives!

Arrival in Cambodia

I have now been in Cambodia for 9days and already feel like local as Phnom Penh is less than half the size of London. Before writing about the range of experiences I have had, I thought I'd start by sharing with you the day I arrived, as that was a crucial day and is where first impressions of an area are made.

As you will know from my other post, I have incredibly apprehensive about this trip just because of the sheer length and distance it is from London. The only saving grace was the fact that I was doing with my friend.

We arrived from Singapore around about noon via the Ryanair of Asia; "Jet Star Asia". Which was in some ways better than Ryanair as there was no clapping on landing or scratch-card announcement every two minutes. 

In the Phnom Penh airport itself there are ATM and simcard facilities so we managed to sort out our basic jobs in airport itself. Surprisingly, they were able to provide Sim cards for iphone 5 and there was a Burger King!! 

This was the first shock as we were not expecting such development, especially if you read some of the economic journals about Cambodia. 

We dived straight into the Cambodian lifestyle once we arrived, by taking a tuk-tuk to our guesthouse. I guess I didn't find this too scary as from a young age I have been in Rickshaws and autorickshaws in India where they also drive on the wrong side of the road. What worried me though, was that my big 62litre suitcase was placed on the small space adjoining the motorcycle and carriage. It didn't help that the roads between the airport and guesthouse, at least for the first part, were quite fast. I was sure that any minute the suitcase was going to go flying off the road, but thankfully I was wrong!

Once checked in, we went searching for Sorya Mall which online and in the guidebooks is said to  be a 7 floor shopping complex containing a cinema, supermarkets, stores etc. However, we were taken to this deserted food market which was apparently Sorya Mall. We are still looking for this mall and if we find it we will let you know. 

We concluded the day by dining at a restaurant called La Table Khmer, a French bistro place serving oriental food. The food was expensive by Cambodian standards, but we didn't really know where we were and so decided to settle there. I was disappointed that the springrolls I ordered were not fried but were fresh and and the fried water spinach was extremely wet. However, nine days in I can say food elsewhere has much better tastes.

My initial reaction to Phnom Penh?

Well, I was extremely surprised to see how developed it is was. As mentioned before, I was shocked that they had iphone 5 sims, burger king, supermarkets and actually fairly decent roads for a developing country. It is nothing like Ghana. 

I found it weird that the currency here is US dollars and Riel. How it works is that everything is in dollars and instead of cents, as they do not have coins here, riels are given. $1 = 4000R, so anything less than a dollar is given in Riels. Although, now I feel like this system makes more sense as coins are such a pain to carry around and count. 

The weather isn't too bad. Yes it is hot especially when you come from London but its fine. The only time I have problems with the weather is when we are walking around for long periods of time and I haven't eaten enough, I feel extremely tired and dizzy on these occasions. Another difference to Ghana is here, is most indoor places are all AC-ed and fanned and so you barely feel the heat on some days. 

Arrival was interesting day. Another of my worries was discharged on this day as I realised wi-fi is a norm here and almost everywhere, so communicating back home and sharing photos etc is all fairly easily.

All in all, I was extremely happy on arrival day because I had expected something on the lines of Ghana and it turned out to be more on the lines of India which is a lot more developed. I hope to keep you all posted :)

America's Hypocracy When it Comes to Equality

Today I want to write on a Sikh issue which raises more issues than Vogue Magazine. 

This is the notion that it is illegal to be a practising Sikh and work in the US army; by definition of fairly new uniform restrictions on beard and turban presence. 

In total there are three Sikh men who have been granted an exception to this rule and allowed to practise; most notably is Kamaljeet S. Kalsi. However, even Kalsi required legal aid from advocacy group Sikh Coalition to be allowed. The exception is not widely available to everyone. Another, notable point regarding the Kalsi case is that he was a doctor, pursuing a medical role on the army. 

Sikhs have never been restricted from being doctors and thus there actually exists no logical reason for Kalsi to be denied entry to the military on the grounds of his appearance. Furthermore, there is no safety concern either. Some argue that the turban gets in the way of a helmet. Besides the fact that turbans have done a better job at protecting individuals as history shows; doctors are not required to wear a helmet, so why would Kalsi?

The first issue the restriction is why are Sikhs being determined as "exceptions". Wherever Sikhs are present, they are known for being deeply integrated in Society. In the UK, for such a small group, Sikhs are disproportionately present in; politics, as judges, as barristers, as CEOs and on national TV programmes, to name a few. We have never been a society to sit on the fringes of society or scared to apply to European or American lifestyles while maintaining a strong faith. I believe just the notion of being an "exception"; sets a subconscious separation of the Sikhs from the wider community. This in-fact disintegrates society as opposed to integrates. 

The second issue is that this restriction is fairly recent, only coming into form in 1981. The European bans on turbans in education institution is also fairly recent; France being 2004 and Belgium 2013. This seems to be a new trend developing. I recognise, that laws are created, modified and destroyed as a reflection of societal needs. It was Erhlich, who said the true law is the "living law", what people practise and that is one which is organic and not static, continually developing and changing with people's behaviours and attitudes. However, as I have discussed previously, currently there is no present need to bring in such changes. The issue of terror is misinformed. The issue of integration is merely a hypothesis. And finally, the issue of safety is simply not true, just see historical wars. Furthermore, I doubt that without any basis Sikhs would gain such a reputation in the military field and so it is clear that that they have successful in military armies in the past. 

The third issue is that America boosts of its constitution which is secular and thus equal to all individuals regardless of their religion  Throughout the world, this model is become known as a healthy and fair model over Islamic legal systems or Christian influenced ones such as the English system. However, at this occasion it seems that America is being bias and even racist rather than, fair and equal. Essentially, they allow anyone of any faith to work in the military bar those who cannot wear a helmet or have a beard. This singles out quite clearly Sikhs as all other religions would permit hair removal. Singling out a group, which in the UK at least counts as an ethical group, is against race relations legislations and is simply immoral. 

The final point is refers back to the notion of Sikhs having to be exceptions in the army. If we ignore for a moment, all the problems associated with being an "exception", it raises another issue and that is that why is it so lengthy and costly to receive. Why did Kalsi require legal assistance? This is problematic from a policy perspective because individuals with less education or resources will be unable to find legal aid and apply for an "exception"; making the argument that Sikhs can still participate if they apply for an exception, mere puffs. 

Woes, Worries & Wandering

Hello Folks,

Today, I write this blog post simply to relieve my churning stomach and restless mind. 

I am about to embark on a journey of my life this week. One which is full of uncertainty and mystery.

On Friday, I depart solo to Singapore, where I will be living for a fortnight alone. Here I will be exploring the city and indulging in the local specialities such as Singapore noodles. 

I am most worried about making this journey alone. The flight itself is 13hrs and I actually do not know very much about Singapore. Unlike in Ghana where I was in a village where everyone knows and cares for you, a city is much more different. What if any crime is made towards me? Who would care? 

I worry that loneliness will drive me insane. I am a social being and for those that know me well, know that I am always surrounded by people, writing my blog is the only solo time I get. How do I cope, having nobody especially in the first few days before I made friends.

After Singapore, I will be travelling to Cambodia avec mon amie pour six weeks (as Cambodia was once a French colony), I thought to include the odd French words I know!). Here, we will be volunteering in Human Rights project which is designed to empower local women. 

I have never been away from home this long, forget internationally -not even locally! I have got home sick on every single one of my international trips included a 4-day trip to Baltimore last year! How do I survive for 6 weeks? 

Cambodia, despite having UN, IMF & American support, is still a developing country covered by incredible humidity and medical issues such as Rabies & Japanese Encephalitis. 

What if I get these diseases, and become scarred for life?

I feel a slight sense of relief that I have a friend with me for this part of my 2013 adventure. However, I worry what if I become emotional with all these different things going on, our friendship is bruised? I could not think of a life without this friend, she has always supported me and given me that sense of self-belief in all I do.

I am only allowed 23kg for both trips, I can barely pack toiletries and what I really wanted to carry which was a portable kettle and instant coffee. What if I have issues finding my daily bits and bobs? 

Cambodia is known as the country of insects. It is home to tarantulas, cockroaches and mosquitos to name a few. I am actually terrified of these insects, how am I do deal with them. The thought of them is giving me a chilled spine just sitting here and typing.

I feel much better writing my worries. 

_________________

There is a God. And that one fact is what has given me confidence to go. Yes some of my worries may transpire into reality, but that is a challenge I have been given because God knows that is what I can handle and also NEED to handle in order to grow and develop.

Today, someone said to me you are going to find yourself. This is a load of nonsense to be honest. I already know who I am, without actively wanting to find myself, I learnt what is Komilla Chadha in my African Adventure last year.

The purpose of this trip is two-fold. The first is to use the resources available to me to do something for someone else, heal the world part by part.

The second is, my family, routine and home is my biggest strength. Ultimately, until two years ago (and even a bit now) without these frameworks in my life I could not go on. Thus, it seems my biggest strength is also my biggest weakness. I embarked on this project because just the thought of it had scared me and so I realised it was a challenge and one which would make a stronger woman. So the second reason is make me less dependant on these things.

This ties in with my spiritual beliefs. I came into this world without a family, routine & home. I had to learn the meaning of family and meet my family members, it was not part of me when I was born. This routine I prize so dearly of blogging, networking & studying has only been my life for maybe the last 4-5 years. My home has changed three times since I have been born, the thought of moving home actually upsets which is a sign of how attached I have become to something that again I was not born with. The idea and intention behind this trip is to reinforce that I am born alone which makes me free, which sometimes is hard to believe when one is so clouded by relationships (with people as well as things and emotions). 

I hope there is internet on my trip then I can share with you how things are going along.

I have found this post extremely cathartic and if you made it to the end of this post, then thanks!!

The Logical Fallacy of the Turban Ban in Schools

While interning for United Sikhs, I wrote this article for their Global Report 2013-14, enjoy.

The Logical Fallacy of the Turban Ban in Schools

The French 2004 amendment to the French Code of Education which left the Sikh community in turmoil, distress and anguish has been followed by the territories of Belgium. From September 2013, a new rule will make it a violation for Sikh boys to wear a turban within the Flemish G0! school network, affecting more than 9,000 domestic Sikhs.

The scale of the problem is not something to be dismissed lightly. An analogy can be drawn to The Holocaust; Hitler targeted those that did not fit in with the Aryan Race e.g. Jews, disabled persons and many more groups. Similarly, this ban targets turbans, kippas and headscarves i.e. those who do not conform to the so-called standard secular image. The rationale behind the rule can be explained through two distinct arguments; neutrality and security.

G0! CEO Raymonda Verdyck stated; “We facilitate pluralism and openness in our schools. That is why we have introduced the ban”2. Herein lies the first argument for the ban, the need to secularize and neutralize public spaces in order to promote equality, openness and interaction between different sects of society. This is a largely theoretical argument based upon the assumption that by removing religious artifacts, individuals will perceive themselves differently, mingling more with others and thus creating an integrated society. This leads us to the second argument. The 9/11 bombings left countries frightened and keen to increase security. At the discovery of the religious involvement in the attack, religion and religious symbology became a target. So by requiring turbans not to be worn in public places; (a) countries can be more secure by ensuring no bomb is hidden within the turban and (b) discourage religious belief which could potentially lead to similar events.

However, both these arguments are incoherent. With regards to the first argument, as mentioned before, it is theoretical. Therefore, the first weakness lies in the assumption that removal of religious clothing would bring oneness among society. Even if we accept this assumption, there are further difficulties.

Law is often misunderstood in the Western world as something which is distinct from moral and social factors. When in reality it is not simply a religious, cultural or international construct, but rather a combination. Therefore, a better way to deal with the segregations between society would be to allow individuals to uphold their personal and cultural laws e.g by allowing religious artifacts to be worn. This way, the state can still regulate the religious sphere while still treating the different ethnic minorities equally. By accepting cultural differences on a state level, people will be more likely to accept and respect other cultures. If the state sends out a message that individuals with a religious identity are a threat, then it seems unlikely that natives would be encouraged to mingle.

The second argument regarding security is also one which can be refuted. In the words of the Australian parliamentarian Victor Perton “We are at war with terror not young girls wearing scarves or (people wearing) crucifixes or skull caps” 3 . The 9/11 attacks were not caused or even motivated by the inclusion of of religious artifacts at schools, in fact not a single hijacker was an American or European national. This is of utmost importance because it shows that the 9/11 attacks cannot in anyway be used to justify unfairness towards ethnic minorities.

Furthermore, Sikh religious belief has never endorsed attacks of terror. Hence, it is illogical, irrational and uninformed to attack the turban, a sacred piece of religious attire, on the grounds of security. In addition, schools are places of education, a prime opportunity to be educating children on tolerance and other religions. Education is more likely to lead to openness, oneness and tolerance within society more so than such a ban.This becomes evident when you compare the UK to the USA. In the UK, Sikhism is part of the national curriculum and is taught every year till the child leaves school. As a result, individuals in the UK have a better understanding and tolerance of the turban than in the USA.

There is also the ubiquitous argument that Sikhs are immigrants within the Western world, they originated in Punjab and thus have no right to infringe the rules of the place. This argument is largely ignorant for several reasons. For example, wearing a religious artifacts is not imposing a foreign law as it is in no way suggesting that non-sikh persons should do so. Neither has it thus far infringed any existing law, bar the 2004 French amendment and now the 2013 G0! rule.

Another matter of concern is the level of public controversy in the Belgium issue is less than that of France. This could be because the rule in Belgium affects a smaller area than France or simply that we are becoming comfortable with such “neutrality” and so called “equality- enhancing” rules. This is worrying, as it seems the problem is spreading e.g. the recent fiasco involving a Sikh bus driver Gill Sukdarsharan Singh who has been banned from wearing a turban to work in Finland. And it is at this time, we need public support the most.

In conclusion, the need for a restriction grew out of an irrational and uninformed response to the devastating 9/11 attacks. This is clearly seen in the poor justifications put forward for the ban. Thus, these new policy need to be reassessed and rectified.



1 Anon “Belgium Bans Turbans in Schools.” The Sikh Times, September 5 2005. http:// www.sikhtimes.com/ news_090505a.html

2 Anon “Kippas, headscarves and turbans banned” Flanders News, February 2 2013. http:// www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/1.1539315

3 Murphy, M. “PM rejects headscarves ban” The Age, August 30 2005. http:// www.theage.com.au/news/ national/pm-rejects-headscarves-ban/ 2005/08/29/1125302511538.html

Beautifully Bogus; A visit to Bognor Regis

Hello all! I am back in my hometown London after a crazy month in New York. 

Recently, I went for a short weekend trip to the small seaside town of Bognor Regis, located in the South coast of England. The town neighbours bigger towns like Portsmouth and Sussex.

Bognor Regis was like other seaside towns, in that it was predominately a fishing town. You can see  the fishing functionality of the town alive today as it was alive historically. The only difference is that today the fishing is recreationally as opposed to previously when it was conducted for commercial purposes. The town was, however, converted into a resort which fits well with the area for two reasons. The first is that the town is known as the most sunny spot in England (that's what led me there!). Secondly, the town is home to Butlins, an all inclusive holiday camp still popular with tourists today. 

I would describe the town as beautifully bogus, as my title suggests, and recommend that those planning to visit there go for a day trip and not longer (unless you are going solely for Butlins).

The town is beautiful because the seaside has the most refreshing breeze, which if you go on a sunny day is absolutely magical! The tide goes extremely low at night. If you visit the seaside at night you can walk as far as the pier stems because the tide goes really in! The pebbles are not unique but the way the pebbles incline up is quite impressive and something to see. At some points,  the beach can be tricky to  walk up because it is so steep and the pebbles can be a little slippery. 

So bar the tide and steep incline of the beach, what is so beautiful about the Bognor Regis coast?

What I loved about it, is that it was so quiet. I don't think it would be wrong to say that we were the only tourists there! The lack of tourists adds to the tranquility that the refreshing breeze that hits you with. 

Also, I noticed more so than I have seen before,  there were many disadvantaged groups of people. For example the beach was full of young children, in the restaurant there was a group of disabled individuals having a meal by the sea and walking in the town centre ,a number of senior citizens indulging a purchase of a bouquet of flowers or an ice cream. I loved seeing these minority groups enjoy the sun and the perfect breeze; it left my heart feeling warm and fuzzy. 

So for me the demographic, beach structure and weather, made Bognor Regis a beautiful and uplifting getaway from the city!

However, at the same time I found the town to be quite bogus, as after one day, it left us heading to Portsmouth for the next day.

The town centre is extremely small and consists of about 5-6 stores including Iceland as the biggest store. As a city girl, you can imagine this leaving me quite perplexed about how people live there all their lives. 

It is so small that we thought that the town centre was elsewhere and ended up driving around the centre again, which despite the one way lanes was accomplished in 9minutes!

Furthermore, if you plan to eat at the top restaurants such as Lobster Pot you have to book in advance and be there early (around 7ish) as restaurants shut fairly early. This again was hard for me to deal with, as living in London, I am used to everything being available 24/7.

That is why after day one, as a tourist you don't have anything else to do except for escape to the nearest town.

In sum, for me the trip was a great break from city especially as most of my time in New York was spent living in Manhattan which is even more busy and claustrophobic (more so because of the sky scrapers than the people) than London, I really prized the coastal landscape but would go insane if I had to stay longer!

As usual photos attached below :)

American Identity; "Statue of Liberty"

So here I am again travelling, this time I am spending a sunny month in New York (Long Island & Manhattan thus far).

Today, I visited Statute of Liberty, even though I got lost on the way, I made it. It is quite a surreal part of New York because on one side you have the financial distract, namely Wall Street and further up Fulton Street which bar tourists is ridiculously quiet on a Sunday and on the other side the confluence of the East & Hudson River. 

I took a cruise to see the statute and sadly due the damage that the 2012 Sandy Storm caused, was not able to get of on Staten Island (which actually counts as an individual borough of New York!) and climb it. 

The Statue of Liberty is a funny monument, in the sense that it is seen to be beacon of American culture and identity and yet was designed, commissioned and gifted by the French in 1886. Lady Liberty is said to be based on the architect Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi's , the statue's designer, mother's face and mistress' body (an odd combination I am sure would have intrigued Freud!).

Furthermore, this national symbol of America was used to greet immigrants between 1892-1954 who came to America in search of a better quality of life and it was at the point of being welcomed by Lady Liberty did the immigrants have health, fitness and financial capabilities tests thrown upon them.

It intrigues me that how a monument arguably French, historically utilised as a symbol of hope and welcoming to immigrants became to be America's national symbol.

This leads me onto the economics of America. I remember reading in the Economist the book review of "The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent" By Vivek Wadhwa, where it was discussed that can America even conceive a sustainable, powerful and influential future without immigration, obviously here the bias was that it could not. 

So perhaps the true reason why the Statue of Liberty is often perceived as the identity of America is because it recognises that the power of America lies within the hope that it offers to migrants and of-course this can be tied into its French identity.

Of-course what I am saying is largely ideological, even as a tourist I was faced with a ridiculous amount of immigration security at the airport, so I can only imagine that at a time of tightening immigration how hard it is for migrants. In addition, the educational and financial requirements needed to settle into a country are continually increasing, leaving that true social mobility that was seen in the lives of immigrants between 1892-1954, something it fantasise about.

Following my trip to the monument, which actually I should say I was disappointed by as I feel like it isn't the most beautiful or incredibly built sculpture I have seen, I headed to Trinity Church.

Trinity Church was originally the tallest structure when it was built in 1849, and even the the church was fully covered in scaffolding from the outside when I visited, it is a truly beautiful church. I found in the main praying room something very serene, tranquil and peaceful. Despite having a number of tourist trapezing around with their pushchairs, taking photos, it is almost as you don't feel it. The stain glass windows and the cemetery (despite personally disliking cemeteries) are something to marvel at.

Located in Wall Street, you don't feel like you are in the financial and tourist hub of New York where not too far away the dreadful 9/11 events had taken place.

The church, if you look online for instance, are nothing special. Strangely they feature on the Timeout guide because at the time when it was built, the building was revolutionary. However, if you are even a bit religious or spiritual or curious, I think its worth a visit as it is quite surprising peaceful.

After this, I had a quick walk around Wall Street, it was nice to see the NYSE, after writing an essay about it in my exam a few weeks ago! There are mainly office buildings and tourists around. There is also a museum, which I cannot now remember the name of. There are a few shops like TJ Maxx and Duane Reade but you have too look a bit around. And of course, there is Tiffany @WallStreet, #LicenseToDreamISay....

A few photos attached...

Statue of Liberty

Trinity Church

NYSE

Tiffiny's @WallStreet

Wall Street

Statue of Liberty 

Me being a cheesy tourist

In Defence of Boris

I will be contact the Andrew Marr Show, here he a first glance at my letter!

Dear Eddie,

In this letter I would like to give some feedback regarding your recent Boris Johnson interview. I will keep the points short, direct and simple; so I am hoping to get a response.

• Your interview begun with a question on immigration; it is a very sensitive and one that has been avoided for far too long in Britain just because we are scared we will be misunderstood and labelled with awful and disgraceful titles such as ‘racist’. So the first point is that I am happy David Cameron has built up the Stamina to raise the issues and engage in some controversial discussion, especially as it is clear that London specifically more than other parts of the UK is being overcrowded (and the statistics show it isn’t just the birth rate that accounts for this!).  The second point, is that majority of immigration in the UK is beneficial (injecting our economy in multiple levels with benefits) and its so wonderful to have such a diverse mix of people, which is why London is one of the multicultural cities!. However, we cannot deny that there is a minority who are quite frankly ‘leeches’, whether it is out of necessity they find themselves leeching or otherwise. This should be no surprise as we see similar issues in the insurance and credit industry. There will always be the odd few. So I am not suggesting that everyone should be punished for this minority but rather that (a) the minority are dealt with and (b) while you are dealing with the minority why not review the whole immigration system and install some caps or some distribution mechanism so that the vast majority of immigrants are not concentrated in London which is quite overcrowded already. In the interview several attempts were made to make him seem anti-immigration which he is not, he is trying to deal with that minority and that is what I wanted to make clear to you.
• The next point you raised, was that the taxpayers got a ‘bad deal’ from the Olympic Stadium. Yes, that is true there is always a better deal to be made, whether selling your house or buying a new pair of shoes. But, I would not be so negative towards and show such disappointment towards Boris. Having a tenancy is much more profitable in the long-run with land prices going the way they are going and as Boris said they could be many more tenants and it has the potential to very profitable. The second point is, you implied that Boris was claiming he had to make the best out of a bad deal he got, but if Boris wanted to make that statement he would have made it years ago. I think the fact that he did not make such a statement shows great humility and empathy. I believe more politicians should be like him not putting blame on other politicians but rather focusing on the jobs that they have done, admitting where they have gone wrong and gracefully accepting the fruits where they have been right.
• The next point is regarding his affair. An affair is a personal matter, it involves private and emotional relations and is a sensitive matter. It was not correct to treat the matter so light-heartedly that it was an affair, why did you X or why did you do Y. So, I request that in the future, you are more sensitive to the issues surrounding personal relations. You say that this is an important point to discuss because it raises the question of the integrity of politicians. However, on this I think you are completely wrong. As I mentioned, affairs, relationships and family are complex matters filled with emotions. As humans, we act through are emotions not our brain in these matters and so this scandal involving him not coming clean about it, he was being swayed by gut feeling and sheer emotion. Also, on a serious note, who actually cares about these personal matter they are a great piece of gossip and is the same as watching Eastenders, but on a serious show like the Andrew Marr program, I expect policy, budget and international affairs to be discussed not personal matter. This is why I have no problem with the immigration or stadium question, those were good questions but you failed to understand Boris. 
• Reminiscent to the earlier point, is your point regarding him being caught giving a journalist details.Again whether your a politician, a saint or a criminal, the one thing you have in common is your relationships and your loyalty towards them. I am not justifying Boris’ action, but I am saying that had I, you or Mother Teresa been put in a situation where a journalist hurt your friend and your friend wanted vengeance, you would do what you could to help support them. A good friend is one who is hurt when you are hurt. Although, to be honest I think you are acting foolishly contacting Conrad because not only is he a fraud-star, he is nothing compared to Boris. So by cooking up such stories he is getting fame and all the glitz and glamour that come with it, he is perversely incentivised. But should he be telling the truth, I request you to consider your loyalties towards your friends and how you act when terrible things happen to them. Furthermore, I am not even famous and yet there are plenty of people who when the time comes would claim to be my “friend” yet no absolutely nothing about me, so how reliable is your data?
• The point about his sister and parents saying he wants to be Prime Minister but Boris not admitting it. When you are a close family, your family is always looking on how to maximise your potential. So I worked as an intern somewhere and I heard my parents say to somebody she could run the firm one day she would like to, because of course this is maximising my potential but they hadn’t once asked me about this. Its similar, his family is proud of him and are pushing him to the next big thing, it isn’t necessary if they say so that it is what he really wants. Also, he is a grown man, I don’t think you should be relying on his family for career decisions he should make. 
• Furthermore, your questioning of Boris becoming PM was self-defeating and I think you should be ashamed of having defeated yourself on national TV. You first asked Boris why would you not admit you want to be PM (even though everyone is entitled to their own personal private desires but for some reason Boris is obliged to share them). Boris responded that the proposition was unrealistic and never going to happen. You then said who cares about realistic-ness it is about desire. Boris already told you a handful of things he desired,  but you chose to dismiss it because you said you want to discuss more realistic career ambition. So he can’t say  he wants to be PM because it is unrealistic, and it is actually very unlikely the chance that could be PM. Boris isn’t robotic and unattached enough to be a PM. 
• You then,  go on to criticise Boris,  asserting he can’t give you a straight answer, but he did! You said what are your desires and he responded to be a painter, part of rock band etc. Why would you force someone to say something just to create a bit of media frenzy. I think its time  you have a look at your own integrity before questioning others. 
• Also, I just don’t see why these matter are important. Quiz Boris on policy transport, budgeting then I might be able to support you not ludicrous personal matters which basically unless you are the parties involved you will never know what actually happened. 
• Finally, Boris isn’t any ordinary politician, just look at his appearance! This is why he is so popular, it is because he is human, swayed by emotions and is someone you can connect with as opposed to the other robotic MPs. This is his biggest weakness at the same time. He doesn’t spend enough time using his head especially when it comes to personal issues regarding his affair etc, but how much can you criticise him for being too human. The great thing about Boris is, because he is human feels emotion and carried by passion he gets stuff done like the upgrades in transport and on-time Olympic delivery unlike others.

Sincerely yours,

Komilla Chadha