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| Gifts from a kid's birthday |
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| Gifts from a kid's birthday |
Before I moved to Canada, one day Falguni asked me to join the celebration of the first day of spring. We went to Boi Mela (Book Fair) and then visited some areas of the University of Dhaka. We met some of our other friends, too.
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| We were at the Boi Mela (Book Fair). |
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| As far as I remember, the stage was at the Charukala, University of Dhaka, |
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| Inside Boi Mela (Book Fair), which runs throughout the month of February. |
One of my colleagues, "Laboni," started a new trend with us in Bangladesh. She said every month, we will celebrate our payday. After getting paid, all our colleagues will go to a restaurant and have lunch together. Everyone will pay their own bill, so there is no pressure on one person. And we will have a good time together by having lunch.
I continued it as much as possible. Later, due to a financial crisis, I had to stop it. I thought I might start it in Canada. But I found people are not that interested in having lunch together here. Paydays are weekly or biweekly, and everyone has a different work schedule. No one likes anyone. So, I even couldn't think of starting it over here.
Generally, on my birthday I got lots of flowers. Before returning from the office I had to ask someone to help me to carry flowers. This year was different. I even didn't get a virtual flower, only my sister sent some virtual flowers on FB, at least. no doubt life changes. No one knows about my birthday in my workplace.
But for the first time my son make some cupcakes for my birthday. He is growing up. Making decisions. May Allah always help him and give him a peaceful happy life.
I had ordered some food, as we always like to eat restaurant food (A bad habit). That helped me the next morning, I didn't have to make breakfast. That's a relief.
On my birthday most of the time, I was sleeping, trying to enjoy a relaxing time. Didn't plan for anything else as I had to go to work. Most of my day has gone to work. I wish I had the luxury to take some time off and visit some beautiful places.
Eid Celebration is the biggest festival for Muslims and Bangladeshis. I have celebrated Eid in various ways according to my age, location, changing social cultures etc.
The Saudi Bangladeshi Eid was inviting Muslims from different countries who are friends, colleagues or neighbours. And make delicious festival Bangladeshi meals at home and enjoy dinner together.
In Bangladesh, I enjoyed it in a little different way. When I was a kid, parents use to let their kids play around the neighbourhood area. At least that was the given range of area to go around. Obviously, some kids maybe break that rule and parents never get to know about that. Especially boys. I never did. On Eid day my school friends (Girls) came to our house, they eat some festival sweets in a very small amount and take me with them. Then we all went to another girl's house and eat food and pick the girls. This way our group became bigger and we enjoyed different kinds of delicious food mainly sweets from all moms. We liked to do that and this was our kind of Eid celebration in that area. Now a day parents don't feel safe letting their kids go out without any adults. So, this culture is no more in our area.
In one Eid, my dad took us to "Shishu Park" an amusement park. To get on every ride we had to stand in lines for hours. My dad promised, he will never go out on Eid.
When my older sister started studying at the university, her friends were all around the city. She use to take rickshaws and visit her friend's house with me. I became her friend's friend too.
In my university life, I found many of my classmates are from different parts of Bangladesh. During the Eid vacation, they use to go to their parent's homes. So, we who were from Dhaka city used to meet on Eid day and eat homemade delicious festival meals.
When I have started to live on my own, I use to prepare some special dish and take it to my parent's house to celebrate Eid. My sisters also make something and contributed. It's a kind of potluck.
In Canada, I had made lots of different festival foods, so that my son can have the taste of Bangladeshi Eid. I invited friends and enjoyed the meal. And mostly I enjoy Eid putting Henna on my hand. Here, I mean in Canada for the first time I went to say Eid prayer in the Masjeed. In Canada, every masjeed has facilities for women. So, any woman can go to masjeed anytime to say prayers. I have also visited some of my friends' houses on Eid. They invited me to celebrate Eid.
Today we are celebrating Eid Ul Azha in Canada. I have some plans to celebrate it. Like I thought I will clean and make the house spotless. I did the laundry. I thought I will make delicious food for Eid. I have made "Nurgesi Cofta". It's chicken keema with a staffed egg.
The way I'm achieving my goals, (only one from the to-do list) I don't know, what will happen with the rest of the lists. Like, put henna on hair and hand. Get well dressed. Communicate with everyone, go live on FB and greet Eid Mubarak. I have also invited my friend, I hope I will arrange everything well. Still, I have 3 full days to go on (3 days of Eid). Let's see.
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| Shafeen enjoying himself |
