London Calling… Watch out Winnipeg!!
There is something just so joyful about hitting the ‘confirm’ button when purchasing long haul flights. That extra thrill that tells you… soon… soon… you will be back to the international airport, whip out that passport and wing your way around the globe to a place where your morning is night and your sleep time is a sunny day!
Yup! We just booked our Canada flights… and decided to jazz things up a little this time with multiple stops. Just because we can. 🙂
Re-unions and giving someone a chance…
Living literally on the other side of the globe from where I grew up tends to disconnect one from those awkward high school re-unions where folks exclaim how well they are holding up after 30 years then secretly sigh about the extra weight, wrinkles but do thank gawd the pimply days are long gone!
So while I haven’t made it to even one high school re-union I did manage to get to an ex-company gathering.
Yup – we’re suckers for punishment. Not only did we work long hours together faithfully for years, we CHOOSE to hang out one evening a year. (more…)
Ottawa shooting – Loss of more than just innocence…
It was during a Diwali cards party in Mumbai a delightful young playback singer and I were discussing her upcoming North American tour. And then she said:
“Have you heard about the shootings in Ottawa?” Huh?!
“In the Parliament?” Whaaaat?!
I was stunned. And days later it is still taking time to digest…
During the tragedy of the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, I drove through chaos, confusion, thousands gathering around the sobering and nerve-wracking sight of the exploded taxi in Ville Parle on my way home… while hearing updates about a friend trapped in the Oberoi Hotel. She didn’t make it…
And yet I still retained a naïve belief that Canada remains by and large a peaceful nation, unlikely to attract such attention either from within or without. (more…)
The wedding that wasn’t then was…
While waiting at Delhi airport for our flight home after a wonderful wedding weekend, the Maharashtra state election commentary was on the TV.
I had a flashback to the Indian national elections in April 2014 and an unexpected impact on another friend’s wedding. (more…)
Iconic Images – O Canada!
I was in Mumbai for the Canada Day celebration this year (conveniently held on Friday in advance of 1 July!).
This year they added a fun little gimmick – a photo taken in front of a Niagara Falls backdrop as a little ‘gift’. They even provided those bright yellow rain jackets that one typically sees on the Maid of the Mist.
It has been much more than a decade since I visited Niagara Falls – 1997 I think! Like many of the world’s iconic sights – it truly is remarkable.
As for where I actually am right now? Let’s see if you can follow this….
Right now? I’m mid-way through this trip in Tokyo at the moment. It is my first trip to Japan and I’m trying to squeeze as much experience in as possible alongside work in my short 2 days / 2 nights! Suggestions welcome! 🙂
The Emma G Days… a tribute to taking a chance!
Once upon a time there was a young lass, who had a crazy notion to run a late night vegetarian café! So she gathered her friends and friends of friends, they pooled their meagre resources, wrangled a Student Business Loan… And voilà! “Emma G’s Deluxe Eatery” was born 25 years ago!
It was a moment in time. Most of us were around 19 years old, we were fearless of failure, didn’t actually care about making money, just wanted a home for aspiring artists, musicians, writers, students and sundry misfits. (more…)
Canadian lass in Bollywood – Aspiring actress or dreams dashed?
A dear director friend asked if I could meet with a young Canadian woman contemplating moving to Mumbai to get into acting here. Mostly from the perspective of how I’ve adjusted, my experience with visas, etc.
East weds west on the small screen – read all about it!
Now it isn’t completely unheard of.. after all… in a country of a billion plus people there is a ONE new TV serial that actually stars a blonde haired blue eyed new bride “Firangi Bahu.” I’ve been a bahu or daughter-in-law and survived to tell the tale! It isn’t a completely preposterous idea…
But breaking into ‘The Bollywood Biz” ain’t easy… and while I’m no expert, I have watched on the sidelines off and on since 1990 with friends and family (partner) who have struggled and sometimes succeeded in film, TV and stage. Along the way have picked up a few insights and stories behind the stereotypes….
Yet I still felt like such a nasty horrible person dishing out the following reality check dashing starry eyes and hopeful smiles: (more…)
Who keeps the house clean?
A friend sent a link to a new online publication he started called “Scroll.in – News that matters”. I love lots about it and while the current focus is on the Indian elections, an earlier article on domestic matters caught my eye:
How many SIMs cards do you have?
Between my partner and I we seem to be on a SIM collecting spree!
My latest trip to Malaysia added yet another SIM. But what a pleasure – For approx $10 and 10 mins, was up and running on email, BBM, WhatsAp, etc! (more…)
What is your most memorable multi-lingual story?
This is a “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” type posts… as I really do want to hear your best multi-lingual story…
Wanna go to school in Ireland? (Photo: Carissa Hickling)
My most memorable multilingual experience was in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in the early 1990s. I was there for an academic conference, staying with relatives and catching a bus to the campus each day…
On one bus trip, the driver had a wide smile, jovial manner and a comment or two or three for just about everyone getting on and off the bus… in different languages! By the time it he was on to the 5th language… I simply had to ask his story. (more…)
Everyday Asia 