17 August 2016
So last night I bid my Saudi family farewell. In an hour or two they should be home in Jeddah God willing. They left our home happy and elated at the fact that they were afforded a taste of South African hospitality, yet internally they were emotional, almost in tears. Residing in the Kingdom allowed me to forge priceless relationships and form bonds with people that are much stronger than blood relations. I have been blessed to be a part of the lives of many families who have taken me as their own. I have an adopted family in Malawi, Saudi as well as in Kashmir. When the problems started in Kashmir a few weeks ago, I tried repeatedly to call "papa". His mobile was switched off. I tried and tried but to no avail. I prayed for his safety and wished his family well. Days went by and none of my messages were received either. However, during the early parts of this morning, my phone beeped. In our house it’s pretty normal for the phone to ring after midnight as many of our friends call us at that time of the morning due to the time differences between countries. I was exhausted after a fairly long day but my face beamed bright at receiving his message. He mentioned to me that he is safe and sound now that he has returned to Delhi. My Kashmiri dad resides in Delhi but his extended family reside in the heart of Kashmir. His messages were worrying filled with distress at the current situation in Kashmir. He stated that the aggression enforced by the Indian army against innocent civilians is totally unacceptable and that the media is failing to show this aggression to the world. The people of Kashmir desire to have their own freedom and independence. They do not wish to be a part of India nor Pakistan. The ongoing war and violence in Kashmir is a direct result of the British colonialist’s strategy of divide and rule. They have used this tactic throughout the world to cause anarchy and strife between nations. “Papa” further mentioned that thus far almost 70 people have been killed. With strict curfews in place there were situations where families risked their own lives in order to bury their loved ones residing in another area. With a heavy military presence, movement becomes restricted and fear sets in. My family and I were planning to visit my Kashmiri family in October this year. My Kashmiri dad has asked me to cancel my trip immediately for safety reasons. May God Almighty protect my Kashmiri family and all other families residing in war torn areas from oppression. The one thing I’ve learned having close associations with various cultures is that at the end of it all, we are all simply human beings going through the same trials and tribulations of life. We all have goals and dreams. We all work hard for our families. Hence, it irks me to the core when people generalize and speak ill about an entire nation as a whole. When I decided to move to Saudi Arabia for a brief period of time, members of my own society tried dampening my spirits by stating that the Saudi society is cruel and evil. The Arabs are people of pride and arrogance and yet I know of people within my own society who are corrupt and who walk around with their noses in the air. In every society you get all kinds of people like a packet of liquorice all sorts. Whilst many people out there have spoken ill about Saudis or Arabs in general, I have only received and experienced unconditional love, care and support. Whilst vacationing with my Saudi family in Cape Town together, they made sure that mom cooked them a pot of traditional Indian Biryani and we of course part took in their traditional foods as well. It was quite fascinating to learn that my Saudi sister Deema never ever sat on a camel in her life despite residing in camel land. On the other hand she knew Cape Town inside out making me feel like a foreigner in my own country. The coming together of people and cultures is a beautiful experience and if we all strive to live our lives embracing each other’s cultures, traditions and religions, focusing on similarities rather than pointing out differences, the world will undoubtedly be a far better place to live in.
So last night I bid my Saudi family farewell. In an hour or two they should be home in Jeddah God willing. They left our home happy and elated at the fact that they were afforded a taste of South African hospitality, yet internally they were emotional, almost in tears. Residing in the Kingdom allowed me to forge priceless relationships and form bonds with people that are much stronger than blood relations. I have been blessed to be a part of the lives of many families who have taken me as their own. I have an adopted family in Malawi, Saudi as well as in Kashmir. When the problems started in Kashmir a few weeks ago, I tried repeatedly to call "papa". His mobile was switched off. I tried and tried but to no avail. I prayed for his safety and wished his family well. Days went by and none of my messages were received either. However, during the early parts of this morning, my phone beeped. In our house it’s pretty normal for the phone to ring after midnight as many of our friends call us at that time of the morning due to the time differences between countries. I was exhausted after a fairly long day but my face beamed bright at receiving his message. He mentioned to me that he is safe and sound now that he has returned to Delhi. My Kashmiri dad resides in Delhi but his extended family reside in the heart of Kashmir. His messages were worrying filled with distress at the current situation in Kashmir. He stated that the aggression enforced by the Indian army against innocent civilians is totally unacceptable and that the media is failing to show this aggression to the world. The people of Kashmir desire to have their own freedom and independence. They do not wish to be a part of India nor Pakistan. The ongoing war and violence in Kashmir is a direct result of the British colonialist’s strategy of divide and rule. They have used this tactic throughout the world to cause anarchy and strife between nations. “Papa” further mentioned that thus far almost 70 people have been killed. With strict curfews in place there were situations where families risked their own lives in order to bury their loved ones residing in another area. With a heavy military presence, movement becomes restricted and fear sets in. My family and I were planning to visit my Kashmiri family in October this year. My Kashmiri dad has asked me to cancel my trip immediately for safety reasons. May God Almighty protect my Kashmiri family and all other families residing in war torn areas from oppression. The one thing I’ve learned having close associations with various cultures is that at the end of it all, we are all simply human beings going through the same trials and tribulations of life. We all have goals and dreams. We all work hard for our families. Hence, it irks me to the core when people generalize and speak ill about an entire nation as a whole. When I decided to move to Saudi Arabia for a brief period of time, members of my own society tried dampening my spirits by stating that the Saudi society is cruel and evil. The Arabs are people of pride and arrogance and yet I know of people within my own society who are corrupt and who walk around with their noses in the air. In every society you get all kinds of people like a packet of liquorice all sorts. Whilst many people out there have spoken ill about Saudis or Arabs in general, I have only received and experienced unconditional love, care and support. Whilst vacationing with my Saudi family in Cape Town together, they made sure that mom cooked them a pot of traditional Indian Biryani and we of course part took in their traditional foods as well. It was quite fascinating to learn that my Saudi sister Deema never ever sat on a camel in her life despite residing in camel land. On the other hand she knew Cape Town inside out making me feel like a foreigner in my own country. The coming together of people and cultures is a beautiful experience and if we all strive to live our lives embracing each other’s cultures, traditions and religions, focusing on similarities rather than pointing out differences, the world will undoubtedly be a far better place to live in.
