LIFE AS IT IS

Another Ramadan has arrived riding on the wings of time. Another Ramadan has come amid the pandemic. No religious congregations, iftar get-togethers in 2021, just like it was in 2020 - a quiet Ramadan for me and my family here in the US. My husband and I got our first COVID-19 jabs the day before Ramadan. My body tolerated it very well, but my husband was down with mild fever and body ache, although well enough to fast. We were planning on visiting Bangladesh in June to see our parents - we even bought the airline tickets. But with cases rising in Bangladesh, the hope of traveling there now hangs by a thread. It is now more than likely that our flight will have to be canceled. It has been more than one-and-a-half years since I met my parents, my brother and his family. Those of us, who have chosen to leave “home” and make a new home away from home, have our own struggles. My life is better here in the US in many ways, but no one place can make you absolutely happy. There are opp

  If someone asks me what I have achieved in this long stay-at-home situation, I will say that I have relished the rich and exciting works of Bengali wordsmiths! During this time at home, I have explored and read works of Bengali writers, many of whose works I had not read earlier. Thanks to the internet, which brings Bengali books in the palm of my hand 8,000 miles away from my homeland.  The Daily Star link As someone who is a product of the English-medium education system of Bangladesh, my exposure to Bengali literature was rather limited, I admit. As a teen, I devoured works of Humayun Ahmed, Muhammed Zafar Iqbal and Satyajit Ray. I enjoyed Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Kakababu series, Rakib Hasan’s Tin Goyenda, and Sukumar Ray’s unique gibberish. However, my exploration of Bengali literature stopped short for reasons I cannot recall now. I did read Bengali novels, however, every now and then, but it was English paperbacks which kept me engrossed for two decades.  I am the kind of reader w

The Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been serving gastronomes for 127 years. The historic market has survived the Great Depression and two World Wars! On a September Saturday, we decided to explore this public market, which attracts more than 100,000 people every week during 'normal' times. The Daily Star link The moment you step through its doors, the clatter, the bright ceiling lights and most importantly, the aroma in the air will make you hungry. Although you would want to buy or taste a little something from every stall, that is quite impossible, because there are more than 80 merchants busy at work in this indoor marketplace. The vendors at Reading Terminal Market sell a wide array of items, chiefly food; from fresh produce, seafood, meats and poultry, dairy and cheese, baked goods, ice cream, chocolate, spices and condiments, beverages, and ready-to-eat foods, which you could enjoy in its food courts before the pandemic hit us all. Its Center Cou

This has been a terrible year, a tragic year, a year that seems to me longer than all the other years I have lived. This is the sort of year that lingers on, stubbornly refusing to come to an end. However, as I look back on 2020, I tell myself, “In spite of all the heartbreaks and losses, there are many things that I am still thankful for.” Health and wellness The pandemic has brought people closer. Yes, there are times when seeing each other  24/7  is leading to more frequent arguments and disagreements among family members, but when I think of all those families that have empty chairs at their dining tables, I cannot be thankful enough for my own health and my family‘s health. At the time of writing this piece, Johns Hopkins’ data table shows that more than 1.4 million people have succumbed to death because of COVID-19.  Financial security So many of us take so many things for granted, especially when it comes to fulfilling our basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing. However, t

 ⛄️It is not snowing, though. ❄️ #watercolor #myartjournal

Americans voted with zeal and fervour; they voted in-person and by mail, setting a record voter turnout, even amid a pandemic that is ravaging their nation. Joe Biden bagged more than 75 million popular votes, the highest so far in American political history. The 2020 US election saw so many firsts; America created history by electing its oldest president, and also its first female, Black and South Asian Vice President. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris represents a new face of the political power. On the 100th year of Women's Suffrage that is, American women gaining their constitutional right to vote, the country elected a woman as its next Vice President. When it comes to political leanings, Bangladeshi Americans have historically favoured the Democratic Party. This year was no different — they voted enthusiastically for their favourite candidate. We asked Bangladeshi Americans living in different parts of the country how they feel about this historic election. It seemed likely