LIFE AS IT IS

The items arrived in DHL’s famous red-yellow mail bag. I had been receiving notifications on my phone and email that the package was going to be delivered on April 26, two days before the original estimated delivery date!  I was eagerly awaiting a DHL delivery van to pull up in     front of my house.     So what was so special in that package that led to so much anticipation? A shalwar kameez set and a kurta straight from Dhaka!   The Daily Star link When I first found out that Bangladesh’s largest fashion and lifestyle brand, Aarong, now ships to the United States, I said to myself, “Now I can conveniently place online orders for  deshi  attire  at any time of the year!” For Bangladeshis who live abroad, the announcement of Aarong shipping overseas was worth big smiles. In the past, I always got my kurta and shalwar kameez from Dhaka. Most of the time, I would pick out an unworn dress from my closet to wear on Eid. However, there is a difference between wearing clothes being bought ex

If you are like me, someone who jumps at the idea of exploring a new place, but have not travelled in the last one year, you will understand my plight. On some days, I so want to catch a flight and visit another state or country, inhale the air of a new place, and try a new cuisine. A year without a \"vacay\" has not been easy, but when endless hardship and suffering stemming from a pandemic continue to affect so many millions every day, planning a holiday is not a priority. However, on lazy afternoons, I daydream about happy times of the future when we can travel far and wide, when I will not have to wear a mask or remind myself to practice social distancing in public places. I have not been on an airplane in more than a year. While flying was something I never eagerly looked forward to, in these days, I wish to catch a plane and swoosh to a holiday destination. I have kind of forgotten what it is like to go through security checkpoints, answer an immigration police officer’

I wanted to order some food from a local café, so I Googled to find their phone number. The search result took me by shock, it said that the café was “permanently closed.” Scrumptious was a favourite local café, where I often went to relish a hearty breakfast over veggie omelette, toast, and coffee. My daughter loved their froyo (frozen yoghurt). Scrumptious is one of the thousands of small businesses that have closed down during this pandemic. Small businesses around the world have taken a hit during these challenging times. As citizens and consumers, it is our responsibility to support small businesses wherever we live, because they are the backbone of an economy! The Daily Star link: Nowadays when I go grocery shopping, I try to buy locally produced fruits and vegetables. When I order food online for delivery or takeout, I opt for a local restaurant instead of a nationwide chain. No, I do not exclusively order from local restaurants, because the national chains are just everywhere!

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