Vacationers Paradise

It's only the 4th day of vacation. Seems like forever since school got out. Unusually, this time, I'm not getting too bored. But this is only just the beginning...

There are 2 types of vacationers. One, you have the Productive Vacationer:
Don't you ever get the feeling that you have to be productive? Like you have to do something.Because when you don't do anything, your brain just sort of switches off and then you get too lazy to do anything. Plus, you get this craving to accomplish something. I think I'm more of a productive vacationer. Even though its vacation, and I should be relaxing entirely, I have to do something or I'l go crazy. You can get bored of doing nothing, you know.

The second type of vacationer is the Over-Free Junkie Vacationer:

Over-Free Junkie vacationers are free at all times. They don't have anything to do. They're over-free. Got over enough time on their hands. Too lazy, don't want to do anything type of people. I mean its ok to sleep in during vacation and stuff, but when you stay inside, play video games, and eat Wai Wai and Maggi for almost every day, you become an Over-Free Junkie. When you start becoming an Over-Free Junkie, it sticks to you. It becomes hard to wear off. You start getting out of shape. You gotta get into the outside world because otherwise you'll be stuck in your own little bubble that you'll never be able to pop.

So it's your choice. Which type of vacationer do you want to be? Each has its pros and cons, but theres got to be one which is better. I think the Productive Vacationer is a better choice. Not just because I'm one but because you actually know what you're working towards and you can build up creativity skills. By being an Over-Free Junkie, you're working on nothing. That's good sometimes but hey, life is short. Why waste it doing nothing?

To be productive, doesn't mean to build like a dog house or something. Doing sudoku, crosswords, that's all productivity. Somehting to keep you occupied so that you don't get distracted. And if you want your holidays to go by slower, it's perfect. The more things you accomplish, the more you think :"Oh, look how much I did. I had so much time!"

So,overall, you probably thought:"What use is this? This is stupid and just a waste of my time. I mean, who cares!". By reading this you're actually being a Productive Vacationer. Good Job! So without further ado, go and be the vacationer that you are and whatever you are, ENJOY YOUR VACATIONS!

MERY XMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Peace out home dog.

Quarter Break At Chandigarh

It's finally the 24th of September, the day we've all been waiting for. QUARTER BREAK! 4 days of freedom, tuck, and pure relaxation. No school, tension, and homework. How did I spend these 4 precious days? This quarter break, I went to Chandigarh with the high school boys who stayed back since my parents were chaperones. I really wasn't looking forward to it since I knew that I could have been playing Game Cube at home instead.But now when I look back, it was a good experience.



We left for Chandigarh at around 3 pm and reached Hotel Sunbeam at 10:30 pm. My ipod kept me company on the way. We were all worn out from the long journey. At 11 pm we had dinner, and went up to our hotel rooms. The rooms were good except my bed smelled real bad. PU!



Anyways, the next day, we went to Rock Garden. This guy called Nek Chand used to collect trash and make things out of it in his spare time. He got really famous for his work and soon the government gave him a huge area to put his work in. This became the Rock Garden. He didn't do the whole thing himself though. The Rock Garden was full of sculptures made of broken bathroom tiles and stuff. He also used broken bangles, glass, and other cool stuff.

After that, we went to my all time favorite restaurant, Noodle Bar. The food here is delicious. Even though it's pretty spicy, it's great. It has good ambience as well. As you might have guessed, we ate noodles! We also ate this great sizzler with another dish.

We went back to the hotel, had dinner, and crept into my slumber land. The next day, we went to Lake Suchna. The lake was pretty huge, and you could see a lot of people boating under the hot sun. I went on a bull ride. Not a real one of course, but those metal ones which move around. You see who stays on the longest. I wans't that bad considering some people couldn't even get onto the bull!

We then made our way to McDonalds, where I had a Mc Veggie Burger. I joined my parents and 2 other chaperones at Ruby's Tuesday but got too bored and started to explore. Later that day, I got a haircut! Its short and sweet, exactly the way I like it.

Our short trip was over. It was finally time to go back to Woodstock. The next morning, I reluctantly got onto the yellow school bus. I bumped the rest of the ride home.
All in all, I had a great time and can't wait to go to Chandigarh again, next time maybe even to catch a movie!

Mussoorie Monsoons

Monsoons. Wet, misty, cleansing, refreshing. I love it. It might be a bit hard to trudge up the hill in soaking clothes, but, it's still a fun experience. While running down to dorms for check in, I passed a gushing river, not to mention a waterfall. My shoes got fungus in them. I left my other pair of wet shoes to dry and a spider laid eggs in them. What an adventure...


Monsoons. Refresh yourself.

A Tribute To My Father

All my life you’ve always cared,
Everything you owned was shared,
With a little girl with a little face,
Who couldn’t even tie her shoelace!

You cared for me when I was ill,
For me you’ve paid a heavy bill,
Not only money but also time,
Enough to last a whole lifetime.

Your outsides might have changed a lot,
Has your heart changed since, I think not?
You’re still the same dad, just a little older,
Always ready to give us a shoulder.

Sometimes I might say things I don’t mean,
But, hey, Dad, now I’m a teen,
That should not change anything,
Please don’t take my babbling.

So old man, now you’re 49,
Time to check your waistline,
Grey hair and balding too,
What are we going to do?

We’ll love you and laugh at every joke,
We’ll laugh so hard we’ll cry and choke,
We’ll always be your family,
Mom, Sahil, and me.

So, what are your dreams, you’ve fulfilled mine,
You’ve always been a good guideline,
Trying to help us more than you,
We’ll always love the things you do.

This isn’t much compared to how cool you are,
What more can I say Dad? You’re a star!
We love to see you shine in the sky,
Please stay this way forever…

- Rupal, Sahil, and Mom

Desi Dil Se, Dil Se Desi

Jana gana mana adhinayaka, jaye he, bharat bhagya vidhata.

Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha, Dravid, Utkala, Banga.

Vindhya, Himachala, Yamuna, Ganga, Uchchala, Jaldhi taranga.

Tava shubha name jaage, tava shubh ashish maage,

Gahe tava jaya gatha, jana gana mangala dayaka jaya he,

Bharat bhagya vidhata. Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he! Jaya jaya jaya jaya he!

- Rabrindranath Tagore

To some this song written by Rabindranath Tagore, may be just a song. To me, these are words which have deep meaning hidden in them. These words unite India. When I hear this song, I put my country in front of me for once. I imagine a free and happy India. Only my country matters to me at this time. This isn't just a song, it's the national anthem of my country, India.


Lately, as I am being introduced to many relatives, my introduction starts off like this:


"I was born and raised in America and 4 years ago I came to India."


Everyone asks me the same question after hearing this.

"So, are you American or Indian?"

I have an answer ready for all who ask me this. It took me a while at first to see where I really belong, but in time, it fell in place. My answer is 'no'. A strong and confident no which voices all my feelings for India. I'm not what many call an ABCD (American Born Confused Desi). I am an ABPD (American Born Proud Desi). I am proud to be an Indian, very proud in fact.


I know that even though I say that I'm Indian, the fact still remains that i was born and brought up in the US. My lifestyle, habits, and accent is more Western than Indian. I don't deny that. But is that what really matters? All these things that make me American come from the outside. What's on the inside is a totally different story altogether.


I love my country so passionately that words can't describe the feeling. It's a feeling that lingers in my heart and makes every day special. I want to learn about India. I want to see India grow.







I love the taste of India- the Indian delicacies, from roti to rice, from daal to dosa.
















I love the smell of India- the hing, zeera, and green mirchi that pinches your nose with one whiff of it.


















I love the feel of it- the fields of wheat and corn, the grainy soil of a growing India, and the smooth feeling of the one rupee coin rolling around in my palm.









I love the sounds of India- the frying tikkis,shouting people, the echoes of the ringing bell in the temple, the prayers from the mosque, and even the different horns of the trucks and cars! In the market, I enjoy hearing what the different vendors have to say:"Chai lelo, garma garam chai!"



Let's not forget the sights of India- I see India from a different angle. I see the gaon wale, the city people, and everyone in between, holding hands. They all stand tall with their chins up, not caring what others think. Religions, caste, they all dissolve into thin air because they are all the same. In the end, they are all Mother India's children, and they are proud to be.


India might not be the perfect country yet, but it's growing, one step at a time. We grow only if we are united. United we stand, divided we fall. Even though we may fall in the struggle for a better country, we'll always have one another to help us up again. Once again, we stand together, and united.


All this while, I've been calling India 'my' country. No matter how far away you live, I hope this gives you a good feeling about the country you may or may not call your own. But you can make it your country too.



Come, embrace India.



JAI HIND!

Goodbye is the hardest word

Three days ago I finished the 7th grade. Wow. Such a small statement, but a lot of meaning.

Three days ago I finished the 7th grade. Any normal person would be all "WAHOO!" right about... now. But somehow, that feeling never came to me. Instead, a sad feeling started to overcome me. Tears filled my eyes, as I had to say goodbye to people. Some just for the summer, and some forever. Goodbye is probably the hardest thing to say. When someone says sorry, you don't have to mean it in any case. But, goodbye, is meaningful when said to anybody. In a boarding school, what starts out as friendship, turns into family.

At the end of the semester, I felt like a part of the family. The connections I had with my classmates and friends were unbelievably strong. Even with the people I thought hated me, they really meant something to me in the end.

It would be hard to leave my family for 2 months, and that too, to spend that time with another family. It gets sort of confusing, switching between the two. And then you ask yourself, to whom do I really belong? I mean, you share the same blood as your immediate family, but you spend more time with your Woodstock family. The truth is that they're both your family, and they unite together to become one family.

Puppet of the Past

I remember it as if it was yesterday…

The moon, it glints through the curtains of my room,
Shining brightly into my eyes, like heaven's light.

But all around, darkness creeps, rises, and wraps its cold arms around me.
I avert my eyes to the dull ceiling, the fan above me, whirring slowly...
I hear voices, echoing in my mind, though all is silent, only one thing can I hear,
Cruel, humorless, imitations of my loved one’s voices and a spine-chilling laughter rings in my ears.

Cold as ice, frozen in eternal hell this laughter was. I try and make it go away, but it repeats itself like a broken record
I see shadows, and mysterious figures racing across the room, and I know in my heart, that they are nothing more than my wild imagination.
Still, the feeling that someone is watching my every move sinks in my heart, captures my breath like quicksand, and smothers my every scream.

I feel things crawling up my back; I shiver, not because of the cold, but the cold feeling that runs through me still.
I feel like a puppet, controlled by the darkness around me, an invisible puppeteer holding my strings.
I hear the thunder, louder than normal, or only a hallucination.

I look out the window and see tiny drops of water settle onto the window pane, captured as prisoners, their sad faces wanting to be free. My heart beats to the rhythm of the rain, faster every moment. Thump, thump, drip. Thump, thump, thump, drip.

Then, I see an almost iridescent figure, looking at me straight in the eye, as if a warning.
I hear it whisper, "Don't look back, don't look back", and its voice fades away.

The wind blows the window open and a gust of cold air rushes into the room, and I, nothing but a pile of ashes, am swept out of the room, lost forever, my existence forgotten in time…

The Effects of Boredom

I hate it when the weather forecast says today's a bore,
My hyperness comes to a stop, I drop dead on the floor,
I do not wish to live a happy life anymore,
All I wish to do is go to sleep and to snore.

I wake up at the break of dawn,
And all I do is take a big yawn,
My brain is always off, not on,
I think I live in Babylon.

Oh, somebody please help me out,
I don't want to be the odd man out,
I'm lost, of that there is no doubt,
I don't seem to follow my life's route.

See, this bored disease is most curable,
Though the time you have it for doesn't seem endurable!

So on a boring day, go to the doctor's for a checkup,
And make sure the boringness gets all washed up!

To escape from Boring Boredomville,
You need no syrup, powder, pill!

There's one thing that you need, just ONE!
You need to have a lot of FUN!

Mussoorie Mornings

6 AM, and it's a beautiful Mussoorie morning. Look outside, and you will see that the sun hasn't completely risen yet. The world outside is enveloped in a thin sheet of gray fog. The birds are my early morning wake up call. Each bird has a different, distinctive call. They call me to join them in their flight. I consider myself lucky to live in such a beautiful place, when on some days, I even see a flock of green parrots fly by me.

The aromas from the kitchen downstairs arouse my sense of smell. Breakfast is just waiting for me to pounce on. Just as I think about how I'd give anything in the world for this moment, my dorm parent rings Alter Ridge's heavy brass bell and comes around to turn on the lights.

This is truly the Woodstock experience, and I like it just the way it is.

Sick Again

I feel the heat rush to my head,
Next thing you know it, I'm in bed.

The thermometer in my mouth goes *BEEP!*,
The nurse takes it out and I cry myself to sleep.

I don't want this to happen, so I'll count to ten,
Cause I hate it when they say that I'm sick again.

I'm frozen in a giant cube of ice,
I can't move an inch, and it isn't nice.

I want to flush my sickness down the drain,
I'm tempted to take a knife and have it slain.

Oh, take a taxi, take a train,
Fly to Mexico, walk to Maine!

No longer must this sickness remain,
No longer can I take this pain.

So in despair, I do declare,
Sickness, leave me and go ELSEWHERE!

Summer's Just Round The Corner

It's a Saturday morning, and I'm snuggled up in my cozy bed. I wake up leisurely, at my own time, without a single care in the world. I pull on my most comfortable pair of capris, and a loose T-shirt. I dig into my drawers, trying to find that cap I misplaced yesterday. Finally, I conjure the cap from my blanket. Yes, it's odd. I slap on some SP-14 sunscreen, put on my running shoes, and I am ready. Ready for the first day of my summer vacation.



Yes, summer vacation. Admit it, we all love to think about it. Just imagine, you're sitting outside, soaking up the sun, with a cold glass of lemonade in your hand. You're finally reading that book that you've always wanted to, but never got time to.



You don't have to wake up early for school, no boring old classes, and some of us are very relieved for we escape our teacher's irksome lectures. Now, some of us, alright, a lot of us, get holiday homework over these breaks. But, you see, you have the whole summer vacation to complete it, so you don't even have to worry.



Even if you have a lot of homework, here's some advice. Finish all of your homework on the first couple of days of vacation. That way, you will be completely rid of tension and you can over-relax (though I doubt that word even exists).

Even though it might be super hot, summer is the best time to be outdoors. It's the perfect time to play and learn lots of sports. You can even get a part-time job! :-)

The smell of summer is pretty special. It smells like fresh breeze, ice cream, and lemonade. It smells like the whole world is at peace. There is a smell like that. It smells of sunscreen, new clothes, and sometimes chlorine.

I think that every time we run, our legs tell a new story. Every drop of sweat is a way of remembering the times you had. Every gulp of water you take, reminds you of the hard play you did. Every ray of sun that bounces off a car, is a new born smile. It's ready to be taken, captured in yourself, and spread on, like a disease. Every summer is a unique experience that will always be remembered.

So, remember, summer's just round the corner, so get ready to tell a new story every day.

The Truth About Being A Kid

After being a kid for 12 years, I've learned a lot. So, here's the truth about being a kid from my experiences.

Some people get very excited before they become teens. They say that they'll get to stay up later, and do things that they never could before. The way I see it, being a kid, you get to do things that you will never do AGAIN. Again, and before. Two very small differences but they mean a lot.

Sure, you might be excited when your parents finally allow you to stay up late finally watching a PG-13 movie. But, inside, you are still used to being a kid. The next day at school, after lunch, you run to the playground where you love to play on the swings. Surprised, you see none of your friends are here. Later, you go up to them and ask them why they didn't come. Coolly, they reply, that the playground is for KIDS. Reality check, you aren't a kid anymore. You might say who cares, and go back to what you like to do. But soon, you'll realize that it is time to be grown up. Your days of childhood are officially OVER.

Another example : It's snack time and you line up to get some nice hot cocoa, the one that you love. Unfortunately when you get there, your lunch lady tells you, that the cocoa is only for the KIDS! You get TEA. Another big rip-off you think. And you thought being a teenager had advantages.

I think you have the best time of your life when you are a kid. People have much lower expectations from you, you are always treated special, and you can have as much fun as you want. Parents, don't you think back at the days when you were kids, and wish you had them back? You get to play so much, barely any pressure of studies, afternoon naps, and everyone loves to be with you. You don't have muh to worry about and you don't get shouted at that often.

I'm speaking from a kid's point of view. I don't know how it is to be a teen yet, but I'll say one thing. To those of you who are still kids, enjoy your childhood WHILE IT LASTS! You are never going to get this time again. You can do teen stuff later in life, but you can't relive the joy in being a kid. SO GO OUT THERE AND LIVE YOUR CHILDHOOD!!!

-Rooport

The Untrue Ode to Khichdi

Khichdi, oh khichdi, your bright yellow hue,
When I see post-its, I think of you.
You are so easy to digest,
You give my tummy needed rest.
You are so warm and soft inside,
With carrots and beans you swell with pride.
You truly have much glory and fame,
But, to me, you will always be the same.
A bowl of mush I eat when I'm ill,
I think it's time the truth I spill.
I'm sick of you,
I want you no more.
To eat you everyday,
Is a BORE!
So ends my ode to khichdi, so untrue,
May the peas and forks be with you.

My First Experience In A Gurudwara

Last July, I visited a gurudwara for the first time in my life. It was truly a unique experience.

The gurudwara I visited is called Paonta Sahib. Paonta Sahib is about a 2 hours drive from Dehradun. For those of you who don't know, a gurudwara is a religious place or temple for Sikhs. Most gurudwaras are given 'Sahib' at the end for respect.

Here are a few interesting things I noticed about gurudwaras during my visit:

1. All gurudwaras are painted white.
2. Both men and women must cover their hair before entering the gurudwara(to show respect I think.)
3. There is a man in the gurudwara who sits opposite the Sikh's holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. This man is the Granthi. He has a mini broom called the Chaur and he sweeps of all the dust and bugs that fall on the book.
4. Usually, there are men who give people prasad. Some people leave their offerings with these men.
5. The book sits on a big stand shaped like a coffin and is put under a cloth.
6. There are usually people singing bhajans or songs of praise and playing the tabla and other instruments as well.
7. In most gurudwaras, you have something called langar. Its a free meal served in the morning, afternoon, and evening. You can have as much as you want and the food is pretty good. The people who make and serve the food are called Karsewa's. They work voluntarily and they aren't even paid.
8. The proper way to pray in a gurudwara is stand up and pray then kneel down and touch your head to the floor, and pray.
Now I come to Sikhism itself:
1. Guru Gobind Singh, the last guru, told all Sikhs to take five vows starting with the letter 'K'.
Vow 1. Kaccha (Underwear) They wear special, long and striped underwear.
Vow 2. Kanga (Comb) They keep a miniature comb in their hair.
Vow 3. Kadha (Bangle) They wear a religious silver bangle on their writst, usually given to them at birth.
Vow 4. Karpan (A miniature sword that Sikhs carry)
Vow 5. Kese (Vow of growing hair and not cutting it)
As I walked out of the gurudwara I read this sign. Here's what it said.

DO YOU KNOW?
The finest word: Waheguru
The finest book: Guru Granth Sahib
The finest poem: Shabad
Best act: Sewa
Visiting the gurudwara was an experience that humbled me. I saw all those people working together and I learnt that sewa makes one feel good and it satisfies you. Doing good deeds benefits everyone.

Hope you enjoyed this one.

Till the next,

Rupal

Life Without You

This is a poem for my special Mom and Dad. Thanks for taking such good care of me while I've been sick. It really means a lot to me.

Life without you seems pretty bizarre,
Up in the sky, there are no more stars,

No life in the flowers,
No buzz in the bees,
No breeze in the wind,
No leaves on the trees.

No lights in the city,
No sun in the sky,
No smiles on the faces,
Of the passerbys.

Life without you,
As you can see,
Clearly means,
No life for me.

-Rupal(the great):-)
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