Friday, January 16, 2009
Mr Dutt and his joke on the Constitution of India
Its official...Munnabhai is set to fight elections for Loksabha from Lucknow representing the Samajwadi Party. Unless something is wrong with my memory, was he not arrested a ton of times with links to the 1993 Bombay bombings? I remember reading in my 6th or 7th grade social sciences text book that once you're convicted by the court you cannot contest in any government elections. And his dear wife Manyata Singh, headed a campaign on boycotting the general elections as a voter after the Bombay seige last november....I am confused! Is India a big joke for these people?
Thursday, January 08, 2009
London
I was strolling from waterloo bridge towards charring cross station, by the thames, enjoying the golden sunrays stay the morning mist on the river and the city. When I reached embankment gardens, I looked back at the City of London on the horizon of the river and wondered, how can anyone not fall in love with London?
Friday, January 02, 2009
Only if I could swear in a title..
The university I studied my PG at is ranked among the top 10 in the world. Its been exciting...the number of opportunities showered with and the excellent, excellent research facilities provided with. As a student or an alumni, I should be proud but here's why I strongly disagree with that list.
I received my master's degree certificate today. It is such a shame that there is absolutely no sense of satisfaction, zilch, not even a smile on my face when I receive it. Ofcourse, it could win an award for the worst design of a certificate (it looks like its printed out of a computer!) or actually it could go to some university in TN overdone with English translations on a cheap white sheet but that is the least of the matter. I worked hard, was happy, till September 15th that is, the day I submitted my thesis. I did not want to return to the university again, so I get together all my library books so as to return it. I go to the library, I'm not let in. My student card says it expires on December 15 so this must be a mistake I think and go to my department. Entry is denied there as well. I'm furious at this point of time, I donot belong here anymore? Registry is next and the bored gentleman there tells me that I will not be able to gain access into any of the buildings as I had submitted my thesis already. Its not logical I tell him. I havent received my results and what if I failed? I am still a student then, am I not? All of this more than one month before I receive my results. One day they welcome you with freshers fairs, parties etc when you're paying incredible sums of money as an International Student. A year later they kick you out without any prior information whatsoever. Why all the pretention then? Why say your card will expire on Dec 15 when it does on Sept 15?! I am just left there, stranded, opposite to waterstones, wondering if and how I'm ever going to get my degree, feeling cheated!
Come November 1st, I receive my results over the internet. I am disappointed with the system...it was not fair. I worked 100 times harder than a couple of my mates. I obviously did score higher than them but by 4 or 5 points. I expected the difference between them and me would be around 10 when it should infact be 20. I am shattered when the difference falls down to 4 or 5! Thesis are marked by different supervisors. Their supervisor didnot have a high standard while mine had really high standards for marking. I know these silly marks may not matter anymore at all but I would feel reassured if I was appreciated for the amount of work I put in. People who took three or four long vacations during the term period scored better than they should have...I should have gone on a long holiday too!
Since I have studied at two different universities in this country, and have friends in other universities, I understand how graduation ceremonies work. There is one in June/July which is mostly for UGs who finish term late spring. There is one in December and this is the one for PGs who finish term in September. The purpose of such a ceremony in this university is to have minimum number of students participating. There is only one ceremony a year which happens in August/September. My UG graduation ceremony was less significant purely due to my performance. My dear mother was looking forward to attending my masters graduation ceremony. I have my degree certificate now but have to wait until next September to wear a funny hat and go shake hands with somebody on stage and officially graduate. It doesnt make sense to me but I guess it does to them.
£16,500 later, I am not a happy consumer!
I received my master's degree certificate today. It is such a shame that there is absolutely no sense of satisfaction, zilch, not even a smile on my face when I receive it. Ofcourse, it could win an award for the worst design of a certificate (it looks like its printed out of a computer!) or actually it could go to some university in TN overdone with English translations on a cheap white sheet but that is the least of the matter. I worked hard, was happy, till September 15th that is, the day I submitted my thesis. I did not want to return to the university again, so I get together all my library books so as to return it. I go to the library, I'm not let in. My student card says it expires on December 15 so this must be a mistake I think and go to my department. Entry is denied there as well. I'm furious at this point of time, I donot belong here anymore? Registry is next and the bored gentleman there tells me that I will not be able to gain access into any of the buildings as I had submitted my thesis already. Its not logical I tell him. I havent received my results and what if I failed? I am still a student then, am I not? All of this more than one month before I receive my results. One day they welcome you with freshers fairs, parties etc when you're paying incredible sums of money as an International Student. A year later they kick you out without any prior information whatsoever. Why all the pretention then? Why say your card will expire on Dec 15 when it does on Sept 15?! I am just left there, stranded, opposite to waterstones, wondering if and how I'm ever going to get my degree, feeling cheated!
Come November 1st, I receive my results over the internet. I am disappointed with the system...it was not fair. I worked 100 times harder than a couple of my mates. I obviously did score higher than them but by 4 or 5 points. I expected the difference between them and me would be around 10 when it should infact be 20. I am shattered when the difference falls down to 4 or 5! Thesis are marked by different supervisors. Their supervisor didnot have a high standard while mine had really high standards for marking. I know these silly marks may not matter anymore at all but I would feel reassured if I was appreciated for the amount of work I put in. People who took three or four long vacations during the term period scored better than they should have...I should have gone on a long holiday too!
Since I have studied at two different universities in this country, and have friends in other universities, I understand how graduation ceremonies work. There is one in June/July which is mostly for UGs who finish term late spring. There is one in December and this is the one for PGs who finish term in September. The purpose of such a ceremony in this university is to have minimum number of students participating. There is only one ceremony a year which happens in August/September. My UG graduation ceremony was less significant purely due to my performance. My dear mother was looking forward to attending my masters graduation ceremony. I have my degree certificate now but have to wait until next September to wear a funny hat and go shake hands with somebody on stage and officially graduate. It doesnt make sense to me but I guess it does to them.
£16,500 later, I am not a happy consumer!
Thursday, January 01, 2009
A loser's qualities!
Little things, very little things drive me far away from people. While I should not (it is a cardinal rule for any single girl) make a list of what qualities impress me, I shall make one tiny list of some unpleasant things I have experienced when out with certain "guy-friends". Men with the singlest of these qualities turn me off, instantly!
A man who does not care to hold the door open when I walk in, yes like in Dostana...I didnt bump onto the glass door but I had to push it open and let myself out!
A man who does not offer to pay at a restaurant, for himself! Some men are just plain cheap!
A man who thinks he is too much of a man for household work
A man who does not let me go to the bathroom before the start of a movie at a cinema. Well, he doesnot feel comfortable telling people that the seat was occupied
A man with a strong Indian (any region) accent applied to English
A man who can talk about nothing but himself, his work, his family, his friends
A man who thinks he's inferior to almost every other man
A man who doesnot bother to introduce me to his friends when we stumble on them or his friends who cannot be courteous enough to say Hi!
A man who expects that a woman do his cooking
A man who thinks he is the smartest or kewl est or greatest of them all
A man who is a boy immature and sloppy
A man who has made an habit out of drinking and/or smoking and its worse when he thinks its cool!
A man who is always raring to show his physical strength
A man who doesnot listen to suggestions even if they are better
A man who insists a girl should either wear a saree or should not wear tight jeans and short tops in front of his parents
A man who is controlling
A man who walks in front of me rather than with me or better, behind me!
A man who does not offer to carry any shopping bags (have you seen Chinese men? They carry their girlfriend's Louis vuittons!)
and there are so many! I have lost the motivation to retrospect or write and so I shall stop here. It is at times like these I feel like punching those men but it happens every now and then with Indian men here and my mind repeats 'just another loser!'
I was 16 when I was swept off my feet last. I was 17 when I came here and 5 years forward, I still have my share of bad men, but others have....eh...luck? My dear darling friend back home, whom I have been very close and attached with for more than 6 years now is getting married. My mind insists that she is too young to be married and has much to live for. She has known the guy for 2 hours in total but there is little left to do when she thinks she is ready. Maybe she is, maybe it is love at first sight but I'm my rational self! So here's wishing her, from all my heart, the best in holy matrimony! It does rain men but it rains stupid men!
A man who does not care to hold the door open when I walk in, yes like in Dostana...I didnt bump onto the glass door but I had to push it open and let myself out!
A man who does not offer to pay at a restaurant, for himself! Some men are just plain cheap!
A man who thinks he is too much of a man for household work
A man who does not let me go to the bathroom before the start of a movie at a cinema. Well, he doesnot feel comfortable telling people that the seat was occupied
A man with a strong Indian (any region) accent applied to English
A man who can talk about nothing but himself, his work, his family, his friends
A man who thinks he's inferior to almost every other man
A man who doesnot bother to introduce me to his friends when we stumble on them or his friends who cannot be courteous enough to say Hi!
A man who expects that a woman do his cooking
A man who thinks he is the smartest or kewl est or greatest of them all
A man who is a boy immature and sloppy
A man who has made an habit out of drinking and/or smoking and its worse when he thinks its cool!
A man who is always raring to show his physical strength
A man who doesnot listen to suggestions even if they are better
A man who insists a girl should either wear a saree or should not wear tight jeans and short tops in front of his parents
A man who is controlling
A man who walks in front of me rather than with me or better, behind me!
A man who does not offer to carry any shopping bags (have you seen Chinese men? They carry their girlfriend's Louis vuittons!)
and there are so many! I have lost the motivation to retrospect or write and so I shall stop here. It is at times like these I feel like punching those men but it happens every now and then with Indian men here and my mind repeats 'just another loser!'
I was 16 when I was swept off my feet last. I was 17 when I came here and 5 years forward, I still have my share of bad men, but others have....eh...luck? My dear darling friend back home, whom I have been very close and attached with for more than 6 years now is getting married. My mind insists that she is too young to be married and has much to live for. She has known the guy for 2 hours in total but there is little left to do when she thinks she is ready. Maybe she is, maybe it is love at first sight but I'm my rational self! So here's wishing her, from all my heart, the best in holy matrimony! It does rain men but it rains stupid men!
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