Monday, July 24, 2006

Q & A

Susie asked me five questions a few days ago but I'm running behind at the moment~Sorry Susie...

So, I will not waste any more time...Here I go...

Susie: There has not been one time that I've been in India, that I've not been reduced to tears by the amount of poverty and homeless children. This is one question I ask all people living in India. How does one deal with the immense poverty and frustrating stuff like beggarwallahs?

Noojes : Having been born and brought up in India, living side by side with poverty is something you learn to live with and respect at the same time.
The one good thing about the Indian way of life, is that giving to the underpriviliged is also part of most of the festivities and rituals.
The odd part that most Indians will never mention though, is the fact that we recognize most of the beggars on the street and even have our favourites that we give to on a regular basis.

Susie: Noojie, you are a very modern Indian gal, indeed! What are some of the ancient traditions, customs and things about India that you cherish, that are a big part of your life, that you blend into your very modern lifestyle?

Noojes: Uhm lets see. My family is fairly spiritual and religious but not ritualistic. However there are a few traditions that I cherished even when I lived in Australia. One of them is Diwali (the festival of lights) where we light oil lamps (diya) outside the house and decorate it with rangoli (coloured powder designs) on the ground. Doing the rangoli has been something I have done since I was a child and I still enjoy every second of it every single year. I usually take this one step ahead and even do the rangoli in my office too.

Susie: Tell us about your two years in Australia and what it was like when you first arrived there, the contrasts and all.

Noojes : Ok here is where you will think I am insane but the first contrast was the clean pure Aussie air that I took a breath of when I came out of the airport. The second was the vast expanse of sky that I could see with barely any skyscrapers around. It amazed me. The overall two years in Australia I usually describe as my degree from the 'University of Life'. I was happy, single and independent and enjoyed every single moment of it. And yeah I graduated with distinction too...

Susie: The day of or before the bombings in Mumbai, you said that you dreamed of mermaids. That really stuck in my head......did you figure out what the mermaids meant?

Noojes: I think mermaids signify 'seeing the beauty' in every situation. When you have so much and yet things have been taken away from you. With respect to the bombings, I guess it is a tribute to the spirit of this city and the way it bounces back every time we get hit...See the beauty...

Susie: You said you love Sex and the City. Being that I dont have any TV channels, I've rented all of them over this year and wow I love, love, love, Sex and the City too! I think i'm sortof a combo between Miranda and Samantha! What about you, which girl are you, Noojes? And, hows that search for the new Mr. Big going? (Mr. Big...YAAAR, GIVE HIM TO ME! Drool drool!)

Noojes: I am Carrie...There is just no other character that describes me best from SATC. However some of my friends think a better desciption of me is a mix of Rachael Green (Jennifer Anniston from Friends) and Carrie from SATC. As for the search of the new Mr Big - he doesn't exist...sigh

So, how did I do? Gimme a rating on my answers from 1-10...