St. Petersburg, Florida

I was recently whisked to St. Petersburg for an early birthday present. The sunshine city was a great host and exactly what we needed. It had the perfect balance of food, parks and sights required by any weekend getaway.

We started our Saturday by visiting the Saturday Morning Market in downtown. The market hosts a variety of craft vendors along with local and foreign food stalls. We opted for empanadas and some handicrafts from Thailand. Next up was the Dalí museum, really the main reason for our visit. The new building opened in January ’12 and is a beautiful home for the 98 pieces of art. The collection featured some of his more famous works along with some styles of art that most people would not associate with Dalí. My favorite piece was the Sugar Sphinx.

St. Pete is a very walkable city which is why we decided to leave our car in one of the many $5/day garages. From the museum we decide to walk along the water and make our way to Coney Island for lunch. This little hole in the wall opened in 1926 and still serves the exact same menu at unheard of prices like a $2 chilli dog and $3 hamburgers. During our walk, we came across many vintage shops that contained a lot of interesting items. I would recommend Misred Outfitters for women and Trendsetters Men’s Exchange for men. 

The city is filled with lots of beautiful parks with views of Tampa Bay, including the Vinoy. Once you have had enough lazy time in park, you can make your way over to the Pier and enjoy views of the city as well as the bay. In the evening we headed to Jannus Landing, where you will find live shows as well as the nightlife.  We had dinner at Ceviche after a friend’s recommendation and it was a fantastic meal. The setup reminded me of restaurants in Seville and so did the food! 

Our Sunday was spent at Fort De Soto Park, about 20 minutes away from downtown. It is a really isolated park that has everything you want for an outdoors day. Options include hikes, bike paths, the beach, camping and bird watching. Mazzaro's Italian Market is another great thing to check out but it is closed on Sundays. I loved my birthday present and can not wait to go back!

Savannah, GA

Z came to visit over Martin Luther King weekend and we decided to head down to Savannah for a day. I had been there once before but it was the weekend I met Ahmed so it didn't really count because my attention was elsewhere. 

Historic Savannah is surprisingly small and could be walked in a few hours. Most people start at the visitor center because of the free parking and make their  way to the river. We started by Colonial Park Cemetery and walked in a rectangle. The cemeteries in Savannah are beautiful!! The Spanish Moss trees and beautiful arch entrances gave it a wonderland like feel even though you are in a graveyard. 

Because we were in the South, we were craving delicious fried chicken and wanted to go to Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room but everything seemed to be closed for MLK day so instead we opted for a yummy healthy lunch at Matthews on Bay St. Bay St is right by the water and from there you can access stairs that go down to river st which is on the water. River street is filled with tacky souvenir shops but it also has AMAZING candy that you can only find in Savannah, pecans covered with chocolate or caramel. I got some for my mom because she loved them last time.

City Market pops up as one of the top things to do and is basically another large square with souvenir shops. Sometimes you can find local musicians here but one great thing about the square is the art galleries. They are all connected and have everything from landscapes to abstract to modern art. Next we made our way through SCAD's campus and onto Forsyth Park. The park is a great picnic area and of course there is beautiful Spanish Moss everywhere. 

Then there is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and you can basically see its spires from anywhere in the historic district. We didn't explore the museums but there are at least 3 including the Telfair Academy and you can also visit galleries that house works of SCAD students. Z is a fan of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and so we also visited Bonaventure Cemetery. Savannah is a great weekend destination because there are just the right amount of things to do without feeling overwhelmed.

Happy New Year!

2011 was the year filled many changes and new beginnings. I moved back from England, I moved to DC, and I moved to Jacksonville to be with the man I am going to marry. I thought moving to Jacksonville was going to be a lot tougher than it has been but the city caught me by surprise. Having been here only a month, I am actually looking forward to writing a post on all that it has to offer.

2011 was also a year filled with uncertainties because finding a job was arduous and debilitating. But persistence paid off and I found the most amazing internship in DC working with a prominent women’s ngo. That position taught me so much and reaffirmed my passion for development work. Soon after, I was lucky enough to get an interview with the Girl Scouts in Jacksonville (the only job I applied for in Florida) and here I am. It’s funny how things have a way of working out. Even though it doesn’t involve the international community, the work is rewarding and allows me to make a difference in the lives of young girls.

I have nothing but high hopes for 2012 because it has so many great things lined up- a new home, our wedding and of course travel!

Summer is over!

I can’t believe my time in DC has already come to an end. As daunting as it was at first to move here in less than a week’s notice, everything worked out in the end. I was lucky to have great friends here who took me in and made me feel right at home- Thank you Elbert and Priya! Although I didn’t quite become a Dcite, I did develop a new found appreciation for the city and all that it has to offer.

Professionally, I developed so many new skills and learned a lot more about gender, the economic plights women face and the inner workings of a NGO. I have to say my impression of the sector has now changed once I saw how things actually work. But at the same time I can’t wait to start the next venture, whatever it may be, because after having heard actual life changing stories I am ok making a difference on a smaller scale. It also didn’t hurt that my team at Vital Voices was so much fun to work with! Despite having a pretty quiet intern room, Katie, Lucas and I always made the most of each day and I have to say I looked forward to laughing with them each day. 

This summer has also been the best ever because I met a truly amazing man. He has completely changed my outlook on life and my cynical opinions on love. Not only did Asghar enter my world by complete surprise, he also got me to fall head over heels in love with him. And I have to say it is the most amazing feeling.

I am heading back to New York next week with a new outlook, fewer worries and a lot of excitement for what comes next.

See you soon New York!

Challenging the norms of culture

Over the July 4^th weekend, I attended a Pakistani wedding and what was different about this wedding from all the others I have ever attended is that I did not know anyone there except my boyfriend and was essentially his date for this 350+ guest affair. Those of you that are a part of this culture are fully aware of how something like this would rarely, if ever, happen. 

When describing my culture, the two things that I’m sure come to everyone’s mind are familial expectations and rampant gossip. People love to talk. Parents and extended family love to tell you how you should live your life, irrespective of how you actually want to live it. The two of us decided that we should take advantage of being in the same city at the same time and so I decided to attend the wedding. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive because I did not want it to become a negative experience because of people’s stares and judgments. But that only lasted so long.. We went, we looked amazing and we had a great time together. Nothing horrible happened afterwards and I think we actually challenged people to get out of their comfort zones and accept that the culture is changing and has been for a while now.

I had already lived that way. I did it for a good chunk of my life, like many of us do, solely because we feel some catastrophe will occur if we don’t. We grow up hearing a good child will listen to their parent’s every wish, become a doctor or engineer and basically be a robot that is guilt ridden for wanting any independence and will be directed by cultural norms rather than living a life that is guided by their own dreams and ambitions. 

When I slowly started breaking away and making decisions based on what I felt was best for me, I was scared but asked myself, “What is the worst that can happen?” And that always helped. My parents never disowned me or kicked me out of the house but gradually learned to accept my decisions and rationale and the best part is they actually got to know their daughter. We actually have a great relationship now where I can share things with them honestly and don’t feel compelled to live a double life- like many young desis do. I know I am also very lucky to have pretty open minded parents that even allow for such dialogue. Sadly, there are some that feel ruling with an iron fist is the only way to go and really don’t give their kids a choice. 

Fear and the unknown are two very powerful things. They prevent you from taking the necessary leap. But it is really important to remember that nothing will ever change if you don’t speak up and do things that challenge the norms. I have way too many friends that say things like, “I wish I had your parents” or “You are so lucky that you get to do what you want” but they don’t actually try to change their family dynamics. Parents need to be given some credit. At the end of the day, they do want to see their children happy and I really believe a middle ground exists, if you allow it to.

Updates from DC

I can’t believe over a month has passed since my last post. Apologies for the lack of communication but this is my first free weekend where I have planned to do absolutely nothing. The last 4 weeks have been a whirlwind of events from moving, family visits, cousins, weddings, and quick getaways- I know I am known to always be on the go but I will be the first to admit how nice it is to just sit on the couch and watch a movie.


I have been in DC for a month now and don’t really have anything to show for it in terms of a favorite coffee spot or happy hour or restaurant and so I have decided July will be the month where I will make a conscious effort to explore DC on a daily basis and find my niche. I haven’t really been able to identify with the city, partially because I keep comparing it to New York, wrong on my part, I know. And mostly because I just haven’t had the time. My internship, on the other hand, has been absolutely amazing! I am learning so much and actually getting to contribute to real programs and initiatives, which has also been contributing to my busy schedule.

What I have noticed over the last few weeks is that there always something going on-whether it be a visit by the Dalia Lama or movies by the Potomac or awareness campaigns for any given issue. They may not have a Time Out DC here but if you have a few minutes to spare and access to the internet, you can plan pretty interesting weekends and weeknights.

For example, within my first week here I got to attend a CNN human trafficking awareness talk, a conference on democracy for women, and an outdoor concert. But then again during the first two events I also got to see another side of DC, the lack of genuine concern/desire to bring about change. A lot of us associate the city with the ability and power to make a difference. But what I have noticed here is that very few people actually have that desire. Most do their jobs but real life issues get placed on an economic ladder where causes with the most funding get the most attention. I know that has always been the reality but it is disheartening  to actually witness.


What I miss the most about New York is the food and neighborhood walks and of course, my friends. But now I am equipped with great recommendations from some current and past locals and a new location right in the heart of Dupont (thanks to an awesomely generous friend) that I am sure will allow DC to find a place in my heart.

Im moving...again

When I writing about DC back in March, I really had no idea when I would be back but here I am getting ready to move down there tomorrow. My affinity for the city makes the move an even easier venture because I have always wanted to live there once in my life. Having great friends already there makes it even better.

I was offered an internship with an amazing women’s organization and so I am picking up and leaving New York City again but only for 3 months this time around. At least as of now..

Saying that I am excited would be an understatement since I am over the moon about immersing myself in the political and development culture of DC. What I had been missing most about my life in Birmingham was the conversations with friends about development issues and now I can finally have that around me once again. And I’m sure my world traveling/rural livelihood expert roommate will bring me up to speed on the current trends.

Since completing the Masters, I have been wanting to part of something that allows me to utilize what we learned and actually see it in action.  I’m sure I will regret saying this later because of course the real world is nothing like what we read about in our idealistic courses. Nonetheless, this change was much needed and off I go!

Of course this means that I will no longer be available to gchat and email as much as my heart desires during the day so I send apologies to my daily circle of friends that are sure to feel the impact. To my New Yorkers, you can never be replaced and wont. I'm sure ill see you soon.

Wish me luck!