'Four Sides to the Core' on all major online book shop

My debut book, 'Four Sides to the Core' can now be found on all major online shops, such as Amazon. Please help the book reach others by sharing the link with anyone who think may be interested in the book.

www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=tiija+rinta&x=0&y=0

'When you can walk on water, take the boat.'

I got my hands on a novel called 'When you can walk on water, take the boat'. The novel is the author's semi-autobiographical reflection on his life and spiritual journey through life. You can find more information on the book here and also download it for free as an unconditional gift from the author to the reader! It is a very light read and I am sure can bring much comfort and delight to you.

http://www.waterbook.com/

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Here is a book that I read over the recent long flight to Hong Kong. It is an intriguing story about special gifts and how these shape people's lives. Definitely worth a read if you fancy getting your hands on a book that will get you to reflect on life!

www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/feb/05/sadness-lemon-cake-aimee-bender-review

The Golden Temple of Amritsar

There is a beautiful and interesting exhibition at the Brunei Gallery at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies). The exhibition tells us about the history of the Golden Temple of Amritsar and holds many stunning photos of the Temple. Definitely worth a visit!

www.soas.ac.uk/gallery/goldentemple/

The beautiful Bududa District

Uganda as a country has a complex history, with people living in a society that has a strong legacy of the colonial times of Britain. In fact, the culture is much mixed with traditional ideas associated with tribes and different areas of the country and more modern influences that are particularly prominent in the bigger cities.

The traditions of different tribes are much evident when one travels around Uganda, not least evident in the tribal languages that the tribes speak. The Eastern side of the country has its unique characteristics. This summer I has a chance to explore the local culture of the Bududa District whilst in Uganda. The modern and cheerful yet grounded and wise outlook on life that people of this region possess has remained with me. Hence, I would like to share more information about the district with you and hope that you can go and visit it yourself one day:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bududa_District

http://www.fallingrain.com/world/UG/87/Bududa.html

Mbale Town - a beach town far from a beach

The orphan and needy school that we were going to do some work for was situated in the eastern part of Uganda. The public transportation to the village consisted of a rather scary motorbike ride, a comfortable bus trip and a slightly uncomfortable ride on a small mini bus crammed full with people.

During the nearly eight hour trip, we had a pleasant stop over in Mbale town. The town has a beach town feel to it with a relaxed feel to it. Everyone seemed to be smiling and in a good mood in this town. There were many cafes, restaurants and shops around, most of which had music flooding out of them. We felt at home right away in this beach town that was far away from an actual beach.

One reason for why we felt so good in this town was that we could see other foreigners here too. There were Asians and Arabs running shops, a Chinese restaurant, westerners sitting in cafes.... We were not the only odd ones out. After the slightly chaotic Kampala, Mbale felt like an oasis, in particular since all the local people were truly friendly and warm-hearted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mbale

Kampala - modern city with all sides to it

The trip from the airport to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, happened in the dark of the night. The flight had landed in the middle of the night plus I felt dizzy and lightheaded after hours on the airplane. We got glimpses of high buildings, muddy slums, cows tied next to motorbikes and shabby market stall through the car window.

It wasn't till the following day when we had a chance to roam around the city, which proved to be a modern city with African, Middle Eastern and South Asian influences. The British colonial times had left their legacy. While talking with locals, we learnt that the education system, the political system and many others followed the models that Britain had given Uganda.

Kampala has everything that a modern city should have - restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, beauty spas, casinos... You name it, it has it. No wonder that more and more westerners chose to come here on holidays on their way to safari parks, golf courses or trekking trips across East Africa.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Kampala#b

Touching Down in Uganda

I was finally heading to Uganda. I had been supporting an orphan school there for the past three years, by doing organising fundraising events for them with my small NGO in London and by recruiting volunteers for them. Hours of conversations, development plans and work had gone into the project, yet I had not seen it all with my own eyes. I reflected on all this, as I sat on the plane of Egypt Air, crossing the Saharan desert, heading towards my destination.

Uganda as a country has a turbulent history. After being colonized by Great Britain, rulers changes recently and the country was plagued by political problems. Election violence, conflict with neighbouring countries, dictatorship and corruption have been frequent features of the society. Poverty, famine and illnesses spreading around the country also touch the lives of millions.

There are many, many orphaned children in the country. Due to the various health and welfare issues, the life expectancy for adults is not much more than 50 years. Many children live with their relatives, family friends and at orphanages. This is why there were several international organizations and foreign workers helping the country to overcome their problems and to help those who suffered in their circumstances.

I closed my eyes as the plane started to descend. I could picture the smiles on the faces of all the children that I was soon to see.

'An Equal Music' novel by Vikram Seth

A recent pleasant finding in the book world was a book called 'An Equal Music' by Vikram Seth. The book is about love for music from a musician's point of view. It is an enjoyable read for any music lovers, but also for anyone who is looking for some entertainment and relaxation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Equal_Music

Gilbert and Sullivan - the Glorious Composers of England

Last night a friend of mine gave a concert with her choir. Beforehand, she had told me that the music would be by Gilbert and Sullivan, and we both thought that it would not be a very interesting concert, as English classical music tends to be very tender and mellow.

But how wrong were we!

The concert turned out to be a brilliant show case of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, which are all comic shows that have solo singers as characters and the choir and a pianist provide the soloists with a beautiful packing track. Each piece was a funny and quirky showcase with characters such as half-fairy pirates, men from Japan wanting to marry milk ladies and flirting being a crime in the town of Tii-too.

It was such a brilliant show for a Saturday night that I thoroughly recommend anyone going to see one for themselves and you are guaranteed to leave the venue full of laughter and memories of beautiful music!

http://math.boisestate.edu/gas

Helper in Modesty

Annie was three years old when her mother fell terminally ill with malaria. Her mother had been Tanzania on a work trip, administering injections and giving free medicine to locals suffering from HIV. She has been careful, taking malaria tablets and all other necessary vaccinations in advance. Yet, she had contracted yellow fever whilst out there, which hit her very badly, out of the blue, a couple of months after her return home. Doctors in the West did not know what to do about it. They told her, in Annie’s presence, that she needed to stay in a hospital for tropical disease for some time and, after that, not return to work, but stay home and be looked after others. They told her that all young children should not be in close contact with her and that Annie was safer staying elsewhere for the time-being.

This as the earliest memory that Annie had of her life. Seeing her mother fall ill, see her crippled in hospital bed and being taken away from her. Now at the age of seven, Annie often wondered how big an influence the earliest conscious memory of one’s life had on the rest of one’s life. Did this early hospital memory haunt her and did it determine who she was today? What if her earliest memory was of more loving kind, of her parents happily taking her on a holiday or to an amusement park, or Annie happily playing with her friends? Perhaps she would have turned into a very different person under those circumstances.

But now Annie had a new family. Her cousin Maria had taken her under her wing and Annie had become a sister to all of her cousin’s children. There were five of them, two brothers and two sisters. They all welcomed Annie to the family wholeheartedly and she instantly blended in. Despite the warm reception and the regular visits by her farther who would tell her stories about her mother, Annie always felt guilt about imposing herself on this other family. She had not been born into the family, yet here she was, pretending to be one of them. How could she ever fully repay them everything they had done for her? Without them, she would have been left all on her own, with an ill mother and a farther who was too busy working and looking after her mother to pay much attention to her.

As Annie grew up, she made a conscious effort to help around the house as much as she could. She started off by helping Maria in the kitchen with washing the dishes, setting the table for dinner, helping to peel vegetables and mopping the floor. She had a wonderful time with Maria as they carried out their chores. Maria told her about her wedding day, about having started a family, about moving to this new house, and about how her life had been before meeting Steven. Annie listened to all these stories with interest and felt like she got to know Maria in a very new way. Maria was only in her mid-twenties, yet she had so much life-experience under her belt.

‘You’ll see, Annie’, Maria said and giggled. ‘You’ll see how much a woman can change when they meet the person they want to be with. Having said that, deep down, you don’t change at all. As long as you remain true to your heart and hold strong values and beliefs that you stick to throughout your life, you can handle anything and you can find yourself in any life situation and still know how to come out of it as a better person.’

Annie was fascinated by the wisdom that she was learning from Maria.

‘What has been the most life-changing moment for you?’ Annie asked Maria as they cut potatoes into small pieces for a potato gratin.

Maria was quiet for a while and seemed to really think over the question.

‘I would say the most life-changing moment was when I realised that I have it all within me and all I have to do is be myself and everything will turn out fine.’ Maria took Annie’s face into her hands. ‘Keep that in mind, dear Annie, and don’t ever change for anyone, don’t ever think that you are not enough as you are.’

They stayed silent for a moment, with the warmth from Maria’s hands radiating into Annie’s face. Annie felt a new kind of stronger bond with Maria that, she found out in the years to come, carried on throughout the rest of her life.

When Annie turned five, she extended her helping hand to the neighbours. Mrs MacSmith who lived in the old wooden house to the left of their home was nearing seventy and did not have the stamina to tend to her garden properly any longer. One morning Annie spotted Mrs MacSmith sitting on her porch, looking sad.

‘Good morning, Mrs MacSmith’, Annie said cheerfully. ‘How are you this morning?’

Mrs MacSmith looked at Annie with wide sad eyes. ‘Oh Annie, I wish I was still young like you and had the stamina to run around and do what I like.’ Mr MacSmith pointed to the patch of pink and violet flowers in the end of her garden. ‘I need to cut and water the flowers, but I just don’t have the strength to walk over there and do it all.’

Annie looked at the pretty flowers and saw that they really needed water in order to flourish once again.

‘I can do that’, Annie offered. ‘I would be happy to water them and to cut them. I would like to make them look pretty for you again.’

Mrs MacSmith looked at Anne and a smile slowly spread over her face. ‘Oh Annie, you are such a sweetheart. Would you really do that for me? I will give you milk and cookies after.’

Annie squeezed Mrs MacSmith’s hand and took the watering hose from her. ‘Any time, I can help you.’

And so she did. From that day on, Annie paid a regular visit to Mrs MacSmith’s house and helped her with all kids of chores around the house and the garden.

The days at school were still pretty short for Annie and so she had time for other activities in the afternoons. Maria and Steven were at work and their children were older than Annie and so they had longer days at school. The afternoons really dragged on for Annie. She read a lot of books, watched comedy series on TV and went for walks, she watered Mrs MacSmith’s garden and tidied up the house. Still, she had time to kill before anyone else would come home.

Annie decided to ask her classmates friends if they needed help with anything. This would give her something to do during the long afternoons, as well as give her a sense of purpose. Annie found that she always felt a kick of happiness whenever she helped others. She felt that this was her mission on this earth, to help others and to serve others.

Annie’s classmate Sarah was not advanced in Mathematics and asked Annie to help her with that. Twice a week Annie would go to Sarah’s house and they would look through a week’s worth of Maths schoolwork. In the end of the school term, Sarah had progressed from C to B+. She was over the moon.

‘Annie, without your help, I would not have gotten to where I am now’, she hugged Annie. ‘You are a true angel. Let’s go and celebrate with an ice-cream.’

Annie’s friend Mattie from down the road asked Annie to help with walking his dogs after school. Annie would leave school with Mattie every day and they would take the dogs out for a half-hour walk. Mattie’s family had four tiny and furry dogs. They barked and ran around a lot.

‘When I am on my own with the dogs, it becomes tricky’, Mattie explained to Annie as they took the dogs to a nearby park. ‘They jump around and it is easy to lose sight of one of them.’

Annie thoroughly enjoyed walking the dogs. She felt that she got a lot of energy out of seeing them jump around and being in the greenery in the park made her feel refreshed. Mattie was gentle and calm company and really seemed to appreciate Annie’s help and presence.

One evening Annie was lying down on her bed, reading a book, when Steven knocked on her door and walked in. He sat down next to Annie on her bed.

‘Annie darling, I would like to talk to you about something’, Steven said hesitantly. ‘Maria and I are a little bit worried that you are spending too much time helping other people. That’s all you seem to be doing. You help all of us here at this house, you help the neighbours, you help your friends and classmates. We are worried that people are taking advantage of your good heart and not fully appreciating what you are doing for them. Please, Annie, make sure that people don’t use you and you know when to stop helping them.’

Steven look at Annie intently. Annie felt a sudden surge of irritation rise inside her.

‘Steven, I appreciate your concern and I understand why you would feel concerned’, she said and took a deep breath. ‘But this is what I want to do. I want to help others. I want to be there for others. I feel good and I feel that I am myself when I do that. I am the happiest when I am helping others. I know that they don’t always appreciate what I am doing as much as they could. But I know that when I stop doing it, they will see everything that I have done for them. I am not doing this to seek any kind of acknowledgement. I am doing this because I feel that this is what I am meant to be doing here on this earth. And I think that, if more people were willing to help others, we would not have as many problems on this planet of ours.’

Steven sat in silence for a while. He seemed to be reflecting on what Annie had told him. The he kissed Annie’s forehead and walked out of the room. Annie lay there in the dark for a long while before falling asleep.

Just before falling asleep, in that state between consciousness and unconsciousness, Annie thought that people were selfish. First and foremost, they would always think about their own benefit in everything and only then others. Annie would never want to become like them and, just before sleep crept over her, she vowed to stay as she was and to follow Maria’s advice on staying true to her heart.

Launch of my debut book 'Four Sides to the Core'

This week saw the launch of my debut book. 'Four Sides to the Core' i

s now available in paperback, hardback and is downloadable as PDFs. An electronic version for iBooks and Kindle is to follow in a couple of weeks. It is available through LULU (ww.lulu.com) at the moment, but will be distributed through Amazon and other major publishing channels next month.

All profits from book sales go directly to Volunteer East (www.volunteereast.org.uk) so please don’t hesitate to order your copies and enjoy the narrative!

See link below for more details:

www.lulu.com/product/paperback/four-sides-to-the-core/15431360?productTrackingContext=browse_page/new_on_lulu/center_middle/4

Description of the book

‘Four Sides to the Core’ brings you stories from far away, fascinating countries. The book is a semi-autobiographical novel that consists of small self-contained stories from Nepal, Kenya, Jordan and Pakistan. These stories form a bigger narrative that touch human rights, universal values and daily realities in these different cultures. It is a book based on the author’s travels in different countries as a development aid worker and researcher.

At core, the book highlights realities in different parts of the world and functions as a platform for readers to experience different realities and life-stories from various cultures and backgrounds. The author wrote the book in the hope that it would open the eyes of people in the West as to seeing and understanding that we are all innately human and struggle with similar daily dilemmas, no matter where we live. In essence, the book deals with human rights issues, basic human values and principles evident in different countries.

The book is divided into four parts. Each part consists of small stories from a specific country (i.e. Nepal, Kenya, Pakistan and Jordan) in the form of the author’s firsthand experiences followed by fictitious stories that are based on real life. The firsthand experiences are based on the author’s diary that she kept while working abroad, whilst the fictitious part is based on stories that she heard and people that she met during her travels.

The book is suitable for adults and young adults who take an interest in different cultures and living in different countries. The book is also of interest to individuals who work with human rights, politics, anthropology and religion. In fact, the book is a suitable read for anyone above the age of 10 and it can function as learning material for all ages. The book is easy to read. The reader can also jump from one short story to another without necessarily having to read the entire section of the book before proceeding to the next one, making it accessible to those not used to reading much as well as to younger readers.

Bibliographical note:

Tiija Rinta is an educationist, development worker, researcher and journalist based in London, UK. She has worked for several international NGOs, Government Agencies and universities in the above roles. Her recent work has included developing teaching and learning materials for UNICEF, Save the Children and Relief International, as well as carrying out research for the European Union and the UK Government. Such work has taken her to various countries where she has been able to use her knowledge and skills for the benefit of locals. The products of these projects are publications in international professional journals, articles in magazines and book chapters.

Tiija’s latest challenge is a small NGO, Volunteer East (www.volunteereast.org.uk), that she started up in the spring of 2010. Volunteer East recruits volunteers from the UK and sends them on placements in partnership organisations in developing countries, without placement fees. The NGO also collects and sends donations and goods to the placement sites. All the profit from the sales of this book will go directly into supporting the work of Volunteer East.

‘A remarkable manuscript, an original and inventive blend of memoir and lightly fictionalised reportage, which brings together a personal narrative with an international traveloge. The result is a highly readable work, which is rich in human interest as well as anthropological information. I recommend it.’ Melrose Books, December 2010

‘A personal story of the interaction between the storyteller and her world, and in the course we feel we really get to know the writer and we appreciate what she is telling us. It is a fine picture of travel with a questioning and a thougthful mind. The writing is intimate and conversational; we are, we feel, the narrator’s companions on a journey. The warm, human story makes the book as publishable in the US as in the UK.’ Bloomsbury Publishing, December 2010

One with All

Sometimes the feeling of isolation was overwhelming to Sunny. At the tender age of 11, she thought that it was fundamental human nature to feel on one’s own. Sunny often wondered if she was the only one who felt this loneliness. How come there were so many people on this planet, yet everyone was an isolated individual? To Sunny, that did not make any sense. In the end, they were all the same - made of the same substance, the same spirit. Why did they all have to focus on their differences rather than than the same core that they all shared?

‘Mum, why am I who I am?’ Sunny asked her mother one day when she was sitting in the kitchen eating a snack after a school day.

Sunny’s mum looked at her. ‘What do you mean by asking me that question? We just are who we are.’

‘But why is it me inside this body? Why was I born I? Why wasn’t I you, or someone else?’ Sunny blinked and took another sip of her hot chocolate.

‘We are born to this planet and given air to breath. We get cells from both of our parents and God makes us a person. There is no particular reason for why we are who we are. It is all down to biology and God in the end.’ Sunny’s mum gave a dismissive wave with her hand. ‘Now, please finish your snack so that you can go and do your homework.’

‘But mum, why do I feel so on my own? Why am I on my own? Why are we all on our own when we are all here together?’ Sunny looked at her mum with big, bright eyes that radiated innocence.

Sunny’s curiosity was not satisfied by her mother’s answer. Her mind kept wondering around such questions. Many times she felt that people around her wanted to become close to her and wanted to feel a connection with her, but something prevented them from showing this. It felt that people were scared of opening themselves up to her and feeling close to her.

It seemed that people were afraid of their own humanity. Why did her own grandmother need to feel strange about telling Sunny about how she was scared of spending her last days on this earth on her own? Why did her best friend need to lie to her and tell her that she for an A in a exam when she actually got a C? Why did her brother need to tease her about the spots on her face instead of telling her that her smile was pretty? Sunny felt that she was constantly being pushed away by those who were meant to be closest to her.

When Sunny turned fifteen, she learnt about an opportunity to go to India on a school exchange trip. The pupils from Europe would stay at a monastery and be taught by local monks. They would learn about the local culture and soak in a different way of living. Sunny jumped at the opportunity. She had watched some films from India and adored the colourful clothes and the cheerful music that dominated the films. Everyone seemed so happy in those clips. Everyone seemed to enjoy their lives and to share it with others. That is what stroke Sunny the most - the shared nature of the experience, which was completely different to what she was used to in her immediate surroundings. Sunny thought that she could learn something important in India and that could help her live her life in Europe. That could help her with sharing her life in Europe with those that she wanted to share it with.

The whole Spring, she worked very hard at school in order to do well and to be accepted on the programme. Her best friend Mary was puzzled by her enthusiasm to go to India.

‘Why do you want to go there so badly?’ Mary would ask Sunny when they walked home from school. ‘Aren’t you scared of the illnesses that you can catch there? My dad told me that you can get very sick in India.’

Sunny thought about that for a moment. ‘But you can get sick anywhere. You can get sick here. Jessie was in hospital, because he had a very bad pout of shingles. And we still live here. And billions of people live in India all the time. If it really was that bad, wouldn’t they all be dead by now?’

Mary just shook her head and gave Sunny a look that indicated that Sunny was losing it.

Sunny’s hard work was rewarded and she did very well in her exams. Soon enough she was on the plane to India with a bunch of her classmates and an anxious teacher. Sunny watched the clouds with an orange hew from the window as the plane descended. From the plane’s landing, it was a whirlwind trip to the monastery. On the way, Sunny spotted dozens on cows mingling amongst the crazy traffic, women wearing headscarves and looking scared, dirty children crossing the roads, rikshaw bikes carrying tourists. Sunny sat quietly on the bus, mesmerised by the sights and sounds of this new land.

‘Look, there is a motorbike with an entire family on it!’ Simon, one of Sunny’s school mates, shrieked. All of the pupils turned to stare at the bike.

‘How can they do that? Don’t they think that they can fall down?’ Annie, the girl sitting next to Sunny yelled.

‘That is probably all they have to ride with’, Sunny whispered. ‘They probably don’t have money to get a car.’

The teacher in front of the bus stood up. ‘Now, ladies and gentlemen, we will see many things here that we don’t see in Europe. We need to remain polite, accept the differences and not make the locals here feel like we are judging them.’ The teacher looked at all the children firmly when a cow stopped by their bus and pushed its tung out to lick the door window. All the children giggled.

The monastery was an oasis to Sunny. The monks were so calm and nice to everyone. They were always smiling and made each one of the newcomers welcome in their home. The monastery was filled with flowers and cloths in orange and red colours. One of the monks explained to Sunny that these colours signified wisdom and luck.

‘We should surround ourselves with the colours that bring us goodness, the people who are calm and cheerful, and then we will feel the same as they are feeling’, the monk explained and smiled. ‘We are all the same in the end. We can all connect with one another through simples gestures. A warm smile can really bring two people together and make them feel like they share something. We should make others feel that we are here for them and that we are dealing with the same dilemmas as them on a daily basis.’

Sunny nodded. Finally she was hearing words that made sense to her.

‘In Europe, we often feel so isolated and lonely’, she told the monk hesitantly. ‘Here, in this monastery, I feel so connected to everyone. It feels that we are all a community, an entity living together. I feel that I belong to this group of people. I can tell that my classmates are much happier here too. I have never before spent this much quality time with them. In Europe, somehow we don’t manage to create this kind of an environment where we would all feel the connection to one another.’

The monk smiled a bright, big smile. ‘I know. That is the disease of the West. We are all the same, yet in the West, people focus on their individuality rather than their shared characteristics. Westerners have a lot to learn from us. We are much more connected to one another and tapped into out innate nature. People in the West seem to have become too distracted and lost touch with their true selves. It is all there, in all of us. We just all need to unravel what we have learnt during our upbringing and to start being one with all.’

That was the turning point for Sunny. She knew that from then on, she would do her best to share her true self with others, to be there for others and always try to make those around her feel that they were all the same and there for one another.

And so she did. Once Sunny returned home from India, she felt like a changed girl. She felt that India had allowed her to be herself, to become herself again. She no longer worried about what others would think of her, as she knew that every one else had the same wasteful worry. She no longer felt that she needed to please anyone, as she knew that everyone shared the same feeling. She felt that she was fine as she was and that everyone else was fine as they were.

It felt as if everyone was able to absorb this positive message from Sunny. Sunny’s mum told her that she was beautiful, Mary wanted to spend time with her every day after school, Sunny’s brother lent her his skate board for an entire afternoon.

Sunny’s dad even told her that they were all very proud of her. ‘Sunny, we are so proud of all your achievements and what you have done in a short life. Your trip to India was a success and we hope you continue on the right path as long as you live.’ Then, to Suny’s biggest surprise, her dad hugged her. This was the biggest and warmest hug that Sunny had received in her whole life and it confirmed to her the wise monk’s words on how what you put out into the universe will echo back to you.

The Loving Type

Anton was 10 when he realised that he was truly different from others of his own age, and even from people who were much older than him. He had always felt different. Somehow he has always had a feeling that he did not belong, that he wasn’t likehis friends or family. He felt of his own kind, he felt that there was a fundamental difference between him and the rest of humanity.

‘Do I really belong here?’ Anton would often ask himself. ‘Do I belong with these people, to this world?’

The biggest difference between him and others was that Anton had always had a feeling deep inside that told him to love the world and to others others. He felt this immense love inside him, and he was bursting to share it with the world. The love was there all day long and all night long. Anton could not help it but to show it and share it with others. The love felt like his long-standing companion that was there are the deepest and darkest of the moments, that was there to witness his happiness, that was there in peace.

Anton showed his love to whoever he came across with. He showed to the elderly lady at the local corner shop when he went to buy chewing gum, he showed it to his teacher at school when he was handing in his homework, he showed it to his younger sister when he was reading her a story, he showed to his mum when he was helping her with cooking, he showed it to his dad when they were watching TV together, he showed it to his friends when they were playing football, he showed it to his neighbour when he helped her with watering the flowers. Anton showed the love that lived inside of him without even once thinking that it may not be appropriate to do so.

But people around Anton did not seem to appreciate the act of showing his love to them. Over and over again, Anton did not receive any love back, but rather cold and distant comments on how he was too sensitive, soft and at the whim of others’ disposal.

Anton’s dad told him to toughen up: ‘Otherwise people will take advantage off you, my son’.

Anton’s mum told him to grow up to be a man: ‘This is the only way for you to show the women around you that you are a strong, masculine man.’

Anton’s sister told him to become more like a proper big brother: ‘Who will protect me otherwise when there is a need.’

Anton’s friends started calling him Antonella: ‘You are more like a girl than a guy.’

There were times when Anton felt defeated. He felt that others did not accept him as he was and that he was not allowed to be himself. There were times when he felt depressed and alienated. But Anton always bounced back from those times. He came back fighting strong, he came back with the need to prove to others that he was fine as he was and that he would not change just for them.

‘I am who I am and I have this love to show others, and I will not let them defeated me’, he would tell himself every night before falling asleep.

One day Anton was walking home from school when he saw a sign on the roadside saying that a local farm had many young guinea pigs that they wanted to give to good homes. Anton stopped and stared at the sign. Something inside of him was telling him to go to the farm to see these small, fluffy creatures. He had an urge to hold one, to show this tiny creature his love and to tell the creature that together they could conquer the world.

Fifteen minutes later Anton emerged from the farm carrying a basket, in which there was a long-haired mix-coloured guinea pig.

‘We will be together from now on’, Anton whispered to the guinea pig. ‘You and I, we will be together and fight the world together.’ He patted the guinea pigs soft head and its big eyes turned to look at Anton. It let out a guinea pig sound of satisfaction.

Anton’s parents were not happy to see the new arrival to the family, but Anton would not hear a negative comment about his new love. He arranged a small fenced space for the guinea pig in their back garden and organised a comfortable space for it to roam around and to the the grass. Anton had not felt this happy for a long time. Now he had a friend that he could share his love with, who he could show affection and receive love back. Anton reached for his new friend and felt the warmth radiating out of the tiny being. He felt that there was a strong bond between them already.

Anton and his new friends grew up together. They went through Anton’s early puberty, mood changes, self-exploration and identity development, hand in hand. The new friend provided Anton with the unconditional love that he had never before felt in his life and that he needed in the fragile time of being a teenager. The love was so significant to him that Anton could not imagine a life without this small creature. When all the people around Anton made him feel that they did not understand him, this small animal gave him all the affection that he needed.

Anton’s mum thought that the bond between Anton and the small hairy animal was strange.

‘Anton, you need to spend more time with your friends rather than with this non-human entity’, she would say. ‘What is so special about this animal? In the end, that is what he is. He is just an animal that can’t speak or think logically. What are you going to do when he dies?’

Anton had never felt as offended by comments as he did when his family and friends cirtised his small friends. How come the others could not see that this little creature was the most precious thing in his life and how the little friends was also bursting with life, just as Anton was? Who has ever said that humans are better than any other creatures on this planet?

One evening Anton walked over to the local grocer’s to pick up some carrots for his friend. He picked up the juiciest carrots from the brown box and happily started walking back home when, all of a sudden, a group of three young men emerged from around the corner and blocked his way. Anton could recognised the boys from his school.

‘Oy, where are you going, softie?’ One of the shouted and pushed Anton by his arm. Anton lost his balance temporarily and stumbled into a lap post.

‘What do you have in your bag?’ The second boy hissed and took Anton’s bag from him. ‘Oh, carrots. Are these for your beloved hamster?’

The boys laughed in unison and two of the pushed Anton at the same time. This time Anton totally lost his balance and fell on the sidewalk. His ankle got caught under his full body weight and he felt a sharp pain. One of the boys kicked his ribs. A flash of pain shot through Anton.

Within in a second, Anton could not see anything. All he could sense was a bright, yellow and white colour that grew stronger and stronger by the minute. Anton could feel his head heavy on the sidewalk and his body feeling warm under the radiant light. He felt this body very heavy and he was not able to move it. All he could dow as to see the light and to feel a strange sense of acceptance, approval and caring deep inside him. He felt as if he had returned home from a long journey in a foreign land.

After a while that felt like a lifetime, Anton was able to open his eyes. He saw a lady with long blond wavy hair in a white dress look over him. He felt the light radiate out of her. And he could see that she was holding the bag of carrots in her hand. The gang of boys were gone.

‘Are you OK, Anton?’ The lady asked him. ‘Did you hit your head badly?’

Anton shook his head. Everything seemed to be fine and he didn’t even feel any pain.

‘I am fine’, he said hesitantly. Who was this lady? ‘Can I ask you, who are you?’

The lady smiled a bright smile and looked deep into Anton’s eyes. ‘Oh, I am a local. I have seen you and your family before in this area, which is why I know your name. Do not worry. I am here to help you.’ She took Anton’s hand and helped him to sit up. She also offered Anton the bag of carrots. ‘These are for your little friend, I believe. Luckily I could scare the boys away before they did damage to the carrots.’ The lady laughed a warm, heartful laughter.

Anton looked at the lady carefully. She somehow looked familiar, but he could not tell where he knew her from.

‘All is well’, the lady smiled. ‘You can go home now. Your parents are waiting. They are waiting for your love. Even if they never say it or may not even be aware of it, they live off your love. Everyone around baths in your love. They just don’t know how to return it or what to do with it. But this is your gift. Your gift is to show love, to spread love and to share your love with others. Do not waver from your bath, do not stop loving, even if others make you feel that you should. This is your mission on this earth. This is what you are meant to be doing.’

With the final words, the lady was gone in a blink of the eye.

Anton stood there on the sidewalk, mesmerized and puzzled. Who had this lady been? He stood there thinking about the beauty of the lady. He had seen her somewhere before. Ah, yes, he had seen her in his dream! A week before he had had a very vivid dream, in which a lady dressed in white and yellow had floated around in a dream-like state. The lady had smiled in a blissful state and her long hair and dress had floated in the slight wind. Anton remembered that he had woken up from the dream, smiling, feeling peaceful and calm. Was this the same lady? Anton was sure that she was. How come this lady had been in his dream and then turned up here to help him? Was she his guardian angel?

All these questions whirled around in Anton’s mind, as he started walking home.

He felt elated and full of love, which he knew he would share with his family and guinea pig as soon as he got home.

'Peaceful Warrior'

Lately, I have had a chance to watch a number of insightful films. One of the them is a film recommended by a friend, called 'Peaceful Warrior'. The film deals with non-scientific aspects of lie that our eyes can't see, yet we can often feel them around us. It makes one reflect on all the metaphysical events taking place around us while we are not fully aware of everything that is going on.

For those of you who are interested in exploring such issue, here is more information on the film:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaceful_Warrior

Ayoka Charity Boutique

Take a look at the website of our beloved charity shop in Bethnal Green in East London... I feel the need to fly the flag, as the boutique is undergoing change and there will be new exciting ventures happening in the space soon!

www.stmargaretshouse.org.uk/about-us/ayoka-charity-boutique

The Spiritual Teachings of Yoga

I was given a book on the spiritual philosophy behind yoga way back in 2001 when I first started practicing yoga. I didn't read the book properly for quite a few years. It somehow seemed too alien with detailed explanations on Eastern religions.

When I was tidying up my place a couple of weeks ago, I picked up the book again. This time around I could not stop reading the book - it is so full of guidance and wisdom that anyone could benefit from reading it. The book discusses yoga as a tool for acquiring spiritual enlightenment, as a vehicle for making the body, mind and spirit unite so that one can have a fulfilling life on this planet.

Anyone whom is practicing yoga or intrigued by it should definitely give the book a go!

www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails-The+Spiritual+Teachings+of+Yoga+-9780955888519.html

Miro at Tate Modern

Excellent exhibition by Miro at the Tate Modern - definitely worth seeing! The exhibition covers a range of his techniques, styles of art and the political background behind each piece.

www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/joanmiro/default.shtm

The Children's Hour

Excellent play at the Comedy Theatre in London.... A must see for all theatre lovers!

www.thecomedytheatre.co.uk

NGOs for refugees

I went to a training session for NGOs and community groups working in London with refugees. The session was aimed at bringing professionals and practitioners together from different organisations in order to share good practice, network and learn about effective ways of engaging with local schools or other educational establishments.

I got t know about several NGOs doing valuable work across London. I share here all of their websites for anyone who is interested in knowing more about their work:

* NGO working with refugee families in Wandsworth:

www.kleviskola.org

* Education consultants working with refugees:

refugeeeducation.co.uk/index.html

*Company working with all sort of issue related to migration:

employabilityforum.co.uk

*NGO working for the Albanian community in London:

shpresaprogramme.com

* Charity working in the education sector:

www.continyou.org.uk

*Programme helping refugees with getting into teaching:

www.rit.refugeecouncil.org.uk

*NGO working with the disadvantaged:

www.worphan.com

Kazuo Ishiguro

Many of you would have seen, read or heard about the books and films by Kazuo Ishiguro. Do 'The Remains of the Day' or 'Never Let Me Go' ring any bells?

I hadn't actually read any of his books or seen either film until last week. I decided to read 'The Remains of the Day' for a local book club meeting organised by the Oxfam book shop on our nearby high street. I'm glad I decided to read it, as it is beautifully written, in a poetic sort of way, and it depicts the English countryside wonderfully. Although the book is essentially about the Second World War, it is rich in tis story and the plot unfolds in a way that keeps the reader intrigued.

For more information on Ishiguro, here is a good site:

www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth52

For more information on Oxfam, see their national site:

www.oxfam.org.uk/

Gabriel Orozco at Tate Modern

The current exhibition at the Tate Modern by Gabriel Orozco is an interesting compilation of pieces of art made with daily objects. Newspaper headlines, toilet rolls, a human skull and car tires are just some of the objects that features in this thought-provoking exhibition. Orozco makes one reflect on our daily surroundings and to see art all around us. A must see exhibition if you are in London!

www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/gabrielorozco/default.shtm

Cecelia Ahern's books - must reads!

I was given a book by my sister called 'The Book of Tomorrow' by Cecelia Ahern. Initially I though that the book will just hold another typical romantic story. Once I started reading the book, however, I was pleasantly surprised the humanity of the book - rather than being a trash novel, the book deals with issues that are close to our hearts as human-beings. I could really identify with the characters in the book and what they were going through.

Cecelia Ahern is a very talented writer. Her writing style makes the reader want to read on and on. It is definitely worth checking out some of her novels:

http://cecelia-ahern.com/

Black Swan

one of the most talked about films of 2010 and 2011 is 'Black Swan'. I had wanted to see it for many weeks and finally had a chance a couple of days ago. I had not read any reviews of it, only heard some passing comments about the story line and the acting.

Feeling a tiny bit apprehensive about watching a Hollywood blockbuster film, I felt pleasantly surprised after watching it. The plot and special effects keep one focused on the film and take the viewer away into a slightly disturbing psychoelic world of an obsessed ballet dancer.

I don't want to give too much of the film away to those who haven't see it, but I would definitely recommend it.

The last thing for me to say about the film is that I started having some of the same problems that the main character of the film has - namely, I developed a rash on my arm similar to the one she has on her back... This really made me think if I identified with the film and the character too strongly - perhaps time for soul-searching?

www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/

Event Gallery

A friend of mine took me to a tiny gallery in east London yesterday called the Event Gallery. It is located in Bethnal Green, hidden on a little side street. You would have to know about the place somehow, as it is in such a discreet location in a terrace house that you can't really find it by accident.

The gallery has a very intimate atmosphere, which intensified the visiting experience. At the moment, they have an intriguing exhibition on the effect of parasites living in the human brain on human behaviour. The exhibition illustrates through images how such parasites can totally control and change human behaviour. One is left with feelings of apprehension. Somehow the exhibition shows how there are factors out there out of our control and how we can't always know what is causing us to behave in the way that we do.

The exhibition is definitely worth a visit. Here is their website:

http://www.eventnetwork.org.uk/

Film Festival for young film makers

A good friend of mine, Filipe, started up a film festival for young, up and coming film makers in 2004. The festival has grown and developed from strength to strength over the past seven years. It is now the second biggest (closely following Berlin film festival) of its kind in the whole world.

The festival runs for one week in June-July. It consists of a variety of workshops, training sessions, networking events etc.. In the past, professionals in the field delivering workshops have included cast from 'Eyes wise shut' amongst other high profile names. It takes place in a beautiful beach town in norther Portugal. The whole package (incl. accommodation,access to all trainings etc.) costs a mere 130 euros!

Definitely a must for any young people wanting to get into the industry - an excellent opportunity for networking!

For more info, see:

http://vimeo.com/

http://www.fest.pt/2010/?lang=en

Helsinki - pearl in northern Europe

Having just spent a weekend in Helsinki area in Finland, I feel that I should fly the flag for the town. It is a lovely small-ish town located by the sea, with a fair share of old buildings mixd with more modern ones. There are several art galleries, museums, old markets and lots of cultural events on offer throughout the year.

Obviously, one's experience is rather different in the winter when the temperature is below freezing point and there is lots of snow, compared to summer-time when the average temperature is +25 with lots of sunshine. If you fancy doing some winter sport, January or February are the best times to go over. If you prefer sightseeing, go between June and September.

www.helsinki.fi/en/index.html

'Music is all around us. Just open your ears and listen.'

Any music lover would love the film 'August Rush'. The entire film is about the magic power of music.

The film is full of beautiful quotes on music and what music can give to us in today's world that is otherwise mad. Here are a couple tasters: ('How much do you love music?') 'More than food.'; 'Music is all around us. Just open your ears and listen.'.

I don't want to give too much away... Here is the trailer - try to find the full film as well and enjoy the magic touch of music:

www.imdb.com/title/tt0426931/

February is here!

February is here!

Doesn't it always feel like January drags on and that february goes very quickly?

This month holds some good celebrations in store. Here are some worth going to:

1. www.visitlondon.com/events/detail/4733685

2. www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/valentines-day-ideas-feature-604.html

3. www.brits.co.uk

Happy February, everyone!

The Xenophobe's Guide to the Japanese

I was given a book on the Japanese for Christmas this year. It is called 'Xenophobe's guide to the Japanese' and it is part of the xenophobe's series.

The book talks about the Japanese culture from a variety of perspectives and discusses a wide range of topics, such as education, lack of street names and the language. It gives a comic introduction to the culture and certainly makes the reader intrigued to learn more about the culture. I am definitely going to get my hands on other books of the series and learn about other countries!

Here is the link for the series if anyone is interested in knowing more:

http://www.ovalbooks.com/xeno/index.html

Iraq Inquiry

So what is Tony Blair up to nowadays? He is trying to facilitate peace in this world after helping to start out a number of conflicts and aiding in the killing on innocent civilians.

This week, he will be in London attending the Iraq inquiry. Will this inquiry bring about anything useful and concrete?

If you are against the Iraq War and want to show this to Mr Blair and other politicians, come along to a protest that the Stop the War Coalition is organising this Friday. See more details below:

http://www.tonyblairoffice.org/

http://www.stopwar.org.uk/

Thoughts for the Beginning of 2011

I recently read an excellent book by Thict Nhat Hanh. In this book, there was a story and a poem that really made me reflect on them. I want to share them here with you, as a good beginning for 2011. May this year will be filled with peace, happiness and love for all of you!
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'One day, while sitting in the Great Forest outside of Vaishali, the Buddha saw a farmer passing by. The farmer asked the Buddha if he had seen his cows which had run away. And besides that, he said, maggots had eaten the two acres of sesame that he had planted last year. He said that he was the unhappiest person alive, and maybe he should kill himself. The Buddha told him he had not seen his cows so he might find them in another direction. After he had gone, Buddha turned around and smiled to the monks who were sitting with him, and said, 'Monks, do you know that you are happy and free? You do not have a single cow to lose.'

What are your cows? Are you stressed out, hang up on your profession, feel pressure to perform well? Do you feel the need to boost up your selfimportance? Can you try to lose your cows in 2011 and feel happier and freer?
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DISCOURSE ON LOVE
May everyone be hapy and safe, and may all hearts
be filled with joy.

May all beings live in security and in peace-
beings who are frail or strong. tall or short,
big or small, invisible or visible, near or farway,
already been or yet to be born.
May all of them dwell in perfect tranquility.

Let no one do harm to anyone.
Let no one put the life of anyone in danger.
Let no one, out of anger
or ill will, wish anyone any harm.

Just as a mother loves and protects her only child at the risk of her own life,
cultivate boundless love
to offer to all living beings in the entire cosmos.
Let our boundless love pervade the whole universe,
above, below, and across.
Our love will know no obstacles.
Our heart will be absolutely free from hatred and enminty.
Wheter standing or walking,
sitting or lying, as long as we are awake, we should maintain this mindfullness of love in our own heart.
This is the noblest way of living.'
THICH NHAT HANH