Let’s get active!

After a bit more than 1 year since I started to work, I’ve noticed one very important thing – working makes you less active physically! It absorbs most of your time and energy plus it completely changes your lifestyle…

So, after realising all this, for quite a long time now, I’ve been trying to adapt myself to this new way of living and make out time for more physical activities. It sure helps to feel more energetic! I am no sports person but I do like some work out.

The process was and is quite difficult to maintain though because being a web developer and having a flexy time for work, I might find myself coming home too late. So the idea came to me – why not try to include some small and simple activities in my daily life routine? Besides, the recent ads of the margarine, Flora, made me even more realise how simple things could be done to improve our physical activities! It’s all in integrating those in our life and making it fun! After all, if we are to do something it should be first and foremost enjoyable and pleasant, else what’s the use?

Hence, all small trips I have to do I try my best not to take the car – besides it’s sometimes a headache to find somewhere to park your car or even get stuck in the traffic! Or even if I’m going by car, I might very well park somewhere far but safe , so I’m sure the car is secure plus I’m going to have a stroll out of it.

The most important thing is to realise that it’s very simple things that could easily change your physical state. And when we talk about physical state, we also should think about our nutrition. Yes, I know it’s the same lecture everytime but as I see it, controlling your food does not necessarily mean cutting out all nice things you like to eat! It’s all about knowing what you are eating and how you are using it – since it’s our body fuel.

Besides, if we try to find at least 30 minutes everyday to work out, it would be sufficient enough to keep fit. And if time allows, this 30 minutes could very well get to 1-2 hours. One of the best ways to make work outs fun is to add in some music! It not only helps to boost your energy but also time yourself. For example, during 3 songs I’m going to walk briskly (on the treadmill ) then another 3 ones I’m going to slow down the pace. With this, you can easily spend 15 minutes alternating brisk and slow walks. Another tip is to try to make a playlist with alternating rhythmic songs and slows. It really helps in motivating and controlling your pace in your work out!

Working out should also be your moment to let go all stress and tensions. Put on your most favourite songs and move on the music without any restraint. Let yourself enjoy this moment. Add in some variations plus some activities you like best -skipping, running, cycling, jogging,etc. Think like this is your hour – you are taking care of yourself and your body. Add to the fun by either working out with friends or getting yourself new clothes for work out (this is for girls specially ). Also don’t forget the “after-work-out” time where you get a nice hot bath or those who have tubs then enjoy the effects of bath salts /oils ( if you are doing it in couple even nicer ).

Last thing – we are lucky enough to live in a tropical island where summers are daaaamn hot but also the best occasion to work out the most we can in the best enjoyable way possible. I’m talking about going to the beach and swim or jog, go hiking, go cycling or even just stroll about admiring the greenery It all depends on where you live and what’s best to do according to your daily routine. In short, being active physically only needs some adjustments and the will to do it. The rest is only pleasure !

What do women want?

Seeking with the eyes by Sou

It has been very big puzzle indeed, present in the mind of men and women themselves, for centuries now…

Ask any woman the question and believe me the answer won’t and can’t be straight forward! Oh and no this is not because women are not intelligent or smart enough to know what they exactly desire! The matter is the question englobes “women” and it would be hard for one single woman to answer for all those types of women out there!

But some attempts could be made though. There are those who’d be happy to have a nice cozy house, a simple and gentle husband and kids to look after. While others would prefer a more busy life with a career as well as a family. Some women like their freedom pretty much, even in relationships.  On the other hand some would like to fully commit and devote themselves to their loved ones.

Of course, I’m using extreme examples! There are also those women who fall in between those extremes. The very fact of discovering what a woman wants, takes a lot of understanding – make sure you see her like an individual with her own identity (and not just a ‘like-all-women’  point of view). Once you’ve figured out who she really is, it all becomes clear. You’ve got to get close enough to her to understand her desires and dreams and even closer to wish they do come true.

In general, women would want you to listen to them and stand by them. We also would like you to stop this stereotype thinking about women being the weaker sex. In other words, start being less condescent or even better, don’t be it at all! Yes, we agree there are things men do that we can’t do but it never meant  that men had to get the lead.

When in a relationship, a woman would want, above all, a supportive and comprehensive partner. Someone who will be by her side for all important steps she takes in life  either in terms of her career or her personal life. It doesn’t mean that a woman cannot stand on her own alone – far from that. It means you do have an important place in her life and your opinion counts!

Women are very complex beings – I firmly agree. Yet the least a man could do is to accept their difference first by putting an end to this usual comparison between a man and a woman. Yes, women have unexplained reactions at times , they tend to get moody very easily. I even agree that they can also become a pain in the neck. But in the end you should understand that all she wants is your attention and affection. More than men, women seek for  love and attention all the time may it be from their surroundings or from their partners. This is why jealousy is most common feeling in women than in men.

Again whatever I’ve been saying might not be fully true for each and every women. Yet the most similar thing among them all is that they are human beings seeking for a place in what we call a man’s world (though not so much anymore according to me) and who have been successful so far

Hence, their most deepest wish would be to finally make women equal to men;  not in terms of deeds or salary but mostly in terms of attitudes and behaviours on the part of the society as a whole…

H1N1 flu triggering change in our educational system…

Modern Education

With the H1N1 flu spreading in Mauritius for the last 2-3 weeks, the government came up with the decision of closing schools for around 10 days. However, this term being the most crucial one due to end of year exams, measures had to be taken for students to keep in touch with courses while being at home.

Hence, the idea of giving a list of homework to students on Friday and Saturday last, where the latter had to fetch it at their respective school. Yet, at the end of these two days, it was noticed that 30% of students still hadn’t come to fetch their homework. Then only did the government make use of communication technologies at hand i.e. a hotline, text messages and emails. Plus it has also been decided that in about 15 days, every school will have its own website! The Mauritius College of the Air (M.C.A) has  also agreed to diifuse special TV programmes as replacement for missed courses.

The initiatives and efforts are very good indeed but did we have to be in a situation of crisis to finally make use of technologies in our educational system? Though some institutions are already following the technological pace, others are literally lagging behind – where even a photocopy machine is not available!

The integration of new technologies in our curriculum has to be considered seriously. I am sure it is there but the initiatives have yet to be taken and here we are, facing a crisis, jumping at the those measures that should have already been applied. A school website would not only have helped in bringing a new means of communication but also in administrative purposes. We are living in an information technology era where the internet has become a very important tool may it be in our everyday life or in business. So, why not make use of it for educational purposes also?

Personally, the best example I have experienced in such matter is the website of the Computer Science  and Engineering Department of the University of Mauritius, where we could download course handouts and also consult latest news may it be for exams schedules or even projects allocation. I remember that my  friends from other faculties used to think how lucky I am since I had so much facilities at hand. The same could be applied to our schools where parents could get latest news online ( since letters circulated through students nowadays rarely reach parents). For secondary level, notes and past exam papers could be placed online.

The big BUT in this suggestion is that there are still families without a pc at home! So, it would become somewhat discriminatory towards those students who have no internet facility at home. A very big loophole that has to be taken into consideration in the initiative of becoming a cyber island… Besides, if notes were to be placed online maybe it would stand as a threat to private tuitions and those teachers, who have made  it an integrate part of our education, might very well oppose to this idea.

With deep thoughts, maybe this step taken in a moment of crisis is much better. Had they planned it all, it might have become a real fiasco. Let’s hope it turns a new page for our educational system and kudos to those teachers and staff who are , on their own initiative, bringing a modern touch to their work.

Guys have feelings

Sad Happy by Isaiah Stephens

Yes, they do! It seems somewhat controversial for a girl to write about this but I wished to voice out my perception of the matter…

Since the time I’ve had friends of the opposite sex, I’ve been consistently discovering new facets of men (no wrong meaning there)!

Lately, there’s one particular aspect that has touched me a lot: how guys express and manage their feelings. Under their rough and tough appearance, most of them are very soft and gentle. Just like we, girls , always relish the idea of being admired, cherished and even “owned” by someone, guys also feel the same. It might be at different levels, compared to girls , but still…

It’s always a pleasure for them to hear how handsome or special they are and no matter how “indifferent” they might appear rest assured that the message went right to their heart

Personally, I’ve seen that it’s easy to forget that guys can be sentimental and sensitive. Though they might hide it behind their tough looks, they yearn for affection and love too. They might not fall into girlish depression (for some at least) but they also feel the pain of being dumped or betrayed.

I might seem to be pointing out the obvious but if we think of our everyday life, specially us girls, we might find that we often ignore this fact. We tend to expect a lot from guys specially on the sentimental side. Let’s realise that if we want their affection, we aught to understand their feelings and give them as much as we want to receive from them. Affection and care are the best at melting the toughest of guys !

The Eternal Quest For Beauty

'beauty is ... ' by Emaleth

It’s an everyday concern for most of us and even  a career prospect for some. Whether we deny it or not, it has always been in human nature to seek for beauty, for what’s more attractive, because it’s all about some well-being factor with things or people around us…

After some deep observation (no not scientific though), I have noticed a very important factor in being beautiful – to be happy with who you are. Shakespeare was right in saying that “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” but we won’t also run from the fact that physical beauty isn’t given to all of us . Yet, beauty in itself is not only about having physical traits that kill. Physical beauty, I believe, is all about genes. It’s just the right genes mixes that favour the most beautiful physical traits in a person. In brief, it cannot be actually controlled… unless we start reproducing on the basis of gene compatibility and in the optic of producing most beautiful offspring…

The other aspect of beauty is the non-physical one. The “beauty within” as we call it. The aspect of beauty that is controllable, malleable I’d even say. How come? By accepting who you are (not always an easy task I know) and show confidence in your own self. Deep inside we should accept that no matter how we are physically – dark or fair complexion, tall or short, blond or brunette – the real beauty lies in assuming the physical traits we have inherited and put in our own to give the best result of a beautiful person.

I think we all would agree that people who always express happiness and some well-being in who they are, always evoke some liking in us. And when we’ve developed a liking for someone, we stop seeing the physical flaws, we only see that blend of joy and self-confidence. And this is how I understand Shakespeare’s words. Beauty is like how we treat ourselves. We are all different and it happens that we envy others for some specific trait but let’s just think of the chance of being us first. We all have something special that brings out the beautiful person in us. Let’s just find it!

However the sad part of my observation is that beauty also depends on money. Yes, it costs nothing in being happy with who you are but it costs to put forward your physical beauty. Again it would be just hypocritical to say that natural beauty is all that counts. Yes, simplicity is true beauty but simplicity doesn’t mean no self care. We all come to a point in life where we realise that some beauty care would do no harm but rather help to maintain ourselves. (I am not talking about excessive beauty care though!) However, taking care of ourselves costs – beauty products, beauty parlours and beauty spas. I came to the conclusion here that the richer you are the most facilities you can get and the better you can look. A sad truth but this is how this world goes… It’s all about a matter of luck – whether you are born rich or not and whether you get rich or not.

It might appear superficial to be writing about beauty but in fact if we have come to think of beauty as superficial it is because the human race has put forward so much importance in it. Even at the time of Egyptians, beauty products existed and beauty held an important part in people’s life. We’ve grown to think of it  to be superficial because as years went it became a tool for marketing and medias. “Standards” – top models/actors – have been developed and the real meaning of beauty has been completely modified according to the way stylists and designers view it. Yet, let’s not forget that who ever are those who have set these so-called beauty standards are humans just like us with their own perception of beauty.

So, let’s not just get lost in all these and for some minutes realise the real beauty in us. It’s all part of self-realisation and a quest to set upon to feel really happy with who we are.

P.S: Click on the picture to view it from it’s original page and have a better view.

This is how life goes

When you are celebrating your birthday with your parents in the warmth of your home, there might be a cousin there who is struggling for life…

When you are sitting comfortably in front of your PC watching a movie, a friend out there might be lying wounded on the floor, after a car accident, breathing his last…

When a father is watching his daughter grow, become someone successful in life, another father there is seeing his child losing grip of life day after day…

When you are sharing few moments of love with your dear ones, there are people out there who are waiting for their closed ones to come back home…

And this is how life goes, happiness and sorrow, smiles and tears, relief and regrets…

It teaches us only one thing: cherish the past and grasp the present, to better face the future. Life is the lesson to learn to appreciate what we have. It’s easy to get lost but it always strikes us with particular events that make us ponder more about it and realise its preciousness.

“Live high, live mighty, live righteously…” J.Mraz

To Future Developers…

If you are aspiring a career in software development, there are a few things you should realise before really stepping into this adventure…

I might be working as web developer for less than one year but I’ve learnt quite a lot in those last months. The first and foremost advice is to really like programming else it’s all gonna be hell!

Besides having an affinity for the job, certain skills are also important among which are analytical skills, patience (loads of it), a well -structured way of working and be well organised.

A developer , I believe, should also be sharing – for his/her own benefit (yeah true). Of course claiming your work is important but here the main idea is to share your experience and knowledge with your colleagues. Not only do you stand to gain more but you also get to introspect how you work and maybe find out how to improve it.

Deciding about becoming a developer will also bring about changes in how you view life. Development brings you to think methodically, relate things to others, find out the possible outcomes, the different conditions that could alter your results and so on. Soon this way of thinking will start to reflect on your everyday life.You might end up finding yourself calculating every outcomes of one single decision (side effects of if/else control structures?).

However, being a developer is the best thing that could happen to me. I used to look in awe at softwares and think of those peeps who had actually coded these as crazy. Today, I just feel like they are not only crazy but geniuses who have made of a computer a living entity

As you aspire to step into a developer’s career, I’d advise you to sincerely ‘feel’ it than just ‘choose’ it. As someone once told me: Since we are to make money to live, why not find a job that’s going to bring both money and self-satisfaction…

Meet your boss online

Yes, this has become the latest trend – finding your boss online on either a social community site like Facebook or a blog!

Recently, I was reading a blog post (click here to view it) where a vacancy at Vinivi was kind of being announced by a third party but still where comments were being answered enthusiastically by the company’s founder. This stands as some good example of how technology, specially the internet, has completely altered the communication between the boss and the employee.

Though this might be more of a reality for ICT companies, I believe it’s also becoming so for other businesses. Why is it so? Well first of all because the boss is also a human being (yes yes) and like any other person following internet trends, he\she has a profile on a social community site or even has a blog. So, there’s some huge possibility that you meet each other online isn’t it?

Secondly, the internet is becoming an important communication tool for any type of businesses and so it helps in keeping contact with not only clients but also employees. And what’s the best way to reach people on the net other than having a profile on a social network or having a blog? Let’s just take Facebook as example, its population of users is such that you can always expect to find your colleagues there including your boss!

However, the complexity of the matter starts here – are you going to accept/send a friend request from/to your boss on professional basis or personal ones? Though limited profiles do exist, it’s always somewhat confusing at times to really judge what’s allowed and what’s not. It’s maybe a big disadvantage of the Web 2.0 – where everything and everyone becomes one single community – where your personal life gets mingled with your professional life…

It’s not such a bad thing though – well depending on the way your boss keeps his relations with his employees – it helps in getting to know your boss and colleagues in a different light. It’s also easier to get an overview of how the people are, in the company you are about to join. Besides if you have a young and open-minded boss (like we do at Netgroup), such situations do not really seem awkward.

I believe this trend cannot be stopped, we shall see more proximity between employers and employees, thanks to such social networks. However, the question of how to handle such proximity lies with us. We are all to take our responsibilities of how to handle our relationships. Communicating over the net with colleagues and bosses is really beneficial for the company itself – it helps in enhancing the relationship between them. So, let’s not mess up all this and let’s learn to be sensible and responsible on the net. It’s not about imposing limits but it’s about knowing how to use the freedom being offered online….

It’s in human nature to break rules…

Ever since man has been on this Earth, he has been establishing rules,regulations,structured systems that are meant to bring some standards or guidelines for others to follow.

However, it has also been in human nature to go against those restrictions – students who’d rather bunk classes, drivers who’d invent new laws on the roads, workers who’d rather rebel against the company’s policy, a lawyer who’d find his client some way to escape from law by manipulating it…

Why is man so fickle? Because the human being is an ever changing organism with a brain that keeps on thinking and that will always find a flaw somewhere in the established system or that’ll shrewdly devise a way to avoid restrictions. In other words, the human mind can never bind itself to rules. It’s inborn for any human being to develop some resistance to any kind of limitations presented to him/her. It’s somewhat some kind of self defense because we all love our freedom.

I don’t believe it’s some flaw in human nature though. Had we been mere receptive puppets, the world would’ve stayed unchanged. The French Revolution, Ghandi’s non-violent fight for independence and more recently Obama’s victory for the United States Presidential Elections (to name a few) – none of these would’ve happened if man hadn’t been of changing and rebellious nature. We all want the best and we all have our limits of tolerance.

When I said rules in my title, I didn’t imply legal rules or any institutional rule in particular, I was pointing out at any type of limitations being put upon humans, may it be man-made or natural. Man has and will always strive for his freedom even if it means going against any authority. At times it might be a huge outrage of anger and frustration, that has been kept for too long, or it might also be some wise thoughts and calculated actions but in the end it would only result in man trying to pull down the walls of restrictions and that’s why there will always be laws and law breakers…

P.S: The accompanying picture is quite evocative of restrictions and freedom both right there so close yet so far Enjoy !

D’you have any contacts???

The True Businessman by Peter Geo

Today the Central Electricity Board (C.E.B) was supposed to carry out some works on our electric lines during the day and the supply of electricity was cut as from 08.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. However, when we got back home we saw that we were still without electricity and that our neighbours had already got back theirs… Something was definitely wrong in our connections then. So, the very first step to take is of course to call C.E.B’s hotline number – which my mum did THRICE (the first time being at around 6.30p.m. and the third time being at around 09.30 p.m.).

Meanwhile my dad phoned a friend who’s got a relative working at the C.E.B who in turn called an advisor at the Ministry of Public Utilities who then phoned a press officer of the same ministry ( wait it still goes on) who theeen phoned the C.E.B to dispatch some technicians at our place…

All this to point out that in our little-island-in-the-sun, if you have no contacts (and here I mean of course top level employees) in whatsoever public institution, you might end up calling endlessly at customer care offices ( wonder what kind of care that is)…

The same thing happened to a friend of mine who kept phoning at Orange (Mauritius Telecom) Customer Care to troubleshoot a problem he’s been having with his SIM card. It’s still under process… While my mum had her SIM card upgraded in one single day thanks to some acquaintance there!!!

SO my question is : what’s in the saying – the customer is a king??? It isn’t , specially for public facilities! They boast about being at the service of customers, about training their staff for better customer service but what for if in the end it’s some contact that you need?

It might also appear as some kind of corruption BUT face the damn truth if you ever think of going the straight way – it’s going to take you more time, more energy ( because you’re sure to steam up) and more patience (because of course your case will have to be viewed and reviewed).

Some pretty sad reality of how our public facilities go about… If we all could just be true to ourselves and true to our work, this world would have been much a more pleasant place to live! So, you out there when you’re at work do think of how you would feel as the customer and do try to give your best in your job because it would not only benefit you but all those who depend on it also…

Don’t you wish…

“And celebrate the malleable reality nothing is ever as it seems this life is but a dream” Jason Mraz

Sky 32 by Peace of Art

Don’t you wish you could soar up the sky
Watching the rest of the world as it goes by?

Don’t you wish to sail on the deep blue sea,
Feel the openness of the ocean and sense the real meaning of being free?

Don’t you wish to lie down by the shore, the cool waters running at your feet
And their sound playing in your mind, so sweet?

So tell me don’t you wish dreams could come true?

$öU;)

Are we a non-saving generation?

I am not spending that much by mydeadpony

My title might appear quite evocative specially that we are in the festive period and the shopping frenzy is at its peak. The fact is that after all my trips to shopping centers, back home, when piling up my receipts, I started to wonder how much we tend to spend during these days. It seems quite incredible specially that we are supposed to be in a world financial crisis! Yet this end of year shopping craze is like a tradition…

And then it made me think of discussions we’ve been having among friends about money saving – a very great challenge for us all! It’s hardly like we can save much from our salary. Money really rules in this world and the more you get the more you feel like spending it! It’s the worst evil on Earth I’d say! Are we too young to feel like saving? Or is it that the way of living is such now that saving has become too difficult?

The matter I believe involves just too many factors and it is different for each and everyone. Some of us have big dreams and big wants while others have habits to cater for… But most of all we live in a world where medias are being fully exploited for marketing products adding to this an ever evolving world of technology…The outcome from this is quite clear then – the spending process is never going to stop.

And how about saving? It seems very hard indeed! I believe it all comes from ourselves – self discipline and all that. Maybe some new year resolution then

All the best to all of you peeps out there (including me) and have nice feasts !

Who are we to judge?

what they say about me by purplerainistaken

Since I’ve joined in my new job, it’s been like meeting new people, getting to know them better each day. Then it came to making my family understand the culture of the company, how the social life goes on there. Hanging out with colleagues is pretty fun specially if they are mostly of your own age group.

However, one thing has always been pestering me – the opinion my parents have about it all. The HUGE difference there is in the way they understand the relationship between colleagues. The way they so easily tag someone with prejudices… It all sickens me. I might be younger and still inexperienced but one thing I’ve always believed in is that we can’t judge people right from what we hear about them or what we see or worst from how WE believe things should be.

Living in society is quite a complex thing because we are all so different – if I believe in God it’s not necessary that I’d expect all those around me to do so. But it seems quite opposite for some people who’d judge others according to their beliefs rather to the real person there is in others.

Upto now whatever I’ve learnt from life is that this world is full of different people, with different views, beliefs and principles. We might never agree on issues but it wouldn’t mean that they are less than us or vice versa. We are humans after all, we have to share this bond at least. Understanding and respect are what we all need most. It’s important to see through others what they are first, than classifying everyone just at a glance.

You people out there, it might not be easy or maybe not possible at all to appreciate each individual around you but it would be more sensible to try not to judge them. Words can hurt more than anything remember that and we should always think that the way we see things might not be the ONLY way things should be.

Master of Time

Can't turn back time by shimoda7

Since we’ve started with this “summer time” thing in Mauritius yesterday, it made me ponder on how we , humans, have been manipulating time. As a child I used to think how come we know our time is right? Who decides which clock is on time and which isn’t? Because we might all have some difference of 1-3 minutes on our watch and we still argue that our time is the right one. I remember my parents used to rely on the radio to know what’s the “exact” time.

Today when we’ve switched to the summer time, it comes again – what is the real time then? Some unreal thought maybe – no explicit answer only a vague emptiness… Because ,after all, time is abstract, almost unreal! WE invented time, to give a sense to our days, to schedule our lives but time as such isn’t like seconds or minutes… It’s just something that flows and ages us in the process.

When we are trying today to manipulate time for “energy savings”, it’s like we are trying to master time. But we are actually re-organising the “representation” of time because what we see on our clocks or watches is in fact some “representation” of time isn’t it? Some fantasy becoming true we might say, yet it’s a sign of man trying to adapt his environment, or his time spectrum rather, to his living habits!

However, no matter how much man tries, he’ll only be a puppet of time and never master of time…

My First Steps Towards My Career

Career Girl by ~henares

After some 3 months of biiig vacations, here am off to start my career ! It’s a huge excitement and though some might think: “Why on Earth she didn’t go for a scholarship and continue her studies?”, I feel I’m on the right track- going in the right way. It’s not just a question of feelings but also a decision taken after much thinking. There are stages in life where you come at a standstill, a crossroad rather, and you have to decide where to go. You’ll get advices from so many peeps around you but in the end it’s more like what you want and what you decide that counts.

So after such a long break from everything, the decision was taken. I might have very well gone for my masters but still I don’t feel ready for these. It’s a matter of maturity and experience which I reckon to lack to go further in my studies.

I believe the most important thing in life is to feel comfortable with whatever decisions you take and feel independent of what others might think. Though it might not be an easy task every time – specially when you’ve always been like the focus of the family: “So what’s next now for ya? “

Anyway, here I am all ready for a brand new career, the road to make my own place in the field of work, a great adventure that awaits me indeed! All I wish is that the plans I have been making shall become true – they are so far so let’s cross fingers

With this post I’d also like to state that it’s quite a pity though in Mauritius that we don’t have much career guidance. It’s not always as such to find peeps with a clear idea of what they want to be – I myself was in the shades a year ago. It would be great if our youth could have a better insight of job prospects in our country and not only have so-called career guidance fairs where the real goal behind is to market your university or institution to potential students. How are they supposed to chose when they don’t even know what they want to do?

Usually children here get their inspirations from their parents who most of them encourage their children to become doctors, lawyers, engineers and the most recent trend – IT officers (I’m saying IT officers because parents rarely know exactly what jobs the IT field offers). It’s nothing like having your own ambitions – it’s just a race to fame and glory. We have to understand that a person’s success is not only his salary but also how much happiness he is deriving from his life. So, it’s high time to encourage our children in developing their talents and in discovering the different opportunities they have. Then later on they might not end up in opting only for what’s trendy and see if they are lucky enough to succeed.

On my part, I have been lucky enough, I have found my path in this IT field. I have no regrets in my choice so far and I wish it to be so for all of you there!

Influences

Digital World by darkthunder89

Humans are so complicated creatures and so is their life. Throughout these years, they have been evolving and creating – always seeking for innovations and new creations. Whatever has been done and is being done in this whole world has and will always have a direct impact on us.

Have we ever wondered how we could control all these influential forces that carve our lives and make us mere followers of a continuous and everlasting flow?

There might not be much we could do though because we depend on the world around us, we depend on what it gives us to advance and progress. However, if we are to come up with new creations, ideas, technologies, trends, fashion why don’t we also think of the consequences? Has everything become so commercial that it’s no use pondering what will be the after effect? Or maybe the after effect also shall become an opportunity to create for more new things…

I believe whatever I’ve been saying here has appeared a lot abstract and unreal, right? It’s just some thoughts that arose in my mind these last days when I was cut from the internet and my pc. I realized how much we’ve grown to depend on new technologies – cars, mp3s, pcs, mobile phones etc… What would we have been without those today? They’ve become essential things in our lives and no matter how sophisticated and expensive they get we always want to get them. It’s not greed though it’s just that we are following this world’s trends, needs and aspirations from us.

I don’t see any harm in using technologies to simplify our lives or entertain but I see it harmful when it concerns our youngsters – adolescents. I am not criticizing them – adolescence is such a phase of life where everything rebellious seems cool. However, with so many technologies, easily available, they tend to get absorbed by all the magic without realising about the consequences of their acts. Our new technologies have indeed created uproar in communications but all the freedom it offers now has made our youth too much independent. Independent because they have their own devices – pc, mobile phones, mp3s, mp4s etc… and because these have enabled them to create a whole digital world for themselves where they tend to shut themselves and avoid the world outside. It might seem too alarmist to state that this is dangerous because, after all, the whole world is turning digital… However, our youth is at risk in this digital world – let’s forget about pornography, identity misuse etc – let’s just focus on the consequences of having them enclosed in so much facilities. They forget about the real world around them. They get immersed in this whole new world where your identity is what you want it to be – today a rock star, tomorrow a movie star – where nothing is for real everything is for fun. Their upbringing is being done in this unreal world where all their young fantasies can become true but then, what happens in the real world? What happens when they try to live it up for real? That’s maybe the reason why youngsters are getting more difficult to control and understand – they are too much influenced. Is it parents’ fault, teachers’ fault, technologies’ fault? Or is it worth it anyway to find whom to blame?

Placing the blame won’t solve anything. Our youth is full of imagination, creativity and energy. Yes they should get along with new technologies. Yes they have the right to communicate with the rest of the world but they should also realise that this world is much more than mouse clicks or message transfers. We all need to realise it, in fact. Just once try to turn off the T.V. and the pc and have an evening with your loved ones. Just appreciate this real world with real people to talk to, real places to enjoy yourselves and mind you there’s nothing that can replace these moments of real experiences! Then maybe this will help us all in distinguishing the difference and become less addicted to technologies. Technologies are our tools let’s not let them lead our lives!

Our Roads – The New Far West

Off Road by `gilad

Ever since I’ve started driving, I haven’t stopped cursing the state of our roads! They are very rare those that can be described as “practicable” – from potholes to ditches without forgetting those numerous crossroads with blind spots. It’s a complete mess from which you’ve got to get your way out! I happen to wonder why speed breakers are in use since with those bumpy roads it’s already hard to speed :s

Ah and did I mention about our dear pedestrians who after those campaigns on TV – “Enn Bon Sofèr” – believe they can wander about on the roads as per their wish…specially school kids who I think believe roads to be appropriate for group meetings or maybe it’s a challenge to show that they can block a whole street by walking in crowds when school’s out.

Besides, could anyone remember me what are yellow boxes meant for ? I think I misunderstood it or is it that after you get your license it simply becomes some mere marking on the road?

I know it’s not easy to keep a watch on each and every road user but I believe it’s up to us all to act sensibly and show some responsible behaviour. Yet if our leaders themselves can freeze traffic along a road to pass by in their big cars – just to avoid the traffic jam you see – then it all ends up like the far west : “the mightier and faster wins!”.

Anyway I’m not discouraging those who are actually trying to get their license – driving is indeed a pleasure to experience! It’s just that once you’re out with your license, it’s yet another learning and adaptation phase that’s awaiting you but remember you too you were a” Learner” once and also remember if not today, then tomorrow it will be you who’d be asking the way from the others so just show some civism and we’ll all stand to win out of it.

Those lessons of life…

Playing in the path of Life by excer

It’s normal for us to stop and think back at what we’ve been doing when we reach some milestone in our life. The same happened to me recently as I lived the last days of my university life (well as bachelor student). It’s been like viewing how I’ve changed and why and where all this has brought me to and I think university was full of experiences I’d never think I’d live! It’s really true that university not only forges your academic skills but also trains you for life afterwards! I still remember feeling kind of lost in the huge crowd in first year. So many people, so different and sometimes SO WEIRD!!! Lol no offence here to anyone :p . What I mean is that the change from college and university was so “blatant”!

I suddenly realized how society goes lol I mean how we evolve as individuals, how we make this society evolve (or downgrade). We take it all from our young years and we keep on changing in nature (and in attitudes) as we meet other people and learn about their ways and behaviours… I have seen that first of all, we always carry the traits of our past college no matter how grown up we get And sometimes, either we agree to it or not, we tend to be more familiar to those peeps who came from “similar” colleges to ours than others. I find it somewhat sad though n sooo striking how different institutions, in one single country, form different personalities! Maybe that’s why parents get so stressed as to which school to send their kids coz it will all result in the way your kid will end up as an individual…

Secondly, I found out that all those characters you see in serials or movies – you know those kind of “mama difer” ou “mettere difer” – aren’t so fictitious after all!!! At first I was quite shocked how come such people exist! How come each of their actions had a deep meaning behind – very calculated moves, well-placed lies… It’s just so freaking to think that that type of peeps do actually come to university!!! And will tomorrow be “professionals”! I do understand now how come the crime rate in Mauritius is increasing! (hihi some dramatization here I agree )

Finally, there are those special peeps who made it all so great to be at university! Out of that crazy crowd there were those who indeed showed some common sense (no no dramatization here). Those peeps are those special friends I’ve met and who’ve made university life so wonderful. And I’d wish to dedicate this post to them but I believe words aren’t enough to express the moments we had together. We’ve lived like a family, we’ve been always present for each other, we’ve always worked together, helping each other but above all, we’ve been accepting each others’ differences and living it up so well that it gave me more courage to go forward in this brand new world opening to us. It showed me that life’s not always rosy but when you have special peeps around who are ready to share your sorrows and happiness, it suddenly takes rose tints

University life has therefore been very enriching. It’s been like some initiation to life out there, the trailer I wish to keep with me not only those “teachings” but also that friendship I’ve developed, I wish we all keep in touch no matter where we go and am sure we are all meant for a great future. I wish the best to all those special peeps I’ve known and I’d like to tell them that you’ve really held a special place in my heart and it shall always be so…

Memories – Our Lifetime Treasures

Here in this Diary by heyhogwarts

On hearing the starting notes of Hotel California being played by some students of my sister’s school, I immediately felt myself drifting back to my teen years…

A whole wave of nostalgia caught me first as I realized that those years are long lost now. But then a warm feeling invaded my heart: even if my teen years are over, as I look back at them I feel I’ve nothing to regret. They were among the most wonderful years I’ve had in my life. We’ve been crazy, naughty, mischievous and most of all ignorant of whatever we were doing but still we’ve enjoyed each and every moments. Sure now thinking back at some of my deeds, I might just say how immature I was but still at that age we don’t judge things the same way we do now. Even in ten years, when I’ll look back at my twenties and I’ll definitely think how immature I was. So, I believe it would be wrong then to feel guilty or ashamed of our past actions. Whatever we had done we did it then thinking it was good. As years pass our state of mind changes and it’s quite natural then to believe how immature or stupid our past acts might have been.

And so I started day dreaming or “flashbacking” about my wonderful teen years: those events that made our hearts quiver with excitement, those laughs we had together, the pleasure we had in hanging out together, the enmity we lived so passionately (LOL), those comments we always made about our teachers and all those “oh so special” things that have become memories worth cherishing.

And then I started to think of where I have reached today in my life, how my university years have just ended and how those years too shall be forever present in my mind and heart. As we were approaching the end of the last semester, I always wished I could’ve done something that would help to capture some bit of those 3 years spent at the university. Then I would get so sad that we were so engrossed in exams and final year projects that we ended up so dully like the waves that come dying on the shore… But then, as the notes of Hotel California went on, it made me realize that I am wrong. We didn’t end up dully. It’s not important to have something special for the last days at university what’s more important is the other days we had together there! Whatever we are going to take with us are those memories that shall always accompany us wherever we go. I might have asked everyone to sign in some diary but I might lose it after or it would surely get old and the ink would fade away… but memories don’t just fade away. Memories ARE those special treasures that keep safe those special moments we’ve had in life. And when we turn back to our past and think of whatever we’ve done, I believe we should all be happy and feel no regrets. Life is just too special and beautiful to waste it in remorseful feelings. We should live it at the most and cherish every moments we’ve lived as these are going to be our special treasures till our death…

Happy Birthday Independence of Mauritius

Yeah so we are celebrating today our 40 years of Independence – of which I have enjoyed almost 23 years (WOW more than the half :-/ ). However, something’s just annoying me (lol “comme d’hab”). When we have been living in a mood of patriotism and preparation for this event these last few days, I have seen mostly reminiscences of HOW we achieved independence and maybe brief broadcasts on TV about how we have evolved in different fields.

We all know who gave us Independence, how it came about and when it occurred – we all learnt it in school. Maybe it would be good to clear out the fact that we are not celebrating the acquisition of Independence only here, we are actually celebrating the 40 years we’ve been free! Some say it might have been better if we were left as British colony well I might not be able to point out my opinion here because since my birth I’ve been Mauritian and I haven’t felt that difference so…

Yet it would be good if our medias – specially our local TV broadcasting company – could also spread more on those 40 years of Independence. Because achieving it is one thing and maintaining it is another! We all, each and every citizen of this country have been, since 1968, striving hard to make this a success. We must not forget the meaning of an Independence, it is becoming actually self-dependent; and if we think well, it was a huge task and a big risk also undertaken. A risk that today has been rather fruitful I’d say. Though being a little island, lost somewhere in the immensity of the Indian Ocean, we’ve proved to be better off than many other African country.

Hence, for this special day, I’d like all of us to sit and think not about what political party had brought us Independence etc… but how far we have reached. And though we are still miles away from being fully developed, we still achieved a lot in 40 years and we should show the same determinism for future years. After all our small island-in-the-sun needs its people the most to progress and shine as the Star and the Key of the Indian Ocean!

Our Youth Our Pride… (Nou Zeness Nou Fierté)

jumping friends by XiSerX

I was just surfing about looking for images about our national independence day slogan -”Nou pays Nou Fierté” (Our Country, Our Pride) when I got the nice surprise of finding lots of search results on Google about the topic. I was quite sceptic at start, thinking that maybe this is some vague search to do on Google but it proved to be wrong. Compared to some years back, there are more results related to Mauritius and this thanks to those Mauritians who have ‘dared‘ to host their blog, view out their opinions and thus make it possible to point out this little island-in-the-sun on the huge ‘internet’s map‘.

What is more surprising is the apparent enthusiasm of our youth in blogging. Though we might say some are unaware of the power of a blog and are doing it ‘just to be hype’ or ‘just for the fun‘, some have really mastered it. It feels really good to see that our younger generations have opened themselves to the internet, using it as a tool to express themselves.

As we are going to celebrate our 40 years of independence, I think it would be better to turn our attention to our youth, this nation’s future. I believe if blogs (and all internet community networks) have become so famous among young Mauritians it is mostly because they feel the freedom of expression in it. They feel like in touch with everyone, free from societal pressures and a way to escape from the loads of ‘palabes‘ (gossip) we would usually hear if we did communicate as we did here on the net.

Our youth, no matter how much we can hear about it, is still very promising. Just a look at some of our bloggers’ articles or some of the Flickr pics we can see the talent behind. Yet, there’s no so real platform for them to express it in the open here. Hence the ‘gateway‘ they found in the multiple network communities on the net.

I would personally encourage all of those young Mauritians to perceive in this way because unknowingly, they have become like ‘virtual ambassadors‘ of our country. It feels so good to type in some creole words in Google and actually get results So for this 40 years of independence, I salute our youth who has accepted the ‘internet revolution‘ and proved to the world that though we are some tiny-miny point on the world map, we still move with the ‘waves of change‘ of this whole world!

So hip hip hip hourray to Mauritian Youth !!!

2007 – Review

Fireworks by devnull-co-uk

A new year has started and we often ponder about the previous one: what we have achieved, what we had aspired and what we got…

This post is going to be about this: MY retrospective…

In 2007, I experienced a few new things like my very first blog post. And sincerely this was and is still is a great experience! Blogging, as I was just discussing with a friend of mine, is the sole satisfaction of having written something and made it available to such a huge amount of potential readers. It opens the world to you and vice versa.I hope this year more people – specially Mauritians – are going to realise its real meaning and not just sue people unnecessarily for their posts! Of course, here I am referring to this post you can check it out….

I also gave a try to Facebook after a lot of requests from the same friend mentioned above. The result was just wonderful!If you are reading this and you haven’t tried it yet just go ahead! But maybe go on slowly on the applications The fantastic thing about Facebook is that it helps you to keep in touch with your friends anywhere anytime anyhow !!! I’ve quite liked it a lot and am still looking forward for old friends to join in and add to the fun!

Since am talking about my new experiences in 2007, let me also talk about my conversion from Nomad to MyT i.e. I changed my internet service provider. Actually the transition was very good. I have great connection now though I know it’s really nothing compared to foreign ones but having had a connection that keeps fluctuating due to low reception (wireless modem) and then transiting to a fixed connection IS sure a great experience! And no need to say that “it opened so many doors“: movies, songs, YouTube!!!

Oh well I know I’m talking mostly of my “adventures” with the internet but they sure are main things that changed life altogether in 2007! And of course I met new peeps, got new friends as well as met old ones, reminisced old time stories and so on… These are the little things that made 2007 a great year

I wish you all a very Happy New Year, let all the good spirits of 2007 follow you in 2008 and may all sorrow or difficulties you encountered fade away as we enter a new year…

Beware those Fizzy Drinks Bite!!!

melb_flavoured sugar water by green pez

Since the festive periods are here, I believe most kids and ‘non-alcoholic‘ peeps shall be ‘feasting‘ on the fizzy drinks… Yet recently, a friend of mine experienced the terrible ‘after-effects ‘ of having too much fizzy drinks – her front teeth’s enamel being gnawed up till the nerves OUCH!

This is why am having this post just to advise you peeps to beware of those oh so tasty fizzy drinks! Specially colour-added ones! What actually happened to my friend mentioned above was that having drunk too much of those drinks directly from the plastic bottle, it continuously came into contact with her front teeth, which gradually acted upon her enamel (some chemical reaction happening here) where as a result the enamel got kind of ‘dissolved‘. The symptoms of course would be ‘sensitive teeth‘ where you’d at first find it difficult to have something cold then solid because your teeth are losing there ‘armour‘ and your nerves are getting exposed…

The same can happen to your bones! Yes well read, bones… However, this might take a longer time in the sense that the drink does not get into direct contact with your bones as it gets digested first. The consequent digested substance, from the drink, then flows to your bones via the blood. Though the concentration is less than in the mouth, it creates some damage and if you keep taking those drinks regularly, it might accelerate the process…

Quite freaky I’d say! Yet the solution is first and foremost to reduce your intake… Try to avoid colour-added ones as far as possible. And if you are taking some colour-added one do use a straw to prevent it from getting into contact with your teeth.

I too will find it somewhat difficult to slow down on those fizzy drinks, I admit, but still I’d rather keep my smile and bones, don’t you think so? So said, I hope you all have a wonderful festive time with friends and family.

CHEERS !!!

Slow Food v/s Fast Food

 

We’ve all been accustomed to the term fast food but how many of us are aware of slow food? In fact I came across the term in a documentary I watched on TV and thought of sharing it to others as I quite liked the idea behind…

 

Slow Food is first of all a community of people who are for the promotion of healthy food and the preservation of traditional food production around the globe. Quoting from the official Slow Food site:

 

 

The whole idea behind is to bring some awareness in people about having healthy food i.e. mostly food made of fresh and natural ingredients instead of fast food where ingredients are all commercial ones: sugar-added, conservatives, aspartame etc… Of course who among us doesn’t find fast food tasty! Yet it is not about banning such food but instead it is about the way the food is being cooked. Above in the picture, you can see a “slow food version” of a hamburger and chips. The only difference between the “fast food version” is that everything is home-made from the bread to the mayonnaise. And once again it is not about YOU having to prepare all this; the term home-made here implies that the cooks have themselves prepared each part of this meal rather than having the bread delivered – ready-made, the mayonnaise right from a stock of jars and the chips pre-cooked and frozen.

 

When we talk of defending the biodiversity, the aim behind is to promote the use of ingredients and natural resources as per seasons where they are available. It thus helps to keep a balance in the ecosystem whereby life cycles of organisms (including plants) are being respected. For example, it is better to wait for salmons to come back to the seas and then order for them than try to get some all year through. Otherwise it diminishes the number of salmons and leads the species to danger of extinction.

 

So finally, I have liked this slow food idea a lot specially when we think of all health problems that crop up due to the food we are having! And anyway it is about making outdoor food healthier and of better quality not only for health but also for the joy of our palates! So it would be great to spread the word everywhere and support such an idea as like the saying goes: ‘If we are what we eat, who wants to be fast, cheap and easy!’

 

P.S: Check out more about this on the Slow Food website.

 

 

Let’s talk about…Cancer

 

Although it is an illness we are often hearing about, it is not so well-known among people. My point here is that we know cancer is a scourge on humanity, it takes lives but still most of us do ignore the story behind: what does it involve? How do we get it? What could be done? Can it be cured or not?

If today I’m having a post on this topic it’s because I recently went through the experience of having someone very close suffering from cancer. The news was like a big blow on us all and what stroke me most was that the person in question went on making research on cancer by herself discovering what is awaiting her and why all this is happening to her. A courageous step I’d say because some other person would maybe sit down n accept his/her fate without trying to figure out what went wrong and what can be done.

Up to now there’s no certain cause for cancer meaning that there are several factors that can lead to a cancer: smoking, drinking, exposure to radiations, unhealthy diet, stress as well as hereditary factors. A cancer is usually a growth of mutated cells i.e. cells that have no relevant function like say intestinal cells are specialized for food digestion, these cells are only ordinary, rapidly reproducing ones. As they continue to multiply, they tend to form a tumor. This tumor can be either benign or malign.

Benign means that it can be removed and has less chances of re-growth.

Malign meaning that it is very difficult to be removed and even if removed it can re-grow and eventually lead to death.

There are several types of cancers and not all of them are deadly. For example having breast cancer and if detected at early stages – i.e. the tumor has not grown too big – it can be cured via chemotherapies and surgical intervention. However, leukemia – cancer of the blood- is practically impossible to cure because logically the mutated cells are in the blood and since the blood flows throughout your body, it would literally mean to drain you of your blood! Anyway I’m not saying that miracles do not exist! Yes, they do and with more advances I really hope there will be no such cancers can cannot be cured.

As for the person I’ve been mentioning above, it is now the last month of her cure and I strongly believe she was very brave and God bless that she recovers very soon…

P.S:

• October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Check the link for more details: Pink October

• Picture depicts the song “Cancer” by My Chemical Romance created with PS and Gimp

Socialising in the 21st century

 

There was once a time, when France was still sovereignty, where people used to meet in living rooms to talk among themselves, share their ideas and this gave rise to the social community of that era. It was through such meetings that great authors have been discovered – Baudelaire, Sand and Chateaubriand to name a few…

As we’ve reached the 21^st century, the term social community has been completely redefined with the increasing use of the computer and the internet. Online social communities have become the trend. Its no more tea time at a friend’s place but rather all round the clock at a friend’s through his/her pc…

One of the most famous social networks over the internet is surely Facebook and as I once said to a friend: “This Facebook is like some big book open to everyone where you can keep track of your friends no matter where they are!” And indeed it proved to be like that. It’s no more like I’ve got friends miles away from me but it’s like they are right there next door.

However, it certainly gives matter to thought as to the different trend socializing is following… Is it so secure to be accessible to so many people on the net? How far can we assure that the person we’ve been chatting to or messaging is really who he/she claims to be? Because we should not forget the freedom of such socializing attitudes where you can adopt any identity and never declare that whatever you’ve been claiming till now was the truth… Who is going to affirm then that whoever we’ve been meeting online was absolutely true to us? Where can we lay the line between truth and lies?

Oh well anyway handling such issues I believe depends on one’s own degree of understanding of the consequences of any actions taken on the internet. We are after all responsible for all actions we undertake…

Tuitions everywhere…

 

Oh well just after discussing the matter with a friend , we found this notice and I felt that this is just going too far!

Recently, a friend of mine met first year students and they were asking him information about tuitions… It’s become like some fashion, if not some craze among newcomers to take tuitions! The most revolting part about the matter I believe is people actually benefiting from the situation i.e. those actually offering these tuitions. It is more of a business than anything else! After almost 4-5 years of secondary school where these very students took private tuitions they are still going on with it at tertiary level! The matter has reached such heights that we can also see notices like the one above on the campus!!!

I do agree that at first it is really difficult to cope with studying by your own and all that and sure some help would really mean a lot but I think this is growing into some bad habit in our country. What I mean here is that some people are even trying to get some living out of it! Is it that our lecturers are not efficient enough or is it a problem with the system? How come each year students complain about Programming with C++ and Maths ? Isn’t there anyone who’s capable to explain it clearly to students? Or is it lack of practice on students’ part? Anyway the problem is being , for the time being, resolved via tuitions – which by the way are not free and alarmingly increasing year by year and including the university fee, it comes to some big amount indeed. So, do we consider education as no more free? Is it that only those who’ve got money who can achieve academic success???

A friend of mine from Physics with Computing course told me that freshers taking her course were following some preparation course just before classes resume so that they get along with the Maths module well… Some students claim it to be a good initiative. Maybe this could be applied to other faculties too… Still the point that the university is going bankrupt will surely come up!!!

Anyway, this is the sad fate of Mauritian students – take it or leave it, there’s no other choice specially for those who cannot really cope alone…

 

Gloom all around

Gloomy Sky by Anthriel

There are days like that where everything seems like a monochrome picture and you feel alienated to things you’ve been used to for ages…

Gloom comes unexpectedly and so inexplicably that you really can’t fathom the whys and hows of your so low moral. It’s simply out of your limits, beyond reasoning. Some mysteries indeed of human emotions – real complex and intriguing phenomenon to science itself!

No matter how much you’d try to push away the grey clouds, it’s always with a stronger blow that they come back and at times you really feel like giving up… Yet, if life weren’t made of ups and downs it wouldn’t have been worth it! And just like gloom had come uninvited so shall shiny days. The only thing left is to wait patiently (though it proves to be some real ordeal) for this black and white movie to end…

How rich can you be?

Rich by cathy71

Being a final year student, it’s normal to feel like somewhat interested with the job market and start aspiring to a very near future as employee… Very often our discussions among friends are about our dreams, our aspirations from the future – some dream of a car, a house, trips around the world, latest technological devices at home etc… In brief, we all have big big dreams and our only goal is to become as rich as possible to realise them.

However, I’ve noticed that those who already have so much seem like still pursuing more wealth, more power! It’s become like some obsession or greed and then it’s more likely that little pleasures of life are missed… I’m not saying that wanting to be rich is wrong – on contrary it’s ambitious I’d say – yet I believe it becomes hard then to stop.

Man has always wanted to achieve something and when it was done he always had some other plan in mind. That’s how from poor you get rich to richer to richest. But still isn’t it sounding like some vicious illness that contaminates us right from the day we discover wealth to the day we die? Is it really worth killing, looting or even fooling others for money and when it’s over we all start again? At times I feel it’s like investing all your life in just getting the money – like we’ve been too : studying for only a high salary job!

I believe that hard earned money is best you could get and yes we should dream of getting rich-richer-richest but still know our limits because apart from wealth we’ve got a life to enjoy and there’s no use struggling day and night in the obsession to increase our account balance (anyway it’s taxable as from 2 million now ) and finally ending up all too old and grumpy to enjoy it all! The craze for wealth is sure among us all but still no matter how rich we get, life isn’t going to lengthen. It’s better to wish for the right point where we have no financial worries and life is the most enjoyable journey we’ve undertaken…

In Memory of thy Lady…

Princess Diana by toosmall772

It’s already ten years now and I still can remember when images of the accident was being shown on T.V. All channels broadcast of only one thing: the Princess of Wales was no more…

Up to date it’s still a real mystery what actually happened that night – or maybe a mystery that needs to be kept towards the public…

However, even if it was as some rumours say – a disguised murder – it didn’t at all help in making Lady Di past history… It made her much more a legend with some tragic end that still needs to be resolved.

Though the matter has been over-exploited by medias, according to me, we shouldn’t forget the life of this great lady who proved herself to be more than a “doll” princess… She left behind imprints of a lady who showed much of moral strength all her life through. Her story is indeed worth a fairy tale though it ends dramatically yet it stands to show to the world that being a princess means a lot more than just waving at crowds in parades and wearing huge glittery dresses for balls…

The real price of your diamonds…

Diamonds by bebz

Yes I’ve been watching Blood Diamond – and I’d recommend you too.

The scenario is quite original since this type of storyline has never if not rarely been developed ( as far as I know). It reminded me of an article I read in Newsweek few years ago (sorry I can’t remember exactly the article to reference it). I was about a sprint champion who had escaped from civil war in one of those African countries (if I’m not mistaking it was Angola). He vividly described the atrocities he had witnessed then as a little boy: how rebels had invaded his village, killed many and finally trapped a room full of people before setting fire to the building. He had to undergo the pain of the raging flames burning his skin while he tried to escape the room. When he finally got out, he was purchased by dogs yet finally succeeded in fleeing. Today he has become a great sprint champion yet he still bears scars of the war not only physical ones but also psychological ones…

And all these wars are being ‘sponsored’ by the illegal trade of diamonds. Africa is in fact a rich continent with its oil, diamond and gold but still its population hasn’t been able to prosper from it thanks to huge networks of corruption and thirst for power of some of them… Finally diamonds are not only girls best friends but men’s too !!!

So behind those scintillating lights of diamonds are in fact millions of tears that have flown, blood that has been shed and sweat of those thousands of war prisoners who have been torn from their families… Yet another story that profits huge businessmen, unaware if not indifferent of how their diamonds have reached them. A struggle for humanitarianisms that shall last for years and years as men greed for money and power shall never stop!

Maybe the thought of all these might make us falter as we are to buy some diamond jewelry yet this is the world and its ways… We cannot do much it’s just like cigarettes – it’s a whole business that feeds millions – we can only hope for a better tomorrow for these people…

Pic: Diamonds by BeBz

Education at a loss?

Education by geckokid

After a conversation with a French cousin about why most students in Mauritius actually take private tuitions, it made me reflect upon (yet once again) our educational system here… which I dare say is quite poor.

Why so? Well to answer this let us make out clearly what’s the AIM behind education. I believe it is about making humans knowledgeable about the world around them thus in the end making them think reasonably, understand reasonably and of course act reasonably!

However it’s widely different here! We are made to by-heart everything from theories to model answers. At the end of the day students have become like industrial products – all reasoning the same typical way (the way they have been learning by-heart)… There’s no such point in having what we call an elite if they tend to always refer to what theory or lessons have taught them instead of actually growing up into analysing and understanding people!

On entering university I felt like some new life would start – a new leaf turned – no more of those tuitions or loads of exam papers to practice (since it says that practice makes perfect…I’d add that too much also makes us robots!). However I was literally shocked on hearing that some students are actually taking tuitions for certain modules! Anyway they are not really to blame isn’t it? That’s the mode they’ve been following since their childhood. Quite sad as situation and a bit revolting too as the objective of university level is completely altered… Where it should have been knowledge sharing, it is becoming yet again a battle for who’s going to be the best, who’s going to score more! Finally, we wonder if ever we have been able to grasp the real reasoning behind what we’ve learnt or if once again we’ve been learning by-heart without even glancing at the real purpose behind…

Before I end I’d rather add that I am also part of this system (unfortunately ) and not so different from others too. Yet I’d wish I could have experienced something different, maybe some REAL education…

Pic: Education by =geckokid