Thursday, 27 February 2014

Food for Wind Body

Assalāmu'alaikum wa ramatullah


Because my body predominantly consists of the wind element, so I display physical and emotional characteristics linked to the elemental qualities of the space and air. People with this kind of body are very active, mobile, restless and energetic. They have fast metabolisms, so are often thin with little muscle development and protruding joints that may make cracking noises. Their skin is dry, rough and thin with visible veins.

Eat More

Items that I should take more...
  • Warm, heavy, moist, sweet foods.
  • Vegetables such as avocado, asparagus, eggplant, leeks, olives, pumpkin, radish, sweet potato, spinach, zucchini.
  • Fruits such as banana, apricots, fresh figs, peaches, citrus fruits, dates, mango, grapes, berries, pineapple, plums.
  • Grains such as oats, rice, wheat or pasta.
  • Mung beans or soy beans being made into tofu or eaten with milk or cheese.
  • All nuts in moderation. Sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
  • Dairy products in moderation.
  • All nuts in moderation. Sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
  • Asafoetidea, basil, caraway, clove, cardamom, sage, cinnamon, pepper, coriander, cumin, fennel, garlic, onion, ginger, nutmeg, turmeric.
  • Most oils, especially sesame.
  • Warm drinks, herbal or spiced teas, warm milk, fruit and vegetable juice without ice.
Eat Less
  • Cold, light, dry, pungent, bitter foods.
  • Raw or frozen vegetables, peas, brussel sprouts, broccoli cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, corn, celery, lettuce, mushrooms, potatoes.
  • Dried fruits, apples, pears, prunes, pomegranates, cranberries, melons.
  • Barley, buckwheat, rye, corn, millet, rice cakes, puffed or dry cereals.
  • Most beans: kidney, lima, navy, pinto, split peas, white beans, black beans, lentils.
  • Dry roasted or smoked nuts.
  • Powdered milk and ice cream.
  • Coriander seeds, fenugreek or parsley.
  • Corn oil.
  • Carbonated drinks, cold or iced drinks, coffee, tea or alcohol.
Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Self Development

Assalāmu'alaikum wa ramatullah


I am not sure about the topic to be displayed. To know our strength, we need to also know about our body and mind. In this way, we could reflect on the God the Highest through our environment. They are from various notes that I get from websites, my interviews with some acquaintance where I wanted them to speak the truth to me about myself and my reflections...

Note on Self

Personal Self


Job


Personal Experience
Job Interview: Receptionist 2013



Guide


Health
I divided this to three sides such as the note with my self as an example, the job and health. The job section might perhaps would be helpful for brothers and sisters who are looking for the job. You may use the ideas, opinions wherever appropriate or suggestions pointed for your self development. I know how do you feel... I feel the same as you feel and at least wish to help you by pointing you to suggestions... This is better than to brag because we feel that we had achieved great things in our life but help nothing because in the end, "we care only about ourselves" because some people just never feel the sweetness of failure in their life... Right? I use "my" self not simply in the sense of my "own" self. It could be "your" self too. I am a human-being just like everyone but I believe in the diversity of creatures in a nature. I believe in personal experience. One person has different experience to one another. Our souls are connected by a single "Great" Creator.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Sunday, 23 February 2014

Arabic: Passport Control

Assalāmu'alaikum wa rahmatullah


Well, living in an environment occupied with various kind of people and ethnicity, it sometimes makes my head a little dizzy to communicate with them especially when we have to switch codes while talking. It happens to me since I was young. 

I speak Northern Malay at home and we have sprinkling of Hindustani, Persian and Arabic in our speech that do not really exist in Southern Malay especially during my schooling times. I am not sure the words such as kutub khanah (library), gerek (bicycle), prashat (villains), bahadur (courageous act), rumbas (fight), and so on ever exist in Southern Malay. We used those words before we leave them out as the time is moving on up to now...  In term of pronunciation, I was frustrated with Quranic and non-Arab teachers who taught Islamic related sciences where they pronounced things differently to our pronunciation... The Qaf (ق) becomes Kop... The Ghayn (غ) becomes Gain... The Khaf (خ) becomes Haf... had (ض) becomes Dott.. The special glottal 'Ayn (ع) turned out to be Ain... 

I pronounced them without any pain because I am a Peranakan Arab of the Past yet I had to pretend or forced to pronounce things like non-Arabs because we are not recognized with our own ethnicity instead we were lumped into Malayan nationality during British administration era... I was so much confused back then and yes... I was so depressed... 20 years ago people perhaps were not familiar with dialectical differences as compared to now with the development of modern information technologies and the internet. 

That was just my experience. I am relieved that I could share how I feel... I am dumping some Arabic for Communication. I would only use Roman script as Arabic script would take time unless if I write everything with my hand, hehe... These are in Syrian Arabic... Not Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).

Passport Control

In this story, Sylvana had just arrived in Damascus and she has to check her passport at the passport control. Let us see how she deals with el-mowazzif (worker).

Sylvana: abā el-khayr!
Worker: abāel-khayrāt! Jawādh el-safar idhā bitrīdī.
Sylvana: Tafaḍhal...
Worker: Shukran... Shū esmek?
Sylvana: Anā ismī Sylvana.
Worker: We entī minīn? 
Sylvana: Min Iāliyā. Anā mu'allimeh.
Worker: Āh! Enti Iāliyyeh? Iāliyā balad helwe katīr.
Sylvana: Eh, bas b'ide katīr.
Worker: Ṭhayyib... Tafaḍhalī. Haī basburik, ahlaw wa sahlan fīkī bish Shām!

Meaning

Sylvana: Good morning!
Worker: Good morning! Passport please.
Sylvana: Here you are...
Worker: Thank you... What is your name?
Sylvana: My name is Sylvana.
Worker: You are from?
Sylvana: From Italy. I am a teacher.
Worker: Oh! You are an Italian? Italy is a beautiful country.
Sylvana: Yes, but it is so far.
Worker: Great... Here you are. Your passport, welcome to Syria!

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Persian: I Like ...

Assalāmu'alaikum wa rahmatullah


A : Salām, chitor asti? 
      Peace, how are you?

B: Ma khob astom, tashakor!
     I am fine, thanks!

Sentence

Ma khoshem maya ...
I like ...

Vocabulary

Sag Dog
Seb Apple
Pishaq Cat
Kelār Banana

Example

Ma khoshem maya seb.
I like apple.

Ma khoshem maya kelār.
I like banana.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Friday, 21 February 2014

21 Rabi' al-awwal 1435

Assalāmu'alaikum wa rahmatullah


My father was admitted twice to the hospital since the last two weeks. I cannot sleep day and night because I took care of him in the hospital. These recent, he was infected with pneumonia because of the feeding system turns out to be inappropriate to his condition... I contemplated that if I feel so much tortured, then I wonder how much tortured my father feels? He has a crippled, paralyzed body and he cannot speak because his articulation tool has been taken by the Lord of Powers. I am sure that it must be unbearable for him but this is already fated within the Guarded Tablet in the highest region. How could we relate our past and integrate it with the current situation in the process of "self" identification? Whether we cling to the phenomena and identify it as our "ego" or we just remain unattached but going through it with perseverance and right consciousness? These are my personal insight based from the Sutra of Right Conducts: Discourse between Brahmin Kottatha and Brahmin Śariputra. It is not Islamic nor Arabic in its cultural essence because these figures were the foremost disciples of Siddartha Gautama. The philosopher of Śakya tribe from Lumbini.... They discussed psychology and sub-conscious mind...

That is the reason on why I could still go on with the situation and do not try to run away. In Buddhist phenomenology as per my previous lessons learned, the term sasāra refers to the cycle of birth and death. When the time passes then a creature would move on to other phases of the life in the universe. This is the meaning of the word. The life and death is flowing within the temporal universe. We gain our life experience and getting the enlightenment in term of our mental faculties while wandering throughout these cycles of life and death. I am not sure whether this is also being discussed by the ancient Greek philosophers but I guess the same thing was also echoed by Aflaūn (Plato). We are going throughout these phases with few types of devotion such as services, knowledge, wisdom, consciousness and trying to get a focused mind.

I had got a phone call on Tuesday while my father is in the hospital. It was a call from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a job interview. I did not have much time for preparation because the interview was scheduled yesterday. Anyhow, I am not confident that I could secure the job on my part but I have no regret. I had at least tried my best by sending the applications and attending the interview despite of my condition.

I am so sad. Two of my Rohingya brothers had moved to other areas. The other Bangladeshi brother, Muhammad Habib is the only one left working part-time in the nearby restaurant owned by my father's office mate from BH. I could not make friends with my neighbors. They are "rich" people. I only can sit with migrant workers even in the mosque or the musalla... I am afraid to taint them with my ugly presence...

Prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

Job Application 2014

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah


I think since now I am typing here, I had applied few jobs only for this year. The last year applications are all not counted but I am just telling you out there especially those takabbur guys who already got their position secured in companies or agencies around but bitching around like there is no God watching or listening to you that you boast on everything is due to your own hard work! I am not giving up simply to see you laughing at unfortunate ones!!! You are worse than those who killed little kids and elderly people in the battlefield! 

I used the word takabbur last time to describe 'Amr Diab (Egyptian pop singer) when I talked about Arabic entertainment with 'Emad who was my classmate. He told me the word is so appropriate, haha... Anyway, sorry friend. I do not really care about geopolitical issue in the Middle East. Our ancestral land (Yemen) too faced many problems yet nobody gives us a shit. People are killed and treated like animals around the world. It is not only the issue of Muslims but a global issue which also related to other inhabitants of the world known as, the human race!  The angels had already talked before the God about us as recorded in the Glorious Quran (Surah al-Baqarah 2:30) but many of us still forgot this.

Firstly, in the beginning of this year... I applied for a government servant position. I was not so much knowledgeable about how to apply into government agencies but one of my Yemenite acquaintance known as 'Abdullah told me to apply for government position and not to waste our position as the sons of the soil although we are not Malays but because we are here since 300 years ago. Well, many of my cousins from my father side work as police, soldiers, guard or watchmen. They are the sons of my Hassan and Hussain uncles. Some of them do business especially the ladies and they do not really care about "jurisprudence" regarding halal business. Their mother is different to my father's mother. My father's mother is a Malay woman. Their mother is North-Indian Arab just like my grandfather. Many of those acquaintance from Mokalla in Yemen also asked me to join our government service. Well, I am interested to serve our government but it is not easy to apply even when we hold the passport and citizenship. I applied a post in the Foreign Affairs Ministry. I am not sure whether I would pass because they have tests before I could go for the interview.

In this month, I applied some jobs in the United Nations Development Programs. I saw that there are lots of vacancies in the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Kuala Lumpur but I have to stay away from the agency because I only served for less than a week. I had to quit because of responsibility to my family. I afraid that they would blacklisted my name since my name was also sent to Bangkok at the headquarters for Asia Pacific region. However, I cannot find any suitable job as according to my qualifications that made me have to fight tooth and nail to survive. I sent two applications for Policy and National Institutional Expert which is based in Quezon city, the Philippines. The other one in this agency is the Communication and Advocacy Officer based in New York. I do not know on how I would be engaged with the interviews or even reaching those places. Well, for the Philippines perhaps I can manage to reach there. 

The second one was the European Communications Associate. It is in the Open Society Foundation. The place is far too which is in the United Kingdom. I do not know how I would reach there say if it is for the interview. Maybe they have Skype interview or maybe phone interview? Do they accept non-national who live abroad applications? I do not know and I do not know. I am just dependent to Him as the Provider of the Sustenance.    

I lament my stubbornness last time when I wanted to stay true to myself that I cannot be a robot to fulfill the labor needs in the country by refusing to go for pharmacist training, refusing to study culinary art which was proposed by my mother or going for technical training. Because I am not a machine kind of person. I am more to humanity. Those people like the late Salam el-Masdusi which I posted in few posts below are humanity kind of person. I am identified as that kind of person. 

I do not think that I am going to succeed with my applications because of several factors such as the lack of experience, the due date which is so much close since there are so many online job openings and we might lose the pace when we feel tired looking at the monitor but at least I tried. 

For those who are studying, make sure you really sure on what you are doing. Do not simply do things because you see that others are doing so. Follow your own necessities. Sometimes we already planned things but obstacles come such as unfortunate incidents. It happens because this world is a test for faithful servants of the God. Some people live so smoothly that they know no hardships at all. Some who realize that the world is temporal such as lord Siddartha Gautama went out and being a "silly fool" leaving behind his luxurious palace to live like beggars bearing humiliation. I am not trying to compare myself to this great teacher or other great teachers but their life portray what most of us are experiencing around down here.... 

I think I get some idea on doing some part-time jobs. Maybe working in the cinema which is a good start for a jobless loser like me. I could get some money as tool for me to move say if I get another secured job. I get to know few Bangladeshi or perhaps Myanmar migrant workers from the musalla where we prayed together. They are so kind to me that they offered to help me to find part-time jobs as cleaner and road sweeper. I would never forget their kindness. They are at least better than my own selfish relatives or country men. They deserve to be treated like angels. I believe that they are the unknown living saints for me... May He bless them always and may they live a blessed life forever and ever :'(      

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Sunday, 9 February 2014

Part-Time Job Guide

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah


I have still got no idea about what kind of "part-time" job that I should do. Now, I think I should also think about myself next-time instead of others especially when I am not yet established. I bet that everybody hates to go again and again for interviews and having to change the resume all the time looking for new job. The employers do not like to see over-qualified employees because they are afraid of the commitment of the job-seeker. And the job-seeker needs quick money to move on.

I get to know that there is an advertisement for part-time jobs everywhere but I am thinking on how should I apply the job? Should I give out my resume? It is frustrating to change over and over and I did the resume for serious job and I end up having to give up the job to be a companion for my depressed mother. I quit to give way for her to join her old citizen activities either at the mosque or in the neighborhood society while I have a paralyzed "stroke" father to be taken care. My sisters refuse to give up their life and I have to be the "Jesus" for them... "Crucified" in trade for their life. This is real life facts. I tried to do researches before getting any job to avoid losses in term of time and doing things in vanity.  I have no one to refer to so I have to do the research and trial an error.

My mother had introduced me to a Quranic society which is an NGO but I cannot go on with the society because I do not take tithe as my sustenance and I need financial support to keep the maintenance of our house, to pay for the national loan because my parents did not help me to pay for my undergraduate fees like my younger sister's, to move on to the next level of my life while I am reaching 30 years old and for my parents. I had explained many times to my mother that our paternal clan could not receive anything related to tithe as not to commit the sins of the "priests" but my mother do not understand it. She introduced me to the job because she think that I would be close to her while my sisters are off with their life. I have to live in disguise as a public as according to our vows and not to appear in public as "religious" figure in order to be equal with the laymen. It is not easy to live in a women-dominated space and most of the times people do not understand the "functions" of different genders! Male and female function differently... Many of our people fail to frame the explanations of the technical terms such as the "fitrah" and the "sunnatullah" that makes the world go haywire. These involves mystical explanations as well as the technical ones.  

Questions for Part-Time Job

Examples roughly look like these....

Q: What days/hours are you available to work?

  • I am available during school hours while my children are at school, maybe at 9:00-15:00, Monday through Friday and I can work some weekends.
  • If you are a student, you will need to share the class schedule, any labs, to avoid confusion for supervisor, "I have classes Tuesday and Thursday until 16:00 and a lab that meets every other Wednesday from 17:00-19:00, but I am flexible about working any other hours you have available".
  • I am flexible and available just about any time you need me to work.
  • I have another commitment each Monday, but I am available the rest of the week.
  • I am available after school and evenings and weekends.
Q: Do you have any activities that would prevent you from working your schedule?

Employers want to know, especially with part time employees who have other commitments, whether you will be able to work your scheduled hours. The interview question "Do you have any activities that would prevent you from working your schedule?" A way to verify that you have the time to commit.

It's important to be be honest about what your availability is. If you have activities what come up suddenly - a commitment as a substitute teacher or bus driver for example, you should be honest about that. Otherwise, this is an opportunity to show that you plan things well in advance.
  • I participate every year in a 10K run to raise money for my favorite charity, but I will know the date well in advance, and would let you know I need that day off.
  • I am on the crew team at school, but our practices are typically early in the morning or later in the day, so they should not impact my schedule.
  • I spend a week during the winter vacationing with my family in Florida every year, but I can schedule that based on the busy times at work.
  • I volunteer at the hospital every Saturday morning from 9:00 - noon, other than that my schedule is flexible.
Q: Would you prefer full-time employment to part-time if a job were available?

Would you prefer full-time employment to part-time if a job were available? Can be a tricky interview question. 

On the one hand, if you are hoping that the job will turn into a full-time position, you want your prospective employer to consider you first should the opportunity arise.

On the other hand, you do not want to raise the doubt that should a full-time position present itself, you would walk out of your part-time commitment.

Be cautious when you respond and keep your answer general, so you are not committing to one type of employment or the other.

  • Right now, my education/family/children prevent me from considering full-time employment, but I would not rule it out at some point in the future.
  • What is important to me is that I enjoy the work and the people I am working with. I have many interests, and having a part-time job allows me the time to pursue them.

Continued....
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