Monthly Archives: December 2014

Merry Christmas!!!

Time is really flying this year and it is almost the end of the year.

I have been quite busy the last few weeks as my in laws are here and we are making use of every free time to travel and show them around. I will be blogging about it soon.

Today is Christmas and it is the time of the year again to spend time with friends and family. As we reflect on this wonderful holiday, let’s share the goodness of our heart with others, express with words and gifts what someone means to us.

Merry Christmas  (4)

I wish you a blessed holiday season. May this Christmas bring you comfort, joy, peace and happiness to last throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas  (1)

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Santa stopped at my place today , hope he did at yours too 🙂 🙂 🙂

Merry Christmas  (3) Merry Christmas  (2)

Take care,

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

P.S: Do not forget to vote your favorite blog . NEPALIAUSTRALIAN’s Blog Award 2014

Chana curry (Chick peas curry)

Chana” means chickpeas in Nepali. It is one of the easiest, healthiest and tastiest recipes that I loved to make occasionally. It goes well with rice or roti.

Ingredients

  • 500gm cooked chickpeas can
  • 1 large onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Large tomato diced (I used 250 gm diced from a can)
  • 1 table spoon of garlic and ginger paste
  • A few bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin powder
  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoons chilli powder
  • ½ cup of chicken stock (use water if you don’t have stock)
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander to garnish

 Method

  • In a wok, heat the oil; add turmeric powder and bay leaves.

Aloo dum (2)

  • Add the sliced onions and fry for 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring regularly.

Aloo dum (3)

  • Add all the other spices, garlic ginger paste and fry some more.
  • Once onion is cooked, pour diced tomato and let it cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

chu la (1)

  • Mix well and add the chickpeas and fry for few minutes.
  • Add the chicken stock and Bring to a boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, or until most of the stock dries out.

chana (1)

  • Garnish the chick peas with fresh coriander.

chana (2)

  • Delicious curry is ready and it can be served with rice or roti.
  • Enjoy!!!

Take care,

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

P.S: Do not forget to vote your favorite blog . NEPALIAUSTRALIAN’s Blog Award 2014

What is the purpose of my life?

This article was published in +977 (a Nepalese Lifestyle Magazine in Australia) in  Nov/Dec 2014 issue.

977 Purpose of my life

When I was young, I believed that we were all sent to earth for a reason and that we all have significance in the world. I also believed that I would find my true purpose one day but as I grow older, I am not too sure how to find the purpose of my life.

I am sure when we were created, we were not meant to be just be born, grow up, get married, reproduce and simply die. There must be a higher purpose in life for all human beings making us different from animals. However, at the same time, living every day for so long, I haven’t discovered my purpose. Does such a thing really exist? Why don’t I know my purpose in life yet?

Like many of you, my day starts with waking up early in the morning, getting ready to go to work, breakfast , work whole day, back home, cook dinner, eat , go back to bed and the next morning the whole cycle starts all over again. Weekends are spent cleaning the house, grocery shopping, sorting the bills and fulfilling the social aspect of our life. In fact, nothing much has changed since I was a baby and looks like nothing much will change until my last day in life.

My life is so ordinary and boring if I stand back and look at it. It’s not that I don’t have fun in life, I do. I manage to take holidays, meet new people, explore beautiful places, enjoy new foods and explore the unknown but these are things everyone is doing and everyone can do. Therefore, I feel I lack a specific purpose in life.

I know I am grateful that I am healthy and happy in my simple life. Life could be worse if you don’t have your health by your side but I am sure life is not meant to be just this. Every time I read about achievers, people who excel in sports, science, music, acting or any other field, I feel lost because I know I am not one of those brilliant human beings, I am just another ordinary person.

It makes me sad to think one day when I die, I will not leave behind anything that people will remember me by.

I am sure there are many self-help gurus and books that say they can help to guide us but how easy is it really to find the purpose in life.

Gautama Buddha said “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it” and that is exactly what I am searching for. I am not too sure how long it takes but hopefully one day I will know the answer and from that day I will dedicate my life to my purpose but until that day comes I have decided to be satisfied with what I have.

It is possible that I might die without knowing the purpose of my life so I have to live every day as if it can be the last day. Until my purpose catches up with me, I have decided to be happy because if I am happy, then I can make others happy.

I am definitely thankful for what I have, my health, my family and my ordinary life without problems. Happiness doesn’t require me to know the purpose of my life. Just appreciating what I have, being content doing the right thing and thanking everyone who made my life better will make me happy and thus everyone around me.

Even though I may not be the extra ordinary human being, I want to be, I could be ordinary one with happiness surrounding me every day and it will be the purpose of my life until I find another one.

Reaction of our pregnancy news

We decided the first people who needed to know about our pregnancy were our family so we picked a day and decided to tell them.

We call AS’s home as normal and during the conversation, he dropped the news that we are having a baby. They were happy for us and themselves as it was going to be their first grandchild. We also told his brothers about it. Everything went smoothly as planned. They just asked how far along I was and if everything was fine with me.

It was with my parents, the news didn’t go as we planned. We were in the middle of the conversation when I told my parents.

Me: “Mum, now start packing your bags to come here as I am pregnant so you will have to come and look after me.”

Mum: “Hahahaha, (laughing hard) Stop joking about it and have a baby soon. It is about time.” (My dad was laughing now as well.)

I need to tell you why mum thought I was joking. I always wanted my parent to visit us but they keep on postponing and it was been a while since they have been to Sydney. They have always told me to have a baby so they can come here. I always keep telling them I will, soon and that soon has been dragging on for more than 3 years now. I have never joked about being pregnant before but I always told them that we need to have a contract drafted so they can’t back out from coming to Sydney once I am really pregnant. I have a very close relationship with my parents so I always joke about anything and everything.

pregnancy

Anyway coming back to the day, the conversation continued as below.

Me: “I am serious mum, I am pregnant and it is around 10 weeks now. I even went for a scan already.”

Mum: “Stop making fun about pregnancy.” (Still laughing)

At this stage AS decided that my parents thought we were still joking so jumped in.

AS: “Yap, M is not joking, we are having a baby and so far things are going great.”

Finally, they stopped laughing and finally got the idea that I was not joking at all.

Mum: “Ohoo that is great news, I really thought you were joking. How are you feeling?” (Add millions of question after that.)

Yap, that is how we told our parents.

After that we called my brother and told him. Everyone was very happy for us.

We waited another 2 weeks before telling our friends and at work.

I called all my close friends and family and told them the good news. Everyone was very happy about it and it was one of the most amazing conversations I had with everyone.

When we were planning for a baby, there were a few friends around us who were also trying for a baby around the same time or long before us. It was a bit hard for me to tell them because I knew they want the same news too. However, to my surprise, they were very happy for us and there was no discomfort at all. All I want now is for them to be blessed the with same good news soon.

my pregnancyAfter, I passed week 12; I also told my boss at work and my colleagues and AS did the same. Everyone was very happy for us and after that, they are making sure that I am all right. All the mums and dads are always telling me what to expect and how things are going to be.

Finally, it was a great relief to be able to talk about the pregnancy and baby with everyone. It was just amazing how one pregnancy can bring so much happiness and joy not just to the new parents-to- be but everyone around them. Instantly, I have a big support network.

I am eagerly looking forward to our baby and I know it is going to be one of the most exciting and memorable days for us.

I will be writing about my pregnancy journey in the coming days. Also hoping to get all the tips and tricks that you used with your pregnancy and kids to help me and keep me sane :).

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

P.S: Do not forget to vote your favorite blog . NEPALIAUSTRALIAN’s Blog Award 2014

Prisoner of darkness

This article was published in +977 (a Nepalese Lifestyle Magazine in Australia) in  Nov/Dec 2014 issue.

977 prisoner of the darkness

When I opened my eyes, it was dark and I was in a bedroom but not in my own bedroom. I couldn’t keep my eyes open because there was light coming from the side of the blinds. It was not much light but for some reason my eyes seemed not to like any light at all.

I felt nausea and my head was spinning. I felt weak and I couldn’t move my body. I didn’t know what had happened so I screamed and even my scream was weak.

Suddenly a man came running to the room and asked,” Are you OK?”. For a second I couldn’t recognised the man but as he came closer I could see his face. It was my husband. Once he came closer, all I did was hug him and cry.

After I calmed down and gained my composure, I remembered what was happening. My headache was getting worse but I was not panicking as I was sleeping in our guest room. I was not in the main bedroom as it was too bright and my husband thought I would sleep better in a dark room.

The day before I came home early from work because I had a very bad headache and I couldn’t stand to look at the computer screen. When I closed my eyes for a while, I felt better but when I opened them again, the headache was back. I work on a computer so there was no point in staying at work any longer.

I went straight home. It was getting difficult to drive but somehow I managed and reached home. I took two Panadols and went straight to bed and slept. After 3 hours when I woke up, my headache had worsened. I felt like my head was going to explode so I decided to go to my local GP. I had to wait for 30 minutes before I could see him and it was the longest 30 minutes of my life.

Finally, I told the GP what had happened and expected him to perform a miracle so that my gruesome headache would disappear. Over the years, I have had lots of headaches but this one was supersized compare to what I had before.

The GP told me that I have a severe case of migraine and the best solution is to take medication and sleep. Following his advice, I took the medicine he prescribed and went to bed. By the time my husband came home, I was so sick that I was crying.

He looked after me for the rest of the evening and I was glad it was night, as I didn’t have to worry about the light. And I was hoping the next morning when I wake up, there would be no headache and I would be able to go to work as normal.

But to my dismay, I work up with a stronger headache and I couldn’t open my eyes again. My husband had to take time off from work to look after me as I was not able to get out of the bed. When we talked to GP regarding about my condition, all he could suggest is to keep taking medicine and rest like the day before.

Even with a whole day in bed, I was nowhere near better. I couldn’t open my eyes long enough to talk to my husband or watch TV or do anything else. All I could do was lie on the bed and wish I was doing something more productive.

The next morning I was more hopeful and was so happy when there was no headache when I woke up. Hubby had to go to work so I was contemplating if I should go to work as well or just rest.

However, it took only 10 minutes for my headache to answer all my questions. Even though the headache was not as bad as the previous days and I was not in severe pain, I couldn’t think straight and for sure was going to be useless for the rest of the day again.

Whenever I could and my eye permitted, I Googled many times to find a cure for my migraine but my effort was in vain, as everyone suggested staying in a dark room with eyes closed and it would be all good. My question was how long I could stay indoors like that.

Being a very active person, it was impossible for my mind to shut down but my body needed the rest.

One of the websites suggested lying down and putting an ice pack or cold compress on my head and it did help with the pain but it was just reducing the pain, not curing it and I really was looking for cure.

Even though I tried my best, I couldn’t sleep the whole day and I was very glad when hubby was home after work. At least when he is around me I have someone to talk to.

It took full 6 days to get rid of the headache. It was not sever most of the time but I was constantly in pain. First time, in my life I felt the severe pain and realised how worst pain can go. I am praying that it will never happen again and I will never want to be prisoner of darkness again.