Candian immigration and the stupidity that is me…
hindsight is such a beautiful thing in times like theses
Canadian custom form SIgned it sure no problem.
Fist immigration desk…
Immigration Officer: Hello sir where are you coming from?
Me: London…
Immigration Officer: what’s the purpose of your stay
Me: pleasure, visiting a few friends…
Immigration Officer: where do they live
Me: Mississauga…
Immigration Officer: alright sir you have a good day…
I could see the baggage carousel and it seemed like glowing light at
the end of the tunnel… heaven at the time i finally did it, my first
trip on a whim and a prayer. I’m almost out. This big canadian guy
bigger than me (can you imagine) flagged me step this way sir… I’m
like ok now i’m in another line for immigration again… waiting…
finally get called.
Immigration Officer: So sir what is the purpose of your stay
Me: visiting friends i said…
Immigration Officer: where do they live?
Me: Mississauga
right it was at this point i realized that i had nobody’s phone number
nobody’s address I had nothing, this whole things was so last
minute… all my communication was on facebook, i was like i’m coming
to canada and they were like cool uncle (our dad) will meet you at the
airport! I was like cool uncle will meet me… Back to this white
candian with glasses….
Immigration Officer: sir could you please write the names and address
and phone numbers of everyone you’re visiting here in canada on this
piece of paper.
Me: ummmm i only know there names…
Immigration Officer: so you don’t know their addresses
Me: ummm no!
Immigration Officer: So you don’t know these poeple really do you sir!
Me: no no I know them I grew up with them!
Immigration Officer: where did you grow up with them? (it got worse from there)
Me: Ummm in Saudi Arabia (eeek)…
Immigration Officer: (it went quiet around me) sir please write the
information i requested on this piece of paper!
i wrote the names of the people i grew up with.
Immigration Officer: How old are they Sir?
Me: i guesed roughly gave the ages kinda didn’t know exactly
Immigration Officer: you don’ t know them do you sir?
Me: no no i DO! I really do!
he took Hussian bhai’s name (Hussain Pasha)
Immigration Officer: what’s his middle name I was like
Me: I don’t know! (crying a little inside now)
Immigration Officer: Sir how do you really expect me to believe that
you know these people
Me: Serriously sir i know them… honest!
Immigration Officer: Who are you staying with?
Me: i’m staying with they’re father…
Immigration Officer: What’s his name?
Me: His name is Uncle Pasha…
Immigration Officer: me What’s his first name!
Me: ummm Uncle ummm Pasha?
Me: I don’t know his first name! (i only knew him as uncle pasha)
Immigration Officer: you don’t really know these people how do you
accept me to believe that you know them!
i pleaded….
Me: I do I do know them!
Me: i’m staying with him and his wife…
Immigration Officer: what’s his wife’s name
Me: ummm Aunty Pasha…
i knew here fist name… i got excited.
Me I know her first name.. i know her first name it’s Sabia! Phew sigh
of relief…
Immigration Officer: how old is she!
how old is she i thought? Why the hell do you need to know that! How
WOULD I KNOW THAT!
Me: I dunno!
How should i know that! (eeeeek!) He stopped…
Immigration Officer: how many bags you got..
Me: two sir one on my back and a long one…
Immigration Officer: what’s in the bag?
Me: i got my laptop sir…
Immigration Officer: laptop huh! Why do you need a laptop? are you
planning to work here?
Me: No sir I’m here on holiday!
Immigration Officer: If you’re here on holiday why do you need a laptop!
Me: Ummm for emailing and messaging and facebook and stuff like that sir!
Immigration Officer: But your on holiday why do you need to email
isn’t that work!
Me: no sir it’s for keeping in touch with friends and stuff like that!
Immigration Officer: You’re here to work aren’t you!
Me: No sir i’m not honest I’m not!
I then began to explain to him the whole Social networking web 2.0
scene on the interweb! He finally let me go! I was so thankful at the
time I think i was reading the kalima by then (alhumdulilah i
thought)! Walk out the double doors the baggage carousel’s right
there.
Another big candian officer stops me (6th one)
Big Canadian: hello sir…
Me: hello (no not agian please for all that is good and holy)
Big Canadian: Where are you coming from today sir (this is the 6th
bloody time i had to answer this question) Me: i smiled politeiy
London i said!
Big Canadian: Purpose of your visit?
Me: Pleasure visiting friends (for heavens sake)
Big Canadian: Thank You sir Enjoy your stay!
MY GOD! That was terrible… my heart’s still beating fast had to calm
it down take a few deep breaths i thought… Got my bag… get out and
find Uncle Pasha :)
If canadian immigration was that bad I can’t imagine what American immigration would be like… it’s my own fault really… and no thanx to my passport picture! Yikes!
Uncategorized Travel
My greatest memory from a dump that is Slough!
I got to Marks & Spencers (M&S) a lot in Slough mailny when i’m lazy and mainly when i work a lot!
I’ve found this little M&S just around the corner from where i live… When I found it was like my White Castle i couldn’t believe it… such good food so nearby! When i turned the corner and saw it had a glimmering glow all around it! I’d found heaven :)
I was looking for some crisps (potato chips) a particular kind, kinda a popular they all ran out! I bumped into this old man with the store uniform on. I asked him if he had any in the back… he went and checked and he came back with a whole handful. I was very chuffed i thanked him and continued my shopping… Now waiting in the check out line the old guy asks me to come over here and opens a new till for me and starts beeping my food! I was like whoa thank you very much… done… bit of small talk, money exchanged hands and bagged my stuff and went on my merry way.
Every time i go there I’m always greeted by this friendly face and upbeat attitude. The South African accent, the smile the face it’s so genuine. The friendly banter i was greeted with and as i left… The wave good bye across the store from the exit… “See ya later bud!” the reserved english looking around thinking what just happened who broke the silence! how does he know him? haha
His story is amazing… an Italian South African in Slough… of all places in the world, Slough! No children no wife… nothing… I didn’t wanna probe too much i could tell he’d been through tough stuff and was uncomfortable talking about a few things in his life… But we both had huge mutual respect for each other. To be honest with ya i stopped going for the food and just kinda went to see him and see how he’s doing!
Just look at his face in this photo… please! Can you see it? Can you? :)
Such a kind and gentle man with such a good heart! An Angel amongst men!
Live a long and a happy life in this one and the next Mr. Galliano Burzacchi you deserve it!
Uncategorized Life
I think today being my last full day in Slough it’s the best feeling ever! It was also the best friday serman i’ve ever heard! Good friday Jesus, Mariam, Jesus’s Grandmother! Crucifictions haha it was all there all in english all made total sense! All perfect!
He said for a Muslim everyday is good friday! Actually every day is a good day, it’s a good thurdsay wednesday tuesday monday haha… He said don’t waste time, time is precious, time is ours! Don’t waste it sitting watching dramas or doing stupid things.
There are men who come and sit and listen to the serman there are men who come and stand in front of God to pray… They know why they’re here! They stand and they pray the sit and they listen and they shed tears.. they shed tears for they know in their heart the truth. The truth that some people will live and die and never find. The truth of why we’re all here!
Imaam saab said brothers there’s nikah please stay behind as it’s sunnah and the prophet recommended it. Well basically you know what everyone did they chipped (they left) in a flash… haha! I’ve nothing else better to do I never saw a nikah and it’s sunnah! So i thought why not… I saw this poor chap, still wet behind the ears nervous as anything, young, wide eyed going through the whole ordeal! In my eyes it was sweet and i wanted to give him a great big hug :)
One of the Prophets (saw) wives (khatija) said when asked about men… Walahi (I swear to God) no man is a waste! There’s always something for him someone for him… his partner… his wife… God has decreed it :)
The best of men are those who are kind to their wives
They’ll have the best of life in this world and in the next :)
But then we all knew that ;)
Uncategorized Religion
There’s this old old old man i see at the mosque almost daily. Beautiful long white beard, his face is so weathered like it has a million stories to tell, all these winkly lines on his face, topi like jinnah’s and he wears a salwar kameez with a long sleeve sweater on top. SubhanAllah this guy’s so old that he can’t stand up straight he’s like half bent when he walks around bachara it’s like he’s almost always in rukoo… When he walks he shuffles he’s feet like old people do cos they don’t have the strength to pick them up. I saw him as he left yesterday struggling to get himself off the floor, and oh no he’s too stubborn to use a chair to do his namaz, is it him being stubborn or is it valiant act in the eyes of God, showing Him that dangit I can still do it like the rest of them.
In this mosque people pull up in porches, ferraris, mercede clss and they all come in there to pray and MashAllah good for them! After a magrhib or isha jumat when all is said and done I look around at all the people there and this baba catches my eye and I can’t help but notice that all these despite all these high flying dudes with their fancy sports cars the richest man in there is this old baba you can see it, it’s on his face! :)
He leaves the mosque… and this is the best part he comes to the mosque on a bike, no not a motorbike but one of those old bikes like the ones you see in pakistan or india. The tuti puti kinda :)
I saw him leaving… inta mehnet ke saat he’s there pedleing away going oh so slowly pushing down with great difficulty with one foot then the other foot a precession of cars behind him watiing to pass… I stood there and watched him as he left. Baba was undeterred, he continued despite what was going on around him and this line of cars amassing behind him… hehe the cars didn’t own the road Baba did :)
It was the sweetest most valiant thing i’ve seen in a person it shows me truly that the human spirit is so alive in this oh so old man! God has truly blessed this man!
Keep on peddeling Baba don’t you ever stop :)
Uncategorized Life
The feeling of the sun finally hitting my skin after a long time is second to none it’s better than sex :)
Is it better than sex? Yeah i think so! No…no…no… hold on a minute! let me think about this one…HECK! How the hell should i know ;)
I’m gonna probably regret this later… Hell life’s too short for regrets!
Bada Bing Bada Boom
Oh Eddie that was awesome! You know Jeremy! I just realized something it’s like listening to the waves on a beach! Genius!
Props to you Angel Mikail we’re totally not worthy :)
I hope you and everyone else has an awesome day :)
Uncategorized Happiness
Why doth you bless us so :)
What and awesome DAY! Shorts, midday run, carwash and a shave ;)
Eddie u gonna accompany me? Wow what an honor :)
Uncategorized Happiness
I met an old man today on my run this morning. He was draggin a sign out opening his car plot i think… I didn’t meet him per say i just looked in his direction and this is what he did…
He shurgged his shoulders looked up at the sky then looked back and smiled :)
I looked up at the sky looked back at him and I smiled back… no words were exchanged, but i think we both agreed today was gonna be a beautiful day :
Have a good day :)
Uncategorized Happiness
My blog tallies up what hits and refferls i get and from where… Most of the time it’s from google searches.
My blog told me someone typed “Mohsin is cute” in a google search and it hit my blog! Oh my GOD! That was so hilarious when i saw that stat! I wonder who it was?!?! :) hahaha Oh maan that totally made my day :) aww let me wipe away my tears… i’ll calm down now!
Uncategorized Funny
