Becoming Traveler

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I started to travel since it was on 2001.I have been first Thailand. But it was just formal travelling. Like a tourist. I don’t want to become tourist…….. want to become traveler. And finally I became traveler. I have been many many places and villages.Almost 500.

Discover myself in Myanmar (The Golden Land)

2004-My life started in Yangon

Myanmar which was known as a Burma. To study in Myanmar for me is discovering myself. When I landed Yangon International Airport I felt so strange. It is totally different from Bangladesh. The Team went to pick me up.

First Hostel Life in Yangon:

When I entered hostel of ITBMU which is known by Ladies hostel it was really peaceful and silence. I first met with Rinku who is Bengali Girl from India (Now my Best Friend).My hostel life has begun with new atmosphere, with new people and new food. I was just like a fish without water. Because my life was totally different where I was in Yangon.

In front of our room we have rules and regulation chart which was really disgusting.

·       wake up 4 am

·       meditating

·       Breakfast bell 6 am (I hardly woke up but Rinku always help me to bring my food)

·       Noble silence

·       Study till 9 pm

·       Sleeping time 10 pm (I don’t remember exactly)(we never sleep in fact our night has started)

·       6 pm hostel gate will be closed (This rules was for me really hard to follow, so sometimes I break this rules)

First class at International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University (ITBMU)

So much excitement, curiosity…..made me totally nervous!

I have met with my all classmates, Teachers! It was amazing feelings which are unable to explain properly!

Start to believe People:

It was too hard to believe people but I started to believe them. I was so alone at the beginning because of culture, language and food. I met Praggananda (My Bangladeshi Monk) and Rinku (My best friend ever).They helped me a lot.Rinku taught me many things which I never know in my life. It was “discipline”.

We made a very good team. Our members are from Nepal, Bangladesh, India specially.Kusum, Binu, Vidya, Sukriti, Renuka, Rinku, Madan, Krishna etc.Our hostel life become no more boring because we started to enjoy our Hostel life.

Saturday tour:

Every Saturday ITBMU organized to take us surrounding Yangon and visit all kind of meditation centre. It was really fun. We all the time wait for that trip.

Shiny Sunday:

Sunday …..Was for us going downtown and eat nice food and shopping day! I will never forget Bo Zaw Aung San market. The Famous market in Yangon.

The Boring Class:

At the beginning it was very good to have class…..later it was becoming boring for me. But I never give up. Tried to settle down with class. Just for venerable Nandamala make us happy to give his Abhidhamma lecture. Most of the Burmese classmate is very serious student. Sometimes I feel strange why they are so serious!

In every period of class we had a break time which was very funny. We were happy with that 10min.Because we used to go to canteen to have our coffee and chitchat!

New Reality:

I decided to become nun for Rainy season. It was for me new Reality. I still remember My Japanese friend Umi, My Malaysian friend and me we requested to ordain us as a nun. Our teacher Daw Yuzanani, Daw Nimala took us to make our Robe to Shwedagon Pagoda.

My first visit to Shwedagon Pagoda:

Shewdagon Pagoda which is world famous pagoda, which is covered by gold and at top it has diamond. I can’t have explanation what I feel when I first saw it. It was Amazing! And then after that 1000 time I have been there with 1000 different feelings!

Phone Call:

Every week I always used to wait for phone call from my home. I felt I was like a kid when I had heard voice of my maa.But that phone was made me always happy.

My first meditation practice in Chanmyay Yiektha centre:

Believe me or not to practice meditation is for me like kind of punishment at beginning .I tried to explain my meditation teacher how difficult for me practicing meditation. He suggest me if it is difficult so better try to give up. You just watch your breath. Honestly speaking I was really unable to understand how to watch breath.

Meditation is my therapy:

Tried many centre…..was in Chanmyay forest centre, Paa auk centre, She Oo Min centre…..etc.

But one day one early in the morning I start to feel how to watch breath in and out. And it was really awesome. Now Meditation is like therapy for me.

Uncertain mistaken:

Did some mistaken during the study Diploma in Buddhism in Yangon. But It was uncertain so no comment!

 2005:

Becoming Burmese girl…..got a new name “Ma ZiZaWar”.I became very famous by this name. I was able to speak Myanmar language. Got the new class B.A 1^st year.

My Dagaji…I have got my new father yes he is my dagaji.who loves me like his own daughter. He supports me a lot during my study in Myanmar.

 2006

My B.A Final year

I am little bit serious student because last year in IBMU.

But never stop my travelling. I have been Mawlamyaine.

It was also hitch hiking. We discover many places.

2007

My desire was really fulfill when my maa and my Ddma (Grandma) came to visit Myanmar. I was so glad to take them World famous pagoda Shewdagon Pagoda. I took them Kyaik Thi Oo.And they enjoyed with me a lot.

My ITBMU life and Myanmar life already going to finish. During leaving Myanmar makes me sick. I became so weak….I want to comeback again in this Golden Land. Kept promise with me.

Meeting with Many people

During my study In ITBMU, Yangone, Myanmar

Meet with many kind hearted people whom I won’t forget. They support me financially, mentally and in many ways.

Flashback

1995- Left school
 1997 -Left College
 2000- Left University
2001 -2002…..searching …..How to left country
2002-got the chance to participant youth conference in Bangkok, Thailand through Rissho Kosei Kai (Japanese Buddhist Organization)
2003….almost got the chance to left my home country
2004 -2007 …..Was in Myanmar (The Golden Land)
2008-One of the miserable year for me.
2009-2010 …Indonesia….Malaysia…Singapore
2010 -2012 ….Incredible India

 2012-2013 till August….Indonesia again with new look 

2013-????????Philipine? South Africa???I don’t know……..

The Reason of writing Blog

1. When I will gonna be old I will read my blog and will be amazed what I have done in my life
 2. Sometimes may be I will feel so happy to read my blog or sometimes may be sad.
 3. To write blog is kind of talking ownself.When I started to make my own journey I used to talk with myself. 
 4. And to write Blog to published myself.

Life start in Indonesia 2012 -2013

My life is started in Indonesia for the 2nd time.I was so excited to come Indonesia again.I flew from Dhaka to Singapore and to Jakarta.My friend received me from Sukarna Hata Airport and next on 7th ,8th sep 2012 i will have orientation program so i was ready to enjoy that.I am the only one from Bangladesh who joined this program.We all Darmasiswa student got together in Aryaduta Hotel in Jakarta.I have met my all Darmasiswa student.And it was lovely meeting.For 2 days there is program about culture of Indonesia it was.....Lovely.On 9th sep we came into our Institute STP SAHID!

To come Indonesia and join with STP SAHID to do special course about Hotel Management and culinary Indonesia is for me new experience and challenge.So i was so excited to be here.As usual there is one week orientation program.This is the Indonesian University culture before going to start class they have orientation program.But in my country i never seen.Classes started without orientation.One week we enjoyed orientation program then since middle week of September we have started our class.We got the 7 subjects.Bahasa Indonesia,Pastry and Bakery,Marketing for hospitality,Guiding documentation and procedure,Gastronomy,Indonesian tourism geography,Eco tourism.For me Pastry and Bakery ,Gastronomy is really new subject.Even the all ingredients for me very new.I just fall in love with culinary Indonesia.During September, October and November I learned many things to make.For example:Ayam bakar Kelasan,Gado Gado Jakrata,Soto Betawi,Beef yakiniku,Randang,Dadar gulung,ongol ongol,pudding kelapa muda,pepes tau,pepes ikan etc. In this meantime we all Darmasiswa student went to Mercure Hotel to know about Table manner.It was so funny but interesting.I have got the gift because i have answer the question. Mostly 4 days in a week i have class from 9 amto 4 pm.After class I used to walk and i discover many places and many people.I ahve got nice friend whose name Yanti.One day as usual i was walking and i saw the ice garden with many Banana tree and enter that garden.I saw the lady who is really beautiful.I tried to communicate with her with Bahasa Indonesia.She was so excited that I can communicate with Bahasa.She provide me dinner.I will never forget how kind she is.Now she is my nice friend whom i visit once in a day.Yanti,I am going to miss you!

So September and october has gone very quickly with our class. After many planning i decided every weekend i will go for travelling.And finally i got the place for travelling.On 4th of November it was Sunday.Me and my friend Luz from Venezuela we joined with CS group in bogor to visit Goa Gudawang.It was really nice place to visit.It is one hour cave.And after that we have viisted Cipanas.So beautiful and i have stay at Cigudeg village with Gugah Nurani Indonesia which is working for children and women.

Introduce to Nirvanavan Foundation

The Nirvanavan Foundation is a grassroots organization working in the remote areas of Alwar district of Rajasthan on educational, ecological and social.
Nirvanavan Foundation Program
Nirvanavan has multiple schools with 120 children enrolled in the main school. The schools are situated in an area where prostitution is widespread. The schools exist to help end the cycle of exploitation and provide children with an education that will lead them to an alternative means of income.

The Childline program provides a 24 hour freephone service. This service is set up to listen to the many children who need someone to talk to and offer on-going support.

Nirvanavan teaches children and the community the importance of environmental conservation. Nirvanavan is working to revive the tradition of the digging of local ponds (called johads) to raise the water table by conserving rain water, as well as the planting and caring for new trees.



Why the need?

The villages surrounding Alwar are in an area where it is traditional for the young girls to be sent as prostitutes to the large cities of India and the Middle East and for the boys become pimps.

The schools which Nirvanavan has built are an attempt to help break this pattern of exploitation and to give these girls and boys alternative choices in their lives.




How Team Efforts Translate to Impact


All funds raised provide support for the Nirvanavan Foundation’s educational, social, and ecological programs.



How the Nirvanavan Foundation creates Sustainable Global Change

Without awareness and education, children living in the Alwar district are at risk of continuing the socially devastating cycle of poverty and prostitution. Over a short period of time, the Nirvanavan Foundation has improve local communities by empowering community members with an opportunity for an education, alternative means of livelihood, and the ability to protect their environment for future generations.
Love and maitri
Zeba

A home for abandon children.

Greetings from Zeba.



I am in India doing MBA and will be here for another two years. One of my major discoveries apart from my studies has been the Nirvanavan Foundation based in Alwar, Rajasthan. I am working here as a coordinator for international volunteers and organizing a working group which would build a ‘Home’ for abandoned children. I always had a dream to work as an activist and serve humanity. The Nirvanavan Foundation is doing the Childline project in Alwar. Childline is a national free phone service for children in need for care and protection. At the Childline call centre we receive at least 2 – 3 abandoned new born babies every month. These babies are put for adoption and are sent to the government homes in Jaipur when they don’t find a safe home here. This situation has led the Foundation to think about building a ‘Home’ in Alwar. I am uploading a Vision brochure with this letter for you to understand the plan. The children’s village will be built on ecovillage standards and will be self sufficient. It will have a family system where the children will have a mother and they will grow up as brothers and sisters like in a family. They will be staying in the village until they are settled in life.



The Nirvanavan Foundation is also doing an education project with the ‘Nat and Kanjer’ community in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. The ‘Nat and Kanjer’ community is traditionally into prostitution. The girls from the community end up in the dance bars of Mumbai and to the Middle – East. The ‘Nat and Kanjer’ villages are spread all over the district into small village. In 2003 the Foundation had done an extensive survey and had identified 10 villages where there was a need for primary school. The Foundation now runs 12 schools; ten of these are in the ‘Nat and Kanjer’ villages. The objective of the project is to bring the community into the mainstream so that they could live with honor and dignity. I have uploaded another brochure which will tell you more about the schools.



The head quarters of the Foundation is situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by the Aravali mountain ranges and a dry deciduous forest. The rocky hills are inscribed by ancient rock paintings. The Foundation is also involved in the preservation of the cultural and natural heritage of the region and annually organizes a number of ecological programs each year. Please visit the website and the Flickr of the Foundation for more information.



I am awe struck and it amazes me to see the work of the Foundation. A small group of young boys and girls have come together to bring about a change in the region. I am preparing myself for a greater work with my experience as a traveler and volunteer working in various organizations all over south – east Asia and also building up an academic background. I invite you to come and see the work of the Foundation and also help me to form a working group for building a ‘Home’ for abandoned children.



With love and maitri,

Zeba

Pls check it out....
www.nirvanavan.org.uk
http://www.flickr.com/people/23805009@N08/