It did not stop here. She'd call Christians "chooray" ( gutter people ) and Hindus (Thooris). If she had some inhibitions discussing race and equality, she absolutely had none discussing religion. It was as if she deemed Muslims were born superior. My grandmother was illiterate, but even my mother sometimes would have issues dining with "Non-Muslims". However, just to drive home the point that I found this utterly disgraceful and against the principles of Islaml, I'd invite my Non-Muslim Christian and Hindu friends over. I'd make sure they drank in the same glasses and utensils as I did. I'd have bitter arguments with my mom over what Islam meant while she fussed about what to do with the "Napaak" (unclean) utensils. Eventually, my mom conceded she was wrong. She was one of the few people who had an open mind and the willingness to change. Soon enough, she'd be happy to host my friends and made sure they were comfortable.

        Then, there was the issue of castes. People in the Sub-Continent have a strong sense of family. It is perhaps one of the reasons why cousin marriages are so rife in our culture. They believe in the bond of "bradaree" (caste). Marriages outside the caste are frowned upon. Even in my family, which is extraordinarily literate by Pakistani standards, caste marriages are the norm. My grandfather had  a rage of fit when he learnt that one of our distant relatives married their daughter into another caste. Once again, I went to battle with my family. I asked them to tell me one Islamic reason why that wasn't allowed. They shrugged there shoulders and said it is our "culture". Marrying into the same caste brings "ease' and "harmony". This pissed me off the most. How can we bring in religion for some aspects of life and drop it in the name of culture in others? For this reason, there is a sub-conscious desire in my head to make sure I marry outside my caste to reinforce that I don't believe in this culture of division and racism.

      Before coming to the US, friends and family would joke about "Gorees" (White Girls). A week ago I was in New York, and my friends from medical school started stereo-typing blacks and whites. They would give examples of how African Americans were much more involved in crimes and lawlessness. They would marvel at how the " gorees" (white) were so beautiful and tall. I was baffled at how we as a nation had fell to the "one sided story". I put down my head in shame wondering if the best educated in this nation had in-built stereo-types then what did we expect from the illiterate. 

         And then we write these long articles saying how the West is stereotyping against Islam. Yet here my friend prayed on a beach in New York without anybody stopping him. You tell me who is racist? Them or Us?  

                 So what is it about this profession, that Atul Gawande so aptly called an imperfect science? Why is it so addictive? Why inspite of the gruelling demands of the professioon people still jump in?

                             One thing I've noticed talking to people during my Fulbright and Harvard journey is that these people have a vision and an ambition. They range from the young and inexperienced to the total authority in their fields. Hell, some are even professors. Yet we sit together boasting of the same title and degree. We are Fulbrighters and we got into Harvard.

1- Indonesia is the most populous Muslim Country in the world (237 million people approximately) and is made up of over 17,000 islands.

3- It has a tropical climate. There are basically two seasons ; wet and dry. 

4- It is a very colourful city. Everything is painted brightly, from houses to cars.

5- It has a major problem of traffic. People generally prefer motorbikes. As soon as the signal goes green there is this maddening race, that seems right out of some need for speed type of movie.

6- Yes, there are rickshaws!!!!

7- Public transport consists of vans and buses. Buses are of broadly two types, express or transjakarta and the normal one. Transjakarta runs on this special lane reserved for it. It stops at limited number of places and its stop is smack in the middle of the road. They have literally hanging bus stations which you cross by an overhead bridge. No other form of transport is allowed in the lane reserved for Transjakarta. Taxis are available and they charge you by the meter. 

8- Did I mention Jakarta is a MAJOR traffic disaster. I guess I did, but this point needs to repeated Generally, the traffic is better during the weekends, since people coming from places near jakarta go home for the holidays.

9- They city has some of the most amazing skyscrappers. Has huge huge malls and practically all the fast food you can imagine, they HAVE IT.

10- Trains also run through the city and sometimes over it. If you hear the ting ting sound, it means you have to stop and wait for the train to pass.

11- Fruit trees are everywhere you look. We have a mango tree in our yard.

12- Footpaths are practically non-existent. Big time trouble for pedestrians.

13- They have Nallahs on the sides of the roads and streets, so if you don't watch out you can fall into one and well end up a stinking freak.

14- There is this bizarre bizarre custom that they wear jackets while on motorbikes. So while you are sweating and cursing the humdity, these people are wearing jackets. Have no idea how they can tolerate that.

15- Indonesians are genearlly short people. I'm have to try hard to find people over 5 feet five inches

16- You find girls in shorts and skirts & in pants. Generally, there is no real concept of purdah. 

17- Girls motorbike too

18- Ladies run shops and markets.

19- You find a seat in the bus and if it is empty you sit, whether there is a lady or a guy. Sometimes seems odd when you think what would happen in Pakistan if you did that :0

20- Generally, Indonesians only pray the Farz during prayers. They have this custom of shaking hands with people around them after the salam. It is nice. This custom is found in the Arabs as well.

21- The people keep to themselves. If it's none of their business, it's none of their business. They don't come and stare at foriegners or anything. On the bad side, that means it is harder learning about them because they talk so little. Plus barely anybody understands english. 

22-  The currency is Rupiah. One dollar is approximately equal to 10,000 Rupiah. So basically everything is for thousands. Very hard calculations

23- They also have the trend of foodstalls and they have stalls having stuff from fried chicken to pakooras on them. Also add to the traffic problem.

24- Indonesians love noodles.

25- Lots and lots of mosquitoes and sewer rats....ewww.

Enough for one day of blogging. Next post will be of pictures of the city, InshaAllah.