EID MUBARAK : 2012

Eid Mubarak :-)

2012 Ramadan began on 21st July and concluded on 18th August with Eid being celebrated on 19th August, Sunday. And what a wonderful Sunday it was as well :-)

In the last week of Ramadan we began making sweets =D One of the many reasons we look forward to EID ;-)

The first things we made were: Larki Mithai & Nimkins.

Lakri mithai: the dough cut up 

Mum frying the Lakri Mithai

after frying the Lakri Mithai looks
like this.. it is than dipped in sugar syrup

The cookie cutters I used for shaping the Nimkins

Dad wanted some 'normal' looking Nimkins

After frying the Nimkins looks like this :-)

These two have got to be my favorite things to make and eat. :-)
We also made other sweets like: Rumball, Barfi, Coconut Ice, Gulab Kamun. barra, marsh-mellow and Suji Ladoo..

The table was set with delicious sweets=D

My speciality annually is the Coconut Ice this year I sandwiched the coconut ice - red-white-red... Critics said it was YUMMY :-) 

Coconut Ice: Red Sandwiched :-)

During EID the main sweet dish we make is called Samaii :-) And it is very YUM!!! I always have samaii at home on Eid morning but try to skip it elsewhere because it is made in Milk (do not want an upset tummy)... 

Samaii - made by Mum

I love meeting family on EID day, we are all so dressed up =) And everyone is being so bubbly :-) And I love having my friends and Family come over to visit us and feast :-)

My cousin Nicky and her little neighbor Silvia

The Boys :-) we've been friends since 2005 :-)

And My Girl Friends :-)
They are students at the University
of the South Pacific and just like me they
too come from the Western side of Fiji. 

My friend Roshika (the tallest in the group)
came with her wonderful friends :-)
The more the merrier =D

The day began for us at 5.30am [19.08.12] and concluded at 1.00am [20.08.12] It was a great day and I look forward to the next Ramadan :-) 

Untill next blog . . . 
Alzima Bano :-) 

PGD DONE!!

Finally completed post Graduate Diploma in Psychology!!

Oh what an achievement!! 2011 began with me leaving my job in an advertising firm to pursue my Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology.
In the first semester I took only one Unit because I was returning to school after 3 years of being in the workforce (a slight panic attack there). . .

During the semester I did a job which was semi-related to my field but I also got to be part of the 17th Know India Program (more on KIP here)  and I spent 3 weeks away from home exploring and learning more about India. My personal 17th K.I.P experience can be read here ... At the end of semester I was amazed to have received an A+ for this unit (Advanced Human development). And did my own personal development advance (that a blog for another time) ...

In the second semester I took up a Volunteer position with Fiji Media Watch as a Media Monitoring Volunteer. I also took up PS402 - Advanced Cross Cultural Psychology; and PS406 - Abnormal Psychology (here we learnt more about DSM) and this unit felt like I was sitting in a medical class (from time to time). Later on in the semester I received the opporutnity to be part of a research project with SEEP. This research project was basically going out into the communities and conducting Focus Group Discussions with indo-Fijian groups, transcribing their interviews and giving in the reports. AMAZING experience!! At the end of the Semester I had been multitasking 2 units and 2 jobs. (WOW) and I managed to get a B+ in PS402 and an A+ in PS406 =) [YAY me]

2012 . . . Semester 1: the unit I dreaded the most! DG400| Advanced research Methodologies (if only I could insert dramatic music playing in here)... I had only heard negative things about the way this Unit was set out... A little sigh of comfort came about when I was told the unit will be taught by a new lecturer (he is very capable and has done numerous research in Fiji_which was good as he brought to the table some very interesting issues). The semester was okie_ I was given the topic Tourism Impacts to compile my 60% research paper on (FAINTS) but I managed to do so... When it was time for results to come out - I could have collpased when someone said 60% of our class had failed (mind you there were only 62 or so students in the class) So you can imagine my surprise when I saw i passed with a B+  :-)
2 B+'s and 2 A+'s sits me on a Grade Point Average of 4!! Which means and A and I am more than Happy with this achievement =D =D

Now to look forward to the Graduation!!!

until next blog . . .
Elisha!!

Spegetti Friday

Spegetti Friday!!

So I cooked Spegetti for a few friends ELLY Style :-)

of course first you boil the spegetti :-)
Than I cooked the chicken (with a little bit of garlic, chillies, ginger and sauce) and than I melted cheese into it (drool) . . .

Once we were done cooking we took our food and went down to the every so cold sea-wall (by the sea)... And enjoyed a nice meal :-)



:-) TADA and these were the Happy Customers of Elly's Cooking... All of them are still alive and well_therefore proving my COOKING is EATABLE =D

Until next Blog |
الزما  الیشا  بانو 

Tutor Bano

2012, Semester 2, Week 2 | 3rd August - Friday.

I taught my 1st tutorial class at the University of the South Pacific :-)

This semester I will be teaching Psychology PS102 [Human development] on Fridays and I have 2 tutorial groups with more than 20 students in each class.

Both the set of students are very dynamic in nature and seemed to have a great sense of humor (YAY for me!!) I am so looking forward to other sessions with them... :-)

Cheers to a wonderful Opportunity!!

Till next blog. . .

Elisha!!