This past week has been quite a tough week for me. Personal problems that only seemed to get worse. Luckily in life everything falls into place like it should (with time that is). So today I am going to keep this blog post light. I thought I would post some funny videos. It originates from 'shit girls say' but this is the 'Indian version'. This is not to be racist in anyway or discriminate against anyone. It is purely for laughs. If you don't enjoy it, you can disregard this post.
ATTENTION:THIS POST IS NOT MEANT TO PUT MARRIAGE DOWN. I BELIEVE IT IS BEAUTIFUL BUT IT IS NOT MEANT FOR ME AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE.
I've hit that year, stage and point in life where many of my
friends are engaged, planning there weddings or already married.
I can honestly say I am definitely not at that stage to be
married. But then does one have to be at a certain stage to marry? Or does it
happen naturally?
As for my personal choice, I would prefer to be married at a
later age. An age where I am fully capable of taking care of myself and another
individual.
It all stems down to three main things:
1. Independence - most women love their independence, not
saying when you’re married you don't have any. But most often things change.
You rely more on your significant other than you would single or sometimes in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. I guess it has to do with having more responsibilities. You are somewhat responsible for another person. Actually you are.
2. Money- you have more money to spend on yourself. I'm the
type of person who likes spending on others, especially my companion but I'm
sure when I'm married I will have to budget. So yes, budgeting is the key as to why I'm not married yet (ha). Plus I want to live a comfortable life with my
significant other. I don’t want to ‘struggle’.
3. Alone Time- I love my privacy. I like having time to
myself to finish work or take a nap or just sit and read. I enjoy time with
myself and I see no harm in it. I feel it is very important for married, non-married,
basically everyone to have some alone time. It keeps one sane.
Now, I want to make it clear that being married is a beautiful gift to have. Sharing your life with someone you love is simply incredible BUT personally I am not at that stage. Maybe one day I will but until then I choose not to be married... YET.
No marriage for me YET.
I'm also going to post an article from The Economist called "The Flight from Marriage: Asians are marrying later, and less, than in the past.This has profound implications for women, traditional family life and Asian politics."
Let me know what you guys think. I would love to hear your opinion on marriage.
Enjoy!
In PR class last week we were given a booklet to read called Program Planning. In it, was an article called "India Changes Attitudes on Condom Use," it was on a PR campaign encouraging men and women to not be ashamed of using or buying condoms.
It was a very successful campaign. (Below I have listed what they did to make it so successful)
Whenever I go to India I often find that talking about sex or even saying the word is still used very quietly. The ironic issue for me was that India has population of over 1 billion and you would think by now it would be an openly spoken topic. But no it isn't. It's slowly beginning to be and I am on a mini-quest as to why it wasn't examined earlier.
One of the reasons I found was, the topic of sex and condom use still has a social stigma attached to it. I also believe it to be because of our elder generations (Indian men and women) who were brought up thinking that sex should be very hush, hush.
Most women and men, especially in rural parts of India are just beginning to be educated about the topic. HIV levels are quite high in India and recently, people are acting on changing the 'hush,hush' mentality.
I can say from my own experience that protected sex was never spoken about. It is not common in the Indian culture to even talk about it. Some kids never discuss it with there parents and that has to do with there upbringings (what was spoken of and what was not).
Fortunately, television shows, friends and school taught me what 'safe sex' is, but I was much older when I took the time to learn it. I laugh to myself because I remember when I was 14 years old and I thought it took 9 months to get pregnant. That's how naive I was. Plus going to a catholic school for nine years of my life didn't really teach much on sex.
It was only when I went to a public school from grade 10-12, we learnt how to use a condom etc... (the old banana trick). It was all laughs and giggles at that age. But now looking back I am glad we were taught that.
I believe if young men and women were taught at an earlier age in India, then diseases would not be as prevalent. But yes, on a positive note it is changing for the better.
I am going to post a condom video ad. It is hilarious only because it reminds me of a 'condom' like characters who resemble care bears or Teletubbies but it does have some good stuff in it. Enjoy!
Oh and my quest still continues.
Program Planning (Condom Bindaas Bol! Campaign) They focused on three parts: 1. Partnerships and Endorsements- "Famous television celebrities were recruited to record brief public service announcements to communicate the message." 2. Meetings with Editorial Boards of Major Publications- "Highlight the results of the research study about men's perceptions of condoms. Encouraging shopkeeper to increase sales by overcoming their embarrassment about selling the product to customers." 3. Use of New Media- (youtube)- "a video mailer was prepared that provided one scenario of how a shy customer is encouraged by a retailer to ask for a condom"
Condom Bindaas Bol! had a 22 percent increase in the condom market.
This is a letter to those who take the time to read my blog.
I apologize I have not taken the time to write during the holidays since it was a busy time, eating, drinking, dancing and laughing away.
I must say it was nice to be away from social media for the time I was, only because it gave me a chance to spend quality time with family and friends face-to-face rather than on my smartphone! (Though I was told several times to get off my blackberry)
2012 I will make it a point to keep posting. NO MATTER WHAT!!!!
Anyways, let's talk about good reads.
One book I'm reading right now which is so far hilarious is "On the Outside Looking Indian" - Rupinder Gill
It's about a young South Asian woman growing up in the North American culture and how different her life was compared to her friends. It is also about the author re-living her childhood for the second time the way she wanted to in the first.
I instantly wanted to read it because of the cover. CUTE
The girl in the picture is the author- Rupinder Gill
I am also going to post a video of the author-Rupinder Gill and how her experience after writing this memoir has changed her life.
