As Salaamu Alaykum one and all!
I'm re-surfacing for a short post about my current situation, and since this is the first time I'm able to check my mail since I left, I thought I'd let everyone know how I'm doing!

First of all, I'd like to thank EVERYONE who commented on my last post, I can't reply to everyone personally, so I'm hoping u guys get this message: Thank you for your kind words and duas, may Allah (swt) accept it from you and grant you all Jannah. Ameen!

Ok, so about me:
Well, I'm currently in a 3rd world South Asian country. I go through 8 hours of no electricity per day because the government shuts down the power since they can't afford electricity 24/7. Because of this, I'm forced to survive by candle light after maghrib and I don't have running water in my taps most of the time, since we need electricity to pump water around the house. Hence, I'm fairly miserable! We also had a major water crisis a couple of days ago, due to an internal piping problem which caused SEWAGE water to flow through our taps in the washrooms and kitchens. For 2 days we suffered with dirty stinky water, and then, in order to fix it, we had our water lines shut off for 2 days and we were living out of buckets. Subhanallah!

My younger sister accidentally ingested some of this sewage water whilst brushing her teeth one morning, and because of that, she suffered from a severe form of amoebic dysentery. We had to rush her to the hospital and she spent the night in E.R with all sorts of IVs attached to her. Now, in 6 days, I'm supposed to b getting married... And all i wanna do is run away screaming...

Subhanallah.

I'm only human, so I complain about my situation, but when I stop to ponder about everything, I do find myself to be extremely grateful and thankful for one thing: I'm not forced to live here against my will, unlike so many of my extended family members.

It is such a humbling experience, to go from a comfortable and luxurious life in the GCC, from a free, safe and open environment in Canada, to a country like this, where even the basics fundamentals of life are not available readily. It is such a struggle to go through a day here, with all the dirt and lack of water, electricity and hence clean clothes and a clean home. A hot water shower is a luxury that I only get once in a while. I realise that I take so much for granted and have such high expectations from life, and then i feel so grateful that its not worse than it is. Alhamdulillah!

The crime rate in this country is incredibly high. When I leave my house, I can't expose my cell phone to the general public in case someone sees it and wants it... all they do is point a gun in ur face and demand u hand it over. I don't wear nice shoes, nice clothes, or any kind of hand jewelry. If i wear rings, i have to twist my rings around so the nice part is in my palm. When i go shopping, I only take a terrible hand bag and i don't show how much cash is in my wallet. I also can't speak in English too loudly coz if people pick up my accent, they will over-charge me by a mile, so i speak my native language which i'm terrible at... or i end up keeping my mouth shut.

And did i mention that this is a "Muslim" country? Its a sad situation here, very little deen and if there is deen, it's looked down upon and ridiculed or it's an extreme form of something that I don't know how to explain. Its also full of cultural bid'ah customs that make it very impure.

Alhamdulillah I've been able to keep myself from getting ill so far, and Insha'allah it will be over soon, but I feel extremely sorry for everyone here; all the beggars and all those who struggle to raise families and live in a country such as this. I always wonder about what I've done to deserve a life like mine, and not like theirs, which could've been possible.

I wish i had time to type some more but I have to go now. I'll be back up and running when I arrive in Riyadh Insha'allah and I will Insha'allah, update everyone when it's all over :)

Bismillah,

Insha'allah, in about 10 mins, I'm gonna be heading out the door to catch a plane and will be travelling to a mystery location (u hate my secretive behaviour) for my walima, and then arriving in Riyadh by the end of this month.

Hopefully, I'll be able to blog from my secret location, otherwise you'll see me back online and blogging frantically, from my new home in KSA.

I haven't forgotten my sisters who want abayas and Inshallah will be working on that as soon as I get time.

I leave you with a dua from the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet sallalaahu alayhi wasallam:
O Allah! I ask You on this, our journey, for goodness and piety, and for deeds that are acceptable to You. O Allah! Lighten this journey for us and make its distance easy (short) for us.
O Allah! You are our Companion on the road and The Guardian-Protector of the household. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from this journey's hardships, and from the disagreeable sights in store and from finding my family and property and children in misfortune upon returning.

Till we meet again...
As-Salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu