From Toronto to Dhaka

Chapter One

Waking up to the small noises of little birds and waking up to cars honking are two different types of living. Birds are more peaceful and tell you it's going to be a good day. Cars, on the other hand, are very loud and very disruptive. Looks like I have to get used to the cars. 3 days until my flight to Canada; leaving the only place I ever called home.

Bangladesh is a small country that is besides India. Most people just think that is also India and I sometimes don't bother correcting them. It's easier than explaining both wars and languages. Yes, you heard that right, two wars. Anyways I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Rupi Khan. Well, Rupi is my Daak Naam (Pet Name). My real name is irrelevant since it's not even on my passport. My Ma (Mother) decided that Rupi was an easier name to pronounce for white people. Honestly, I don't really care, as long as I have a name, everything is sunshine and lollipops.

Mornings in Bangladesh are relaxing. You wake up with the maid giving you a cup of tea and some biscuits before you go downstairs for breakfast. Yes, I have a maid, almost everyone in Bangladesh does (at least the ones who could afford it). I lived a middle-class house away from the big city. We had a farm next to our house, which was used as livestock. Baba (Father) and Ma would always be at work so our nanny looked after me and my brother. They always thought money came before family.

As you can tell, I'm not close to my parents and why should I? A Bengali girl always suffers in silence while the world watches her weep. There are only 3 things my parents ever cared about. Money, power, and respect. My Nana (Grandfather) is a well-known millionaire and my Ma could never stand that. She always resented my Nana for never giving her time.

My Nani (Grandmother) said this to me once "Your Ma's Baba barely had time for her so she had a great deal of resentment towards him." My Nani and Nana lived in the big city away from us and we only visited them when my dad took us, which was rare. "She vowed that once she got children of her own, she'll give them all of her time." my Nani told me. That's bullshit. She has not given me or my brother time since our birth. All she cared about our grades and if we have a good reputation. We couldn't do anything that would ruin our family's name.

Getting praise for something that you did on your own and getting praise for something your parents told you to do is very different. You feel like it's not really you doing those and in fact, it's just your parents using you as a puppet to do it. Religion. There's one thing that I'm not too fond of. Let me give it to you straight: my "religion" is Islam. Well, I guess I don't need to get too in-depth with that.

"Apu (Older Sister), are you coming down for breakfast or not?" my younger Ridhoy yelled from the living room. "Coming, give me like 5 minutes" "Ok, Ma was asking for you at the table." I packed my stuff for my last day at my school. It's going to be hard leaving my friends but they promised to come to Canada as soon as they get approved. A new beginning or a new end, who knows what this world has in store for me. All I have to do is wait and see.