7 and 1/2 reasons why you should volunteer

Interact. Rotaract. Victoria and Albert Museum. The Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Centre for Performing Arts, University of Westminster. What do these organisations share in common? - Me volunteering with them!

Over the past ten years I have volunteered with these associations and I cannot stress enough on how important it is to take up volunteering from time to time. 

Reason no. 1 - They need you! You are their ray of hope! Their oxygen! Volunteering can turn your dream of turning into a superhuman true! Every cause you support and contribute to will make a huge impact in changing the lives of so many people.

Reason no. 2 - You need them. The experience leaves you enlightened and enriched. It teaches you things no classroom can. Your life needs a break from the hustle and bustle of your hectic life. And volunteering can give you just that! And even better you make a big positive difference in the bargain.

Reason no. 3 - You become Santa Claus overnight. The most precious and pure gift that one can give another is the gift of time. Taking a small chunk out of your quota of life and contributing it to make someone else's life better is a gift unmatched by anything else in this world. 

Reason no. 4 - Karma never bitches behind you. You do good things, good things come to you. You start a good deed and pay it forward, and it geometrically progresses creating ripples of happiness in the air we all breathe. What goes around comes around, you will instantly notice more good things coming your way.

Reason no. 5 - You expand your circle. You meet new people. You learn about their lives. In turn you learn so much about yourself. You meet individuals you would have never otherwise met. You do great things you would have not otherwise done.  

Reason no. 6 - You make the best use of your free time, utilising it for something productive and worthwhile, sometimes even without great effort. It adds on to your experiences. Your CV. Your story. Self-realisation happens. Selflessness sprouts in your heart. Definitely better than faffing away time doing something irrelevant. 

Reason no. 7 - You get to travel the world, and even better most of the times for free. Demand for volunteering is global, join the supply and take off!

Reason no. 7 and 1/2 - Its the closest you'll get to doing magic if you're a Muggle!

So waste no time. Think what your are passionate about. Look out for a cause that matches your passion. Do anything and everything you can to make a difference!

Video log

This page allows you to search for the videos that were linked to on this blog.

Please click on the links below to watch the videos.

Fake slap tutorial

Examination revision tips - Smoke TV

WTM Powerhouse Economies - India

Choral Performances

Copacabana

Riu riu

Ekla Cholo Re

Choral performances

Please click on the links below to listen to the carols/hymns/songs.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT 2012

Once in royal David’s city

Riu riu

Gabriel’s message

As with gladness men of old

Coventry carol

While shepherds watched their flocks by night

O little town of Bethlehem

We three King’s of Orient are

O come, all ye faithfull

SPRING CONCERT 2012

It's a Beautiful Day

The University of Westminster's Choral Society is led by Robbie Jacobs and consists of students, alumni and staff of the university. The performances are put together by a collaborative effort and give students a chance to hone their singing skills. If you would like to work with them please contact the director of the Centre for Performing Arts here or drop me a line and I can put you in touch with them.

We three King's of Orient are

'We three King's of Orient are' sung by the University of Westminster's Choral Society for their second Christmas concert in December 2012.

To go to next performance, click here.

To see a list of all the performances click here.

The University of Westminster's Choral Society is led by Robbie Jacobs and consists of students, alumni and staff of the university. The performances are put together by a collaborative effort and give students a chance to hone their singing skills. If you would like to work with them please contact the director of the Centre for Performing Arts here or drop me a line and I can put you in touch with them.

Illustrated Christmas cards

Having visited a workshop on Fashion Illustration at the Victoria and Albert Museum earlier this month I decided to put my newly honed illustration skills to good use by making hand-made cards for a handful of people I know. The workshop was conducted by renowned illustrator Stuart McKenzie. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt a lot over a short span of an hour.

I am sure you all have that one friend who you could relate to in the illustrations below. Give me a shout if you need any made and I shall send them over. All proceeds will be donated. Merry Christmas!

The butter-fingered

The tea-lover

The Movember-man

The bead-wearer

The Brit-Indian

The foodie-drinker

The low-battery-complainer

The detox-dieter

The mulled-wine-mince-pie-lover

The beer-belly

The art-appreciater

The social-media-resident

The fitness-freak

The ice-skater

The graduand

The goodie-two-shoes

The cup-cake-drooler

The perpetual-traveller

The pastafarian

The smoking-quitter

The sailor

The Olympic-beer-drinker

The couch-surfer

The free-spirited

A celebration of Christmas

Singing Christmas carols has been one of my most favourite past times. I've sung them anytime-anywhere and will do the same in the future.

On previous occasions I've gone into one of my singing fits while travelling in school buses, during camp fires, when crossing dry river beds in villages in Rajasthan, travelling in the tube in London and on Christmas eve at home with my sister.

My love for singing and Christmas songs, carols and hymns reached a new high when I joined the University of Westminster's Choral Society last year.

I particularly love the design team at the University of Westminster as you can see on your right with this amazing invite they made for our show.

The practice sessions were remarkable in the sense that amateurs and stalwarts all practiced together and our team-work clearly showed on the day with the audience members complimenting us; 'You sounded like angels from heaven' one of them told one of our choristers.

This year I was promoted to singing a solo for a medieval Spanish villancico called Riu Riu Chiu and according our Choir conductor, Robbie, this will be the next big thing when it comes to Christmas songs in the near future. Well, you know where you heard it first!

Thanks to Chunny Wai Lo who made it for the performance and took this picture. You are a great friend and seeing your face there made this so much more special.

Another friend came to the rescue of fellow chorister, Sueli, who thrust upon a video camera in her friends' hands with seconds to spare before the performance started with the orders 'Record!'. Sueli, please pass on our gratitude and wishes.

to you dear friend.

For all those who couldn't make it, presenting to you - A celebration of Christmas! Please click on the links below to listen to the carols/hymns.

Once in royal David’s city

Riu riu - Salem Ajmi singing the second paragraph and yours truly singing the first and third one.

Gabriel’s message

As with gladness men of old

Coventry carol

While shepherds watched their flocks by night

O little town of Bethlehem

We three King’s of Orient are

O come, all ye faithful

And now, please join us for some vegan mince pies and non-alcoholic mulled wine! :P

London Christmas decorations at night - Fom Nike to Zara

Every year during Christmas in Mumbai, a ritual practiced by one of my dear friends Ainee was to collect all her friends in one car and drive around Mumbai city to those spots which boasted of some of the best Christmas decorations in the city. From Marine Plaza and Taj in south Mumbai to Damian's three floored furniture showroom in the suburbs (okay, Bandra is not exactly a suburb but I wanted to give an idea of the length and breadth we covered!)

It has been two years since I came to London and my promise to Ainee to send her pictures of the decorations on display in the city of cities - London, is yet to be fulfilled. So this year I am planning to go on a evening walk down Oxford Street, Regents Street, Carnaby Street, China Town, Marylebone High Street and any other street which has decorations gallore. 

If you wish to join in and take in the delights that Selfridges, Harrods, Hamleys, Liberty, Covent Garden and Southbank have to offer, please click here and confirm here.

The walk will begin from University of Westminster's Regents Street campus at 8pm on 11th December 2012.

Don't forget to carry only your camera, with spare batteries as we will be doing a lot of walking and you don't want to get bogged with the weight of any unnecessary possessions on you. Do layer up in warm clothes and wear good walk-able shoes. Strictly no heels allowed.