The Shoe Project: Session 2

Exercise: Write a paragraph on each: Good Land, Bad Land, Lost Land, Dream Land. Then underline a few words in each of them that catch your eye.

Lost Land:

My evening tea in TSC square is lost, and so is the crowded roundabout that was once full of needless dreams and discussions. Moving lights of cars, the fading sound of rickshaws, aimless strolls of lovers and friends- all of them are simply gone. Now is a life full of needs and wants, very functional-  optimized for my daughter and my schedule. My daughter's meaningless words do not create a storm inside my heart. I miss the way my heart used to shiver when I loved someone very dearly. Now my heart is busy being afraid of losing them.

Dream Land:

Green mountains. Warm weather. Small villages. A good school. I would like to live on top of a mountain, that has a warm climate. I'd have a small house, not too big so it's hard to tidy up- not too small that it suffocates me. I'll be able to not lock my door when I go outside and feel safe that way. The nearby library would have a good collection of books- my friends will live within a 20 minutes distance. The food is fresh and the culture is vibrant.

Good Land:

Freedom. I am humbled to have the privilege of freedom.  I love that I take my decisions. That nobody tells me how to dress, or who to follow. I love that we celebrate all festivals, from Christmas to Eid to Hanukkah. There goes a Bengali saying, "Dhormo jar jar, utshob shobar", which translates to- Religions belong to individuals, Celebrations belong to all. I love that my daughter is able to celebrate Hanukkah as well as Eid- which is a privilege that very few people own in this world. I like that I can travel anywhere by myself without being afraid of getting raped or bombed, that my daughter has the ability to grow up to be a writer, a dancer, a chef, and a barista. She won't need a Ph.D. or to be an engineer to realize her self-worth. I like that I can wear shorts and go hiking with boys who are loyal to their wives, and no one will question my intentions other than myself. I like this freedom and wish everyone who was born and going to be born can taste this once in their lifetime. 

Bad Land:

Society tries to dictate the way people dress, which often regulates their status, class, and worth. Dress codes or so-called appropriation of dress, gender division in clothes are some of the prevailing ideas which are very immature- but are followed almost religiously.