A Walk Into The Gardens Of My Mind

                                            Gwenton Soley : A Changed,Charming Charismatic Man Mums and Dads living in the cold, bleak, but blissful city of London, are forever anxious about the safety and future of their teenage children who may fall victim to a life of crime and end up in jail, or worse case scenario, dead. Lets face it, every now and again, a teenager is murdered and we see a grieving mother on the news, only to forget about it the next day or two, and then mourn over another teenager's death sometimes the next day, sometimes the following week or even a month later. Last year alone, the Office For National Statistics revealed a staggering statistic of a 27% rise in violent crimes - most of these amounted to gun and knife crime committed by young people against young people. This year alone, so far, we have had a series of knife and gun attacks invo...

Living in the UK, where although we still have a long way to go, but a multi-cultural race and faith society is celebrated for its diversity most of the time .. it is hard to ignore or not be offended by Donald Trump's demonization of Muslims, his judgmental and harsh remarks about women and his hatred towards the growing immigrant Latino community, who are taking over America's demographics. Despite these downfalls, a staggering number of people are voting and rooting for him to be U.S president, which is difficult to comprehend, to say the least. Is it Trump's tan that is winning over people's hearts? In my humble opinion, he is unfit to be the president of the U.S with such a vile attitude and a lack of respect for people. ISIS has been a growing threat to countries all sides of the globe which has resulted in some reacting by strategically innovating education to stop radicalization, while others like Russia, didn't think twice about bombing ISIS or deployi...

It is estimated that supermarkets have a vast surplus of food which equates to approximately more than four million tons of food going to waste . To me, this is not only ridiculous but hard to comprehend, knowing there is enough supply for high demand, yet the number of homeless people and families experiencing severe poverty is increasing. Although London is arguably one of the richest cities in Europe, it is ironic that in this very city, we have families skipping meals because they cannot afford to eat a balanced diet of the basic three meals a day. But yet I have family back home who yes, are poor, but in some ways better off than us here to some degree. The bustling atmosphere of high earning individuals and sky-rocketing buildings in Central London are causing a fog over people's eyes, allowing people to really bathe in what amounts to ignorance being bliss. Away from Central London , if you visit inner-city areas within the city such as Hackney , Brixton ...

Many inner-city communities in London are at the heart of a 'super-gentrification' process, in which housing and local environmental design is being transformed with 'ghetto areas'  receiving an influx of middle-class and upper-class residents.You only have to look at areas such as Brixton where poverty rates are high and deprivation is very real, but at the same time, a few streets away from Central Brixton , you have properties so expensive, even those you think could afford them, cannot. Also, Hackney is an area in East London which is home to some of the most socially marginal members of society. Yet neighboring Hoxton is a melting pot of rich culture with its vast amount of cultural and art organizations at the heart of it. Super-gentrification to this extent creates a social divide among members of society and makes one's social class background become more of a marker in their life. This then fuels a culture of envy, rants and crime, particularly within ...

At the start of this week, junior doctors across the country, excluding those who work in emergency care, took part in a 24 hour strike. A reported 4,000 routine operations were cancelled and only God knows how many people were left unattended to, or taken to with the least appropriate care. It is beyond my comprehension how this statistic isn't enough for the government to really revolutionise the NHS and quit talking about it in fancy terms in parliament, and start taking immediate action to solve issues accordingly. For the last three to four days, I have been in and out of hospital for a severe experience of gastritis, the acid in my body at its maximum causing my anxiety levels to soar sky high resulting me having numerous panic attacks, convinced I was going to die. Only God knows how much pain and suffering I have been in this week and how honoured and blessed I feel that I am now able to eat. Maybe I wouldn't have got better had it not been for the NHS diagnosing my...

Time and time again, Third World countries miss the headlines or the attention and sympathy of humanity till its repeated on BBC News again and again. I believe the majority have become desensitized to the troubles being faced by our brothers and sisters in war-torn countries worldwide. President Pierre Nkurunziza is ruining the lives of innocent people with his corrupt ruling and decision making at the height of his status and position in one of the poorest nations in the world, Burundi . Thousands of bodies have been scattered on the streets of the capital, Bujumbura.                                                             President Pierre Nkurunziza However the African  Union have used their initiative and last month suggested the deployment of up to 5,000 peacekeeping troops in order to tackle the unjust bloodshed that ...

Being 'cultured' is something most people either aspire to, or insist on bragging about. I, for one, used to underestimate myself on educational trips to galleries and museums, amongst more affluent and so called 'cultured people' . Previously, I'd put myself down at my differing interests to the majority of those around me in various 'cultured' institutions, be it those directly related to the arts, education or entertainment. At the age of 22 now, I believe myself to be very cultured even  if my lifestyle or conduct may not adhere to what the supposed definition of being cultured entails. As young as I can remember myself, I adored books and reading everything and anything in general (I still enjoy reading to this day) . But most of the books I read were fiction during my formative years, I had a thrill of getting absorbed into someone else's reality and learning a valuable lesson even from fictitious story. It was only till I stared secondary sc...

If there is ever a woman I talk so highly about and with so much love, it is my nan (my maternal grandmother). Amazing, hilarious, courageous, stoic and with a heart of gold, my nan is the life and joy of those who know her.                                                             My nan and me Before she migrated to England, she lived a life of hardship and lack of opportunities, as was the case for many first-generation Bengali migrants. My nan was the first wife of my grandfather, but she got married again and now she is a widow, and has been for a long time. I won't get into my the make up of my mum's side of the family, because it does get a little complicated. Anyway, my nan has told me several times of the many occurrences where she had to tend to my mum when she was a crying and difficult baby under the guava tree. How s...

                                                                     Donald Trump  Never did I think to myself that I would be living in a time and age where, 1) I am scared to walk the streets as a result of being Muslim and 2)  Having to acknowledge that most people are ignorant about my religion and at their bliss hate me and my fellow brothers and sisters for their lack of knowledge and willingness to accept principles which may clash with theirs. Donald Trump, a Republican party candidate for the 2016 presidential election in the U.S is an extremely biased and horrible man who has no morality, but yet wants to take on a leadership role. He is facing backlash after commenting that Muslims should be banned in entering the U.S, at the height of him trying ".. to figure out what the hell is goin...

Terrorism, war, poverty and the ongoing numerous battles our fellow species are experiencing all over the world are very often motivating factors for us wanting to change the world. You know, you wake up one morning, thinking 'I'd like to make a positive change in the world, I want to reduce the amount of poor people in my country, I'm going to start donating more'. Well, I don't know about you, but I've had this thought plenty of times. But with all the horror that is going on around in the world and being sidetracked by these worldly issues, one can easily forget that if we do not make swift and smooth efforts to save our planet, then we won't even have scope to address these issues and solve them. What is the good in being politically active if were not going to have a planet to survive in soon? Seriously, though. I am now 22 years of age, and  I remember how concerned I was at the age of about 12 in regards to climate change and global warming. Onl...

After receiving much critical backlash for his previous plans to make £12bn welfare cuts, George Osborne has now completely scraped the idea of cuts to tax credits. There are no rates of cuts, in release of his Autumn statement, he was reported by Channel 4 News as saying, "I've listened to the concerns, I hear and understand them and because I've been able to announce an improvement in the public finances, the simplest thing to do, is not to face these changes, but to avoid them altogether" , to which he received an uproar in The House Of Commons.                                                         Picture : from the Daily Mirror As much as Osborne done a good job in surprising the public, without knowing entirely the effect this decision has had, he has uplifted the burden from many hearts. Though some may say London's economy is booming w...

After watching what was a very eye-opening, but more harrowing Channel 4 documentary on British ISIS supporters, I am left stick to my stomach and curious to know more. 'The British Women Supporters Unveiled' has been successful in what seems to me the first breakthrough in educating the masses on how some people, namely women in London can be fast-tracked on the process of radicalization. In the documentary, a Muslim woman called Aisha unravels her one-year journey of keeping up with online ISIS recruiters on Twitter and then eventually meeting up with London recruiters at stalls and study circles. What was particularly disturbing to me was that these ISIS supporters are in the very heart of London, the city I grew up in, the city in which I travel to and back. How ironic is it that Westerners fear such people, but we are probably brushing past these people on a daily, not knowing they are disillusioned radicals with ulterior motives? That is not to say I am promoting su...

This morning on my way to university today, as I waited on the platform in Bank station, tears gushed down from my eyes as I reflected on the injustices within the world we live in. I couldn't help but only imagine what it must have been like for those families who have lost their loved ones due to the terrorist attacks in Paris on the 13th of November. I then started reflecting how all over the world, people are dying due to inequality, people dying because of poverty, war and other grievances . It pained me knowing that the West has become fixated on sympathizing with Paris, but dismissing incidents elsewhere. On a side note, I felt a sense of fear whilst on public transport today, as although I didn't wear any obvious Islamic attire, I was very conscious of the fact that I was Muslim. It was comforting seeing a Muslim man with a big beard, leaning up against the wall in the station looking quite relaxed . I thought if he isn't bothered, why should I be ? But I was bot...

How can an educated woman like yourself not see the beauty of Islam?! Let me start off by saying I am not defending Islam just because I am a Muslim, but because people like Ayan Hirsi Ali are the catalyst to creating 'a clash of civilizations' as described by Samuel Huntington. Her one-sided and delusional perspective on Islam has led people to believe that Islam has deprived the lives of many, when in actual fact it has fulfilled them. I have just finished reading her book 'NOMAD' , which explicitly describes Ali's journey from Islam, to the Netherlands and then to her final destination, America. Tears, suffering and strength are the core themes explored within the personal memoir, in contextualization of Somali clan culture, a mis-interpreted Islam, freedom vs oppression and activism and empowerment. Despite her vicious remarks about Islam, I salute her stoic nature and her willingness to ensure women are emancipated from patriarchy and its branched out inj...

Many times I have complained and moaned to others, and might I add, boasted, about the overwhelming attention I receive on the road from male spectators . Although, compared to most daring westernised girls who have no problem with showing off their legs, cleavage and body shape, I make sure to cover as much skin as possible. With that being said, I wear extra layers underneath tops and jumpers so less can be seen, and  I enjoy wearing long jackets. As a result, I have boasted many times about the 'prettiness' of my face, as a man has nothing more to go on when he spots me and approaches me. Most girls cannot boast about this, neither make the same claim, as I myself, have witnessed men smack their tongues across their lips in lust at a woman's behind, only to follow her and show an apparent disappointed expression on their face, at the woman's face. Laugh as you wish, but when I'm seeing girls forcefully arching their backs whilst walking, I can't help but de...

One of my university lecturers recommended that we watch a BBC documentary called 'Bitter Lake'. I just remembered noting it down, wondering what it has to in relation with the topic of contemporary media practices and colonialism as a sub topic, but making a mental note to go home and find out for myself. 'Bitter Lake' , by Adam Curtis , is far from bitter, but an eye-opening film that made me feel mad at myself for my previous ignorance of the corruption between such influential countries in the world. What was particularly striking for me, is the fact that Britain and Saudi Arabia had agreed and signed off one of the biggest arms deal in the world. As a young Muslim woman who looks up to Saudi Arabia , as being such a beautiful and awe-inspiring country which hosts the annual Muslim pilgrimage, Hajj , this was a fact which was hard to sallow for me. How could such a holy city engage in buying and selling weaponry? How could Britain, a country that boasts peace a...

Shattered , lost and empty is what the death of Kids Company (shortened to 'Kids') has made me feel. My second home no longer exists and I still am in mourning. Three weeks ago, the charity closed its centres across the UK, and abandoned myself and a million other vulnerable young people who have been severely traumatised. I am not glamorising vulnerability, but for a second, just imagine .. all of us (the young people associated with Kids) not having a shoulder to cry on any more, a firm hand pointing us in the right direction or giving us the thumbs up in supporting our goals, or having a decent lunch and our weeks travel sorted .. suddenly being taken to a cliff and threatened to be pushed off. That's what it feels like. Kids has done for me, what I believe no other institution, be it educational or youth-based could match or exceed, for their services had no price attached to it, but soul and pure love. I used to read about Kids in the newspapers and how the ch...