More than just a blog...I started a website in early 2000 when I was a first year University student at the University of Toronto and the word 'blog' had not yet entered the lexicon of popular culture. It began as a place for an average 20 year old to chronicle his thoughts. My elementary writings were posted, with commentary on everything from having my car stolen to my father's cardiac bypass surgery.
The site took on a new tone in the summer of 2000 with my voyage to Northern Pakistan to work with an NGO in the Mansehra valley. Escaping my busy city life for rural living cleared my head and allowed me to reflect upon what it meant to serve others in need.
I returned to Toronto a changed individual and began the demotivating process of applying to medical school and the site served as a sort of catharsis, allowing me to vent my frustrations.
During this final year of University I contemplated deleting the site, feeling that no one would want to read my ramblings and became wary of the costs of maintaining my own domain name. During this time, a random individual who I did not know posted an inspiring message on my guestbook, thanking me for my site as it increased her 'faith in humanity' prior to a suicide attempt.
I then realized that this was nothing to be taken lightly. For whatever reason, I am honored by the fact that readers can find something positive in what I have to say.
I decided to continue to maintain the site, and it became a vehicle to share my experiences living in Israel where I ventured for medical school for four years. At the conclusion of my time in Israel I travelled to Vietnam and my travel diaries are included in the journals section. During this final year I also got married and obtained a job in Rochester, NY, USA in my chosen field of psychiatry.
So in June of 2007 I begin my new life...married, with a job, and the responsibility of learning how to be a psychiatrist while managing my own complicated psychology.
I hope you enjoy the site and feel free to contact me at javeed@javeedsukhera.com
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Interior of Mosque and Madrassah in Cairo, Egypt