DINESH DARYANANI (Houston)
I went thinking it's just a weekend, and came back realizing it is a lifetime.
SONIA VASWANI (Los Angeles) Vapas ghar…
Well, another FANTASTIC time to be had by all…Retreat 2003…I can't believe it's over! Yet again, I come away from the weekend with a renewed sense of "Sindhi" and a bunch of new friends to boot. I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me. Every time I leave a YSA event, I come away feeling so revitalized and rejuvenated. I come back to my community with a sense of purpose and this event motivated me beyond even my own expectations.
VIJAY DARYANANI (Boston)
I wanted to say thanks for the wonderful memories we created this weekend. As we walk away from this weekend, do not forget why we came. Remember who we are; what we have come from; where we need to go; the questions that still remain and the family we have created. We have come to the realization of what we need to do in order to keep Sindhism alive, but it is going to require countless effort to strive forward. We have a window right here, we have the opportunity to make the difference. Let us not talk, but act and follow through.
SANDEEP CHELLANI (New York)
I'm still feeling a buzz from the amazing time spent in Vancouver... I also want to reiterate a key point from the retreat. Our culture, traditions and language have evolved over the course of thousands of years. Unless make a strong effort now, it could be lost within the next generation. It’s important that we don't lose our inspiration from the retreat in the stresses of everyday life. Together we can take YSA to the next level!
NEETA DADLANI (Hong Kong)
The 23 hour flight there and back was so worth it ... YSA Retreat 2003 was fantabulous ... I had great time!! The event gave me so much and has inspired me to give back. I hope to have a mini retreat for the HK YSAers - so I can give to you some of what I got from the event. Hopefully one sun afternoon over chai - we can play Sindhi taboo, I can share the insights that I got from Jennifer Cole on our Sindhi language, and the Let’s learn Sindhi CD.
SANDHYA PANJWANI (London) Back to the bosom we will return…
I was a stranger among this global, virtual community…I’d like to think I’m not anymore. The Vancouver retreat has personally changed my life and viewpoint of the present day generation of Young Sindhi Adults. I’ve come back to sunny Blighty with the assurance that we have the energy, we have the talent, the dedication and proactivity to keep the flame of Sindhiyat alive. We may not have easy access to our Motherland, but we have each other…and back to the bosom we will return for nourishment of our mind, heart and Sindhi spirit.
GULSHAN PANJWANI (New Jersey)
Absolutely amazing to have been to the retreat and now I do feel like a part of this community. The fear of the unknown could not have been anymore enfeebled than when I saw the friendly and inquisitive faces when I got there. Making friends here was as easy as it could get. Great bunch of people in the YSA!
ANIL VASWANI (Atlanta) Veni, Vidi, Vici
No matter where they came from or how they got there, they shared the commonality of a Sindhi heritage. They came to learn and to play, to make new friends and to strengthen existing bonds. They came to see Vancouver, and they came to spend time with their YSA family.
They spent three days laughing, learning, joking, hugging and dancing. They spent three days singing and writing, cooking and reading. They spent three days eating and drinking, telling stories and enjoying each other's company. They spent three days having their vocabulary, their bodies, their minds, their palates and their hearts challenged. They spent three days confronting stereotypes, changing perceptions, and breaking down barriers. They spent three days being instructed to learn more and to read more.
They left with memories of new friends in not so far away places like Manila, London, Hong Kong, Tenerife and Singapore. They left with stories of new neighbors in Seattle and Toronto, San Jose and Miami, New York and Dallas, Saskatoon and Connecticut, Atlanta and Los Angeles. They left with phone numbers, e-mail addresses, business cards and promises of visits and travel plans. They left with new friends and stronger friendships. They left with warm hearts and after long, lingering hugs. They left tired but with their batteries recharged. They left with a pledge to make a difference, to both follow and to help lead. They left with a promise to light the way for others, and rose to the occasion by committing to keeping the torch lit.
