Love of Homeland-Ch 18 -Towards the Final Destination by Masood Sadiq

18| Love of Homeland

To lead life is a very strange experience whether you like it or not you have to do this experience. From the murky depth of the ocean to beyond your perception, there spreads a long series of knowledge, which offer you opportunities and challenges to face on a daily basis. Our passion, our tolerance, our vigilance, and our forbearance sometimes fail, and we are at a loss and don't know what to do. It's a pity!

I had been waiting outside an embassy for almost six hours. I got a call for an interview with the ambassador. "Why do you want to go to Greece?" he said. "I want to study." After half an hour my joy knew no bounds when I got my stamped passport having a multiple Shenanigans visa for Europe. Since my schooling, I had a great desire to visit Europe to study. But my desire was not fulfilled earlier. I had completed my education in the country and I was teaching on an ad-hoc base in an Intermediate Federal College. Hoping to get a permanent appointment. Alas! I couldn't!. I left and got ready to fly. "I will fulfil my desires!" The staff of my cherished college arranged a farewell in my honour and left the college with a heavy heart. I was really impressed by their loving response.

I finished my assignments and closed all my private tuitions. My mother was not pleased, but she did not reveal her wish. In my luggage, there were some of my favourite books including my passion for oil paintings. I thought I would get there time to paint and read. Finally, my younger brother accompanied me to see off and I departed for Greece. I had my boarding via Dubai to the final destination. It was a very exciting and tiring journey, I did remember it for many years 

Before boarding, there was an unnecessary delay due to the greed of the porter, I had to stay out of the queue. "Show me your NOC*," he demanded. It was included in my documents and that was not required actually. However, when he realized his mistake he let me enter and asked me to run to boarding as quick as I could. After a few minutes, I boarded and got my seat comfortably by the window. It was a fantastic view when the plane took off. I could hardly imagine the vast view of blue sky over the great city of my country. First time in my life I saw a flying plane in the air parallel to mine in front of my window. "O my God!" The scene was over, we were now flying over the blue sea of the Arabian Sea.

(* No objection certificate)

On reaching the beautiful airport of Athens, Greece.  I got my clearance and my dear friend welcomed me.  He had arranged my visit to Europe and I was very enthusiastic about visiting other countries as well. I had planned to visit the central part of Europe. I got my luggage and wished to reach home as soon as possible, but he had no hurry. "How far do we have to go now? I asked. He replied me to take a rest in the car. "I have to do some urgent piece of work before reaching home." So I pushed the seat into a relaxed position and took a nap. I had been travelling for two days and needed some rest. 

On my arrival at Ethen Airport

He completed his assignments of the day, so we reached home after three hours. The family welcomed me graciously. The flat was on the third floor, a beautifully furnished residence. It had a balcony from where I could view the blue Mediterranean sea. I got up early in the morning and tried to enjoy the sunrise, but couldn't do that. "How can I view the sunrise?" I asked him. He guided me and showed me the way. The very next day I got up early and walked a mile to view the sunrise by the seaside. "What a magnificent sight was there! I could imagine the beauty of the dawn. Really marvellous and stunning!

The next morning we took our breakfasts and went to the market. We travelled the whole day, and he did all his assignments. In the evening I was shocked to watch T.V programs and billboards. I could not watch the obscene sights sitting in the family gatherings. It made me feel worse day by day. 

The reaction of others

Sometimes, I got a chance to see his friends who advised me to be relaxed. They further consoled me that I would feel better after some days. Later, I learnt that everybody had his own priorities and could speak out on every topic whether it was of his field or not. He considered that he knew everything about the issue, and spoke about what he liked.

I started my Greek language program at Alexandria University. The teacher was very friendly and she knew how to teach the Greek language. "Ala Mood? "Why you are laughing?" she asked. I loved to listen to her questions. Our class was a cluster of different nations. In the beginning, we communicated with one another with the help of the English language, but later she forbade us to use the English language. "Don't use any other language except the Greek," she recommended to us. She only wished to speak the Greek language in the class. I learned a variety of diction in the company of my classmates. With the passage of time, my inner self started censoring my decision and I spent pondering most of the time. The whole day I talked to myself and did analyses. At night I couldn't sleep well because of some nightmares.

A letter from my homeland

One day I received two letters from my beloved mother and missed her much. I snubbed myself badly and started crying. Very soon I realized the drastic effects of my stay over there. Finally, I decided to go back to my homeland. Before it would be too late to get back I bought my ticket and informed my friend about my wish. He was much shocked but responded patiently. His wife was also not pleased with it.  

There were many opportunities to move ahead just after the completion of my language programme, but that was another region where there was no return. I would get a job as a language teacher at some university, and it would be enough to keep me in bondage there for the rest of my life. Finally, I decided to come back and started my life as it was before visiting Europe.

For the students of ECAT & FUNGAT

Click here to mark Noun Corrections with Bubbles worksheet

1. What is a pity?   

A) When we are at a loss
B) When we are very happy
C) When we are much worried
D) When we are ignorant

ANSWER= (A) When we are at a loss
Explanation: When our tolerance, vigilance, and forbearance fail. 

2. What is the synonym for 'cherished'?

A) annoyed
B) pessimistic
C) very dear
 D) very shy

ANSWER= (C) very dear
Explanation: What we love most.

3. What is the synonyms for 'magnificent'?

A) Excellent
B) Meagre
C) Grieved 
D) Jubilant

ANSWER= (A) Excellent
Explanation: Outstanding, excellent, marvellous. 

5. Which country did the writer visit?    

A) Turkey
B) Greece
C) Italy
D) Germany

ANSWER= (B) Greece
Explanation: An ancient European country of Aristotle and Alexander. 

6. Why did the porter not allow the writer to go for boarding?  

A) to show him luggage
B) to show him the passport
C) to show him NOC
D) to get some money

ANSWER= (D) to get some money
Explanation: The porter has no right to check the NOC. 

7.  What is the mode of the write.

A) very gloomy
B) very happy
C) very pessimistic
D) very neutral

ANSWER= (B) neutral
Explanation: Every one has his own priority in life to opt 

8. Why did the writer come back from Europe?  

A) because of duties
B) because of homesickness
C) because of no job
D) because of his family

ANSWER= (B) because of homesickness
Explanation: The writer became homesickness. 

9. Which sea the writer did view during his journey?  

A) the Arabian sea
B) the Pacific sea
C) the Mediterranean sea
D) the Indian sea

ANSWER= (A) the Arabian Sea 
Explanation: He vied the Arabian Sea during his journey. 

Click here to learn and attempt a Test of 'since and for'

10.  What parts of speech are used in "started crying"? 

A) a compound noun
B) an adjective
C) gerund of a noun
D) object complement of the verb 

ANSWER= (D)  object of the verb
Explanation: The gerund form of the verb is used as an object complement of the verb.

Click here to learn about Clauses and Adverbs with Bubbles worksheet

11.  If he had had the money, he ____ another house.  

A) would buy
B) will have bought
C) would have bought
D) has bought

ANSWER= (C) would have bought
Explanation: If he had had the money, he would have bought another house.

12. You are fitter than ____ (am).

A) me 
B) mine
C) I
D) my

ANSWER= (C) I 
Explanation: You are fitter than I am. 

To learn more 

Click here to attempt a Test of Singular and Plural Verb

13. She is taller ___ her all sisters. 

A) then
B) than
C) more
D) from

ANSWER= (B) than 
Explanation: She is taller than her all sisters (are).

14. He is the ____ boy in the college. 

A) taller
B) tallest
C) tall
D) the taller

ANSWER= (B) tallest
Explanation: He is the tallest boy in the college. Superlative degree

15. She is ____ prettier than her aunty.

A) more
B) many
C) most
D) None of them

ANSWER= (D) None of them
Explanation: She is prettier than her aunty. more is not used with comparative degree

16. She is the ____ girl of the three girls.  

A) more intelligent
B) most intelligent
C) more intelligent
D) much intelligent

ANSWER= (B) most intelligent
Explanation: She is the most intelligent girl of the three girls. 

17. He feels her attention slipping ____ away from him.  

A) more and more
B) farther and further
C) further and farther
D) further and further

ANSWER= (D) further and further
Explanation: He feels her attention slipping further and further away from him.

Click here to learn the SIX BASIC RULES for correction

18. This medicine is ___ ideal than that. 

A) more 
B) most
C) many
D) None of them

ANSWER= (B) None of them
Explanation: This medicine is ideal. This is an ideal medicine. 

(Absolute adjectives, supreme, universal, ideal, perfect, unique, complete, full, entire, matchless, preferable need no modifiers)

19. This town is preferable ___ that. 

A) than
B) from
C) to
D) by 

ANSWER= (C) to 
Explanation: This town is preferable to that.

Click here to attempt a Test of Singular and Plural Verb

20. He is ____ unique teacher in the college. 

A) an 
B) the 
C) of 
D) a 

ANSWER= (D) a 
Explanation: He is a unique teacher in the college.

21. My mother is ____ happier today.

A) many
B) much
C) very
D) too

ANSWER= (B) much
Explanation: My mother is much happier today.

22. The wall is ____ high to jump.  

A) much
B) too 
C) very 
D) enough 

ANSWER= (B) too
Explanation: The wall is too high to jump. 

23. Hard work and perseverance never ___ waste.

A) going
B) to going
C) goes
D) go

ANSWER= (D) go
Explanation: Hard work and perseverance go waste. 

24. The wall is ___ high to jump. 

A) too
B) enough 
C) very 
D) much

ANSWER= (A) too
Explanation: The wall is too high to jump.  

25. Children always  ____ to work in time. 

A) goes 
B) go
C) to go
D) going

ANSWER= (B)  go
Explanation: Children always go to work in time.

26. We are ___ tired.

A) many.
B) much
C) very
D) enough

ANSWER= (C) very
Explanation: We are very tired. 

27. He ___ too tired to walk. 

A) will
B) are
C) is 
D) were

ANSWER= (C) too 
Explanation: He is too tired to walk.