Wara Karim

Scent of spring: Songbirds, cherry blossoms, and warmer days

To me, birdsongs are the harbinger of spring. I know the season is about to arrive in Delaware because after a series of unusually frigid mornings, which lasted from December through February, cheerful chirping of red-breasted robins, blue jays, and chickadees has now filled the morning air.

4w ago

Ramadan away from home

Bangladeshi diaspora spread across the globe: how they miss and observe Ramadan away from home

1m ago

Turks and Caicos Islands: Postcards from paradise, voices from the shadows

The Turks and Caicos Islands, a tropical paradise of stunning beaches and luxury resorts, mask a troubling reality. Beneath the glamour, black migrant workers face exploitation, low wages, and harsh living conditions, sustaining the islands' tourism industry.

3m ago

When neither option feels right: Bangladeshi Americans and the 2024 US election dilemma

Bangladeshi Americans face a dilemma in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, torn between dissatisfaction with major parties over issues like Gaza, inflation, and healthcare. Many now consider third-party options, hoping to spotlight overlooked concerns.

6m ago

Non-resident Bangladeshi voices in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement

Bangladesh has recently witnessed extraordinary times. In July 2024, what began as a student movement demanding a restructuring of the government job quota system escalated into a countrywide mass movement for equality, justice, and democratic freedom.

8m ago

The importance of trees in Dhaka’s concrete jungle

Overurbanisation has destroyed the trees of Dhaka, leaving Dhaka dwellers in an environment where the air is too toxic to breathe in. Land clearing has made the already-hot summer season hotter and prolonged.

11m ago

Table manners 101: Dining etiquettes explained

Table manners are important because in a civilised society, poor dining etiquette can create a poor impression of you at social gatherings and social business situations. Even when you are eating at a restaurant surrounded by strangers, table manners are important, because you do not want to irritate others with your poor manners or invite stares from patrons sitting at the next table.

1y ago

Cashmere: Soft, luxurious, sought-after

Cashmere is the world’s most sought-after fabric during the winter season.

1y ago
August 1, 2022
August 1, 2022

A case for minimalist jewellery

A lot of us women love to be adorned in jewellery, but wearing too many and too big pieces can make an outfit perplexing. People who love simple and clean style, believe in dainty, versatile, and effortless jewellery, which enhances a woman’s overall look by adding subtle details. In short, you can never go wrong with minimalist jewellery, where the design focus is on the concept of “less is more.”

July 24, 2022
July 24, 2022

9 ways to conserve energy at home

When you reduce or limit your energy use, you limit your impact on the environment. Remember, most of the electricity we consume comes from burning fossil fuels like natural gas, petroleum (oil), and coal, all of which are non-renewable resources. The world is in an energy crisis. However, every cloud has a silver lining; perhaps, this is a good time for us to start changing our lifestyles, habits, and energy use for a better, cleaner, and greener future.

June 12, 2022
June 12, 2022

Beating your Monday blues

Does a feeling of dread and anxiety drown you the afternoon before a new work week begins? If not, consider yourself lucky, for a lot of people do feel anxious, irritable, fearful, and restless on Saturday/ Sunday evening, depending upon the day work week begins where you live. Here are a few things that you can consider doing to beat this sinking feeling that overwhelms you before your work day starts.

May 23, 2022
May 23, 2022

4 tips to help you manage expenses during inflation

Budgeting is perhaps the single most important tool that helps us manage our money wisely during volatile economic times.

May 10, 2022
May 10, 2022

Cost Per Wear: An important fashion rule

Have you ever tried to work out the value of your investment in clothing, shoes, and accessories? Do you know if the money you spend on a dress, a pair of shoes, or a piece of costume jewellery is really worth it?

February 20, 2022
February 20, 2022

Jamaica, NY: A slice of Bangladesh away from it

It was the summer of 2013, I was strolling along Jamaica’s Hillside Avenue and turning my neck every time I was hearing someone utter

February 6, 2022
February 6, 2022

Self-care is not selfish

Self-care often takes a backseat in our lives. However, nurturing our own body, mind, and soul is imperative to living a more satisfied and successful life. Therefore, leave behind all feelings of guilt and take some time to focus on yourself and only yourself, if not every day, then at least a few times a week.

December 11, 2021
December 11, 2021

International travel during COVID-19

People have now resumed international travelling, although cautiously. With the emergence of a new, more contagious variant, Omicron, however, countries are placing new restrictions on travellers, making international travelling even more uncertain, more hectic

October 13, 2021
October 13, 2021

Durga Puja celebration by Bangladeshi diaspora

Clear azure skies, cotton-like fluffy clouds, fragrant night jasmine, and kans grass swaying to the autumnal breeze symbolise the advent of Durga Puja in Bangladesh.

October 5, 2021
October 5, 2021

Conscious consumption is the trend of the future

The day is already here when consumers are increasingly doing research about a product and the company producing it before making the final purchase. Consumers are now more educated than ever, which leads them to buy less, but buy better. ‘Conscious consumption’ is the trend of the future!