As I end my trip to my homeland, I would like to introduce Episode 8 with Dr. Ben-Lawrence Kemah, one of my old friends and someone who enjoys deep intellectual journeys as much as I do. Back in 2017, we would’ve been easily found exploring the commonalities in our cultures and our religions and debating topics  while working on our portfolios till late at night. Two boys, from Buea and Lahore working towards their respective dreams of becoming surgeons.

While I found my calling elsewhere, Ben stuck with surgery and is now on his way to completing his training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology with a subspeciality interest in GynaeOncology. We sat down 4 years from when we first met and talked about the reliance on constants at home, intellectual freedom, how life resembles a sine wave, the imperfections of the world around us… while staying true to our shared mantra of finding meaning in the lows because the highs are not far behind.

Or in his own words:

“My name is Ben and I am from Buea; a small mountain side town in Cameroon, West/Central Africa. It could take you under 7 hours to walk the entire length of the town but perhaps 7 lifetimes to describe this town and what it means to me – It bears my baby steps and it was on its soils that I dreamed by my first dream and set forth to conquer the world in a journey which has led me to the Birmingham, UK so far.  Buea fans out from foot of the majestic volcanic mount Fako; the home of the mythical “Epassa Moto”; the deity of the indigenous people of the town/village. Eternally edged in my memory are some of the most beautiful sunrise and sunsets as the mountain dances before of the sun but also, countless legendary tales about this mountain. Due to its gentle, refreshing and extremely conducive climate, both German and British colonial settlers established their capitals in Buea, the heart of the English speaking regions of Cameroon – The town is still littered with architectural remnants of British but mostly German colonisation in the form of administrative buildings and bridges dating from the 18th century.  I never really left Buea for any protracted period of time as I completed every level of education there so I have no other real memories that compare with the nostalgia that haunts me almost daily now that I have left home. I had some of the best laughs and fondest memories in Buea and some of the greatest human connections I ever made started and are very much left in Buea. I think about my life as I often do, about the journey so far but I also think about what the future may look like; I think about my own child, and the fact that for them Buea will be someplace else and the fact that one thing we may never be able to share is Buea or be linked to it in the same – To them, home will be someplace else but for me, home will always be Buea; my level playing field, a place free of prejudice and self-doubt.”

Ben is also one of the founders and current CEO of HERO Cameroon – a non-profit organisation that seeks to increase public health awareness by supporting and conducting non-partisan health and product research, capacity building, project evaluation and informational activities. They can be found at the following links:

Official website: https://herocameroon.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/herocameroon?s=11

Instagram: https://instagram.com/hero_cameroon?utm_medium=copy_link

Please like/share/subscribe to the official links:

Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AsadullahAneesKhan

Official blog: www.imgukpodcast.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imgukpodcast

Twitter: https://twitter.com/imgukpodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imgukpodcast/

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imguk-podcast/id1588473403

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5lxoVSB2Hiu1FMEiu6zmDq?si=441d0796f7f340ac

After a much deserved break where I came back home to see my parents for the first time in this pandemic, I'm delighted to introduce the next  episode, focusing on a city that has been one of the bedrocks of  civilization and the largest in the Arab world - Cairo.

My friend Dr. Hagar Aly is an anaesthetic trainee in the NHS and you can  find her around theatres or intensive care, serving at the frontline  and looking after the sickest patients, exuding calm with her Harry  Potter scrub cap tied firm.

We talked about finding friends in the land you adopt, becoming a dog  person, finding allies without knowing it, cultural cheat codes and the  social pressure on being excluded. The story of an immigrant need not be  filled with allies from our own shared experiences only, there are  others who can step up and be lights in our darkness. This was a really moving episode where we also explored the Egyptian  revolution and talked about forgoing your reality, political unrest and  losing loved ones.

I asked Hagar to write down what she felt about her journey so far and  this is what she had to say:

"Gosh ! Being an immigrant. You can argue that I am always a bit of an  outsider so it was easy for me to blend into the role of being a wall  flower at best, but I admit i still struggle with the expectation that  being an immigrant I should always be aiming to please, often at the  expense of my own free time and mental health. The assumption that you  have to work harder to "catch up" even though many of us have quite advanced clinical skills makes one permanently exhausted and renders one  in a state of perpetual questioning of the value of of the gains  against the sacrifices.
I miss home, but I am also fully aware that  my version of home barely exists anymore , with so many forced to leave  and so many quick changes. your memories of home and what it means to  one but i think we are all constantly running the risk of our memories  fading by the minute and becoming ever more blurry. But in my mind, the  more I'm here, the more I can work on a new small but valuable life that  can give me a home away from home :)"

Please like/share/subscribe to the official links:

Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AsadullahAneesKhan
Official blog: www.imgukpodcast.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imgukpodcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/imgukpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imgukpodcast/

Podcast links:
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/auakhan
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imguk-podcast/id1588473403
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5lxoVSB2Hiu1FMEiu6zmDq?si=441d0796f7f340ac

I am pleased to introduce Episode 6, a deep dive into the journey of a  powerhouse guest – Dr. Cristina Costache, ST3 Paediatrics in Yorkshire  but originally from a city in Northern Dobruja, Romania called Tulcea.

We spoke about our “easy journeys”, the heroic supporting cast in our  stories, of belonging and the care we want to provide our patients with a  healthy dash of premature babies and what it meant to be the daughter  of a sailor thrown in.

Like me, English is not Cristina’s first language. But her accent is as  British as they come – the reason why this came to be was educational  and a bit sad to talk about. As immigrants, we are not always accepted  as who we are until we conform to a certain narrative – as much as I  wish we did not have to strive so much to belong. These words are tinged  with sadness given the events of this week in the world of sport.

But enough of me talking, lets hear what she has to say:

“I have no roots, I am the daughter of a sailor and I guess I never had  roots, it just took a leap of faith to allow myself to fly. My home is  in people, in feelings, fragrances, hurt, love, and smiles. In passion,  in teams that I worked or have worked with, in shared memories. I live  in a braid of memories and dreams, always aiming higher than I can  reach, which is not always good. I'm a wanderer, but my love and missing  are deep as the sea. We live under the same moon, under the same sun with lands connected by  the same breezes and waters. Therefore, even without the technology we  are never truly apart. Always and never alone.  I belong here, even though I don't. I never belonged anywhere, other  than in my parents' nest. Will I ever build roots? Will I ever belong? Maybe, but even if I don't that's ok. Don't be afraid of wanderers,  don't hate them we are all the consequences of our decisions and life  occurrences. And sometimes maybe, just maybe our solitude might just be  an armour that can be broken down with friendship.”

Please like/share/subscribe to the official links:

Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AsadullahAneesKhan

Official blog: www.imgukpodcast.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imgukpodcast

Twitter: https://twitter.com/imgukpodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imgukpodcast/

Podcast links:

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/auakhan

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imguk-podcast/id1588473403

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5lxoVSB2Hiu1FMEiu6zmDq?si=441d0796f7f340ac