Interview with Blogger Mezba Mahtab

By The Pakistani Spectator • Aug 25th, 2008 • Category: Interviews • No Responses

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?
I am a Canadian of Bangladeshi origin living in Toronto. My site chronicles experiences I find living in Canada in the most multicultural city in the world.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

Of course! It’s quite important to evolve constantly, otherwise you learned nothing from your experiences. I look at my site and my posts from a couple of years ago and I see a lot of differences in the way I write.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

I had gotten a marriage proposal once with this (http://mezba.blogspot.com/2007/01/why-do-men-go-back-to-marry.html) post! I found it quite funny too - as random as random can get. Other memorable experiences include meeting up with many Toronto bloggers face to face and getting to be friends with them.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

Commenting - I find it keeps lines of communication open. I also add some bloggers to my MSN, as well as facebook is an important tool.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

Blogging my politicians - if done genuinely (such as Garth Turner in Canada) it can make politics a very open field.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

No, I think people are generally apathetic if conditions are either good or if they perceive nothing they do will make any change.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

It’s one of the oldest blogs around that still is posting, in Canada, especially from that of a Bengali point of view.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

Listening to parents, when God has guaranteed it, what is there to lose.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

I would rather not answer this question.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Spain, Turkey and New Zealand.

What is your favorite book and why?

It has to be Da Vinci Code. I love the fact that the book starts as a regular murder adventure and then morphs on to something bigger. I did not know what it was about before I started to read it and it added to the experience.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

Their shoes, and how they laced up.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

Not really. Not too many people know I write - and those that do have always praised it.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

I personally use Google Adsense. One can also use the blog sas a platform for bigger stuff - such as a book deal. That is my aim, actually.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

Not really, I don’t think so. I have a modestly successful blog (around 200 readers a day) and I don’t devote a lot of time to it in between my studies and work.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

I don’t think they can have much of an influence. In the end, it comes down to politics and the people (voters).

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

This is very tough to say as there are lot of bloggers on my blog roll I visit daily, and all are equally good reads, but if I had to pick, it would be (in no particular order):

Liya at http://liyapilly.wordpress.com/ (a teacher in the Greater Toronto Area).

Specs at http://misspecs.wordpress.com/ (a girl from Pakistan).

Haleem at http://captainchaos.wordpress.com/ (another Bangladeshi in the Greater Toronto Area).

Organica at http://organicmuslimah.blogspot.com/ (an Egyptian-American muslimah).

Isheeta at http://isheeta.typepad.com/ (an Indian-Canadian girl in Toronto).

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

It has to be my post criticizing desi girls in Toronto and saying they are one reason why guys who live abroad go back to the lands of their origins to marry.
http://mezba.blogspot.com/2007/01/why-do-men-go-back-to-marry.html
It got many comments from many people (and still counting!), was referenced in many forums (I got link backs) and facebook profile and no doubt struck a chord with quite a lot of people.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

I personally have had very bad experiences with a few Pakistani businessmen who have tried to fraud me. My best friend, however, happens to be a Pakistani. So in general I would have to say I have a very skewed perception of Pakistan.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

Well, it’s a blogger who is not blogging anymore (Suroor at http://achelois.wordpress.com/

) but she (I believe she has Pakistani roots) wrote about Islamic and worldly issues with equal gusto. She was very prolific too, often posting every day, and substantial lengthy posts too, and got a lot of debate and comments in her posts.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

Education. Knowledge is power and the first revealed word of Quran is Read and our Prophet wanted us to acquire knowledge even to the borders of China. Knowledge (and eduation) is what sets apart the people.

What is the future of blogging?

I expect more people to get involved in blogging and if it helps move politicians to become “cleaner” then it’s successful.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

My blogging is a reflection of my personal life, so I don’t think the blog has affected my personal life but rather vice versa.

What are your future plans?

I hope to finish my studies, and ultimately write a book.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

Always challenge the status quo and be prepared to think for yourselves and do not let another person think for you. Look, research, ask questions and challenge.