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Collection of Impressions of the Soviet Union from Ten Indonesian Women

Suharti Suwarto
1956
Moscow (Original Language: Bahasa Indonesia)

The Soviet Union Women’s Movement In our meeting with the Komite Wanita Sovjet Uni Anti Fasis [Soviet Union Anti-Fascist Women’s Committee], which took place on August 24, 1954, our group was given a clear explanation of the development of the women’s movement in the Soviet Union. Comrad Parfenova (Vice Chair) of the Committee explained various …

Address

Safia Jabir Ali
1920
London, England (Original Language: English)

Text from a lecture on a trip to London: As to the city of London, you have all heard and read of it. I am sure, so I shall not weary you with descriptions all the wonder full things I saw there – the old and new palaces, the huge buildings, the enormous traffic, the …

It Happened to Me Thus

Qazi ‘Abd al-Ghaffar
1950
Muradabad, India (Original Language: Urdu)

In the same way that a broken film projector fails to display the full image on the screen, these blind impressions of the beginning [of my life] hardly remain on the forgotten shelf of my memory. How strange it is! The first thing [of my childhood] that I remember is a corner of our house …

Sea Travel during War

Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah
1940
Mediterranean Sea (Original Language: Urdu)

We left for India on 6 January by Viceroy of India.  We were commanded to arrive at ship one day prior to departure, so that the ship can leave whenever appropriate. Due to war, there were lots of problems in getting out of England. We had to sign on thousands of forms. We had to …

A Tour of Holland

Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah
1939
The Netherlands (Original Language: Urdu)

In the last weeks, my husband had to visit Holland for government related work. I also accompanied him. Holland is a small country in Northern Europe, and for the last two centuries it hasn’t played a prominent role in European politics. Even though the struggle for freedom against Spain in the sixteenth century had great …

A Tour of Europe

Sughra Humayun Mirza
1926
Zurich (Original Language: Urdu)

Travelling from Lake Geneva to Zurich We left Territet on the 1 p.m. train. We had to change trains in Lausanne. Lausanne is a very beautiful city. This is the city where the peace conference of the Turko-Greek war was held. Bern, which is the capital of Switzerland, is also a very nice city. We …

Personal Diary, 1935

Muhammadi Begum
1928
Oxford (Original Language: Urdu)

January 1, 1935 Thanks be to God on high, by whose mercy the year 1934 today came to a happy close, and the year 1935 began. I offer my ardent prayers for an excellent year ahead. May God accept them. Amen. The New Year festivities began sometime around twelve o’clock, because of which there was …

Another Time, Another Place: Memories of a Trip to Europe

Farogh Farrokhazad
1956
Europe (Original Language: Persian)

Extracted from Words, Not Swords: Iran Women Writers and the Freedom of Movement (Syracuse University Press, 2011).   As I put pen to paper to jot down my recollections of the fourteen months I spent in Europe, I feel a bit apprehensive. I have to rely solely on what I can remember, and I confess …

Some Reminiscences of Kashmir

Atiya Fyzee
1906
London, England

A journey from Bombay to Kashmir via Ahmadabad, Jaipur, Agra, Delhi, Amritsar, and Lahore affords, especially to a Purdahnasheen, all the new experiences that she may wish, and reveals many of India’s varied interests, ancient and modern. Among the latter, I may mention that a Jaipuri lady lavished upon me the utmost commiseration because she …

Sair-i Yurap

Nazli Begum of Janjira
1908
London, England (Original Language: Urdu)

Friday, 22 May 1908 Since we have to go to the royal meeting today all day we prepared for it. We arranged our things. Atiya has gone to buy some necessary items since morning. Her being with us has provided me much support. Without her I was not capable of travelling here. I cannot do …