Today is an important day in my life. Whether I say it aloud or not, I always remember it and quietly acknowledge it to myself.
Today is the day I left home, flew out of the nest to test my wings so to speak. Literally too. I boarded a flight from Hyd to Chicago and life has never looked back or looked the same again.
It is 10 years today since I flew into the US. The reason was a Masters degree. But the experiences and quests and events have been manifold and it is hardly right to call that journey a mere university education one!
I don't associate with the US anymore, albeit it is the only country I have ever immigrated to and have spent a good chunk of my life outside India in. It was a harsh reality, followed by a dream run, a pleasant experience to have had overall. I am glad I immigrated and also glad I moved back :)
But more important than the destination is the source. I flew out of my parents home and I knew at the back of my mind that there probably would never be a returning back. I chose today to fly out since I wanted to make sure I spent my Dad's birthday at least, at home with my family(my entire family is August born, dad, mom and sis). I could anyways not spend time with mom and sis on their birthdays (I would be too late for school) so I decided to fly right after my Dad's birthday. And bad as the intuition was, it has been so right. In all these 10 years, I have never once been "home" for Dad's birthday again (even after moving back!). My mom and sis visited in 2005, and their birthdays were spent there that year, so my Dad's one somehow stuck out I guess ;)
When I see young folks at work who commute from their parents' home, I feel jealous. In some aspects. I have never ever experienced completely care-free life after 2001. The kind you have when you are still fully under your parents' roof. I was always entirely responsible for at least 1 life, mine. How I fed myself, how I spent my money, how I chose to spend my time etc etc :) All the same, I grew up a lot too :) And it gave me a taste of independence which I cherish a lot and would never want to give up for anything.
I cannot believe it is already 10 years though, I feel rather old. But hey, it is not 20 years yet ;) So maybe I am still young? ;)
Today is the day I left home, flew out of the nest to test my wings so to speak. Literally too. I boarded a flight from Hyd to Chicago and life has never looked back or looked the same again.
It is 10 years today since I flew into the US. The reason was a Masters degree. But the experiences and quests and events have been manifold and it is hardly right to call that journey a mere university education one!
I don't associate with the US anymore, albeit it is the only country I have ever immigrated to and have spent a good chunk of my life outside India in. It was a harsh reality, followed by a dream run, a pleasant experience to have had overall. I am glad I immigrated and also glad I moved back :)
But more important than the destination is the source. I flew out of my parents home and I knew at the back of my mind that there probably would never be a returning back. I chose today to fly out since I wanted to make sure I spent my Dad's birthday at least, at home with my family(my entire family is August born, dad, mom and sis). I could anyways not spend time with mom and sis on their birthdays (I would be too late for school) so I decided to fly right after my Dad's birthday. And bad as the intuition was, it has been so right. In all these 10 years, I have never once been "home" for Dad's birthday again (even after moving back!). My mom and sis visited in 2005, and their birthdays were spent there that year, so my Dad's one somehow stuck out I guess ;)
When I see young folks at work who commute from their parents' home, I feel jealous. In some aspects. I have never ever experienced completely care-free life after 2001. The kind you have when you are still fully under your parents' roof. I was always entirely responsible for at least 1 life, mine. How I fed myself, how I spent my money, how I chose to spend my time etc etc :) All the same, I grew up a lot too :) And it gave me a taste of independence which I cherish a lot and would never want to give up for anything.
I cannot believe it is already 10 years though, I feel rather old. But hey, it is not 20 years yet ;) So maybe I am still young? ;)
1 comments:
DIVSU, Been a visitor to your blog for quite sometime and delurking now. This post immediately stuck a chord in me as I was just thinking about how I wanted to go to work from parents place before reading this post..So true, as much as having control/responsibility on ourselves gives us the independance and freedom to do things as we wish, sometimes, I get too get a feeling how nice it would be if we could lead a care-free lfe for atleast a few days..
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