John Steinbeck once wrote, “People don't take trips, trips take people.” Have you ever had to do something that was going to completely turn your life around and you had no idea how? That was me at the age of 13, about to move halfway across the world with my mother and little sister.
We moved from Calcutta, India, to Washington in the United States to live with my step-father. My thought process about this move as a young teenager was a jumbled mess, to say the least. I had my slightly over-dramatic thoughts of 'my life is falling apart' and being sad to leave my life behind. I was also excited about living in a new place. I had switched schools the previous year, and felt like I was finally settled down with my close group of friends, when I had to leave it behind. Leaving behind family was another aspect that brought me down on the idea. I was leaving my grandmother, older sister and pets, all in the house in which I had done most of my growing up until that point. However, despite all this, there was a lot of excitement going through my mind. I was going on an adventure to start a different aspect of my life, on a different continent, after all.
The entire process was long, overwhelming and anxiety-ridden. From the paperwork to the preparations and the series of flights, it felt never-ending.
There was definitely an initial culture shock, especially with the scenery. I had just moved from a major developing city in India to a suburban area in the Pacific Northwest. I remember thinking, 'There's so much greenery everywhere. I hope I never get tired of this.' Luckily, seven years later, I still haven't gotten over how beautiful Washington is. I do, however, also have this deep love for the city, the other major place that I've lived in and loved. The major shock of the move came once we were all moved in. That was when reality hit and I realized that besides my family, I knew no one in the immediate area. I would have to start all over.
It took longer for me to settle down into my new life than I had expected. I had always considered myself an outgoing person. I was the bubbly, sassy, talkative girl with whom there was almost never a quiet moment. After the move, the amount of anxiety I felt about what people thought of me and how different I felt from everyone around me kept me from being that girl. Truthfully, some kids in middle school can be mean, and there were many times when some made fun of me for my accent or other things about me that appeared different. As a result, I almost never raised my hand in class, and rarely talked to people first. However, I was lucky to encounter some of the nicest kids in middle school.
My first day of school, a girl came up to me in class and just started talking. I knew we were going to be friends when we wandered around the school lost together, because we had gotten so caught up in talking. Another friend, who moved to the area later in the year, also decided to start talking to me. We bonded over skipping laps in PE and avoiding as many activities as possible. Then there was the girl who didn't want to come up to me but asked someone else to ask me to join her group because she “just knew” that I would be fun. These friends, in addition to my best friend in India who I talked to every day, helped me come out of my shell. Eventually, I started being me again. I was lucky enough to find these people along with some incredible mentors in my community. All these people helped me transition into my new life and into the person I am today.
The move definitely changed me, but in the best way possible. It pushed me far outside of my comfort zone and I learned about myself early on. While the idea of change still makes me anxious, I'm no longer afraid of it; in fact, I've learned to embrace it. It helped me grow up from being a scared little girl to someone who isn't afraid to try. I've had some of the most incredible experiences and met people who have influenced me. All as a result of this move, none of which would have happened otherwise. It has also made me realize my love of travel, which is a big part of who I am now.
While I do often wonder what my life would have been like had we not moved halfway across the world, I am grateful for the change. I know my life would have turned out well either way, but I can't imagine it being any different than it is now. I consider my life there and my life here as two aspects that, combined, have helped me become who I am today.
