I once
wrote, “What is it about New Year’s, sunsets and birthdays that make you so
reflective?” Apparently, airports have the same effect. Or maybe that’s just
when you know that you have stuffed in two-years-worth of your life into 30
kilos of checked-in luggage (not an easy feat, I assure you).
That’s
exactly where I am. At Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Physically.
Mentally? I’m
already gulfing down Mom’s food and stretching out in my bed at home. A.k.a – I’m
excited. And surprisingly, not at all sad.
Don’t get me
wrong – I’ve loved every single minute of the last two years, and I wouldn’t
change it for anything. From landing in the middle of the crazy monsoons to
changing worn-out floaters faster than I lost my umbrellas; from house-hunting
without any money to paying every possible bill imaginable; from being
overwhelmed that first day in the classroom, and then the day after, and the
one after, and so on, until slowly, I began to feel like I belonged, to getting
engulfed in a massive 43-student hug on my last day; from catching up with
long-lost friends to finding familiarity in new ones; from preparing myself to run
after buses and trains to unashamedly hailing cabs out of laziness; from the
sweltering heat of summer to the best winter ever; from the wind of Marine
Drive to the waves of Worli Sea Face; from Wada Pavs to Long-Island Iced-Teas;
from Aksa beach to Panchgani; from the slums of the city to the 35th
floor of skyscrapers; from my roadside Hakka noodles to mac n cheese at Phoenix
mills; from spending a few grands in a single weekend to surviving an entire
month in just fifteen; from standing scared on one side of the road to confidently
shoving my hand in front of drivers’ faces as I crossed between traffic; from
the deepest trench of depression to the height of inspiration; from the best
moments to the worst – these two years have been exhilarating!
Ever since I
was a kid, Bombay had seemed like the kind of city every youngster needed to
experience on their own – something like an initiation rite. Don’t ask why. But
I think that was part of the reason why I opted for this city when I joined
Teach for India, and I’m glad to say that I managed to survive it. In one
piece.
Before,
every time I visited Bombay – I hated it. All I saw was people, traffic and
trash. Well, that’s still there. But there’s so much hidden in this city that
you just have to live in it to allow yourself to fall in love with it.
And so, my
stint with Bombay (I still can’t get myself to say Mumbai!) comes to an end.
And yet I’m excited – for what’s going to come next. Maybe I’ve just said
goodbye to too many people and too many cities that it just doesn’t bother me
anymore. Or maybe I’ve just grown up and become better at accepting change.
I prefer to
go with the latter.
Ciao!
PS: My only regret? I still didn't get to see Shahrukh Khan or Shahid Kapoor!!! :(
