Leaving your home, either for education, profession or marriage, is always difficult. And yet, most of us have to take the plunge and spread our wings worldwide, bearing the unbearable. Women moved away only due to marriage till quite a few years ago, but now they fly away for higher education or a lucrative and ambitious job, much before (and sometimes after) marriage. While it is still a debatable topic whether it’s any good to let your children leave home and live elsewhere, in my humble opinion, it is much necessary for every adult to experience this independence and be more responsible.

I had imagined either a job or marriage would let me break the comforts of home and lead to the struggle of living alone, but things came earlier and I had to leave the country for academics. Imagine me, a moderately pampered daughter, deciding to live away for the first time in her life! My parents were probably awe-shocked, so were my friends and relatives.

Before this scenario, I had hardly stayed away from my parents for a day or two in 24 years of my life. When I received a scholarship and a good position at a reputed university, I didn’t want to squander the chance. My parents, much as they are fond of their only child, agreed to let me go. The decision was definitely tougher on their part than mine because I was mighty excited to live in a new city, hell, a new country and continent altogether! Excitement was coupled with anxiety as I was shopping and packing. Finally the day came and I bade goodbye to friends and family. Thankfully my parents are strong enough to not shed tears before me at the airport, though they might have done it later at home just like I did in the plane.

When I landed in foreign a day later, everything was new to me. I was again, fortunate enough to find and make friends very soon who spoke my language and ate my food. They didn’t let me feel homesick for most of the part and are still friends 9 years later, across the globe. I think my parents did the best, braving their hearts, to let me be as independent and confident as I am. For the last 5 years with my husband, I’ve already moved in and out of 4 cities in 2 different countries and I’m not afraid of living away any more. Leaving a city, the comforts of familiar language, food and people is not a fear after having started a new life so many times. I’m still on the verge of moving, with nowhere fixed to go at the moment, and we’re going to #StartANewLife again somewhere else.

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