Leaving on a jet plane

I was listening to the John Denver song today... It is so apt in late July - early August, when a large number of Indians leave their homes to make a life for themselves in this great country. They are going away from home for the first time, traveling halfway round the world. Most don't even know how to pay electricity bills or cook food. It's a steep learning curve. They have to fend for themselves. There is no paternal or maternal protection around.

I remember the night I left my home for the US of A so vividly. It was the fifth of August 2004. I said good bye to my beloved room with a heavy heart. I tried looking at each and every nook and corner of my house, my apartment complex and my locality, knowing that this was it. I would visit once every year but as a stranger. I wouldn't be able to call these places my own ever again. It would be a part of my past, of wonderful and distant memories. I still can see my mom crying her heart out, my poor dad suppressing his tears, my friends saying good bye. It was a poignant scene, something I wouldn't want to live through ever again.
Countless others will be experiencing the same emotions this year. There will be a lot of crying, wailing in some cases, but one thing is sure - it will all be worth it. This experience has made me what I am. It has opened my eyes to how diverse the world actually is. It has given me the confidence to believe in myself, to back myself up whatever the difficulties. It has provided me with the courage to surmount innumerable difficulties. It is now a part of my identity.

Best of luck to all those who are coming this year. May the force be with you!