Ten years ago, the beginning of September saw my last few days in Chennai before I headed off to Davis, USA, to study. The last flurry of shopping was getting wrapped up. All important documents were collected and ready to be placed in the hand baggage. The suitcases were brimming with clothes, shoes, utensils, books, groceries and were getting readied for the final weighing. Lists of people to whom I wanted to bid farewell before leaving were prepared.
And, all the excitement of going off to a new part of the world was slowly being replaced by a tight knot of dread at having to face the unknown soon. Yes, the first time of heading off to a country where I had no family to speak of was quite frightening even while being exhilarating.
Fast forward to today. In a quirk of fate, I got to visit the US again 10 years almost to the exact day of my first departure to the US. This time though, on work. And this time, with not much fear of the unknown. After all, this was my USA I was heading back to!
The past two weeks were probably my busiest two weeks ever in the US. Besides work, there was the shopping and catching up with people to do. Though I seemed to be out of the hotel at all times except bed-time, I still managed to not visit all the places I wanted to visit, not meet all the people I wanted to meet and not eat at all the restaurants I wanted to eat at. In short, I did not get to do all the things I wanted to do. Oh well!
But the trip was a great lot of fun. I got to drive again (yeah, turns out for all my viewing of driving as a utilitarian activity, I do *like* driving and had been missing it), got to meet several people face to face after a whole year (or longer) and got to see oh-so-familiar places again. Who would have though I would get all nostalgic upon entering a CVS of all places! I even drove by our old apartment (yeah, it's still there).
After two US weeks, I am now back in Chennai with the worst case of jet lag in the history of mankind - at least, it feels that way. Whatta souvenir, I say!
I had a lovely time in the US and enjoyed practically every minute of my stay. However, when it was time to head back, I did not feel a sense of loss. I guess, now that I have seen both the worlds, I know the good points of each and so have much to look forward to in both!
Here's to more such straddling between worlds!
And, all the excitement of going off to a new part of the world was slowly being replaced by a tight knot of dread at having to face the unknown soon. Yes, the first time of heading off to a country where I had no family to speak of was quite frightening even while being exhilarating.
Fast forward to today. In a quirk of fate, I got to visit the US again 10 years almost to the exact day of my first departure to the US. This time though, on work. And this time, with not much fear of the unknown. After all, this was my USA I was heading back to!
The past two weeks were probably my busiest two weeks ever in the US. Besides work, there was the shopping and catching up with people to do. Though I seemed to be out of the hotel at all times except bed-time, I still managed to not visit all the places I wanted to visit, not meet all the people I wanted to meet and not eat at all the restaurants I wanted to eat at. In short, I did not get to do all the things I wanted to do. Oh well!
But the trip was a great lot of fun. I got to drive again (yeah, turns out for all my viewing of driving as a utilitarian activity, I do *like* driving and had been missing it), got to meet several people face to face after a whole year (or longer) and got to see oh-so-familiar places again. Who would have though I would get all nostalgic upon entering a CVS of all places! I even drove by our old apartment (yeah, it's still there).
After two US weeks, I am now back in Chennai with the worst case of jet lag in the history of mankind - at least, it feels that way. Whatta souvenir, I say!
I had a lovely time in the US and enjoyed practically every minute of my stay. However, when it was time to head back, I did not feel a sense of loss. I guess, now that I have seen both the worlds, I know the good points of each and so have much to look forward to in both!
Here's to more such straddling between worlds!
