In the wee hours of the morning of 18th July, 1998, clad in a black dress and a pink scarf, an 18-year-old clueless soul landed at Singapore's Changi airport.
Today, I completed exactly 7 years of life in Singapore. The amazing thing is -- it is the longest I have lived in any place! When I was a kid, Dad's frequent transfers made it difficult for me to identify with any city as my 'homeland'. 'Home' was always where Dad and Mom were. And 'home' changed every few years.
But now, it feels like maybe I do have a 'homeland'. A place close to my heart. A place that has given me some amazing people and some amazing experiences. A place that welcomes me back whenever I return from my other 'home'.
Today the clueless soul has completed 7 years in Singapore.
On some levels, she's still clueless. And lovin' it.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Home's where the heart is
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35 comments:
Congrats. :)
Pink scarf, black dress? Quite a memory you have. I don't remember what I had for lunch today, and you remember what you wore 7 years ago??
I suppose some days are just etched into our memory. :)
let me guess.... the red and yellow flowered half shirt??
:)
First flight unaccompanied. First flight out of India. I remember everything. Even the drunk old man sitting next to me and singing Kishore Kumar songs in a loud booming voice.
Sayesha, you wont believe. My first flight out of India and I find that same old guy (who was with you) sitting next to me. Patel saab. He was drinking more daroooo than everone added in the airplane. Bloody Guju bhai and ben log, were known to be vegetarian and no daru, infact the state of Gujrat is zero liquor state.
And Patel saab was like>> "Beta piyo piyo." Me>> No sir its ok. Patel saab >> arre woh dekho sexy airhostess. Piyo piyo. Thank god he got major drunk and slept after 2 hours or else meri watt lag jati. Best was, "Yeh dekho London aa gaya." I was ok so this is London, I thought this plane is going to Timbacktoo and we were never supposed to reach London . What a guy he was. Phew!!!!
V...
Seems like everyone has a story of a drunken guy in a flight either to or from India.
You know the type, those who call the air-hostesses everytime they walk by. When asked for a drink - they order their beer. When given one, they ask for one more. And when the air hostess isn't looking, they swipe those mini-bottles from the drinks trolley.
By the end of the flight they are so drunk, they've at least had 2 fights on the place.
And soldier... I was joking about the half-shirt man. Seems like i'm the only one laughing though! Oh well, you know what "they" say, if you can't laugh at your own jokes, who will?
Virdi - let me guess, he was a big fat gujju bhai too rite?
hmm...the hometown dilemma
what was the color of the scarf again?
Sahil>> abe hero i told he is Patel saab and also said Gujju Bhai log. He has to be gujju.
ufff kuch log padhte nahi hain aur comment pe comment.
V..
Virdi ustaad.
Gujju tha, that you made quite clear. I asked if he was a BIG FAT gujju.
uff, kuch log padhte nahi hain aur comment pe comment [marte hain]
What really messes you up is when you actually move back to the first "home" (parents et al). Thats when you're sitting in a flight wondering if you're heading home or leaving it...
I dunno if was Virdi's gujju-man sitting next to me, but he sure was totally sloshed, man! He looked outside the window and said, "So it is raining, huh? How come the wings of the plane are not wet?"
"Because we are flying above the clouds." I muttered. (See, some fundas about clouds were right in their place!)
"Oh yes! That's right! You're smart. You'll go places... Rimjhim gire saawan..."
And yes, Surreal Reality, I agree with you. It is extremely disorienting.
Hey Sayesha:
Congrats on the aniversary and heres to many more.
Still remember how you and some others came to pick us up at the airport a little more than 5 years ago.
Thanks for that!
You're welcome, NMK. Senior's kartavya my friend, senior's kartavya :)
And I still remember how clueless your batch looked too! Haha! :)
I think I stopped counting how many years I have been in S'pore after my 5th yr here...it only used to get me depressed back then..to be away fm all my friends..
I think only after I joined NTU was the first time I was actually happy being in S'pore..Now I started counting again :)
If you were flying above the clouds, I wonder how the old man knew it was raining?
hmmm.....
maybe there was more to the old man that met the eye?
Naah, it was just an average drunk old man, nothing special.
Everyone could see the rain when they looked down from the windows.
solid 7 years - from an universtity to an office environment... hope you feel the change.
Sayesha another 3 more to go :)
//Sayesha another 3 more to go :)
Yeah. At least. :)
Quite an interesting blog you have here...
"And 'home' changed every few years" -- so true.
Lovely post! Like the way you've correlated home and the sense of belonging it evokes in one. And a nice finish too -- being happy about being clueless is not something everyone understands! :)
Thanks for dropping by my blog and your comment -- do drop by again.
Was reading through your archives, and have to say "How many uncles does Lily have?" was quite nice -- quite an interesting student you have! And the "Of comments and commentators" was spot on too!
what's this magic 10 year number everyone seems to be talking about?
Congratulations on the milestone.
Thanks for dropping by my blog and commenting. Look forward to seeing you again.
Congratulations :-)
Hahahaha! Aye Kay, my memory is failing me, I remember your clueless expression but can't remember who your room-mate was! The only room-mate situation I remember was the one involving a room in Hall 7, a guy friend of mine, a guy friend of yours and a pretty box of chocolates with pink flowers and hearts on the wrapper! Hahahaha! You remember that one? Think I'll write about it some time. :D
Sahil, Aye Kay, stop over-analysing. You have to be in that situation to understand how the rain was visible through the gaps in the clouds. Actually why am I explaining? Ab baarish dikh rahi thi toh dikh rahi thi, baba!
Sahil, when I complete 10 years here, I would be free from my service bond in Singapore.
.:a:. and Kroopa, Thanks! :)
I remember the box of chocolates. I dont think we have ever stopped making fun of the box of of the friend of ours who was teh recipient.
I still can't get over how early you wake up.
Soldier,
Hope you do. It would be nice to have close friends returning.
Sahil,
Insomniac! Sayesha is having worry-induced insomnia! Getting kicked out of her place in less than two weeks! Can she make it before she is rendered homeless? (What an ironical comment on a post that was originally about 'home'!)
Nice post, Sayesha. Especially the one before this.
Talking of drunks on the airplane, I saw this one guy collapse onto the thingamajig where we keep our food, after imbibing two glasses of whisky. Two glasses!? God!
Considering u've been a tenant for that many years - I would have thought the landlord would agree to give you an extension until you find a new place (with a month's notice for moving out off course). Bada khadoos nikla aapa landlord.
I say bring out nasty Sayesha. >:|
Oye mere landlord ke against kuch nahin kehna, he has a heart of gold! He's allowed us to stay in the house for the month of July at a reduced rent. I'm already very grateful.
damn. Well kabhi teydi ungli se ghee nikalna ho, toh mujhe yaad karleyna.
Hahaha! As usual, Aye Kay, the thread of comments has nothing to do with the original post! :P
//I say bring out nasty Sayesha.
Coming right up, Sahil. Next post :)
Clueless and liking it... ha ha.
It's great being clueless sometimes :)
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