I dared to say yes and now I cannot be thankful enough

11 years ago, I dared to say yes to come out of my comfort zone and travel to a foreign land. 

Today, having lived in 8 different cities in 3 countries from 3 different continents I can’t seem to get enough. I have become a huge advocate of travelling and living in different cities and here are my top 5 reasons why -

• I have learnt to embrace differences and see the human within  

Just as anybody’s, my life was very comfortable living in my hometown. Stepping out of my safety net exposed me to new people, contrasting personalities and new ways of doing things. No-one I was then surrounded by was known to me growing up.

Our eating habits were different, our dressing style was different, the TV series we watched as kids were different, our choices in music were different!

The novelties made me nervous at first. Gradually though, I began to notice the similarities in human nature.

We may have different mother tongue; but we all bow our head when being grateful.

We may listen to different music but chirping birds bring smile to us all.

Some of us may practice Yoga, some Pilates, some Tai Chi, but we all respect the human body and our responsibility towards it.

As I travel more, I now see less of the differences and more of the similarities.

• I have become independent, responsible and also more trusting

Oddly enough, living in a foreign land with total strangers has taught me to be more trusting of each other. Needless to say it has made me independent in every single way.

I am free but also responsible to plan my meals and buy groceries. I can do my laundry anytime I like but let’s face it – I have to do it. It doesn’t get magically done and folded away like before!  

Not having family close by has meant that I trust the people I share the space with. I trust my colleagues and my neighbors to help each other when called upon.

I trust the security staff for keeping me safe. I trust the people whose reviews I read before hiring a local service and I also trust a you-tuber for their biryani recipe when it’s middle of the night to call mum and ask!

• So many new doors have opened for me

The Lion King at Lyceum theatre, Bard on the Beach in Vancouver, Piya Behrupiya, Cirque du Soleil, Shen Yun are but a few names to quote of the mesmerizing displays of creativity that I have had the fortune to experience.

From England I have learnt compassion, mannerism and austerity. The warm sunny afternoons spent lying outside Windsor castle and the beautiful evenings by Thames are pictured in my memories forever.  

Vancouver introduced me to adventure, fitness and outdoor activities. The beautiful British Columbia gave me the sheer joy of living and breathing in places so naturally beautiful that they left me stunned. Garibaldi and Joffre lake hikes and their un-comparable beauty is truly a blessing to have experienced.

The amazing fall colours in Quebec, old port Montreal and the delicious poutine are just few other things to add to the list of ‘Thank you so much dear God for such wonderful life and experiences’. 

Oh and how can I not mention the super fun Christmas markets, Walker’s shortbread biscuits and BC’s local brews! Not to mention any of the exciting experiences I have had growing up in 2 urban and 2 rural areas in India.

All of these wonderful experiences found their way to me because I took the decision to explore the unknown.

• It has made me more humble

The more I travel, the more awesome people I meet, the more it makes me humble.

I am just a girl who has been around for a few years, travelled handful of places, taken few selfies and made a few dozen friends along the way.

How much of what I see now has existed from way before I saw it.

How much that happened before I was born, remains unseen.

How much more will happen, after me.

Petty problems that I tend to monsterize in my head are not even worth frowning over, given some of the heart breaking situations I have had to witness as a society. Every single day, it makes me thankful for the safe and peaceful surrounding, for the fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink.

• I now see with 'Travel' glasses on! 

This is an outcome of the interesting exchange of ideas that happens when I travel. What I give are the core values I have from my home-town and what I take in return are the virtues native to someone from a completely different land.

Seeing the way human life and individual choices are respected in these foreign lands, I now look upon my own countrymen with a redefined attitude. I have learnt to value other people’s time, efforts and opinions better. At the same time, seeing the comforts of life in the first world countries has made me appreciate the simplicity of life in rural India.

When in a foreign country, it makes me proud to see Gandhiji’s work referenced and acknowledged. My eyes sparkle when India’s contribution to the medical science is recognized outside and I laugh out loud when I hear ‘jugaad’ being coined as a term for cost-effective innovation!

The more I explore, the more I value.

11 years ago I had no clue all this was going to unfold in my way. If it wasn’t for the undeterred support and encouragement from my parents, I would have settled for an easier option!

Beautiful things will come our way, we just have to be willing to open up.