A New Beginning

 That night was cold, with winds that howled. Rumbling thunder and the sky was lit up by lightning bolts. Then, the rains lashed.

I kissed my baby’s forehead. Gently caressed her curly hair. With a heavy heart, I closed the doors gently. My mother was sick and sleeping next door, I shook and told her: “it’s time”.

 

“They are really heavy”. My dad pointed to the two big suitcases. My wife was nodding to his rough calculations. Maybe it’s my aspirations, dreams, and hopes that made it heavy - I thought. We three squeezed into the back seat of the cab and it sped through the pitch-dark flooded roads of Bangalore. I was gazing through the windows as raindrops dripped down the windows in a uniform pattern while the street light gave them a golden color. Something that I always enjoyed during a journey.

 

She held my hands so tight throughout the journey and I knew how much we would miss each other until the next time. So many thoughts passed my mind like the boxcars of a never-ending freight train. Finally, a warm hug to my wife and my dad.

Leaving everyone whom I love and knew, taking my chances, following my aspirations/instincts, and migrating to a new country were never easy. Unlike many, it was the toughest decision I ever took in my life. 

After a long and tiring conversation with the airport officials about the excess luggage, they forced me to move a few things into the backpack. I trudged along the immigration queue, moving like a snail for nearly 2 hours, with the weight of my heavy bag bearing down on me.

 Upon takeoff, I felt drowsy and gradually drifted into slumber. The pilot’s announcement jolted me awake and through the porthole, I witnessed the beauty of a meticulously planned wonderland “Dubai”. The morning sun rays lit the skyscrapers and the caressing clouds with a golden color. I saw the magnanimous Burj Khalifa, the palm islands, and magnificent flyovers all from above. I couldn't help but reflect on the hours and dedication of countless individuals in developing such a magnificent metropolis. I still cherish those few minutes.

 

A 30-minute delay in disembarking passengers caused a chaotic and overwhelming sense of frustration within me. I was running through the transit passages to my destination terminal. Just before shutting the doors, I squeezed in with the other 2 fellows to the airplane. The experience was akin to boarding a bus with a heavy backpack in India.

 

"We don't come across individuals by chance, there is always a purpose behind it, whether it be a lesson to be learned or a blessing to be received." Out of 500-plus people in that airplane, I sat next to Mr. Inderjith and Veer, a family of Punjabi origin. Despite not engaging in many conversations during the 7-hour journey, towards the end of the flight, my seatmates and I had a meaningful discussion. We discovered that they were UK citizens and I was new to the country.

The most generous act occurred when Veer offered me a pound coin when I was contemplating how to pull out the trolley from the vending point. Later they booked an Uber for my transit and refused to accept cash. All I could say to them was thanks from the bottom of my heart and a warm hug to both of them. Veer said before departing “You sat with the right people, all the best”, I nodded and acknowledged “May god bless you, kid”.

 

En route to Digbeth bus station, I was thinking about the right decision I made to fly to Birmingham instead of Heathrow. Birmingham was smaller and easier to navigate. After having my first meal at Starbucks, I took a sim card and dialed my friend in Bristol. Later found the aisle where my bus to Bristol would arrive. At 5pm, the bus to Bristol departed with a few of us on board.

 

The trip was pleasant, and I relished the drive on the motorway. Throughout the journey, I reflected on my passage from India to Britain. It was truly a remarkable experience.

 With high aspirations and the backing of my employer, I landed in a new country. the question is whether the decision to leave behind my homeland, loved ones, and devoted colleagues to establish a new life for my family here was justified. Only time will reveal the answer.

"Reach for the stars, even if you have to stand on a cactus." - Susan Longacre