A place where I:
- prepared for my final exams at the last minute.
- met the most amazing of neighbours and their two young kids.
- cheered every run of Saurav Ganguly's in the Gabba, 2003.
- had my first ever pseudo-panic attack on the eve of my results, and later found that I managed to do well.
- returned to, after following the Indian team for the duration of their stay in Adelaide, after yelling at the top of my lungs "Jeetega Bhai Jeetega", "Sachin!! Sachin!!" for 5 days and basking in the feeling only Indian cricket fans would have felt after the team won its first game in 20 years.
- started following what would turn out to be my most favourite TV show, NCIS.
- received and accepted my offer at the University of South Australia.
- received a scholarship offer.
- learned the value of time management, given the infrequency of public transport.
- learned that having a big room also meant you were solely responsible for maintaining it.
- returned to, after undergoing my first major surgery in Australia.
- nursed my disappointment as India lost a home series to Australia, as Michael Clarke made a debut century.
- came to, after every game of cricket, and was greeted with a smile, regardless of the team's or my performance.
- watched with happiness as an elder sister got engaged, while playing host to another 20 of my extended family members.
- learned the harsh realities of life, of securing a job.
- realised that for those with faith (in whatever spiritual flavour), there are testing times, but these are temporary.
- celebrated as my father moved to Melbourne to join the workforce there.
- started coming late, as soon as I legally got my hands on the wheel of the family car.
- and family celebrated the traditional Indian festival of Raksha Bandhan with full gusto.
- learned the nuances of large scale event, community and stakeholder management
- slept, unsure of the progress of my Final Year Project at University.
- started my applications for graduate employment
- came, dejected, after my umpteenth rejection at the final interview stage
- called first, to inform my parents at being offered a job as an Associate Software Programmer
- thought I would leave in 2009, only to be told that all new graduates would not be onboarded, due to the Global Financial Crises of 2008-2009
- hung my certificates of Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Management (Marketing), with my parents, happy, but not satisfied. They were, are and will rightly continue to be my biggest critics.
- used to come every fortnight or so, after securing a job in Sydney
- closely followed the deteriorating health of my grandfather (and later my grandmother) while at the same time, being the Point of Contact to relatives in India as they informed me of many deaths in the family. Little did I know, that two of my most inspiring heroes would soon join that tragic list.
- returned to after securing a job as a Scientist in DSTO
- finally signed documentation to call myself a Citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia, swearing allegiance to "Australia and it's people"
- drove my mother to the airport, after learning my grandmother had slipped into a coma.
- woke one night, feeling terrible but not being able to explain. I was then informed that around the same time my maternal grandmother had passed away
- called, to inform my mother, exactly two months after my maternal grandmother had passed away, that my maternal grandfather had also passed away
- came back, after dropping my mother off at the airport, as she started her journey to Japan as an Endeavor Scholar, a proud moment, tempered by the loss of my maternal grandparents
- woke again one night, once again feeling terrible, and once again not being able to explain why. It turns out, my paternal grandmother had passed away around that time.
- hurriedly booked tickets for my father, the eldest son in the family, as he prepared to leave for India for the funeral ceremonies.
- first decided to donate bone marrow for research purposes
- started practising for my upcoming GMAT exam
- became the first member of the family, to buy a brand new vehicle, my Mazda 3
- finally completed and sent the application form to the Indian School of Business
- laughed out loud, at the surprise of being called for an interview at ISB
- received the offer of admission, at 11.30PM EDT, and pumped my fists in the air, as if I had taken a 5-for in a cricket match
- left in 2012, not sure if I would live here again
- return to in 2013, to finally soak in all that has happened
- called home for the past decade.
...and so begins my last 24 hours at this place I've had the privilege to call home for the past 10 years. It's been a great journey. These walls stood testament to our sweetest memories, our worst times and the realisations of our dreams. A home which marked the start of some of the most amazing friendships. A home where many a festive event had taken place. A home blessed with the presence of my late grandparents. It is now time to close one chapter of this journey and move onto another. 88 Navigator Drive, I bow before you, I salute you, and I will miss you!!
- prepared for my final exams at the last minute.
- met the most amazing of neighbours and their two young kids.
- cheered every run of Saurav Ganguly's in the Gabba, 2003.
- had my first ever pseudo-panic attack on the eve of my results, and later found that I managed to do well.
- returned to, after following the Indian team for the duration of their stay in Adelaide, after yelling at the top of my lungs "Jeetega Bhai Jeetega", "Sachin!! Sachin!!" for 5 days and basking in the feeling only Indian cricket fans would have felt after the team won its first game in 20 years.
- started following what would turn out to be my most favourite TV show, NCIS.
- received and accepted my offer at the University of South Australia.
- received a scholarship offer.
- learned the value of time management, given the infrequency of public transport.
- learned that having a big room also meant you were solely responsible for maintaining it.
- returned to, after undergoing my first major surgery in Australia.
- nursed my disappointment as India lost a home series to Australia, as Michael Clarke made a debut century.
- came to, after every game of cricket, and was greeted with a smile, regardless of the team's or my performance.
- watched with happiness as an elder sister got engaged, while playing host to another 20 of my extended family members.
- learned the harsh realities of life, of securing a job.
- realised that for those with faith (in whatever spiritual flavour), there are testing times, but these are temporary.
- celebrated as my father moved to Melbourne to join the workforce there.
- started coming late, as soon as I legally got my hands on the wheel of the family car.
- and family celebrated the traditional Indian festival of Raksha Bandhan with full gusto.
- learned the nuances of large scale event, community and stakeholder management
- slept, unsure of the progress of my Final Year Project at University.
- started my applications for graduate employment
- came, dejected, after my umpteenth rejection at the final interview stage
- called first, to inform my parents at being offered a job as an Associate Software Programmer
- thought I would leave in 2009, only to be told that all new graduates would not be onboarded, due to the Global Financial Crises of 2008-2009
- hung my certificates of Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Management (Marketing), with my parents, happy, but not satisfied. They were, are and will rightly continue to be my biggest critics.
- used to come every fortnight or so, after securing a job in Sydney
- closely followed the deteriorating health of my grandfather (and later my grandmother) while at the same time, being the Point of Contact to relatives in India as they informed me of many deaths in the family. Little did I know, that two of my most inspiring heroes would soon join that tragic list.
- returned to after securing a job as a Scientist in DSTO
- finally signed documentation to call myself a Citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia, swearing allegiance to "Australia and it's people"
- drove my mother to the airport, after learning my grandmother had slipped into a coma.
- woke one night, feeling terrible but not being able to explain. I was then informed that around the same time my maternal grandmother had passed away
- called, to inform my mother, exactly two months after my maternal grandmother had passed away, that my maternal grandfather had also passed away
- came back, after dropping my mother off at the airport, as she started her journey to Japan as an Endeavor Scholar, a proud moment, tempered by the loss of my maternal grandparents
- woke again one night, once again feeling terrible, and once again not being able to explain why. It turns out, my paternal grandmother had passed away around that time.
- hurriedly booked tickets for my father, the eldest son in the family, as he prepared to leave for India for the funeral ceremonies.
- first decided to donate bone marrow for research purposes
- started practising for my upcoming GMAT exam
- became the first member of the family, to buy a brand new vehicle, my Mazda 3
- finally completed and sent the application form to the Indian School of Business
- laughed out loud, at the surprise of being called for an interview at ISB
- received the offer of admission, at 11.30PM EDT, and pumped my fists in the air, as if I had taken a 5-for in a cricket match
- left in 2012, not sure if I would live here again
- return to in 2013, to finally soak in all that has happened
- called home for the past decade.
...and so begins my last 24 hours at this place I've had the privilege to call home for the past 10 years. It's been a great journey. These walls stood testament to our sweetest memories, our worst times and the realisations of our dreams. A home which marked the start of some of the most amazing friendships. A home where many a festive event had taken place. A home blessed with the presence of my late grandparents. It is now time to close one chapter of this journey and move onto another. 88 Navigator Drive, I bow before you, I salute you, and I will miss you!!
