My life was happening right in front of me and I was living every bit of it, straight out of college, working in a cool place, riding my kinetic to work, meeting new people, going out with old friends, parties, movies, concerts…et al.
One such day, my dad anxiously announced that the application process is completed and I’ll be heading out to Griffith university in Gold Coast on Feb 3rd, aieh aieh aieh… I had something planned for that day, and it was my dad’s birthday, how could I possibly go.
The next few days went puff in the air…my mom is either shopping for me or hollering at me to shop for this and that, meanwhile in the background instead of helping me do whatever that needs to be done, my brother would teasingly sing “tu kal chala jayega tho main kya karoonga”. My sister who recently got engaged was busy giving me words of caution of how to manage, how to behave like a grown up.
The day of my departure, dad faxed a letter to inform my uni’s of my arrival and to have someone pick me up at the airport. My dad briefed me for the 100th time “don’t go anywhere”, “stay put at one place”, “don’t wander, be careful with your passport and luggage”. I was leaving India for the first time and neither my family nor I was ready to let go. I couldn’t keep things straight let alone all the advice that was coming from left and right. He gave me US $ as I’d need it for stuff. Wasn’t I heading to Australia!
From Hyderabad >> Madras >> Singapore >> Brisbane >> I reached Gold Coast. I patiently waited for 10 full minutes at the airport. Since it was Sunday, I wasn’t sure if the uni’s coordinator checked my dad’s fax about my arrival. But each waiting minute was only gravitating against home; the stillness of the situation was too much to bear. Before I knew I was sitting in the back seat directing the cab driver to take me to uni. He was like “yeah ! I know where this place is…” and I silently hoped that he did, bcoz I didn’t : )
The novelty of the place was almost getting to me and I was absorbing the city, the endless blue water, the yachts floating on bay, streets brimming with life, surfers heading to the beach. Meanwhile, my rational personality was reminding me that I wasn’t in a city with familiar alleys and nooks like Hyderabad, the night when my brother yelled at me for driving back home late in the night was coming to my head. During this fight of personalities, I realized that the cab was slowing down to the point of halt and the pager on the dashboard was beeping with messages.
The cab driver excused to make a call and I braced myself… though my thoughts were going haywire. The cab driver returns to ask me “do u know what just happened!”, and with my adversity creeping up on me, I said I’d know if you clued me in.
With his thick fingers and tattoed hands he showed me his pager, which read, if there is a young Asian girl in your cab heading towards university, please call this no. He continued saying that my coordinator didn’t find me at the airport and is getting worried ! aye lo ! and sent a msg across all the cabs. He just got off the phone with her and now she wants you to come to this address instead of the university. My practical side of personality was still in mild conflict, but the chirpy side won! We then headed to the residential address.
In a reflective mood he shared this was his first time in his cab driving expereice that one msg was relayed to all the 5000 cabs at the same ditto time and I smiled pondering that it was a first for me too.
After a long haul of 20 minutes, the cab stopped right across a beautiful spread beach. As I climbed down the cab, I was soaked in the warmth of the new sun, and I found myself at the entrance of a white fence of my new abode.
I tried to pay the cab driver but he smiled and said he takes only Australian dollars….
One such day, my dad anxiously announced that the application process is completed and I’ll be heading out to Griffith university in Gold Coast on Feb 3rd, aieh aieh aieh… I had something planned for that day, and it was my dad’s birthday, how could I possibly go.
The next few days went puff in the air…my mom is either shopping for me or hollering at me to shop for this and that, meanwhile in the background instead of helping me do whatever that needs to be done, my brother would teasingly sing “tu kal chala jayega tho main kya karoonga”. My sister who recently got engaged was busy giving me words of caution of how to manage, how to behave like a grown up.
The day of my departure, dad faxed a letter to inform my uni’s of my arrival and to have someone pick me up at the airport. My dad briefed me for the 100th time “don’t go anywhere”, “stay put at one place”, “don’t wander, be careful with your passport and luggage”. I was leaving India for the first time and neither my family nor I was ready to let go. I couldn’t keep things straight let alone all the advice that was coming from left and right. He gave me US $ as I’d need it for stuff. Wasn’t I heading to Australia!
From Hyderabad >> Madras >> Singapore >> Brisbane >> I reached Gold Coast. I patiently waited for 10 full minutes at the airport. Since it was Sunday, I wasn’t sure if the uni’s coordinator checked my dad’s fax about my arrival. But each waiting minute was only gravitating against home; the stillness of the situation was too much to bear. Before I knew I was sitting in the back seat directing the cab driver to take me to uni. He was like “yeah ! I know where this place is…” and I silently hoped that he did, bcoz I didn’t : )
The novelty of the place was almost getting to me and I was absorbing the city, the endless blue water, the yachts floating on bay, streets brimming with life, surfers heading to the beach. Meanwhile, my rational personality was reminding me that I wasn’t in a city with familiar alleys and nooks like Hyderabad, the night when my brother yelled at me for driving back home late in the night was coming to my head. During this fight of personalities, I realized that the cab was slowing down to the point of halt and the pager on the dashboard was beeping with messages.
The cab driver excused to make a call and I braced myself… though my thoughts were going haywire. The cab driver returns to ask me “do u know what just happened!”, and with my adversity creeping up on me, I said I’d know if you clued me in.
With his thick fingers and tattoed hands he showed me his pager, which read, if there is a young Asian girl in your cab heading towards university, please call this no. He continued saying that my coordinator didn’t find me at the airport and is getting worried ! aye lo ! and sent a msg across all the cabs. He just got off the phone with her and now she wants you to come to this address instead of the university. My practical side of personality was still in mild conflict, but the chirpy side won! We then headed to the residential address.
In a reflective mood he shared this was his first time in his cab driving expereice that one msg was relayed to all the 5000 cabs at the same ditto time and I smiled pondering that it was a first for me too.
After a long haul of 20 minutes, the cab stopped right across a beautiful spread beach. As I climbed down the cab, I was soaked in the warmth of the new sun, and I found myself at the entrance of a white fence of my new abode.
I tried to pay the cab driver but he smiled and said he takes only Australian dollars….
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