I'm Finally Embracing Being an Immigrant...
It made me feel like I belong, finally
Hello there,
Being an immigrant in a country that welcomes millions of people every year from far away lands and nations, it’s a strange feeling. Isn't it?
I was certainly one of them when my flight landed in Boston International Airport a few years back.
And suddenly it made me an immigrant to a country that was completely UNKNOWN to me and top of that I didn’t know ANYONE at all.
How intimidating it was to get by in a country where you don’t speak the language, without a family to support you, or know anyone.
I was alone, afraid, curious, and nowhere to know how my life's going to shape up.
Every trip made me confused to figure out where I belong.
Every time I return to my home country (i.e. India) for a visit, I feel a little more alien, more aloof, and more disconnected than before.
Living in another country does that to you.
It’s a sad feeling when you realize that you don’t belong there anymore, where you were born and spent the majority of your life.
Sometimes it’s not so bad either.
You know that all the change the other country put you through was good for you — but it takes time until your heart catches up, too.
I knew for a long time that India wasn’t my “home” anymore, but it was about two years ago when that really sunk in when I met some of my family relatives, and friends.
I felt uncomfortable.
I couldn’t relate to any of them.
What are they talking about?
The food also didn’t taste the same.
I literally felt out of place, out of country.
That moment I realized, I don’t belong any more.
Instead of fighting it I started embracing it.
I let go of wanting to be a past version of myself.
Home is where your heart is:
I may no longer have a country that I can (or want to) wholeheartedly call home, but wherever I go, I’ll likely be able to find and connect with people who feel the same.
Once you can make peace with that realization, you’ll find that rootlessness can be a comforting blanket instead of an identity crisis.
There is no one way to define yourself.
You are allowed to become anything and find your most authentic self in between.
I chose this path because it felt right. The time to let go of my past self, and explore the newer me, to learn to be fluent in it.
And once you do, you’ll have the chance to find a home anywhere in the world that has no borders.
Be Bold
Be Courageous
Be Your Best
If you have something to say, reply in the comments.
Hit reply and share your story, lesson learned, and the things you find motivational for yourself.
All the best!
Love,
Ankita