Feeling Blue

I heard everyone’s warnings about homesickness when packing my bags – mama even stocked my sack with countless chapattis so I didn’t miss her haath ka khaana (hand-made food). And, I chuckled to myself – it’s not gonna happen to me, I am leaving for good… to live the dream!

I landed with stereotypical (read glamorous) images of Britain, thanks to Bollywood, though a bit thwarted by the immigration queues at Heathrow. The next few months were well-planned – stay at my friend’s who will eventually assist in overcoming the accommodation challenges, be a budget manager until the first pay cheque arrives, organise all my visa and work documents and, last but not the least, explore the historical destinations over weekends. Life is sorted, no need for plan B.

Days turn to weeks, weeks to months, I increasingly remind myself of “survival of the fittest”. Three months down the line, my planned life is home-office-home-cook-clean-sleep (now that mom’s food stock has run out, and hiring a cook comes with a high price-tag). With no service provider kind enough to lend me a contract phone before I fulfil the “eligibility” of minimum six months residency, and friends not free for a “quick coffee” after work unlike the CCD (Café Coffee Day) chill-outs back home, I felt emptiness creeping in. The weather didn’t help either – the grey skies and bare trees did an excellent job in adding gloom to my already “low” life.

Strange but true, I accepted I was homesick! The typical symptoms were urgency of talking to my friends or family, trying to cook my mom’s favourite food, listening to patriotic songs and waking up to dreams about my hometown. These proliferated until the final stage of acceptance arrived (and by this time I actually had a phone!) – I felt more settled and adapted to the “new” life. The calling-card and internet became my best friends, my only rescuer in times when I wanted to hug dad in the middle of the night – only this time it was a virtual hug.

If you have encountered similar situations then why not share your top tips to revive the gloom, be it home cooking recipes or latest pictures of your hometown.