Yaad hai, ek din meri meiz pe baithe baithe

cigarette ki dibiya par tumne

chote se ek paudhe ka ek

sketch banaya tha

aakar dekho, us par phool aaya hai.

- Gulzar

Day 3

I am back here again. Finally staying true to my standard resolution of writing more.

It was a happy day I am pleased to report. Lots of hugs exchanged, chai and parle-g passed around and some work done too.

Sitting in class hearing about everyone's amazing writing projects made me feel so lucky to be here. A small class does have a great vibe and energy.

And yes, alu methi and dal for dinner have just made this day even better.

I am not letting the cold get to me just yet.

Till tomorrow.

Fighting Home Sickness

Yes, this is my second post in two days. Yes, I have never written this frequently in a while. And yes, both posts deal with battling home sickness.

I woke up to an overcast Sunday, perfect moping weather. That pit in my stomach telling me this room is not home refused to go away. But I've been at it all day, making a list of things I could do to shake this feeling off. After all, a new semester starts tomorrow, an exciting class and all my friends back in town.

I also decided to put down my list on the blog. Just in case.

a. CLEAN: I scrubbed and scrubbed the bathroom. Man, it does take my mind of things. And the smell of a clean bathroom does make me happy.

b. TEXT: I messaged all the loved ones, had long conversations and laughed about silly things. Till it was time for those halfway across the world to go to sleep.

c. COOK: I went back to Manjula Aunty's veggie pasta, relived my beautiful new year's eve :) Smiled, ate and felt warm inside.

d. SHOP: Trekked all the way to the Indian store and went crazy. I don't think the sight of methi and bhindi have made me so happy before. An atrocious bill later, I feel like I am back home.

e. WRITE: And so here I am, at the end of my day. Happy and relieved to have survived it without the tap in my eyes opening. It feels like a good laid back Sunday.

Bring it on J-Term, I be ready.

To 2015.

I am toying with the title of this post. Maybe it should be titled "to finding home". This post like most posts written near the first on most blogs is an ode the year that has been. It is also about the two most amazing weeks in California that I am avoiding moping over. 

I am blessed to have had an amazing year. I am also very thankful/grateful/ full of many similar feelings, to the people around me, family and friends, and friends who've become family. It is the year that will be remembered most for finding home in different places, more aptly put, different people. Home is #218 with my hot adrak chai and comfy chair. Home was also Connecticut and school memories refreshed after years. Home for the last two weeks was both Sunnyvale and Walnut Creek, sunny and full of laughter and love.  But then there's home far far away, back in Noida. So far away that sometime just talking to the parents still brings tears to my eyes. Home was also the classroom, the sight of which, even on skype, brought back a strong urge to just run back. 

I start 2015, with a lot of love and hope. And happiness. Here's to the many people who make me feel like home. This year would have been incomplete without you.